Improver (English version)
Most of the testing tasks for Mandriva/ROSA operating systems are to be done while running Improver, exept those which need data recollecting before running the system itself i.e. that concern installation and booting the system, as well as preparing bootable media and running system within virtual machines. For those kind of tests there are special protocols to be filled after performing the tests and recollecting the data. Improver is a kind of software dedicated to collection automatically the necessary data of the PC used for testing the system and running the tests as replies to questions or statements which the client software presents to a registered user according to testing plans downloaded from Improver's server. The whole Mandriva/Rosa's Improver includes
- client software
- server applications
- web-application
Client software is GUI utility called Improver_client. It creates user account, downloads testing plans from the server, and collects the hardware and system data from the user's PC. User selects desired testing plan form available list, fills report then the program sends it to the Improver's server.
Usage of Improver
User may run it from main menu --> "Applications" --> "Tests" or by the command `improver' in console. The root privileges are required because the program launches such system utilities as lshw and dmidecode to collect information about hardware.
Druing starting you can see splash screen, this time program is calculating hw_id and connecting with server. If there is now your account on server you will be asked to register. If you already have account you'll se your account information.
Next, window with common list of test plans is appears. Test plans are divided by groups. Each test plan has icon representing status of test plan: new, downloaded, started, finished, sent. At the bottom of screen are control buttons. Update - updating information about test plans. Map - representing questions map of test plan. Import - import test plan from XML file. Send reports - send saved reports. By clicking all stored on the workstation reports are sent to server. Start - begin to perform the selected test plan (also you can do it by double-clicking on row in test plans table).
After selecting test plan for performing opened window with description of test plan. Next, window with test plans questions. Under questions left side - answer options; right side - comments for question.
In different questions you can select one or more answers. There are customized keyboard shortcuts for quick access: Alt+1 .. Alt+9 and Alt+q for "other" answer.
Next below are buttons: screen capture, screen capture with delay, attach a file, map of test plan.
By clicking on the "Map" opens a window with a list of test plans questions. In the window indicate the status of the question - answered or not answered. From the window with the map of plan you can move to any question of test plan.
At the bottom of window are buttons: Test plans list - back to common list of test plans with savind current progress. Back - go to the previous question. Next - go to the next question. Finish - go to sending report.
After completing test plan user can add an additional comment to test plan and add custom file to report.
Next, by clicking button "Send report" report isgenerating and will be sent to server. Then you can proceed to perform other test plans.
The following hardware is said by developers of the Mandriva/Rosa systems as most required for testing the Release Candidates 2011:
Any laptops equipped with Nvidia Optimus graphic cards supporting soft as well as hard switchig video
Any laptops supporting AMD Avivo technology
Laptops equipped with Intel GMA500 grphic card
MacBooks
Any atypical netbooks
RADEON graphic cards: r800, r700, r600, r520 - series; NVidya: 200-500 series, old ones from 3-rd to 8-th generations( geforce 3/4 + 6***/7***/8***) and their mobile counterparts
Any graphic cards with HDMI out
SIS graphic cards
Multy-display systems
Popular audio adapters like Creative and better
New chipsets: x58, p55, p67, am3+ including UEFI bios support
"Multiseat" systems
Any atypical CPU like Via C2000 with appropriate chipsets
Motherboards with CD/DVD - JMicron controllers
As much as possible systems with SATA HDD connected with AHCI
SSD and RAID ( 1+0, 6 )
Any WIFI dongles and cards
3G modems - especially ZTE
Yota modems
SkyLink modems
Any mobile phones
Photo cameras which are not recognized as flash-memory (usually working with GPHOTO2)
Any printing machines - especially Win-printers
Interactive boards
Web-cameras Logitech - especially with Skype
Any Bluetooth gadgets - especially keyboards and mice
Test plans
1) Plan-report to be filled with Improver after preparing the data of the tests on preparation media, installation and loading the system and also work with virtual machines
1.1 Bootable DVD-ROM successfully recorded with Windows utility (please, specify)
1.2 Bootable DVD-ROM successfully recorded with Growisofs and other LINUX utilities (please, specify)
1.3 Bootable DVD-ROM successfully recorded with dd, (a command like: dd if = image.iso of = / dev / sd …)
2.1 When loading from the obtained DVD-ROM in the live mode all stages of the 1st launch work properly. (In case of errors, please, provide the full text of the errors.)
2.2 When you load in the LIVE mode, the live user logs in automatically
2.3 When you boot in the LIVE mode there is no unnecessary data requests (please, specify what data is requested)
2.4 On each stage of booting there is an expressed splash screen. The themes of grub/syslinux splash, plymouth splash, ksplash correspond the system brand.
2.5 The algorithm Quit works properly
2.6 The algorithm Lock works properly
2.7 The algorithm Switch User works properly
2.8 The algorithm Sleep Mode works properly
2.9 The algorithm Reboot works properly: After you restart the system there should not be any changes to the hard drive of your PC. Especially check that the boot record of the hard disk is not demaged.
2.10 The algorithm Switch off' works properly: After you restart the system there should not be any changes to the hard drive of your PC. Especially check that the boot record of the hard disk is not demaged.
3 Burn a bootable image on flash device with a command like livecd-iso-to-disk / path / image.iso / dev / sd ... command type. The result should be a flash device with two folders DATA and SYSTEM. System should start successfully from this device.
4.1 When you load with the received USB-drive in live mode all stages of the 1st launch work properly.(In case of errors, please, provide the full text of the errors.)
4.2 When you load with the received USB-drive in live mode the live user logs in automatically
4.3 When you boot from the flash drive in the LIVE mode there is no unnecessary data requests (please, specify what data is requested)
4.4 On each stage of booting there is an expressed splash screen. The themes of grub/syslinux splash, plymouth splash, ksplash correspond the system brand.
4.5 After loading the live a mode from the written flash disk it is possible to save files in the root folder and in other folders (specify the restrictions).
4.6 Try to make some custom changes to the system: change the widgets, remove rpm-package (it is necessary to remove a package correctly, for example, the package kde-l10n-en_GB or any package with another option - nodeps. In a footnote you have to indicate that it is done and provide the output of rpm-qa | grep …)
4.7 Reboot: After you restart the system all the changes have to operate normally. (In case of unsaved changes you have to make a detailed report, as audited and the conclusion of cat / etc / sysconfig / draklive-install command)
4.8 Switch off: After you restart the system all the changes are present. (In case of unsaved changes, please, make a detailed report, indicate how did you check the changes, for example, provide the output of cat / etc / sysconfig / draklive-install command)
4.9 From the modified system on the flash-device from the Live mode install the system on the hard disk (draklive-install in the console) and make sure that the changes are saved and operate in the installed system (provide the output of rpm-qa | grep ... and / or screenshots).
5 Install the system from DVD-disk in 'Install System' mode. In case of any errors during the installation, make a photo picture of the screen then boot the live mode and run the installer from console with the command draklive-install-lock-storage. Try to reproduce the errors and provide the output in the console.
5.1 Graphical theme draklive-install accords with the system brand.
5.2 During installation there are no problems with recognising equipment and video modes (even if unsupported video card) 5.3 Network with its physical accessibility rises automatically and automatic update of packages runs.
5.4 At each step all the actions proposed in the form of a step perform properly (all the features work). Work out all the options of choice proposed by the installation wizard skiping / selecting various optional items such as removing unwanted software. Report any problems in detail.
5.5 After installation it is possible to load another operating system previously installed on the computer (specify the system).
6 Install the system from USB-flash-drive in 'Install System' mode. In case of any errors during the installation, make a photo picture of the screen then boot the live mode and run the installer from console with the command draklive-install-lock-storage. Try to reproduce the errors and provide the output in the console.
6.1 Graphical theme draklive-install accords with the system brand.
6.2 During installation there are no problems with recognising equipment and video modes (even if unsupported video card)
6.3 Network with its physical accessibility rises automatically and automatic update of packages runs
6.4 At each step all the actions proposed in the form of a step perform properly (all the features work). Work out all the options of choice proposed by the installation wizard skiping / selecting various optional items such as removing unwanted software. Report any problems in detail.
6.5 After installation it is possible to load another operating system previously installed on the computer (specify the system).
7.0.1 Choose the host system and install a free copy of Oracle VirtualBox virtual machine http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads. Specify the selected host system.
7.0.2 Choose the host system and install a free copy of VMPlayer virtual machine http://downloads.vmware.com/d/info/desktop_downloads/vmware_player/3_0. Specify the selected host system.
7.0.3 Choose the host system and install a free copy of Parallels virtual machine. Specify the selected host system.
7.1.1 For Oracle VirtualBox virtual machine recommended confoguration is: from 1 GB RAM and from 8 GB HDD; minimal configuration is: from 512 MB RAM and from 6 GB HDD. Correct and/or add the specified parameters (configuration of processors, video memory etc.). At start choose 'LAUNCH SYSTEM'. The system should load fully. The network should connect automatically. Make screenshots from the host system sowing the process and result of booting the LIVE-mode in VirtualBox. Please, make the screenshots while the virtual machine is running not in full screen mode.
7.1.1.1 Test pre-installed vidgets on the taskbar including StackFolder. Make the screenshots from the host system.
7.1.1.2 Test the launch of all the applications from the Start Menu. Show the output of 'uname -a' from the root user in Console. Make the screenshots from the host system.
7.1.1.3 Perform some simple and representative operations like browsing a WEB site or any commands in the Console. Provide comments about speed, stability etc.
7.1.2 Restart the system and choose 'INSTALL SYSTEM'. Perform installation on Vbox HDD.
7.1.2.1 Make screenshots from the host system sowing the process and result of installing system on VirtualBox HDD. Please, make the screenshots while the virtual machine is running not in full screen mode.
7.1.2.2 Test pre-installed vidgets on the taskbar including StackFolder. Make the screenshots from the host system.
7.1.2.3 Test the launch of all the applications from the Start Menu. Show the output of 'uname -a' from the root user in Console. Make the screenshots from the host system.
7.1.2.4 Perform some simple and representative operations like browsing a WEB site or any commands in the Console. Provide comments about speed, stability etc.
7.2.1 For VMPlayer virtual machine recommended confoguration is: from 1 GB RAM and from 8 GB HDD; minimal configuration is: from 512 MB RAM and from 6 GB HDD. Correct and/or add the specified parameters (configuration of processors, video memory etc.). At start choose 'LAUNCH SYSTEM'. The system should load fully. The network should connect automatically. Meke screenshots from the host system sowing the process and result of booting the LIVE-mode in VMPlayer. Please, make the screenshots while the virtual machine is running not in full screen mode.
7.2.1.1 Test pre-installed vidgets on the taskbar including StackFolder. Make the screenshots from the host system. 7.2.1.2 Test the launch of all the applications from the Start Menu. Show the output of 'uname -a' from the root user in Console. Make the screenshots from the host system.
7.2.1.3 Perform some simple and representative operations like browsing a WEB site or any commands in the Console. Provide comments about speed, stability etc.
7.2.2 Restart the system and choose 'INSTALL SYSTEM'. Perform installation on VMPlayer HDD.
7.2.2.1 Make screenshots from the host system sowing the process and result of installing system on VirtualBox HDD. Please, make the screenshots while the virtual machine is running not in full screen mode.
7.2.2.2 Test pre-installed vidgets on the taskbar including StackFolder. Make the screenshots from the host system.
7.2.2.3 Test the launch of all the applications from the Start Menu. Show the output of 'uname -a' from the root user in Console. Make the screenshots from the host system.
7.2.2.4 Install VMTools. To start the installer use a command like perl ./vmware-install.pl Make the screenshots.
7.2.2.5 Perform some simple and representative operations like browsing a WEB site or any commands in the Console. Provide comments about speed, stability etc.
7.3.1 For Parallels virtual machine recommended confoguration is: from 1 GB RAM and from 8 GB HDD; minimal configuration is: from 512 MB RAM and from 6 GB HDD. Correct and/or add the specified parameters (configuration of processors, video memory etc.). At start choose 'LAUNCH SYSTEM'. The system should load fully. The network should connect automatically. Meke screenshots from the host system sowing the process and result of booting the LIVE-mode inParallels virtual machine. Please, make the screenshots while the virtual machine is running not in full screen mode.
7.3.1.1 Test pre-installed vidgets on the taskbar including StackFolder. Make the screenshots from the host system.
7.3.1.2 Test the launch of all the applications from the Start Menu. Show the output of 'uname -a' from the root user in Console. Make the screenshots from the host system.
7.3.1.3 Perform some simple and representative operations like browsing a WEB site or any commands in the Console. Provide comments about speed, stability etc.
7.3.2 Restart the system and choose 'INSTALL SYSTEM'. Perform installation on Parallels HDD.
7.3.2.1 Make screenshots from the host system sowing the process and result of installing system onParallels HDD. Please, make the screenshots while the virtual machine is running not in full screen mode.
7.3.2.2 Test pre-installed vidgets on the taskbar including StackFolder. Make the screenshots from the host system.
7.3.2.3 Test the launch of all the applications from the Start Menu. Show the output of 'uname -a' from the root user in Console. Make the screenshots from the host system.
7.3.2.4 Perform some simple and representative operations like browsing a WEB site or any commands in the Console. Provide comments about speed, stability etc.
