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Catalyst 4500 Series Switches Installation Guide
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Chapter 5 Troubleshooting
Problem Solving to the System Component Level
Problem Solving to the System Component Level
The key to success when troubleshooting the system is to isolate the problem to a
specific system component. Your first step is to compare what the system is doing
to what it should be doing. Because a startup problem can usually be caused by a
single component, it is more efficient to isolate the problem to a subsystem rather
than troubleshoot each separate component in the system.
The switch consists of the following subsystems:
• Power supply—Includes the power supplies and power supply fans. If you
suspect problems with the power supplies, see the “Troubleshooting the
Power Supply” section on page 5-6.
• Fan assembly—The system fan assembly should be operating whenever
system power is on. You should be able to hear the fan assembly when the
system is operating. If you determine that the fan assembly is not operating,
see the “Troubleshooting the Fan Assembly” section on page 5-8.
• Supervisor engine—The supervisor engine contains the operating system
software, so check the supervisor engine if you have trouble with the system
software. Status LEDs on the supervisor engine indicate whether the
supervisor engine has initialized correctly. If there is a problem with the
supervisor engine, try reseating the supervisor engine in the chassis and
restarting the switch. For more information about LED meanings, refer to the
“LEDs” section on page 1-27. If the supervisor engine does not boot correctly
after reseating and restarting, contact Cisco TAC. See the “Contacting the
Cisco Technical Assistance Center” section on page 5-16.
• Switching modules—The LEDs labeled STATUS on each switching module
indicate whether the switching module has been initialized correctly. The
supervisor engine must be operating properly before the switching module
will initialize. If a switching module is improperly installed in the switch, it
will not function, so if the supervisor engine is working but a switching
module is not, try reseating the module. For more informations, see the
“Troubleshooting Switching Modules” section on page 5-10. If you
determine that the switching module is not operating, contact Cisco TAC as
described in the “Contacting the Cisco Technical Assistance Center” section
on page 5-16.