Troubleshooting and Logs

Overview: If issues arise, start with the Dashboard — the Safety Banner shows the current system state, and the Suggested Next Step tells you what to do. The kernel log is available for advanced diagnostics when needed.

graph TD;
    A[System issue occurs] --> B{System fails to boot?};
    B -->|Yes| C[Boot into recovery mode or Non-HS kernel];
    C --> D["Dashboard resumes — follow Maintenance wizard steps"];
    D --> E[Boot HeartSuite Core Secure kernel — Dashboard shows pending events];
    B -->|No| F[Check the Dashboard];
    F --> G{Safety Banner shows wrong mode or Non-HS kernel?};
    G -->|Yes| H[Check System Info Strip for mode, kernel, lockdown];
    H --> I[Follow the Suggested Next Step];
    G -->|No| J{Review queues show pending or denied events?};
    J -->|Yes| K[Approve missing items from the review queues];
    J -->|No| L["Check dmesg | grep HEARTSUITE for raw kernel events"];
    E --> K;
    K --> M[Test operation];
    I --> M;
    L --> M;

Dashboard-First Diagnostics

The Dashboard is the primary diagnostic tool. Before checking log files, review:

• Safety Banner: Confirms the current system state. If it shows “SETUP MODE”, “SECURE MODE – Lockdown not applied”, or “NON-HS KERNEL”, you immediately know what protection level is active.
• System Info Strip: Shows kernel type (HS or Non-HS), current mode with uptime, and lockdown status.
• Pending/Denied counts: In Setup Mode, these are pending events awaiting review. In Secure Mode, these are denied actions that may need allowlisting.
• Suggested Next Step: Provides a single, actionable recommendation based on the current system state.

Log Management

HeartSuite Core Secure captures all permission events and presents them through the Dashboard’s three review queues: Programs ([p]), File Access ([f]), and Internet Access ([i]). The Dashboard shows pending event counts for each queue and groups events by category, so you always know what needs attention. The Maintenance screen ([t]) provides guided workflows for common maintenance tasks.

The review queues are the primary way to see and resolve events. The underlying activity log is a temporary buffer — once all three review queues are empty, the Dashboard automatically clears the log on its next refresh. No manual action is required.

Allow several days to a week of observation in Setup Mode. Systemd timers, cron jobs, and infrequent services generate events only when they run — the review queues accumulate these automatically.

Kernel Log (Advanced)

The Dashboard’s review queues automatically collect events from both the HeartSuite Core Secure activity log and the kernel log. During normal operation, you do not need to read dmesg directly.

The kernel log is useful for advanced troubleshooting — for example, confirming kernel-level activation or correlating HeartSuite Core Secure events with other kernel messages:

dmesg | grep HEARTSUITE

The Dashboard presents the same event data with metadata enrichment and grouping. The Dashboard is accessible on both the HeartSuite Core Secure kernel and the Non-HS kernel — on the Non-HS kernel, the Safety Banner shows “NON-HS KERNEL” and enforcement is inactive.

Reporting Issues

If you encounter a bug, open an issue on GitHub using the Bug Report template. Include your HeartSuite Core Secure version, kernel version, the Safety Banner state, and steps to reproduce. For security vulnerabilities, email support@heartsecsuite.com — we’re happy to help.