Re: Can a machine test itself? + other issues

["Vincent J. Lipsio" <vince>]

> That comment about "an image of the entire system including the OS" intrigues
> me.  Since the machine itself must be used (I presume) to generate an image
> of the entire system, couldn't malicious software in the OS or BIOS present a
> false image of what is there?  (I have been inquiring about a foolproof way to
> verify a BIOS.  I'm not sure that one exists.)

The only foolproof way to test a system's code is to have an external device perform 
the test, so this would require, for example, a special system with clips that 
connect to the ROMs and read and verify their contents. 

Also, the "BIOS" would be part of what is tested; the term "BIOS" in my experience 
is something peculiar to a PC, which a voting machine should not be, but if it is, 
then the BIOS would have to be part of the code and would have to be testable.

Vince Lipsio