memtest86 [solved]

[AussieJohn]

Hi everyone.

 

I have reinstalled 10.1-OE some 5 or 6 times so far and while always including memtest in my package selections, I have been unable to find the correct method of placing the correct wording into the GRUB Menu list. I have tried all kinds of wording and have been partly successful in at least getting the title of Memtest to stick but when clicked on at boot time, it does not start memtest although I try to point where it is located.

 

I have no programming ability so my endeavours have only been trial and error.

 

I remember when I ran 10.0-OE or 10.1-CE (can't remember which one it was) that memtest automatically showed up in the GRUB boot menu and worked AOK.

 

If someone has it currently working, could they please post a copy of the text as it appears in the Grub Menu list to here so I can type it in and get memtest going.

 

Thanks in anticipation. John.

[devries]

I don't know for Grub but the Lilo entry is very simple (image=/memtest and label=memtest). So just do a locate memtest and point Grub at it.

[Guest anon]

........ and while always including memtest in my package selections,

Just out of curiosity, why do you always install memtest? isn't it just for detecting faulty memory?

[AussieJohn]

Hello ANON.

Back when I first discovered memtest, I also had a real need for it and have done since then, because I also look after the need for help on two lots of friends computers besides my own.

When ever any of our machines experienced suspect memory problems, I was able to test the memory sticks in my machine because it (memtest) was readily available on the boot menu.lst where I use grub.

 

Ever since I started using Mandrake, I have always saved my packages selection on floppy disk and use the disk to reinstall, after which I revise my selection again after running through the packages selection menu in the install process and dropping out some odd things I no longer need and add a few new ones that come along the way. As a consequence my package floppy changes only a little over time. Memtest is one that I never felt the need to drop out of the list so it gets installed every time. Since it takes up almost zero room it will stay.

 

Now it does not install into the boot memory automagically so I thought I would try to solve the problem but have had no luck.

 

Hello devries. Memtest is installed into /boot as also is the grub directory which contains the boot menulist I have tried the following text addition to the grub menu.lst which I have copied below

 

timeout 10

color black/cyan yellow/cyan

default 0

splashimage = /boot/grub/lineart.xpm.gz

 

title Mandrake10.1-OE

kernel (hd1,0)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8.1-24mdk root=/dev/hdc1 noapic nolapic acpi=off splash=silent vga=788

initrd (hd1,0)/boot/initrd-2.6.8.1-24mdk.img

 

title failsafe

kernel (hd1,0)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hdc1 failsafe noapic nolapic acpi=ht

initrd (hd1,0)/boot/initrd.img

 

title windows

root (hd0,0)

chainloader +1

 

title memtest-1.26

root (hd1,0)/boot/memtest-1.26.bin root=/dev/hdc1

 

I hope others can buy into this one to help out.

 

 

 

Cheers. John.

[Guest anon]

Hello ANON.

Back when I first discovered memtest, I also had a real need for it and have done since then, because I also look after the need for help on two lots of friends computers besides my own.

When ever any of our machines experienced suspect memory problems, I was able to test the memory sticks in my machine because it (memtest) was readily available on the boot menu.lst where I use grub.

Ever since I started using Mandrake, I have always saved my packages selection on floppy disk and use the disk to reinstall, after which I revise my selection again after running through the packages selection menu in the install process and dropping out some odd things I no longer need and add a few new ones that come along the way. As a consequence my package floppy changes only a little over time.  Memtest is one that I never felt the need to drop out of the list so it gets installed every time.  Since it takes up almost zero room it will stay.

Thanks for your answer, I never experienced faulty memory before so have never installed it.

But maybe i should.

[AussieJohn]

Just to bump it.

 

Is there nobody using GRUB as the boot manager and having MEMTEST appear on the Bootup Menu ???? If not then how sad.

 

I hope someone has an answer to the problem soon.

 

Cheers.

[mtriley98]

Here's what memtest looks like on my ubuntu menu list:

title Ubuntu, kernel memtest86+

root (hd0,11)

kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin

savedefault

boot

 

and pro mepis:

 

title MEMTEST

kernel /boot/memtest86.bin

 

Hope you find this some help.

 

Mike

[AussieJohn]

A humungous thank you to mtriley98 for helping me solve the problem and also a thank you to devries for his contribution.

The situation is now solved

 

Hi anon.

 

After ensuring that memtest is installed, go to /boot/grub and open menu.lst in kwrite.

Type in a space under the last text line and then type in the following lines of text

 

title memtest86

kernel /boot/memtest-1.26.bin

 

Please note that the above is the current version of memtest so type in what ever is the version you have installed. The title I have used is a suggested one so you can name it whatever you choose. Especially please note the space used in each of the two lines.

 

I know it all looks simple enough now but it took an inspired suggestion and some experimenting to get here.

 

Thanks to you all again and cheers. John.