This file is a compilation of the few various AppLabs text files found in the tarball. These are made as one text file for quick and easy online viewing. The text files which come with the testing programs themselves are in separate folders in the tarball. The various text files are separated with lines like: >>> BEGIN LAPTOP WORKSHEET <<< >>> END LAPTOP WORKSHEET <<< >>> BEGIN TTCP TEST TOOL TEXT FILE <<< >>> END TTCP TEST TOOL TEXT FILE <<< The text files included in this file are: lap_cert.txt If you have questions you can direct them to linux@applabs.com. >>> BEGIN LAPTOP WORKSHEET <<< Linux Laptop WorkSheet AppLabs Linux Laptop Certification Test, Revision 1.1 - JCW Tester Name: _______________________________________ Date: ____________________ Section 1: Product Information Manufacturer: ____________________________________________________________________ Product Name and Model Number: ___________________________________________________ BIOS Revision Information: _______________________________________________________ Product Description: _____________________________________________________________ List any special hardware or options installed: __________________________________ Describe the Motherboard (Chipset etc.): _________________________________________ Describe the Display Adapter (Model, RAM): _______________________________________ Hard Drive(s): ________ Manufacturer: ____________ Model number: _____________ Floppy Drives: Standard 3.5" Make/Model: _________________________________________ CDROM/DVD (Make/Model/Other): ____________________________________________________ I/O Ports / Busses: ______________________________________________________________ NIC Card/Modem: __________________________________________________________________ Keyboard Make/Model and Interface: _______________________________________________ Pointing Device (Type/Make/Model/Interface): _____________________________________ Describe PCMCIA ports (number/config/locale): ____________________________________ Describe available serial ports: _________________________________________________ Describe available parallel ports: _______________________________________________ Sound Chipset: ___________________________________________________________________ Linux Distribution tested: _______________________________________________________ Section 2: Product Setup and Testing Note any hardware that the distribution failed to detect: ________________________ How did you set up devices that weren't detected? ________________________________ 1. Perform a CD/DVD installation: PASS FAIL N/A 2. Perform an FTP or NFS Installation: PASS FAIL 3. Device AutoProbing: PASS FAIL 4. Kernel Compatibility: PASS FAIL 5. LILO Compatibility: PASS FAIL 6. APM: APM Standard Spec Version: 1.0 1.1 Buggy APM BIOS Check YES NO Power off at Shutdown Test PASS FAIL Standby Test PASS FAIL Hibernate Test PASS FAIL 8. Display Adapter: Console Compatibility PASS FAIL X server Availability YES NO X server Compatibility PASS FAIL 9. Sound Adapter: Basic Sound Compatibility PASS FAIL Advanced Sound Availability YES NO Advanced Sound Compatibility PASS FAIL 10. Serial Port: Kernel Detection PASS FAIL N/A SetSerial Compatibility PASS FAIL Throughput Test PASS FAIL 11. Parallel Port: Kernel Detection PASS FAIL N/A Compatibility Test PASS FAIL 12. Pointing Device: Kernel Detection PASS FAIL Compatibility Test PASS FAIL 13. Keyboard: Compatibility Testing PASS FAIL 14. Internal Modem: Basic Compatibility Check YES NO N/A Driver Availability Check YES NO Connectivity Test PASS FAIL File Transfer Test PASS FAIL 15. Internat NIC: Driver Availability Check YES NO N/A Networking Test PASS FAIL 15. PCMCIA Bus: PCMCIA Bus Detection Test PASS FAIL Section 3: Test Procedures CDROM Install Test Procedure: Tester installs the distribution onto the system's hard disk using the install procedure provided by the distribution. Tester then shuts down the system down completely (no power to CPU) and restarts the system. Determination: If the install procedure completes and the new system can be booted up from the target hard drive and then operated without further modifications, the test is a pass. Network Install Test Procedure: Tester installs the distribution onto the test system's hard disk via remote connection, whether NFS or FTP. Determination: If the install procedure completes and the new system can be booted up from the target hard drive and operated without further modifications, the test is a pass. Device AutoProbing Check Procedure: Tester reviews dmesg to verify the distribution correctly detected the following items if they are included in the test system: videocard, sound card, NIC card, mouse, parallel port, serial ports, processors, RAM, all connected disks (fixed and removable, including floppy) AND correctly identified the partitions on the drives. Determination: If all connected hardware is properly detected and identified, the test is a pass. Failure to detect and identify any of the items listed in the Procedures area listed above is a failure. Kernel Compatibility Check Procedure: Tester verifies the features of the system being tested can be used with the kernel provided with the distribution. Determination: If a kernel modification and re-compile is necessary, the tester should note this fact for potential users, but simply needing to modify and re-compile is not a failure. Failure is based on inability of the system to work at all with the supplied kernel. Lilo Compatibility Check Procedure: Tester verifies the system can be booted using lilo after the install process is complete. Determination: If the system as installed cannot be booted directly to the hard disk without using either a book diskette or the CDROM, the test is a fail. If the system can be booted directly to the hard disk, the test is a pass. If the tester must first boot using a boot disk or CDROM, make changes to lilo.conf and re-run lilo to get the system to boot, this is not a failure but must be noted and attached to the worksheet. APM Compatibility Tests Buggy APM BIOS Check Procedure: Tester checks the BIOS make/version against the documentation and config files for the kernel version being tested upon. Determination: Tester's goal is to determine what switches should be set for APM when compiling the kernel. Tester should document the appropriate setting in a note attached to the worksheet. This is not a pass/fail test and the tester should mark either "YES" if the kernel compile requires one of the buggy BIOS switches, "NO" if it doesn't. Power off at Shutdown Test Procedure: Tester is to determine if APM can properly shutdown off the power to the system when the system is shutdown (halted) from the command line. Note that this feature will need to be turned on in both the BIOS and the kernel. Recommended command line is: /sbin/shutdown -h now but the tester can use any alias which accomplishes the same end. Determination: If the system powers down after doing a shutdown (halt) the test is a pass; otherwise, fail. Standby Test Procedure: Tester detemines if system being tested is compatible with the apm standby command. Tester uses the following command: apm -s Determination: The system display should blank and the system's standby indicator light (if it has one) should activate. If the system does enter standby mode, then either the system's wakeup key or any other keyboard activity should wake the system, returning it to its previous state. If the system follows this sequence (standby/return to previous state) the test is a pass; otherwise, fail. Hibernate Test Procedure: Tester commands the system to enter hibernation or "sleep" mode. Note that this feature must be turned on in the kernel for it to function. After the system has fully entered hibernation mode, the tester wakes the system. Determination: If the system fully enters hibernation mode (complete shutdown) and wakes to its previous state, the test is a pass; otherwise, fail. Display Adapter Compatibility Test Console Compatibility Procedure: Tester operates the system using the console (and X Windows on workstations) to verify the video display adapter will setup and work. Gpm-based tests must be tested with a three button mouse in order to check cut and paste functionality. Determination: Only the console is required for server tests whilst both console and X must operate correctly for workstations. For X-based tests, this includes correctly functioning mouse, keyboard and X server. For gpm-based tests, this means the mouse with all three buttons functioning must work. X Server Avaiability Procedure: Tester makes checks with the manufacturer of the laptop and via the web to ensure there is a working X server for the system being tested. Determination: If the manufacturer reports there is no X server available, then the tester answers "no" to this question and does not need to perform the X Server Compatibility test. X Server Compatibility Procedure: Tester uses the distribution's preferred method of setting up an X server. Determination: Tester starts the X server and verifies the mouse, keyboard and video display work properly. If there is any doubt about the functionality of any one of these, the tester is to run the X-related tests found in the AppLabs Video Card Certification Test. Tester should make comprehensive notes if there are any problems and what solutions were found/devised. Sound Adapter Compatibility Test Basic Sound Compatibility Procedure: Tester verifies the most basic sound abilities of the system work on the base Linux install by having the pc speaker make a beep -- any beep will do provided the command to beep comes from the Linux OS or a program running in the Linux OS environment. The tester can use the console_beep program (found in the testing tools area on the AppLabs web site) if needed. Determination: If the pc speaker makes a beep, the test is a pass; otherwise, fail. If the system being tested is promoted as having sound capabilities beyond a simple pc speaker, the tester should advance to the next step in the Sound Adapter Compatibility Test (Advanced Sound Availability.) Advanced Sound Availability Procedure: Tester checks with both the system's manufacturer and the web to determine if the system's sound system can be used with Linux and has available drivers. Determination: If the manufacturer reports there are no sound drivers for the system and if the Linux sound-related websites reveal no drivers available for the system, then the tester answers "NO" to this question and does not need to perform the Advanced Sound Compatibility Test. Advanced Sound Compatibility Procedure: Tester uses the distribution's preferred method of setting up the sound drivers for the system's sound system. Tester perfoms sound checks by ensuring the following types of sounds can be played and heard. Sound quality must be consistent with expectations for the type of sound being used (CD-ROM music disk sound must be comparable with sound played on any other CD playing system.) Tested sound sources must include: a CD-ROM music disk (only if the system has a CD/DVD disk player); an mp3 sound file; a .wav sound file; a midi sound file; Determination: If the system can play all the above sound file types and the sound is comparable to sound from similar playing device, the test is a pass; otherwise, fail. Serial Ports Tests Procedure: Tester first verifies the serial ports are detected during bootup by checking dmesg. Secondly, tester verifies serial ports can work with setserial (use setserial to set the baud rate). Thirdly, tester tests the serial ports by connecting a null modem, compiles the miniterm program and passes data through the serial ports. Determination: Dmesg: serial ports must be properly detected during bootup. Setserial: serial ports must be configurable via setserial. Null modem: serial ports must be able to pass data through. Parallel Port Tests Procedure: Tester first verifies the parallel port is detected during the boot process. Tester then connects and configures a printer to the printer port and prints a file. Determination: Tester must be able to print a file from the test unit on the connected printer. A simple dump of an ASCII file to the printer is adequate to test the parallel port. Pointing Device Tests Procedure: Tester first verifies the mouse/pointing device is detected during the boot process (check dmesg.) Tester then uses gpm or X to check the basic pointing and clicking functions required for proper operation of the system. Determination: If the pointing device is properly detected and functions correctly as concerns pointing, clicking, dragging, cut and paste functions with either gpm or both gpm and X, then the test is a pass. Failure of any one of these items is a fail for the entire Pointing Device test. Keyboard Device Tests Procedure: Tester loads a text editor or word processor and verifies the operation of the keyboard. Tester must check all features of the keyboard including control keys, shift keys, etc. Keyboard should be checked in both the X environment and the console environment. Determination: If the keyboard functions properly, the test is a pass. Otherwise, the test is a fail. Internal Modem Basic Compatibility Check Procedure: Tester determines if the internal modem is a WinModem by checking with the manufacturer's documentation or by checking references on the net. Determination: If the modem is a WinModem, the tester should circle "NO" on the worksheet. No other internal modem tests need be attempted if the internal modem is a WinModem. Tester must attach a note to both the worksheet and the final reports stating that the modem in the system will not work with Linux. Driver Availability Check Procedure: Tester verifies there are workable drivers for the modem before attempting further testing by checking with the manufacturer or by checking references on the net. Determination: If drivers are available, tester circles "YES" on the worksheet; otherwise, "NO." Tester should document the name and URL for any drivers and attach to the worksheet in a note. If no drivers are available for this modem/system, no other internal modem tests need be done. Setup/Connectivity Test Procedure: Tester sets up the modem using either SLIP or PPP and connects via the modem with a known destination. Determination: Connections must be clean and usable. Any abnormalities (echoing, line noise) must not impair the connection to the point of being un-usable. Tester must correct any and all configuration problems which may be the cause of such impairment. If the modem makes a usable connection to the destination, the test is a pass; otherwise, fail. The tester must fully document all steps required for configuring the modem and attach to the worksheet. File Transfer Test Procedure: Tester connects to a destination and transfers a file (either upload or download) and verifies the transfer rate is within ten percent (10%) of the manufacturer's reported maximum transfer rate. Determination: If the transfer rate is within ten percent (10%) of the manufacturer's reported transfer rate, the test is a pass; otherwise, fail. Internal NIC Procedure: Tester sets up the internal NIC and all related configuration files. Tester brings up the NIC connection and checks the following: ping to localhost ping to gateway ping to name server ttcp test Determination: All the above ping tests must return indications of a connection. The ttcp test must return stats within ten percent (10%) of the manufacturere's maximum transfer rate. If the above tests are successful and the transfer rate is within ten percent (10%) of the manufacturer's maximum report transfer rate, the test is a pass; otherwise, fail. [NOTE: If this test is performed then the Basic Network Test below need not be performed.] Basic Network Test Procedure: Tester installs and configures a PCMCIA NIC card. Tester runs the ttcp test and collects the returned statistics. Tester adds a note the the worksheet reporting the transfer rates. Determination: Tester verifies the transfer rates of the tested device are within 10% of the manufacturer's reported maximum transfer rates for the device. If so, pass; otherwise fail. If the test is a fail, the tester must check all configuration files to ensure that any and every possible configuration attribute which may effect the transfer rate is checked for correct and optimal settings. If changes are made to related configuration files, the test must be run again. PCMCIA Bus Procedure: Tester verifies via dmesg, /var/log/messages, or /proc/pci that the PCMCIA bus is being detected. Note that PCMCIA services may need to be switched on in the kernel. [NOTE: Any PCMCIA devices are to be tested using the separate PCMCIA Test.] Determination: If the PCMCIA bus shows in any of the above referenced files as being extant, the test is a pass; otherwise, fail. Resources, Internet: http://Linux Laptop-HOWTO http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/kharker/linux-laptop/ http://www.snafu.de/wehe/apm_linux.html http://pcmcia.sourceforge.org/ http://www.worldvisions.ca/~apenwarr/apmd/ Resources, HOWTOs: PCMCIA-HOWTO Laptop-HOWTO Battery-powered mini-HOWTO >>> END LAPTOP CERT WORKSHEET <<<