Author: Neftaly Malatjie

Have you tried to make photocopies at college or at your public library? When the photocopier does not work properly, it shows an error message such as ‘paper jammed. These error messages tell you that the machine is not working the way it should be. They also tell you how to fix the problem. Computers provide similar messaged.

To the above end, the operating software must be tested. Before one conducts the testing process, a testing plan must be developed.

When you develop a test plan for testing application compatibility with Windows, include the following: 

• Scope: What priority levels you address during testing?
• Methodology: Who does the testing involve?
• Requirements: What hardware, software, personnel, training, and tools you need to perform the testing?
• Criteria for pass-fail: What determines if an application passes or fails?

Schedule: How do you plan to complete the testing by the scheduled date

On completion of this section you will be able to Test the installation and configuration of a multi-user networked operating system

1. The test verifies that the system software functions according to the manufacturer`s specification. 
2. The test procedure meets the manufacturer`s guidelines. 
3. The test verifies that the system software functions in the specified environment. 

The test verifies that the system software communicates with the hardware and other application software according to the installation specification

• 1. 1. Configuration must be done to ensure that the system software is customized according to the installation specifications. System configuration is a term in systems engineering that defines the computer hardware, the processes as well as the various devices that comprise the entire system and its boundaries. This term also refers to the settings or the hardware-software arrangement and how each device and software or process interact with each other based on a system settings file created automatically by the system or defined by the user.

        System configuration mainly refers to the specification of a given computer system, from its hardware components to the software and various processes that are run within that system. It refers to what types and models of devices are installed and what specific software is being used to run the various parts of the computer system. By extension, system configuration also refers to the specific operating system settings that have been set by default automatically or manually by a given program or the user.

        A computer system, particularly the operating system, dictates a set of default settings and configuration when the system first comes online. These settings dictate the normal function and features that make the system run in a stable manner. To this end, operating systems have their own configuration utilities to allow administrators or users to change the configuration of the system. For Microsoft Windows, this is called the Microsoft System Configuration Utility or “msconfig.”

        
        

• 1. 1. The Pre-installation Environment portion of the name is due to the typical purpose of WinPE: to serve as a minimal operating system for use by Windows installation/setup and recovery features. When installing Windows, the Windows installation disk normally loads WinPE, and then loads Windows Setup.

        Windows PE is used for tasks other than installing Windows, though. Many computer manufacturers create special partitions on the computers hard drive, or else provide special disks, to restore the computer to the state that it was in when it originally was purchased. In most cases, this recovery software uses WinPE as a basic operating system. Many companies that make hard disk imaging software also use WinPE as the operating system for powering their restore disks.

        Microsoft distributes WinPE as freeware. That means that it is free to use and to share, but it cannot be sold. The license for WinPE also includes restrictions that prevent it from being used for commercial products.

        WinPE also contains many technical limitations. It is not able to operate in a multiple user mode. It will not run for extended periods of time without rebooting. It is also missing many components normally found in Windows. Most significantly for the blind user, the version of WinPE found on Windows installation disks does not include most components required for sound, drivers for sound devices, Microsoft text-to-speech voices, or Narrator.

        The pre-installation environment must be restored in the event of an unsuccessful installation.

        
        

• 1. 1. Users installing a program from Microsoft DOS should have a basic understanding of the MS-DOS commands. If you are unfamiliar with any of the commands listed below, click the link to get additional information on that specific command.

        1. Before installing a program in MS-DOS, you mustswitch to the drive or directory that contains the installation files. If you are installing a program from a CD or diskette, switch to that drive. If the installation files are located in a different directory, use the dir command to list the directories and the cd command to switch to the appropriate directory.
        2. Once you are in the directory or drive that contains the installation files, run the executable for setup. Many times this can be done by typingsetup or install at the prompt to start the installation. If both of these commands give a bad command or file name error message, type dir *.exe or dir *.com or dir *.bat. These commands list any executable files found in the directory or drive. If any files are listed, execute these files to run the installation or setup of the program. If no files are listed when typing all three of the above commands, you are in the incorrect directory or drive letter for that program.