Testing Guidlines

Your system should *always* boot and run correctly with no PSD installed. If it does not, fix those problems first before testing a PSD.

You should be able to install the retail build initially. Use the included update.cmd command file to install the files in the correct places on your system.

The PSD= line in your config.sys should not have any switches. This is the normal configuraton and should work for every system:

PSD=ACPI.PSD

If this normal configuration doesn't work properly additional steps can be taken to restrict the PSD operation.

If you suspect IO interrupt configuration issues or PCI configuration issues, you can try using the /VW switch. When the /VW switch is used, the PSD does not alter the IO interrupt configuration and does not alter the PCI configuration from the way the BIOS has set it up. The APICs are enabled and multiple CPUs are enabled. ACPI and OEMHELP services are also available.

If you suspect multiple CPU issues such as reentrancy problems you can prevent the kernel from initializing CPUs by using the /MAXCPU=1 switch. This switch can be used with or without other switches.

You can disable almost all of the configuration that the PSD does by using the /PIC switch. When the /PIC switch is used, the PSD doesn't touch any of the interrupt configuration, it doesn't touch any of the PCI configuration, and it doesn't touch any of the APICs. As a result, only 1 CPU will be initialized. This system configuration remains in the state that BIOS has setup. The only reason you would want to run a system with the /PIC switch is for testing purposes. ACPI and OEMHELP services are still available in this mode.

Your testing order should be:

1. PSD=ACPI.PSD
   If the system boots ok -> done.
   If the system won't boot -> goto step 2

2. PSD=ACPI.PSD /VW
   If the system boots ok -> install debug version, collect logs, report problem
   If the system won't boot -> goto step 3

3. rem PSD=ACPI.PSD
   if the system boots ok -> goto step 4
   if the system won't boot -> fix your system first before testing the PSD

4. PSD=ACPI.PSD /PIC
   if the system boots ok -> install debug version, collect logs, report problem
   if the system won't boot -> report problem

Reporting Problems and Submitting Tickets

Before you submit a ticket:

1. Download "testlog" from ​http://www.88watts.net/software.html
2. Install the debug version (from the "debug" directory) of ACPI.PSD and ACPI32.DLL. AcpiDaemon.exe and APM.ADD are optional.
3. Add the /DBGLVL=2 switch to the PSD= line in your CONFIG.SYS:
4. Use "testlog acpi" to produce a log. When prompted, type a short description of what the problem is.
5. Attach the ZIP file to your ticket.