Claims
- 1. A method of testing a peripheral device in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a number of independent test modules as independent library modules along with associated peripheral devices, tests and parameters;
- (b) loading and initializing the test modules, each test module identifying to a test front end program the peripheral devices for which it is responsible and a number of tests available to perform, each test having a number of parameters;
- (c) the test front end program permitting selection of some subset of the test modules for execution;
- (d) providing a list of the subset of the test modules and the associated peripheral devices, tests and parameters to a test dispatcher by each test module; and
- (e) dispatching the test modules for execution in accordance with the list of peripheral devices, tests and parameters.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is a network interface controller.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is a multifunction I/O peripheral.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the multifunction I/O peripheral includes multiple serial ports, a parallel port and a floppy disk controller.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is a video controller.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is a storage device.
- 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the storage device is a hard disk drive and wherein the tests that can be performed on the hard disk drive include a sequential seek test, a random seek test, and a converging seek test.
- 8. A computer system, comprising:
- a processor;
- a video display system coupled to said processor; and
- a plurality of peripheral devices coupled to said processor,
- wherein the processor is capable of performing the following steps:
- (a) providing a number of independent test modules for the peripheral devices as independent library modules along with associated tests and parameters;
- (b) loading and initializing the test modules, each test module identifying to a test front end program the peripheral device for which it is responsible and a number of tests available to perform, each test having a number of parameters;
- (c) the test front end program permitting selection of some subset of the test modules for execution;
- (d) providing a list of the subset of the test modules and the associated peripheral devices, tests and parameters to a test dispatcher by each test module; and
- (e) dispatching the test modules for execution in accordance with the list of peripheral devices, tests and parameters, the executed test modules testing their associated peripheral devices.
- 9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein one of the peripheral devices is a network interface controller.
- 10. The computer system of claim 8, wherein one of the peripheral devices is a multifunction I/O peripheral.
- 11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the multifunction I/O peripheral includes multiple serial ports, a parallel port and a floppy disk controller.
- 12. The computer system of claim 8, wherein one of the peripheral devices is a keyboard controller.
- 13. The computer system of claim 8, wherein one of the peripheral devices is a storage device.
- 14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the storage device is a hard disk drive and wherein the tests that can be performed on the hard disk drive include a sequential seek test, a random seek test, and a converging seek test.
- 15. A computer system, comprising:
- a processor;
- a video display system coupled to said processor;
- a hard disk drive system coupled to said processor; and
- a plurality of peripheral devices coupled to said processor,
- wherein the processor is capable of performing the following steps:
- (a) providing a number of independent test modules for the peripheral devices as independent library modules along with associated tests and parameters;
- (b) loading and initializing the test modules, each test module identifying to a test front end program the peripheral device for which it is responsible and a number of tests available to perform, each test having a number of parameters;
- (c) the test front end program permitting selection of some subset of the test modules for execution;
- (d) providing a list of the subset of the test modules and the associated peripheral devices, tests and parameters to a test dispatcher by each test module; and
- (e) dispatching the test modules for execution in accordance with the list of peripheral devices, tests and parameters, the executed test modules testing their associated peripheral devices.
- 16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein one of the peripheral device is a network interface controller.
- 17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein one of the peripheral devices is a multifunction I/O peripheral.
- 18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the multifunction I/O peripheral includes multiple serial ports, a parallel port and a floppy disk controller.
- 19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein one of the peripheral devices is a keyboard controller.
- 20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the test modules are stored on said hard disk drive system.
SPECIFICATION
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/777,902 filed Dec. 31, 1996.
US Referenced Citations (19)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
777902 |
Dec 1996 |
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