HP 8000 Quality Testing on HP Business PCs - Page 3

ETD Hardware and software tools are used to validate the following PC subsystems:  Microprocessors and chipsets, including cache memory, interrupts, and timers  System memory  Internal expansion interfaces: PCI, PCI-Express, mini-PCI-Express  Hard Drive and Removable Storage (Blu-ray, DVD, CD-RW) interfaces  Network adapters, Bluetooth and 802.11a/b/n Wireless adapters and Modems  Parallel, Serial, USB 1.1/2.0 and Firewire (IEEE 1394) ports  Trusted Platform (TPM) hardware  Flash memory readers / devices  PC Card / Express Card interfaces Software Image Development Software Image Development is optimized for time-to-market delivery, quality, and release integrity. A dedicated tool development team was formed in 1998. Their charter was to design software image databases, processes, and tools that encompass the following elements:  Test Management-Database tools enable test teams to generate and manage test plans and test procedures in a centralized, repeatable environment with assurances that the test configurations conform to product definition and requirements.  Comprehensive test procedures within test plans contain pass/fail criteria that can be leveraged by any workgroup. Rigorous database rules help verify that each test procedure criteria is executed only when certain conditions are met.  Test configurations are tracked at the hardware revision level of each device, including firmware (FW)/BIOS revisions, and at the software versions level for each component used during software image download and test.  Automated Test Environment-This enables test teams to download a products software image, automatically install the software to replicate the manner in which a typical customer might install it, automatically run test scripts, and then log results into the database. For a given product configuration, hundreds of different software downloads, installations, and tests can be logged with minimal time and effort.  Quality Assurance-Software image development databases and tools enable a complete, end-toend, repeatable image test process. All HW, FW, and SW changes are systematically managed. System checks are in place to help make sure that what gets built in any factory worldwide and sent to the customer is the same as what was tested and qualified in engineering. Types of Testing HP executes a vast array of testing on Business Desktop PCs to help ensure that systems meet important industry standards. Multiple engineering teams conduct various types of testing throughout the product development cycle. This helps mitigate risk by providing needed checks and balances and it helps to ensure a high HP standard of quality. These tests include, but are not limited to: System Board Validation Testing This testing focuses on the signal quality of high-speed interfaces, power delivery to system components, and ACPI power management. The System board is put through stress testing to help ensure that it will operate normally while running under the range of operating conditions. Testing includes: 3