Dell Linux mailing list - testing

[Alvin Oga]

hi ya angel

lets good ... i think i shall post a reply to the list ..

On Tue, 29 Jul 2003, Angel Rivera wrote:

> > i qa/qc my own boxes for production use ... 
...
 
> Normally, when we get our boxes, they have been burned in for at least 72 
> hours by the vendor. 

yes... that's the "claim" ...

if we say its been burnt in for 72 hrs...
	- they get a list of times and dates ...
	- i prefer to do infinite kernel compiles
	( rm -rf /tmp/linux-2.x ; cp -par linux-2.x /tmp ; make bzImage ;
	  date-stamp )

	http://www.linux-1u.net/Diags/scripts/test.pl
	( a dumb/simple/easy test that runs few standard operations )

> Then we beat them using our suit of programs for a 
> week. If there are any problems, the clock gets reset.

yes... that is the trick .... to get a god set of test suites


>  Not always a very 
> popular way of doing things, but it keeps bad boxes to a very low roar.  I 

keeping testing costs time down and "start testing process all over is
key"

testing and diags
	http://www.linux-1u.net/Diags/

and everybody has their own idea of what tests to do .. and "its
considered tested" ... or the depth of the tests..

1st tests should be visual ..
	- check the bios time stamps and version
	- check the batch levels of the pcb
	- check the manufacturer of the pcb and the chips on sdrams
	- blah ... dozens of things to inspect

than the power up tests
	- run diags to read bios version numbers
	- run diags for various purposes

- diagnostics and testing should be 100% automated including
  generating failure and warning notices
	- people tend to get lazy or go on vacation 
	and most are not as meticulous about testing foo-stuff
	while the other guyz might care that bar-stuff works 

- testing is very very expensive ...
	- getting known good mb, cpu, mem, disk, fans
	( repeatedly ) is the key ...

	- problem is some vendors discontinue their mb in 2 months
	so the whole testing clock start over again

	- in our case, its cheaper to find smaller distributors
	that have inventory of the previously tested known good mb
	that we like

- if it aint broke... leave it alone .. if its doing its job :-)

c ya
alvin

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