Anyone using LinuxBIOS for hardware verification?

[Ken Fuchs]

LinuxBIOS would seem to be an excellent tool for hardware
verification, since it gets extremely close to the hardware and it is
GPL licensed ...

Please respond with your comments concerning hardware verification
whether LinuxBIOS related or not.

There are several places where hardware verification could be executed:

1) The verification code could be an optional part of LinuxBIOS itself
   to test hardware immediately after (or during) hardware
   initialization.

2) It could also be a LinuxBIOS payload (a stand-alone hardware
   verification program).

3) It could be integrated into the Linux kernel (loaded by LinuxBIOS)
   that finishes hardware initialization.

4) It could be a suite of user programs that are started by the
   initial (and only) Linux kernel via /sbin/init or user initiated.

5) It could be 3 above, except relative to a second Linux kernel
   (loaded via the initial Linux kernel).

6) It could be 4 above, except relative to a second Linux kernel
   (loaded via the initial Linux kernel).

Points 5 and 6 are not directly LinuxBIOS related, but are probably
the most common types of open source hardware verification code that
is available.

Any information regarding open (even closed) source hardware
verification programs or code is welcome.  Please respond via the list 
(or private e-mail if you prefer -  I will summarize all private
responses via the list, unless requested otherwise).

Sincerely,

Ken Fuchs <kfuchs at winternet.com>