Skip to Content

Installer Testing Guide

Installer Testing Guide

Your Question: Testing on Multiple Machines

You asked about testing on:
1. Your dev PC (has Odoo installed with many components)
2. Your other PC
3. Your Windows laptop

Here's the strategy:

Testing Strategy

Phase 1: Pre-Installation Check (Current Dev PC)

Run the diagnostic first - NO CHANGES:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\Users\total\installer\scripts\pre_install_check.ps1"

This will show you:
- Existing Python installations
- Existing PostgreSQL
- Existing Odoo
- Port conflicts
- Disk space
- Everything that might conflict

Save the output - it's valuable documentation.

Why start here:
- Cleanest environment
- No dev clutter
- Real "customer experience"
- Can retry easily

Steps:

  1. Document baseline:
# Check what's installed
python --version 2>&1
pg_config --version 2>&1
git --version 2>&1

# Save to file
systeminfo > laptop_baseline.txt
  1. Run installer
  2. Install to C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\
  3. Let it complete

  4. Watch for errors

  5. Verify installation:

# Check Python isolation
"C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\Python312\python.exe" --version

# Check package location
"C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\Python312\python.exe" -c "import sys; print('\n'.join(sys.path))"

# Should show ONLY paths under C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\

# Verify critical packages
"C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\Python312\python.exe" -c "import psycopg2; print(f'psycopg2: {psycopg2.__file__}')"
"C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\Python312\python.exe" -c "import lxml; print(f'lxml: {lxml.__file__}')"

# Start Odoo
"C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\scripts\start_odoo.bat"
  1. Test functionality:
  2. Access http://localhost:8069
  3. Create database
  4. Login
  5. Check App Store menu
  6. Browse module catalog

  7. Try installing one small module from GitHub

  8. Document issues:

# Save logs
copy "C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\logs\odoo.log" laptop_test_log.txt

# Save installation check
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\scripts\pre_install_check.ps1" > laptop_post_install_check.txt

Phase 3: Other PC Testing (SECOND)

Why second:
- Different hardware
- Unknown baseline
- Good second data point

Follow same steps as laptop

Compare results:
- Installation time
- Package verification
- Any errors/warnings
- Performance differences

Phase 4: Dev PC Testing (LAST - If at all)

Options:

Option A: Side-by-Side Install (SAFEST)

Install to different location with different ports:

Existing: C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\     (port 8069)
New:      C:\Program Files\Odoo 18 Test\ (port 8070)

Modify installer to use:
- Different install dir
- Port 8070 (Odoo)
- Port 5433 (PostgreSQL if bundling)

  1. Create Windows VM
  2. Snapshot before install
  3. Test installer
  4. Can rollback and retry

Option C: Uninstall Current Odoo (HIGH RISK)

Only do this AFTER successful laptop + other PC tests

Before uninstalling:

  1. Backup everything:
# Document current setup
"C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\Python312\python.exe" --version > dev_pc_python.txt
"C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\Scripts\pip.exe" list > dev_pc_packages.txt
copy "C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\config\odoo.conf" dev_pc_odoo.conf

# Backup databases
pg_dump -U odoo_user -d your_database -f dev_pc_database_backup.sql

# Backup custom modules
xcopy "C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\user_addons" "D:\Backups\odoo_user_addons\" /E /I /H

# Backup filestore
xcopy "C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\filestore" "D:\Backups\odoo_filestore\" /E /I /H
  1. Uninstall cleanly:
# Stop Odoo service
Stop-Service odoo* -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

# Uninstall via Control Panel or:
# Remove installation directory
Remove-Item "C:\Program Files\Odoo 18" -Recurse -Force

# Leave PostgreSQL if you want to keep databases
# Or uninstall PostgreSQL too for complete clean slate
  1. Clean environment:
# Remove from PATH if added
# (Check: sysdm.cpl → Advanced → Environment Variables)

# Clear temp files
Remove-Item "$env:TEMP\odoo*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

  1. Install new version

  2. Restore data if needed:

# Restore database
psql -U odoo_user -d new_database -f dev_pc_database_backup.sql

# Restore custom modules
copy "D:\Backups\odoo_user_addons\*" "C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\user_addons\"

# Restore filestore
copy "D:\Backups\odoo_filestore\*" "C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\filestore\"

What to Test

1. Installation

  • [ ] Installer runs without admin prompt issues
  • [ ] Pre-install check runs and shows results
  • [ ] All files extracted correctly
  • [ ] Python bundle in correct location
  • [ ] PostgreSQL configured
  • [ ] Odoo config file created
  • [ ] Services created (if applicable)
  • [ ] Desktop shortcuts created
  • [ ] Start menu entries created

2. Python Isolation

  • [ ] Bundled Python at C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\Python312\
  • [ ] Python version is 3.12.x
  • [ ] No PATH pollution (system python vs bundled)
  • [ ] All packages in bundled Python's site-packages
  • [ ] psycopg2 found in bundled Python
  • [ ] lxml found in bundled Python
  • [ ] Pillow found in bundled Python

Test script:

# This should ONLY show paths under C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\
"C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\Python312\python.exe" -c "import sys; [print(p) for p in sys.path]"

# This should show bundled package locations
"C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\Python312\python.exe" -c "import psycopg2; import lxml; import PIL; print('OK')"

3. Odoo Functionality

  • [ ] Odoo starts without errors
  • [ ] Web interface accessible (http://localhost:8069)
  • [ ] Can create database
  • [ ] Can login
  • [ ] 16 full modules available immediately
  • [ ] App Store menu visible
  • [ ] Module Catalog shows 641 modules
  • [ ] Can sync registry
  • [ ] Placeholder modules show "Install from GitHub" button
  • [ ] Full modules show "Installed" status

4. GitHub Integration

  • [ ] GitHub CLI installed and in path
  • [ ] Can authenticate: gh auth status
  • [ ] Can clone private repo (test with one module)
  • [ ] Module downloads to user_addons/
  • [ ] Module registers in Odoo
  • [ ] Module installs successfully
  • [ ] Module works as expected

5. Performance

  • [ ] Installation time (target: <20 minutes)
  • [ ] Odoo startup time (target: <30 seconds)
  • [ ] Database creation time (target: <5 minutes)
  • [ ] Module installation time (target: 1-2 minutes)
  • [ ] Web interface responsiveness

Common Issues & Solutions

Issue: Python Package Not Found

Symptom:

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'psycopg2'

Diagnosis:

# Which Python is running?
where python

# What's in sys.path?
python -c "import sys; print(sys.path)"

Solution:
- Ensure start script uses explicit path:
"C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\Python312\python.exe"
- NOT just python (which might find system Python)

Issue: PostgreSQL Connection Failed

Symptom:

psycopg2.OperationalError: could not connect to server

Diagnosis:

# Is PostgreSQL running?
Get-Service postgresql*

# Can we connect?
& "C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\15\bin\psql.exe" -U odoo_user -d postgres

Solution:
- Check PostgreSQL service is running
- Verify connection details in odoo.conf
- Check firewall (allow localhost)

Issue: Port Already in Use

Symptom:

OSError: [WinError 10048] Only one usage of each socket address

Diagnosis:

# What's using port 8069?
netstat -ano | findstr :8069

Solution:
- Stop other Odoo instance
- OR change port in odoo.conf
- OR use Task Manager to kill process

Issue: GitHub Authentication Failed

Symptom:

fatal: could not read Username for 'https://github.com'

Solution:

# Authenticate GitHub CLI
gh auth login

# Or configure git credentials
git config --global credential.helper manager

Test Results Template

# Installation Test Results

**Machine:** [Laptop / Other PC / Dev PC]
**Date:** [Date]
**Tester:** [Name]

## Environment Baseline
- Windows Version:
- Existing Python: Yes/No - Version:
- Existing PostgreSQL: Yes/No - Version:
- Existing Odoo: Yes/No - Version:
- Disk Space: XX GB free

## Installation
- Installer ran: ✓/✗
- Installation time: XX minutes
- Errors during install: None / [List]
- Warnings: None / [List]

## Python Verification
- Bundled Python location: ✓/✗
- Python version: 3.12.x ✓/✗
- psycopg2 found: ✓/✗
- lxml found: ✓/✗
- PATH pollution: None/[List issues]

## Odoo Functionality
- Odoo starts: ✓/✗
- Web accessible: ✓/✗
- Database created: ✓/✗
- Login works: ✓/✗
- App Store visible: ✓/✗
- Module count: 641 ✓/✗

## GitHub Integration
- gh CLI works: ✓/✗
- Can authenticate: ✓/✗
- Test module installed: ✓/✗
- Installation time: XX minutes

## Performance
- Odoo startup: XX seconds
- Page load time: XX seconds
- Overall responsiveness: Good/Fair/Poor

## Issues Found
1. [Issue description]
2. [Issue description]

## Recommendations
- [What worked well]
- [What needs improvement]
- [Blockers for production use]

Recommendation for You

Based on your situation:

  1. First: Run pre_install_check.ps1 on your dev PC
  2. See what conflicts exist
  3. Document current state

  4. NO changes yet

  5. Second: Test on your Windows laptop (cleanest environment)

  6. Full installation
  7. Complete testing

  8. Document everything

  9. Third: Test on your other PC

  10. Verify results consistent

  11. Different hardware validation

  12. Fourth: Decide on dev PC:

  13. If laptop + other PC = success → Consider dev PC install
  14. If issues found → Fix first
  15. Option: VM on dev PC instead of uninstall

Don't uninstall your dev Odoo until you have working installations on at least 2 other machines!

Next Steps After Testing

Once testing passes:

  1. Document the process
  2. What worked
  3. What failed

  4. How long each step took

  5. Create troubleshooting guide

  6. Based on real issues encountered

  7. Solutions that worked

  8. Refine installer

  9. Fix identified issues
  10. Add more checks

  11. Improve error messages

  12. Prepare for production

  13. Final installer build
  14. User documentation
  15. Support materials
Was this helpful?