How Do I Troubleshoot the “Front Panel NMI / Diagnostic Interrupt – Asserted” Event Log?

Server crashes due to Non-maskable Interrupts (NMI) sent by BMC to the system. System event logs show the following:

...NMI Diag Int BMC Informational Critical Interrupt Front Panel NMI / Diagnostic Interrupt - Asserted

The event usually takes place due to the following possible scenarios:

1. The front panel diagnostic interrupt or Non-maskable Interrupts (NMI) button is pressed.
   • The purpose of this button is to diagnose software issues; when a critical interruption is generated, the Operating System (OS) typically saves a memory dump. This allows for exact analysis of what is going on in system memory, which can be useful for software developers, or for troubleshooting OS, software, and driver issues. For more information, refer to System Event Log Troubleshooting Guides for Intel® Server Boards.
2. The BMC receives an IPMI Chassis Control command that requests this action.

This event only gets logged if the button is actioned, whether physically or remotely. When that happens, it causes the OS to crash without this being a critical event.

If this button was not actually pressed, proceed as follows:

1. Ensure the BIOS/Firmware is up to date.
2. Confirm there is no physical fault with the front panel.

Contact Support with the system event logs for diagnosis and advice should that be needed.