Testing on real hardware

The tests in tests/ and CI cover the engine, the apps’ logic and booting in a virtual PC. This page is for what only a real stick, a real Windows or a real person can show. Each line says what to do and what should happen; the table at the end records what has been tried.

Windows app

Run HelixBoot.exe on a Windows PC, or in a Windows VM with the stick handed to it (scripts/vm-stick.sh give <vm>).

1. The window. Every control is visible, the bottom row included, on a small screen too.
2. Update stick, tools from the internet. It shows what it will copy and asks. The bar shows gigabytes copied. It ends with “Done”.
3. Check stick. It reads everything back and reports 0 damaged.
4. Tools… Untick a tool, Save, Update: it is removed. Tick it again, Update: it is back.
5. Eject. “… is ejected: safe to unplug”, and the drive letter goes.
6. Check for update, on a version older than the latest release. It downloads, swaps itself, and offers to start the new version.
7. Install Helix Boot on a spare stick, with Install tests the stick first ticked. It asks for the disk number, tests, installs Ventoy and fills the stick.
8. Repair stick on a stick that an update says is damaged.
9. On a PC whose antivirus blocks a tool: the install finishes, and the end names the tool that was left out.

Linux window

./HelixBoot-linux-x86_64, or python3 linux/helix_gui.py from a clone.

1. Update stick and Check stick, as above.
2. Install Helix Boot on a spare stick. The desktop’s password dialog appears once, for Ventoy. The stick is filled and mounted.
3. Eject. The stick is unmounted and switched off.
4. Repair stick. The password dialog appears, fsck runs, the stick is mounted again.
5. --add-launcher: Helix Boot is in the applications menu and starts from it.

Mac

On a Mac, with the stick plugged in: ./HelixBoot-mac-arm64 (or -x86_64).

1. list shows the stick. update asks, then updates it. check passes.
2. One Mac tool from the stick’s Mac folder opens.
3. self-update, on a version older than the latest release.

Booting the stick on a real PC

1. The splash shows for a second, then the menu, with icons.
2. L opens the power menu (reboot, power off). F1 starts Memtest86+.
3. One image from each category boots.
4. Lazarus PE: the taskbar shows, and the launcher lists the apps.
5. On a Secure Boot PC: the first boot asks to enrol Ventoy’s key.

Sharing a pack

1. helix pack --public --split, then on a Windows PC: double-click build-stick.cmd in the pieces folder. It joins, checks and starts the app, and the app finds the pack.

What has been tried

What	Where	Result
Windows app: the window, all controls, five buttons in the bottom row	Windows 11 VM, 0.7.5	Works. On a 1280 x 800 screen Windows placed it with the bottom row under the taskbar: it is centred from the next release
Windows app: Tools…	Windows 11 VM, 0.7.5	Opens, lists every tool by category
Windows app: Eject	Windows 11 VM, 0.7.5, real stick	Works: “F: is ejected: safe to unplug”
Windows app: self-update	Windows 11 VM, 0.7.4 to 0.7.5	Works: downloaded, verified, swapped, the old program kept aside
Windows app: a tool blocked by antivirus	A friend’s PC, 0.7.3	Works: the tool is left out and named
Windows app: Update stick	Windows 11 VM, 0.6.9	Worked then; not repeated since
build-stick.cmd made by helix pack --split	Windows 11 VM	Works: joined 3 pieces, checked, took the app out, started it
scripts/vm-stick.sh give / take	This PC, real stick	give works. After Eject in Windows the stick is switched off, so take needs it replugged: it now says so and waits
Linux window: Update stick	This PC, real stick, 0.7.3	Works
Linux window: Install, Eject, Repair, the launcher		Not tried
Windows app: Install with the stick test, Repair stick, Update on 0.7.5		Not tried
“Start the new version now?” after an update in the window		Not tried (the swap itself was, from the command line)
Mac program on a real Mac		Not tried (CI runs it on GitHub’s Macs, against disk images)
Booting the stick on a real PC: L, F1, Lazarus’s taskbar, Secure Boot		Not tried (CI boots it in a virtual PC)
A public, split pack opened on someone else’s PC		Not tried