Real Hardware Test on laptops

[wildschwein]

Hi there,

what about to define a new sublist in the Reactos-side sub-menu "supported hardware": supported Laptops (Netbooks?)

A Laptop is an enclosed computer, nothing can be changed, it can only be tested "as it is". So it would be fine to have this list, and gather together what old and new maschines are running best. It's good for "ros-fans" when they know: "When i buy this old laptop for several euros from ebay i know that reactos should at least boot and i can play a little bit around and test some applications and carry this laptop arround with this "cool new OS" and show it to some friends how it's booting and i can already play some (old) games.

If Ros starts on real hardware this doesn't already mean, that it runs 100%. The main testing could only start, if it boots and if mouse and keyboard work. Then some programm can be tested. Yes, if it doesn't starts, then it's also import to find out why, but finding errors on a "running" ros testing is more motivating and it's more fun, because one sees that things are going straight on.

One question left: my R50e doesn't have a native seriell port, only a native parallel. How to use a null-modem cable then ? There are converters from USB to seriell, but i don't assume that they work without USB support. So what to do, when laptop doesn't have a native seriell port ? No error loggings possible ?

[igorko]

You have answered on your question partially. If laptop doesn't have COM port there is no way to debug ReactOS.(so testing is useless). And as a lot of non-laptop hardware still doesn't work, there is no point in testing ReactOS on laptops. Your idea is good but not atm, maybe it will became actual in 0.4.x, when we will have usb support(and i hope debugging via usb.). If you want laptops testing just for fun than do it, but this will not became more popular and coordinated.(IMHO)

[hto]

Do not forget, there is a way to read debug messages on the screen. It's not as useful as redirecting to the serial port, but still better than nothing.

[gonzoMD]

I like Wildschweins idea. For every Laptop could be a table with every part (audio/lan/video) and eventually caused issues. why is there a difference between desktop and laptop hardware? I think this makes many things easier, such as regtesting against an application we can regtesting against a laptop.

[wildschwein]

There are old laptop that have a native serial port, e.g. some old IBM or DELL Laptops

Why not list some old laptop modells in "supported hardware" that are know to run ROS (with NATIVE seriall port). They even don't have AHCI or SATA so no other problems can occur.

They are cheap on ebay, about 50-100 Euros, perhaps there a some ros-freaks, who also buys one, and helps testing Applications and drivers.

For me it sounds very easy, when you say to a potential tester: here is a list of old laptops that are good for testing. Get one from ebay or elsewhere put in rel54xxx CD-RWs, test and produce debug logs via null-modem-cable to your "main" PC (there you can use a USB-Seriell Converter, costs about 10 Euros).

Yeah, I know testing could also be done in Emulator, but Real hardware testing has a moment of "exciteness" to see Ros on a real maschine.
Ros is ready for some real hardware tests in my opinion !

We could gather here those laptops that are know to run ROS

I start:
-------------------------------------------------------
Typ: Thinkpad R50e (Intel Celeron)
Vendor: IBM
Ram: 1,5 GB
VGA: Intel Extreme Graphics 2 for mobile (82852/82855 GM)
Sound: DirectSound, AC '97
---------------------------------------------------------

Video: changing resolution works
Sound: not tested yet
Network: doesn't run from live-debug CD
--------------------------------------------------------

[gonzoMD]

-------------------------------------------------------
Typ: Thinkpad T21 (Intel Pentium III)
Vendor: IBM
Ram: 256MB
VGA: S3 Savage
Sound: Crystal Fusion
Network: Intel Pro100+ MiniPCI
---------------------------------------------------------

Video: changing resolution works, dunno how to install the real driver
Sound: driver installs through the driver installation wizard, but it doesn't seem to work e.g. if I click on the Audio icon in taskbar I get error that there is no mixer
Network: driver installs fine through driver wizard, browsing works well, this post edited in ReactOS on this machine
ACPI: failed to install ACPI Driver with driver wizard -->doesn't work
Cardbus: No Cardbus Driver avaible
--------------------------------------------------------

EDIT: edited some points in my little report.

[SomeGuy]

what about to define a new sublist in the Reactos-side sub-menu "supported hardware": supported Laptops (Netbooks?)

There is actually already a hardware compatibility list on the wiki: http://www.reactos.org/wiki/Supported_Hardware

It does more good for ReactOS to list individual devices. That way, if a machine is known to have compatible devices, then it should work regardless of vendor and specific model.