The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):

Easter egging
 n.

    [IBM] The act of replacing unrelated components more or less at random in
    hopes that a malfunction will go away. Hackers consider this the normal
    operating mode of field circus techs and do not love them for it. See
    also the jokes under field circus. Compare shotgun debugging.


The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):

Easter egging

    (IBM, From the custom of the Easter Egg hunt
   observed in the US and many parts of Europe) The act of
   replacing unrelated components more or less at random in the
   hope that a malfunction will go away.  Hackers consider this
   the normal operating mode of field circus techs and do not
   love them for it.

   Compare Easter egg, shotgun debugging.

   [Jargon File]

   (1998-03-18)