[Gloucs] Help Wanted

[Andrew M.A. Cater]

On Sat, Mar 21, 2009 at 02:30:19PM +0000, Mike Tonge wrote:
> Hello all,
> 		I've just joined this user group in the hope that someone can help me
> with a problem.
> 
> I'm currently helping out at a charity called 'IT Schools for Africa'.
> To see what they do, please look here:
> 
> http://www.itschoolsafrica.org/
> 
> I'm trying to find a way to easily detect the hardware on a PC with no
> OS and conduct some rudimentary tests. The process will be performed by
> mostly non-technical people, so the user interaction should be kept to a
> minimum. At some point it would be nice to fire the system information
> and test results straight into a database, but on-screen output would be
> a good start.
> 
Knoppix - then run dmesg | less

Teach your people to read and check for the various cards reported: 

Billix (the installer .iso) includes Damn Small Linux, memtest86 and 
Darik's Boot and Nuke. There are versions for USB stick.

Then install Debian :)

AndyC

> I have been Googling like crazy for the last week but I've only found
> one site which has anything close to a solution:
> 
> http://www.inquisitor.ru/about/
> 
> But the hardware detection isn't very good and the tests take forever.
> 
> Another possible solution is to use knoppix and add extra app's and
> scripts to do the work. I wouldn't know how to do this right now, but I
> like a challenge as long as I'm confident that I'm on the right track.
> 
> For obvious reasons, the solution must use free software.
> 
> If any of you know of a solution or even a good starting point to one,
> I'd be grateful to hear it.
> 
> BTW If you have some spare time on your hands and you'd like to
> volunteer, please contact: info at itschoolsafrica.org.
> 
> Many Thanks
> 
> Mike Tonge
> 
> 
> 
> 
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