Jeff Willy

US Patent:

20040025081, Feb 5, 2004

Filed:

Jul 31, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/209794

Inventors:

Jorge Gonzalez - Ft. Collins CO, US
Mark Hattarki - Ft. Worth TX, US
Jeff Willy - Plano TX, US
Dave Maison - Richardson TX, US

International Classification:

H04L001/22

US Classification:

714/025000

Abstract:

A system and method for collecting code coverage information in a computer environment before its file system is available. Upon powering up the computer system, initial and secondary system loaders are loaded, whereupon an OS kernel is brought into system memory. The boot process code of the OS kernel is exercised by a kernel exerciser operable to conduct a plurality of tests. Thereafter, a fatal error operable to crash the computer system is instigated and, pursuant thereto, a dump file is created in a dump process launched by the kernel. After rebooting the computer system, an extractor is utilized to recover the code coverage information relating to the boot process code from the dump file.

US Patent:

20040025093, Feb 5, 2004

Filed:

Jul 31, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/209781

Inventors:

Jeff Willy - Plano TX, US
Mark Hattarki - Fort Worth TX, US
Dave Maison - Richardson TX, US
Jorge Gonzalez - Fort Collins CO, US

International Classification:

H02H003/05
G06F015/177

US Classification:

714/054000, 713/002000

Abstract:

A system and method for collecting code coverage information relating to a fatal error path in a computer system. A fatal error operable to crash the computer system is instigated pursuant to executing a fatal error test module that exercises the fatal error path code, whose coverage is desired after the file system is rendered unavailable due to the crash. In response, a first dump file is created by the operating system kernel. Thereafter, a second dump process is launched to generate a second dump file which includes coverage information relating to the fatal error path code. After rebooting the computer system, an extractor is utilized to recover the code coverage information from the second dump file.