Patent ID: 7643958

Claim:
An automated system for validating Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus adapters or PCI-X bus adapters comprising: a computer, said computer including a motherboard a PCI-X bus, and an isolated test slot for operatively coupling a PCI/PCI-X adapter under test through said PCI-X bus to said motherboard, said isolated test slot being adapted and arranged to minimize degradation of data flow on said PCI-X bus such that a PCI-X adapter, mounted in said isolated test slot, can negotiate to a required operating rate which is greater than PCI operating rates, wherein said computer is operable to negotiate with and test a PCI or PCI-X bus adapter mounted in said isolated test slot at the required PCI or PCI-X operating rate, respectively; and wherein said PCI/PCI-X adapter under test includes an internal register, said internal register receiving, through PCI/PCI-X negotiation, data representing the actual operating rate at which said PCI/PCI-X adapter has negotiated with said computer, and wherein said computer is operable to verify said PCI/PCI-X adapter is operating at said required PCI/PCI-X rate by comparing said data of said internal register with data representing an expected rate, predefined for said PCI/PCI-X adapter under test, loaded into said computer.