SMIT Help Information for Error Logging

Note: The information contained in this article is structured as help information for the System Management Interface Tool (SMIT) and Visual System Management (VSM). It is not intended for general reading.

The error logging facilities assist in identifying failures in hardware and software. The operating system software records selected hardware and software failures in the system error log.


You can create an error report from entries stored in the system error log.


You can create an error report from entries stored in the system error log.


You can create an error report from entries stored in the system error log.


Concurrent error reporting allows you to request that the system display or print errors as they are entered into the system error log.


Concurrent error reporting allows you to request that the system display or print errors as they are entered into the system error log.


The detailed error report provides comprehensive information including error id, error class, error type, error description, probable causes and recommended solutions. A summary (the default report style) contains concise descriptions of errors by identifier, type, class, and resource name.


The four error classes are: H (hardware), S (software), O (informational messages), and U (undetermined). Normally, all error classes are included in the error report, but you can narrow the scope of the report by selecting only the error classes you want.


All error types are automatically included in an error report. To narrow the scope of your report, select the error types you want in the report; all other types will be ignored. Error types include:

PEND - The loss device or component availability is imminent.

PERF - The performance of the device or component has degraded to below an acceptable level.

PERM - Unable to recover from error condition. Error types with this value are usually the most severe errors and imply that you have a hardware or software defect. Error types other than PERM usually do not indicate a defect, but they are recorded so that they can be analyzed by the diagnostics programs.

TEMP - Recovered from condition after several attempts.

UNKN - Severity of the error cannot be determined.

INFO - The error type is used to record informational entries.


All error types are automatically included in an error report. To narrow the scope of your report, select the error types you want in the report; all other types will be ignored. Error types include:

PEND - The loss device or component availability is imminent.

PERF - The performance of the device or component has degraded to below an acceptable level.

PERM - Unable to recover from error condition. Error types with this value are usually the most severe errors and imply that you have a hardware or software defect. Error types other than PERM usually do not indicate a defect, but they are recorded so that they can be analyzed by the diagnostics programs.

TEMP - Recovered from condition after several attempts.

UNKN - Severity of the error cannot be determined.

INFO - The error type is used to record informational entries.


Generates a report for resource classes specified by the user. For hardware errors, the resource type is a device class.


Generates a report for resource types specified by the user. For hardware errors, the resource type is a device type; for software errors, it is the LPP value.


Generates a report for resource names specified by the user. For hardware errors, the resource name is a device name; for software errors, it is the name of the failing executable.


You can specify which error identifiers to display or print in the error report. The system usually displays or prints all error identifiers.


You can specify which error identifiers to display or print in the error report. The system usually displays or prints all error identifiers.


Error log entries that were posted after a user-defined time will be included in the error report. The starting time has the form mmddhhmmyy (month, day, hour, minute, and year).


To activate the start date and time fields, select this option. Error log entries that were posted after a user-defined time will be included in the error report.


Error log entries that were posted before a user-defined time will be included in the error report. The ending time has the form mmddhhmmyy (month, day, hour, minute, and year).


To activate the end date and time fields, select this option. Error log entries that were posted before a user-defined time will be included in the error report.


Enter the pathname of the file to receive the error information. If a file name is not specified, the system writes the error information to standard output.


Enter the pathname of the file to receive the error information. If a file name is not specified, the system writes the error information to standard output.


Enter the pathname of the file to receive the error information. If a file name is not specified, the system writes the error information to standard output.


Displays or changes the maximum size of the error log.


Enter a new maximum size in bytes for the error log.


Deletes error log entries that are older than the specified number of days.


Deletes error log entries that are older than the specified number of days.


Deletes error log entries that are older than the specified number of days.


If you specify 0 days, all error log entries will be deleted.


Entries with the selected error class will be deleted. The four error classes are: H (hardware), S (software), O (informational), and U (undetermined).


Entries with the selected error type will be deleted. The six error types are: PEND, PERF, PERM, TEMP, UNKN, and INFO. Normally, all error types are deleted, but you can delete entries of a certain error type by selecting an error type. The error types are defined as follows:

PEND - The loss of availability of a device or component is imminent.

PERF - The performance of the device or component has degraded to below an acceptable level.

PERM - Condition that could not be recovered from. Error types with this value are usually the most severe errors and are more likely to mean that you have a defective hardware device or software module. Error types other than PERM usually do not indicate a defect but are recorded so that they can be analyzed by the diagnostics programs.

TEMP - Recovered from conditions after several unsuccessful attempts.

UNKN - It is not possible to determine the severity of the error.

INFO - The error type is used to record informational entries.


Entries with resource classes specified by the user will be deleted. For hardware errors, the resource type is a device class.


Entries with resource types specified by the user will be deleted. For hardware errors, the resource type is a device type; for software errors, it is the LPP value.


Entries with resource names specified by the user will be deleted. For hardware errors, the resource name is a device name; for software errors, it is the name of the failing executable.


Specify which error identifiers to delete from the error log. By default, all error identifiers are deleted.


You may send an error report to a file or a printer. If you choose a file name, the default is stdout.


You can send the report to a file. If the file does not exist, the system creates the file for you. If the file already exists, the system appends the output.

You can send the report to a printer. Select a printer from the Printer name options.


To direct the error report to a printer, select a printer that prints ASCII output.


Generates a report with error labels specified by the user. All error labels are automatically included in an error report. You may narrow the scope of your report by selecting the error labels you want in the report; all other labels will be ignored.


Generates report sequence numbers specified by the user. All sequence numbers are automatically included in an error report. You may narrow the scope of your report by selecting the sequence number you want in the report; all other sequence numbers will be ignored.


Reports all error log entries that were posted earlier than a user-defined time. The ending time has the form mmddhhmmyy (month, day, hour, minute, and year).


The name of the error log file from which the report will be produced.


The name of the error template that will be used in producing the error report.


The name of the error logging message catalog that will be used in producing the error report.


The name of the file to which you want to log all system errors. This may be an existing error log file, or a new file. The default error log file name is /var/adm/ras/errlog.


Sets the size in bytes for the error log memory buffer. The minimum size for the buffer is 4096 bytes. The maximum size is your available memory, and user resource limits (ulimit). Increasing the error log memory buffer size takes affect immediately. However, decreasing the error log memory buffer size takes affect upon the next system reboot.


Entries with the specified error label will be deleted from the error log. By default, all error labels will be deleted.


Entries with the specified sequence numbers will be deleted from the error log. By default, all sequence numbers will be deleted.


The name of the error log file from which you want to delete entries. The default error log file name is /var/adm/ras/errlog.


The name of the error template file to be used while deleting error log entries.


To specify the month, slide the bar horizontally until the desired value appears.


To specify the month, slide the bar horizontally until the desired value appears.


To specify the day, slide the bar horizontally until the desired value appears.


To specify the day, slide the bar horizontally until the desired value appears.


To specify the year, slide the bar horizontally until the desired value appears.


To specify the year, slide the bar horizontally until the desired value appears.


To specify the hour, slide the bar horizontally until the desired value appears.


To specify the hour, slide the bar horizontally until the desired value appears.


To specify the minute, slide the bar horizontally until the desired value appears.


To specify the minute, slide the bar horizontally until the desired value appears.


The alog command creates and maintains fixed size log files. It reads from standard input, writes to standard output, and copies the output into a fixed size file.


This menu allows you to display the contents of an alog log file.


This identifies a alog type defined in the alog configuration database. To display the currently defined alog types, run the command alog -L.


This identifies the name of the alog file associated with the alog type that was specified.


This item allows you to change the attributes of an alog file. You may change the name of the alog file, the size of the file, and the verbosity value.


This identifies an alog type defined in the alog configuration database. To display currently defined alog types, run the command alog -L.


This is the name of the file where you want data to be logged.


This is the maximum size the alog file can be. This value will be rounded up to a multiple of 4096 bytes. When the alog file is created, this space is automatically reserved whether it is used or not.


This value specifies if data is copied to the alog file. If the verbosity value is not 0, then all of the information alog reads from standard input is written to the log file. If the verbosity value is 0, then no information is written to the log file.


When system hang detection is enabled and a priority problem is identified, writes this information to the error log. You can specify the priority level to check and the time-out period during which no process or thread can execute at a lower or equal priority. The default values are:


When system hang detection is enabled and a priority problem is identified, displays an error message on the specified system terminal device. You can specify the priority level to check and the time-out period during which no process or thread can execute at a lower or equal priority. The default values are:


When system hang detection is enabled and a priority problem is identified, starts a getty at the highest priority on the specified system terminal device. You can specify the priority level to check and the time-out period during which no process or thread can execute at a lower or equal priority. The default values are:


When system hang detection is enabled and a priority problem is identified, starts a command from the specified script. You can specify the priority level to check and the time-out period during which no process or thread can execute at a lower or equal priority. The default values are:


When system hang detection is enabled and a priority problem is identified, the system reboots. You can specify the priority level to check and the time-out period during which no process or thread can execute at a lower or equal priority. The default values are:


When system hang detection is enabled and a kernel deadlock condition is identified, writes this information to the error log. You can specify the the time-out period during which no process or thread can execute at a lower or equal priority. The default values are:


When system hang detection is enabled and a kernel deadlock condition is identified, displays an error message on the specified system terminal device. You can specify the time-out period during which no process or thread can execute at a lower or equal priority. The default values are:


When system hang detection is enabled and a kernel deadlock condition is identified, reboots the system. You can specify the time-out period during which no process or thread can execute at a lower or equal priority. The default values are:


Configures a single, system wide directory to dump all core files of all processes. This makes managing file system space easier and provides a single directory for the core file to be stored. By default, core files are created in the working directory of the process being core dumped. You must have root authority to perform this function.


Clears the configured core file directory. Any subsequent core files will be created in the working directory of the process being core dumped.


Lists the directory to where all core files should be dumped.


Changes the directory to where all core files should be dumped.


Storage Protection Keys improve system serviceability by enhancing the detection of incorrect storage references.


Kernel Storage Protection Keys improve system serviceability by enhancing the detection of incorrect kernel storage references.


Displays the current and next boot Kernel Storage Protection Keys states.


Displays a dialog menu to change the next boot Storage Protection Keys state.


Displays the current Kernel Storage Protection Keys state.


Specifies whether the Kernel Storage Protection Keys framework will be enabled or disabled at the next boot.

Note that disabling this feature reduces system serviceability.

You must run the /usr/sbin/bosboot command after changing the Storage Protection Key state, and then reboot AIX, in order for the change to become fully active.


Specifies whether '/usr/sbin/bosboot -a' will automatically be run when the change request is successful.


The kernel recovery framework improves system availability. The framework allows continued system operation after some unexpected kernel errors.


Displays a menu to show the current and next boot states and also to enable/disable kernel recovery framework at the next boot.


Displays the current and next boot kernel recovery states.


Displays a dialog menu to change the next boot kernel recovery state.


Specifies whether the kernel recovery framework will be enabled or disabled at the next boot.

Note that disabling these features reduces system availability.

You must run the /usr/sbin/bosboot command after changing the kernel recovery state, and then reboot the operating system, in order for the change to become fully active.


Specifies whether '/usr/sbin/bosboot -a' will automatically be run when the change request is successful.


Advanced First Failure Data Capture Features include tracing and error checking functionality that focus on gather sufficient information so that if a failure occurs, it can be diagnosed and serviced without requiring recreation.


Specifies whether the advanced memory tracing and error checking facilities are enabled or disabled.

Not that disabling these features reduces system reliability, availability, and serviceability.

You must run the /usr/sbin/bosboot command after changing the state of the Advanced First Failure Data Capture Features, and then reboot the system in order for the change to become fully active.


Specifies whether '/usr/sbin/bosboot -a' will automatically be run when the change requests are successful.


ProbeVue is a dynamic tracing utility that allows users to analyze the operating system and user programs by dynamically enabling the user-specified probes, executing the actions associated with the probes when they are triggered and presenting the captured trace data.


Enables or disables ProbeVue.


The maximum pinned memory consumable by the entire ProbeVue framework in MB.


Default size of the per-CPU trace buffers in KB.


The default period in milliseconds that the trace buffers will be read by the trace consumer.


Size of per-CPU computation stack in KB.


The number of concurrent ProbeVue active sessions allowed at a time for users without aix.ras.probevue.trace authorization or the root authority.


The maximum pinned memory in MB allowed for an ProbVue session owned by users without aix.ras.probevue.trace authorization or the root authority.


The minimum period in milliseconds that a user without aix.ras.probevue.trace can request the trace consumer to read from the trace buffers.


Displays or changes the pureScale logging configuration of the error log.


When Enable is set to yes, the error log daemon sends log messages to a pureScale log stream.


Specifies the name of the log stream where log messages are sent. Expected value is a log stream full-name. A log stream full-name is composed of a log space name and a log stream name separated by a slash (/).