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0 pointslondons_explore3y ago0 comments

For this kind of testing, you frequently want a 'watchdog' - which is hardware that can auto-reboot a computer if the software locks up or malfunctions. The way it works is that software 'pets' the watchdog every few minutes, and if the software malfunctions, then it doesn't pet the watchdog, and the system gets hard reset and boots a known good kernel.

Unfortunately, while nearly all computer hardware has a watchdog, frequently the linux kernel doesn't implement support for it. That in turn means that testing buggy kernels on real hardware automatically frequently ends up with the hardware getting stuck and a human needs to reset stuff manually.

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rbanffy3y ago

> and a human needs to reset stuff manually.

Unless it's so bad as it becomes unbootable and no safe boot option exists that can be engaged via, say, the serial console, being able to power cycle the board should be more or less enough. If the bootloader can be controlled via a serial console, then it can be automated.

Of course, someone needs to build that infra.

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