ISO-Testing Tutorial

Introduction

The final beta version of Ubuntu Precise Pangolin (12.04) was finished on March 23rd and it will be released this Thursday (March 29th). This is the last opportunity we have to test it and report any bugs we can find. There will be no other Beta after this one and the final version of Ubuntu "PP" (Precise Pangolin) will be released by April 26th.

Testing of the Beta 2 milestone will be done on March 26th (Monday) and March 27th (Tuesday). It stops on 27th, so that if anything critical is found, developers have 2 days to fix it.

If you haven't ever tested a development release, this is a great moment to try it. Almost all of its previous problems were fixed and this release is rock solid for the most part. For those that are running Ubuntu Oneiric Ocelot, or a previous Ubuntu version, I'm sure you'll be pleased by a large number of positive and cool changes and bug fixes.

Installing a Beta 2 has almost none of the risks us testers face when trying Alpha versions. Anyone can do it and have a lot of fun with it. It's a fast, easy and rewarding process.

We want as many people as possible testing Ubuntu before release. And in order to make it happen, we need to provide up-to-date and complete instructions on how to do it safely and correctly.

Small FAQ

What is ISO Testing?

ISO Testing consists of downloading and installing a version of Ubuntu that is considered to be a milestone. These versions are prepared and ready to be tested a few days after they are publicly released. During this interval, testers (like you!) will check if they are working properly and report their results, findings and opinions back to Ubuntu.

Will I have to reinstall it when Precise Pangolin final version is released?

No! From now on, you can just let it update normally, as you already do in your currently installed Ubuntu version.

Where am I gonna install it?

There are many options, so everyone can participate. Here are the most usual:

• You can install it to a separate partition on your current PC hard disk and select which version to run on boot.

• You can install it to an external media, such as an external (USB, eSATA, etc) drive.

• You can install it to a spare machine if you have one available.

• You can install it to a Virtual Machine in your current PC.

Why would I help with testing Ubuntu?

Because it's easy to do it and a great contribution. If you like Ubuntu and want it to always improve and be as bug-free as possible, the best way to do it is to test it. Also, if you enjoy testing (many of us do!) you might want to join our Development Releases Testing Team and always be one step ahead of other users, frequently testing and using new features that are not yet released and have fun with a group of great people.

Do I risk loosing my current install and my personal data?

Unless you choose to install it over your current version or to update it, that is not likely, however, there are certain bugs that can scramble the grub bootloader. There is always a risk of things going wrong with the partition manager during beta testing and this too may depend on hybrid hardware conflicts that is not Ubuntu Certified (discontinued) or Ubuntu friendly.

I'm running another operating system right now. Can I test Precise Pangolin?

Sure! And by the end of it, you'll have the latest and greatest release of Ubuntu installed in parallel to your other operating system!

But there probably are bugs in it, or we wouldn't be testing it at all. What if I find a bug?

At this point, it is very unlikely that you will find a bug that makes it hard or impossible to use Ubuntu. We expect minor bugs and glitches to be found. If we find and report them to developers, we have a chance to see them fixed soon.

What if I make a mistake? Can things go really wrong?

Yes, but the procedures are very easy. This tutorial is very detailed and will guide you thoroughly through all steps. If you dedicate a little focus to it, things won't go wrong.

Will it take too long to test it?

Many users that have reached this tutorial and are interested in testing are already using Ubuntu. Most likely you installed it yourself or asked someone to install it for you. If so, you probably have a very precise idea of how much time it took to install Ubuntu in your PC previously. An average PC can go through the entire setup in less than 15 minutes but it can vary slightly between different machines.

Okay! You convinced me :-) Where do I start?

Just follow the steps outlined below and do not hesitate to ask for help at UbuntuForums / Ubuntu+1 Sub-Forum if you need it.

Before we begin

Bookmark this page

In Step 4 of this tutorial we will begin the setup procedure. Your computer will be restarted during the setup. It's wise to advise you to bookmark this page in your browser or to open it in another device (other PC, Tablet, Smartphone, etc) so you can keep reading and following its steps when your PC restarts.

Safety first!

• We are very confident about the quality of this Ubuntu release. But if this is not your PC, this is a shared PC or you (or someone else) develops important work or stores important data in it, please consider testing using an external device or a virtual machine in Step 3 (Choosing where to install Ubuntu Beta).
• If you choose to install it to the PC Hard Disk, please stop now and consider backing up your important data to an external media (such as a CD-ROM/DVD-ROM, Network Drive, External Hard Drive, USB Removable Device, etc). We can't be responsible for any eventual data loss.

Decision: Simple Testing or QA-Testing

You have to make a decision right now:

• Simple testing: You will learn how to download Ubuntu ISO, install it and you will report the bugs you find (if any) at Launchpad (preferably), UbuntuForums or IRC.

• QA-Testing: You will learn how to access and use the QA Team (Ubuntu Quality Assurance Team) ISO Testing Tracker. This online tool allows you to test all "flavors" of Ubuntu (such as Kubuntu, Xubuntu, etc), tells you what to test and provides you with an interface to report your results and findings.

Please select an option below. You will be redirected to the proper set of instructions.

• Go to Simple Testing

• Go to QA-Testing

Note: We would like you to try the second option (QA-Testing). It allows for better analysis by the QA Team and results may get to developers faster. However, if you think this option is too complicated, at least try out the Simple Testing option - it already is a great contribution to Ubuntu!