Manually get memtest 6.01 to work on both Legacy and UEFI boot with Fedora.

[Michael D. Setzer II]

Memtest not working on Fedora correctly
With Legacy BIOS boot it installs the firstmenu entry, 
but it fails.
Some time ago, I created the 2nd menu entry manually, 
and it would work with Legacy boot.
Now have discovered there is a 6.01 version, and can get 
it to work with manual entries, but requires different 
options for booting with Legacy and UEFI.

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry 'Fedora Memtest memtest86+-5.31' {
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='hd0,msdos5'
    if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 
--hint-bios=hd0,msdos5 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos5 
--hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos5 --hint='hd0,msdos5'  
fa908208-22bd-4031-b620-841498e0708c
    else
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 
fa908208-22bd-4031-b620-841498e0708c
    fi
    insmod bsd
    echo	'Loading Fedora Memtest 
memtest86+-5.31 ...'
    knetbsd	/elf-memtest86+-5.31
}
menuentry 'Memtest' {
    echo 'Loading memdisk'
    linux16 /memdisk iso
    echo 'Loading iso'
    initrd16 /memtest86+-5.31b.iso
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

From https://memtest.org/ see the new 6.01 version.
Download new version.
https://memtest.org/download/v6.01/mt86plus_6.01_64.g
rub.iso.zip
Extract file and use isomaster mt86plus64.grub.iso 
to view content. It has two different versions of memtest 
one in legacy boot and one under efi. Extract both, and 
rename.

Renamed them to 
144344 memtest.leg
144384 memtest.uefi

With a legacy boot grub.cfg loads fine with.
menuentry 'Memtest' {
    linux /memtest.leg
}

With my one machine with UEFI boot the grub.cfg works 
with
menuentry 'Memtest' {
    linux /memtest.uefi
}
If try the leg version it gives error message of Dos Magic 
Number.

With the memtest installed as rpm on UEFI boot, 
running setup gives this.
memtest-setup 
ERROR: memtest86+ does not support EFI platforms.

Manually putting this in /boot/grub2/grub.cfg it works.

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry 'Memtest' {
    linux /memtest.uefi
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

Don't have enough info on how the Fedora could be 
updated to automatically setup the new 6.01 memtest, 
but does show it is possible.
Thanks.

+------------------------------------------------------------+
 Michael D. Setzer II - Computer Science Instructor 
(Retired)     
 mailto:[e-mail]                            
 mailto:[e-mail]
 Guam - Where America's Day Begins                        
 G4L Disk Imaging Project maintainer 
 http://sourceforge.net/projects/g4l/
+------------------------------------------------------------+

[Andre Robatino]

Or maybe 2 packages, one for Legacy and one for UEFI. When Fedora eventually drops support for Legacy the first package would go away. All my machines are Legacy and I'd love to have it working again.

[Michael D. Setzer II]

On 15 Jan 2023 at 0:26, Andre Robatino wrote:

Subject:        	Re: Manually get memtest 6.01 to work on both Legacy and 
UEFI boot
    with Fedora.
From:           	"Andre Robatino" 
To:             	[e-mail]
Date sent:      	Sun, 15 Jan 2023 00:26:10 -0000
Send reply to:  	Community support for Fedora users 
> Or maybe 2 packages, one for Legacy and one for UEFI. When Fedora
> eventually drops support for Legacy the first package would go away. All
> my machines are Legacy and I'd love to have it working again.

Did a test. 
Backed up the /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ and replaced it with this...

# !/bin/sh
exec tail -n +3 $0
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
menuentry 'Memtest Legacy' {
    echo 'Loading memtest 6.01 for BIOS BOOT SYSTEM'
    linux /memtest.leg
}
menuentry 'Memtest UEFI' {
    echo 'Loading memtest 6.01 for UEFI BOOT SYSTEM'
    linux /memtest.uefi
}

Put the memtest files copied from the memtest.org's grub's iso file. leg for /boot 
an uefi from /EFI/BOOT.
both have name memtest, so renamed them to match.
put them in /boot directory and used grub2-mkconfig to create grub.cfg. Seems 
to work, but one needs to select the correct one. Sure a more complex setup 
could be done. Only have one UEFI machine, so don't know if it would work with 
all setups.

To update my machines created a file.
57636 Jan 16 00:24 memtest6.01.xz
that contains

416 Jan 16 00:24 20_memtest86+
    1071 Jan 16 00:13 Memtest6.01-Readme
144344 Dec 30 17:00 memtest.leg
144384 Dec 30 17:00 memtest.uefi
      294 Jan 16 00:23 setupmemtest6.01.sh
> users mailing list -- [e-mail]
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+------------------------------------------------------------+
 Michael D. Setzer II - Computer Science Instructor (Retired)     
 mailto:[e-mail]                            
 mailto:[e-mail]
 Guam - Where America's Day Begins                        
 G4L Disk Imaging Project maintainer 
 http://sourceforge.net/projects/g4l/
+------------------------------------------------------------+

[Felix Miata]

Michael D. Setzer II via users composed on 2023-01-16 01:50 (UTC+1000):
> Backed up the /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ and replaced it with this...
> # !/bin/sh
> exec tail -n +3 $0
> # This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
> # menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
> # the 'exec tail' line above.
> menuentry 'Memtest Legacy' {
>    echo 'Loading memtest 6.01 for BIOS BOOT SYSTEM'
>    linux /memtest.leg
> }
> menuentry 'Memtest UEFI' {
>    echo 'Loading memtest 6.01 for UEFI BOOT SYSTEM'
>    linux /memtest.uefi
> }
> Put the memtest files copied from the memtest.org's grub's iso file. leg for /boot 
> an uefi from /EFI/BOOT.
> both have name memtest, so renamed them to match.
> put them in /boot directory and used grub2-mkconfig to create grub.cfg. Seems 
> to work, but one needs to select the correct one. Sure a more complex setup 
> could be done. Only have one UEFI machine, so don't know if it would work with 
> all setups.
> To update my machines created a file.
> 57636 Jan 16 00:24 memtest6.01.xz
> that contains
>   416 Jan 16 00:24 20_memtest86+
> 1071 Jan 16 00:13 Memtest6.01-Readme
>
> 144344 Dec 30 17:00 memtest.leg
> 144384 Dec 30 17:00 memtest.uefi
>       294 Jan 16 00:23 setupmemtest6.01.sh

I've been using memtest86, not memtest86+, on UEFI using chainload instead of
linux, via the following stanza:

menuentry "memtest86 8.3 EFI" {
    search --no-floppy --label --set=root ZM2P01ESP
    chainloader /mt83x64.efi
}

# ls -n /boot/efi/*efi
-rwxr-xr-x 1 0 0 1243032 Nov 22  2019 /boot/efi/mt83x64.efi

[Michael D. Setzer II]

On 15 Jan 2023 at 11:24, Felix Miata wrote:

Subject:        	Re: Manually get memtest 6.01 to work on 
both Legacy and UEFI boot
    with Fedora.
To:             	[e-mail]
From:           	Felix Miata 
Organization:   	less than infinite
Date sent:      	Sun, 15 Jan 2023 11:24:18 -0500
Send reply to:  	Community support for Fedora 
users
> Michael D. Setzer II via users composed on 2023-01-16 01:50 (UTC+1000):
> > Backed up the /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ and replaced it with this...
> > # !/bin/sh
> > exec tail -n +3 $0
> > # This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
> > # menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
> > # the 'exec tail' line above.
> > menuentry 'Memtest Legacy' {
> >    echo 'Loading memtest 6.01 for BIOS BOOT SYSTEM'
> >    linux /memtest.leg
> > }
> > menuentry 'Memtest UEFI' {
> >    echo 'Loading memtest 6.01 for UEFI BOOT SYSTEM'
> >    linux /memtest.uefi
> > }
> > Put the memtest files copied from the memtest.org's grub's iso file. leg for /boot 
> > an uefi from /EFI/BOOT.
> > both have name memtest, so renamed them to match.
> > put them in /boot directory and used grub2-mkconfig to create grub.cfg. Seems 
> > to work, but one needs to select the correct one. Sure a more complex setup 
> > could be done. Only have one UEFI machine, so don't know if it would work with 
> > all setups.
> > To update my machines created a file.
> > 57636 Jan 16 00:24 memtest6.01.xz
> > that contains
> >   416 Jan 16 00:24 20_memtest86+
> > 1071 Jan 16 00:13 Memtest6.01-Readme
> >
> > 144344 Dec 30 17:00 memtest.leg
> > 144384 Dec 30 17:00 memtest.uefi
> >       294 Jan 16 00:23 setupmemtest6.01.sh
>
> I've been using memtest86, not memtest86+, on UEFI using chainload instead of
> linux, via the following stanza:
>
> menuentry "memtest86 8.3 EFI" {
>    search --no-floppy --label --set=root ZM2P01ESP
>    chainloader /mt83x64.efi
> }
>
> # ls -n /boot/efi/*efi
> -rwxr-xr-x 1 0 0 1243032 Nov 22  2019 /boot/efi/mt83x64.efi

From what I understand memtest86 is a commercial 
product, so it isn't something that could be included with 
Fedora directly or distributed with a free project?

Where exactly did you get the mt83x64.efi file? did a 
quick search, and didn't find a link.

Another issue is latest 6.01 is dated 12/30/2022, while 
you file is dated 11/22/2019? Don't know how the tests 
between the to options are.

I have a disk imaging project and have included memtest 
since memory is critical in creating disk images. Once 
got a brand new $8,000 HP server at college, and was 
having it create corrupted disk images. Had no errors 
occur with eith NT 2000 or Linux on machine. But then 
ran memtest and it got thru 7 of the tests with no errors, 
and then started getting single bit errors. Turned out 1 
of the 2 brand new memory sticks was bad. Pulled bad 
one, and machine worked fine. Vendor then gave a 
complete replacement of memory sticks.

Will have to do some more searching. Also, your file is 
much larger than the combined two memtest programs 
and they are both legacy and uefi.

Thou, it does say it isn't signed, so wouldn't work if using 
secure boot.

Hopefully, Fedora will come out with a solution. Right 
now if you try memtest-setup on UEFI boot system, it 
says not surported, and on legacy it installs, but doesn't 
actually work with the 5.31 version.
> -- 
> Evolution as taught in public schools is, like religion,
>    based on faith, not based on science.
>
> Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks!
>
> Felix Miata
> _______________________________________________
> users mailing list -- [e-mail]
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> Fedora Code of Conduct: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/project/code-of-conduct/
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> List Archives: https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[e-mail]
> Do not reply to spam, report it: https://pagure.io/fedora-infrastructure/new_issue

+------------------------------------------------------------+
 Michael D. Setzer II - Computer Science Instructor 
(Retired)     
 mailto:[e-mail]                            
 mailto:[e-mail]
 Guam - Where America's Day Begins                        
 G4L Disk Imaging Project maintainer 
 http://sourceforge.net/projects/g4l/
+------------------------------------------------------------+

[George N. White III]

On Sun, Jan 15, 2023 at 1:11 PM Michael D. Setzer II via users <
[e-mail]> wrote:
> On 15 Jan 2023 at 11:24, Felix Miata wrote:
>
> [...]

From what I understand memtest86 is a commercial
> product, so it isn't something that could be included with
> Fedora directly or distributed with a free project?

memtest86+ is GPL, memtest86 is commercial --
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memtest86:
> Where exactly did you get the mt83x64.efi file? did a
> quick search, and didn't find a link.

the Wikipedia article has links for both products

[Felix Miata]

Michael D. Setzer II via users composed on 2023-01-16 03:11 (UTC+1000):
> Where exactly did you get the mt83x64.efi file? did a 
> quick search, and didn't find a link.

Took it off the free .iso download.
> Another issue is latest 6.01 is dated 12/30/2022, while 
> you file is dated 11/22/2019? Don't know how the tests 
> between the to options are.

I have no RAM newer than the file, so no incentive to find newer.
> Will have to do some more searching. Also, your file is 
> much larger than the combined two memtest programs 
> and they are both legacy and uefi.

memtest86 has more functionality than merely displaying RAM testing on screen. :)

[Tim]

Michael D. Setzer II
> > Another issue is latest 6.01 is dated 12/30/2022, while 
> > you file is dated 11/22/2019? Don't know how the tests 
> > between the to options are.

Felix Miata:
> I have no RAM newer than the file, so no incentive to find newer.

That's not how it works.  The program file date has (almost) nothing to
do with the age of your RAM, it's to do with bug fixes.

Yes, a newer version may handle newer types of RAM better, but you can
bet that you'd need a program newer than your older RAM for it to know
about it (delays in incorporating new info into applications).