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The English majors over at Dell provided me with this error message provided by a PowerEdge 2950.

CPU2 Status: Processor sensors for CPU2, IERR was deasserted

I've Googled it, random forum posts aren't providing me with a clear answer.

It's also apparently not a word: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/deassert?s=t

I can guess the meaning. Assert:

to state with assurance, confidence, or force

Okay. So the negative of that. The state of lack-of-confidence? What is this error message trying to tell me? Memory errors were grouped with this one: is it trying to say that IERR for CPU2 should be set, but is not? That the current system state is SNAFU but CPU2 sees everything as fine?

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3 Answers 3

up vote 5 down vote accepted

My best translation would be 'Stopped signaling'.

Say I have an alarm button. I can push this button to send a signal. Then I release the button to stop sending that signal. Replace 'push' with 'assert' and 'release' with 'de-assert' and you get the meaning.

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I'm not sure where this term started gaining usage in regards to error conditions, but I've seen it with several vendors.

Basically, an error condition is present if it is "asserted". Then if at some point the error condition ceases to exist, a message is logged that said condition is deasserted.

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Further to ErikA's answer...

This terminology carries "up" from digital logic. When you say that a digital signal is "asserted" it's the same as saying it represents a binary value of 1. De-asserted is the same as binary 0.

In your case, the message means that signal IERR was set to 0, i.e. turned off.

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protected by Tom O'Connor Apr 24 at 8:46


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