Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

Eeqmcsq · 2024-03-24 18:27:22

In the Devuan Daedalus amd64 desktop live iso image, when I tried to run the memory test option, I get the error "/live/memtest - no such file or directory". The memory test loads and runs correctly in Daedalus amd64 minimal-live image. So I can at least use the minimal-live to test my RAM.

I tested several of the previous Devuan releases. Here are my results:

* Memtest launches and runs:
- devuan_daedalus_5.0.0_amd64_minimal-live.iso
- devuan_beowulf_3.1.1_amd64_desktop-live.iso
- devuan_jessie_1.0.0_amd64_desktop-live.iso

* /live/memtest not found:
- devuan_daedalus_5.0.0_amd64_desktop-live.iso
- devuan_chimaera_4.0.3_amd64_desktop-live.iso
- devuan_ascii_2.0.0_amd64_desktop-live.iso

When I mounted the isos, I see that in the /live directory, the memtest app really is missing, so it's not a menu option error. Maybe something went wrong when the iso image was created?

fsmithred · 2024-03-29 17:14:37

Something must have gone wrong with the build setup (i.e. I must have forgotten it.)

Here's an iso with memtest that I haven't tested yet. My internet connection is slow, so it might take until tomorrow for me download it and see if it works.
http://distro.ibiblio.org/refracta/file … p-live.iso
http://distro.ibiblio.org/refracta/file … iso.sha256

Eeqmcsq · 2024-03-30 02:47:43

Here are my test notes.

- The sha256 file is correct for the iso file.
- When I mount the iso to the file system, I see these 4 files in the /live directory:

memtest86+ia32.bin memtest86+ia32.efi memtest86+x64.bin memtest86+x64.efi

- Legacy boot only test notes and results:

- The default path for the Memory Test menu option is:

/live/memtest86+x64.bin

- /live/memtest86+x64.bin -> The PC hangs.
- /live/memtest86+x64.efi -> Memtest works.
- /live/memtest86+ia32.bin -> The PC hangs.
- /live/memtest86+ia32.efi -> Memtest works.

- UEFI boot only test notes and results:

- The default path for the Memory Test menu option is:

/live/memtest86+x64.efi

- /live/memtest86+x64.bin -> Memtest works.
- /live/memtest86+x64.efi -> Memtest works.
- /live/memtest86+ia32.bin -> The PC hangs.
- /live/memtest86+ia32.efi -> The PC hangs.

- I tested on 3 difference PCs:

- A 2010 PC, so it's legacy boot only.
- A 2019 PC, which has both boot options.
- A 2022 mini PC, which is UEFI boot only.

The results are confirmed on multiple PCs.

I'm not experienced with legacy vs UEFI booting. But it seems strange to me that in legacy boot mode, both .bin files failed to run, but the .efi files worked. Also, in UEFI boot mode, both x64 files worked and both ia32 files failed to run, which also seems strange to me. Is this the expected results?

aluma · 2024-03-30 05:32:19

Let me ask, if I may, is memtest even needed in live builds?
I already forgot when I used it, the reliability of the memory modules allows this.

Eeqmcsq · 2024-03-30 05:39:50

I have found that memtest in the live builds is a useful tool. For example, when someone gives me a PC to test and troubleshoot, I use the memtest to confirm that all memory sticks are working. Then I load the live desktop to check what hardware is installed on the PC. In a few cases, I have copied files from the PC's storage drives. So yes, memtest has been useful.

aluma · 2024-03-30 05:56:56

Perhaps my question should be moved to the offtopic section.
Maybe other colleagues will express their opinions.

I have no doubt about the usefulness of this tool. It has long been included in installation media. But today the situation is different from 25 years ago.

fsmithred · 2024-03-30 13:22:57

Wow, those are not the results I expected. Here's what /usr/share/doc/memtest86+/README.Debian says:

memtest86+ for Debian
---------------------

Multiple binary images are provided:

  - A legacy bios 32bit /boot/memtest86+ia32.bin that uses Linux zImage
    boot protocol.

  - A legacy bios 64bit /boot/memtest86+x64.bin that uses Linux zImage
    boot protocol.

  - A 32bit EFI Image /boot/memtest86+ia32.efi

  - A 64bit EFI Image /boot/memtest86+x64.efi

There are memtest isos for 32 and 64 bit in /usr/lib/memtest86+. They're only 6MB.
- The 64bit iso boots and runs in qemu in legacy or uefi mode.
- The 32bit iso boots and runs in qemu only in legacy mode.

When I look at those memtest isos with hexedit, they do not begin with all zeroes, so it looks like they are isohybrid. I didn't try imaging a usb stick to test that.

FWIW: current debian-live iso does not have memtest. Maybe they're as confused as I am.

Edit: The 32bit efi file might be for some old macbooks that had 64bit OS wiht 32bit bootloader. I don't know what else uses that.

Eeqmcsq · 2024-03-30 18:35:25

One more quick test result: I just discovered that in UEFI boot, I can change the keyword "linuxefi" to "linux". I ran a quick test on the mini PC (UEFI boot only), and all 4 memtest files run successfully with the "linux" keyword.

Since the legacy boot only lets me change the file path, there aren't any new tests to run.

So to summarize the current problem, in legacy boot, the current default "Memory Test" menu option will hang the PC.

Last edited by Eeqmcsq (2024-03-30 18:35:48)

aluma · 2024-03-31 07:36:32

FWIW: current debian-live iso does not have memtest. Maybe they're as confused as I am.

The list goes on, PclinuxOs, OpenSuse 15.5...

mtbvfr · 2024-12-24 23:27:44

Hi Folks,

Memtest won't load with the 32-bit Devuan 5 Live DVD I burned for use on the Toshiba Tecra A7 (2005/2006 vintage).

Is it something to do with this topic?

Thanks!!

Eeqmcsq · 2024-12-25 01:36:06

It's very possible that it's related to this topic. Exactly which file is "32-bit Devuan 5 Live DVD"? Is it "devuan_daedalus_5.0.0_i386_desktop-live.iso"? I can write the image to a USB drive and do a quick test on one of my PCs.

mtbvfr · 2024-12-25 02:17:12

Eeqmcsq wrote:

It's very possible that it's related to this topic.

Yes, devuan_daedalus_5.0.0_i386_desktop-live.iso is the file I downloaded. It has a datestamp of "2023-08-15 03:38:06".

Thanks!!

Eeqmcsq · 2024-12-25 04:03:36

* Short answer

The reason why "devuan_daedalus_5.0.0_i386_desktop-live.iso" can't run memtest is because the memtest app was not included in the .iso. As mentioned in this thread, that was probably a mistake.

The workaround is to download minimal-live/devuan_daedalus_5.0.0_i386_minimal-live.iso. That image does have memtest.

That doesn't mean that you have to install from the minimal-live. You can run the memtest from minimal-live, then run the desktop-live's installer.

* How to check the iso

Create a temp directory, then mount the iso to that directory.

mkdir /tmp/isofiles
sudo mount <filename>.iso /tmp/isofiles

Inside the "isofiles" directory, open the file "isolinux/isolinux.cfg" in a text editor. You should see a menu option like this:

label memtest
    menu label Memory test
    kernel /live/memtest

That means that the Memory test option will try to run "/live/memtest".

Now check the "live" directory and see if "memtest" is there.

To clean up, unmount and delete the temp directory.

sudo umount /tmp/isofiles
rmdir /tmp/isofiles

Last edited by Eeqmcsq (2024-12-25 04:19:14)

stargate-sg1-cheyenne-mtn · 2024-12-25 10:43:11

see this webpage for information on the older v4 memtest stand-alone that should work on your unit.

https://www.memtest86.com/download.htm

sidenote: if you have _any_ other distro discs(installer and/or live) that have memtest in the boot menu those should work.

Eeqmcsq · 2025-05-19 03:32:16

I ran into a problem with the memtest in "devuan_daedalus_5.0.0_amd64_minimal-live.iso". I also found some solutions.

* Laptops I was testing

- HP Elitebook 745 G3 (AMD PRO A10-8700B)
- HP MT45 Mobile Thin Client (Ryzen 3 Pro 3300U)

* Problem

When you try to run the memtest, you get this error:

error: version too old for 32-bit boot

* Best explanation I have so far

The Devuan Daedalus Minimal Live's default memtest doesn't seem to work in UEFI boot mode. The workaround is to launch one of the other memtest files, or use legacy boot.

* Solution 1 - try a different memtest file

The .iso image comes with two other memtest files "memtest86+x64.bin" and "memtest86+x64.efi". On my laptops, both of these worked. You'll have to edit the menu item to run these files.

- In the grub menu, move the cursor to Memory test.
- Press 'e' to edit the menu command.
- Change the file name from "/live/memtest" to one of these.

/live/memtest86+x64.bin
/live/memtest86+x64.efi

- Press F10 or CTRL+X to boot with the changes.

* Solution 2 - legacy boot

You'll have to check your PC/laptop's BIOS to see if it supports legacy boot mode.

I also discovered that although these two HP laptops do support legacy boot, they failed to show the USB drive as bootable in legacy mode. The solution was to use "fdisk" and turn ON the bootable flag for the EFI partition "partition 2". Then these laptops showed the USB drive as a boot option in legacy mode. Not sure if that's specific to these laptops or if that's normal for all PCs/laptops using UEFI and legacy boot.

Last edited by Eeqmcsq (2025-05-19 06:50:36)

fsmithred · 2025-05-19 14:00:48

Thanks for the reminder. I just tried it with an excalibur desktop-live iso and memtest86+x64.efi works here on two computers in legacy boot mode and two computers in uefi mode. (That's a total of three computers - one of them can be switched easily between uefi and legacy at boot).

The .bin file doesn't boot for me on any of them.

I think I'll make two boot menu entries - one for .efi and one for .bin. Excalibur preview live-isos will be posted soon.

greenjeans · 2025-05-19 15:13:41

(That's a total of three computers - one of them can be switched easily between uefi and legacy at boot).

When you get a sec, would love to hear how you did that!

fsmithred · 2025-05-19 18:08:44

greenjeans, the boot device menu lets me choose "USB" or "USB UEFI". F11 on this box.

fsmithred · 2025-05-20 00:47:36

...sooner than I thought.

There are two memtest entries in the boot menus. One for memtest86+x64.efi and one for memtest86+x64.bin. Both appear in the legacy boot menu (isolinux) and the uefi boot menu (grub). I'm interested to hear which one works in which situations.

For me, just the .efi version works in both legacy and uefi boots. The .bin gives me some nice dot patterns that scroll off the screen to be replaced with black.

Excalibur desktop-live:
https://files.devuan.org/devuan_excalib … p-live.iso

Excalibur minimal-live:
https://files.devuan.org/devuan_excalib … l-live.iso

sha256sums:

d301d0e4eb31e7b4e8dee9cee5fdc9a74763d61ff95a1a18a456991905500206  devuan_excalibur_6.0-preview-2025-05-19_1437_amd64_desktop-live.iso

149e3538d01c76d8f6393fcc871167f221e2582e0dca3221ed8750b8bf01e27e  devuan_excalibur_6.0-preview-2025-05-19_1919_amd64_minimal-live.iso

Eeqmcsq · 2025-05-20 03:49:59

I'll find some time later this week to test the memtest on the HP laptops and various other PCs I have.

Taking a quick look at my previous tests (comment #3 in this post), memtest86+x64.efi worked in both legacy boot and UEFI boot. memtest86+x64.bin worked in UEFI boot, but not in legacy boot.

So your .efi results matches mine, but your .bin results don't match mine. The results are still a head scratcher.

Eeqmcsq · 2025-05-22 06:48:43

Here are my test results. In addition to the menu items, I also tested the other two ia32 memtest files included in the .iso. I found some unexpected issues, so I organized my notes into a Q/A format.

* Tested images
- devuan_excalibur_6.0-preview-2025-05-19_1437_amd64_desktop-live.iso
- devuan_excalibur_6.0-preview-2025-05-19_1919_amd64_minimal-live.iso

* Memtest file presence test
Q) Are the memtest files present in the .iso?
A) Yes, both .isos contain 4 memtest files:
- /live/memtest86+ia32.bin
- /live/memtest86+ia32.efi
- /live/memtest86+x64.bin
- /live/memtest86+x64.efi

* Menu item test
Q) Do both memtest menu items refer to the correct file name?
A)
- desktop-live, legacy boot : Yes
- desktop-live, UEFI boot : Yes
- minimal-live, legacy boot : Yes
- minimal-live, UEFI boot : NO!
- error: file '/live/memtest-x64.bin' not found.
- error: file '/live/memtest-x64.efi' not found.
- Looks like the file name is missing the "86". This is confirmed by looking in the .iso's file: /boot/grub/grub.cfg
- I can edit the menu item and add the "86", and memtest86-x64.bin and .efi are correctly launched.

* Memtest starts successfully test
Q) Does the memtest actually run in legacy boot and UEFI boot?
A)
* Legacy boot, desktop-live and minimal-live
- /live/memtest86+ia32.bin : The PC hangs.
- /live/memtest86+ia32.efi : Memtest works.
- /live/memtest86+x64.bin : The PC hangs.
- /live/memtest86+x64.efi : Memtest works.

* UEFI boot, desktop-live and minimal-live
- /live/memtest86+ia32.bin : Memtest works.
- /live/memtest86+ia32.efi : Memtest works.
- /live/memtest86+x64.bin : Memtest works.
- /live/memtest86+x64.efi : Memtest works.

Since the ia32 versions are not available from the menu, I edited the menu item and manually typed in the file name.

And I still have NO CLUE why in legacy boot mode, the .efi files WORK, but the .bin files HANG. Based on the file extension, I would have expected that to be reversed.

- PCs that I tested on:
- A 2011 PC, so it's legacy boot only.
- A 2019 PC, which has both boot options.
- A 2022 mini PC, which is UEFI boot only.

The legacy and UEFI results are confirmed on multiple PCs.

* Bonus test: minimal-live's accessible beep
Q) I discovered that the minimal-live's menu's "access" and "access-toram" beeping is INTENTIONAL. It's described in the README_minimal-live.txt. Do both boot mode's menus trigger the accessible beep?
A)
- minimal-live, legacy boot : Yes
- minimal-live, UEFI boot : NO!
- In legacy boot's config file "isolinux/isolinux.cfg", both the "access" and "access-toram" menu labels have a 0x7 byte, the ASCII beep character.
- But in the UEFI boot's config file "/boot/grub/grub.cfg", these menu items do NOT have the 0x7 byte. Maybe it was left out by mistake? Or maybe grub.cfg doesn't support the beep character?

* Other useful things that I learned from this test
- At the boot menu, you can tell if the PC booted in legacy boot or UEFI boot by looking at the background.
- In legacy boot, the desktop-live has a colorful blue background, and the minimal-live has a bright white background.
- In UEFI boot, both have a plain black background. It looks like something you'd see in a console window.

- The location of the boot menu config is:
- Legacy boot: /isolinux/isolinux.cfg
- UEFI boot: /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Last edited by Eeqmcsq (2025-05-22 07:41:50)

fsmithred · 2025-05-22 13:37:07

Thanks for the thorough testing and excellent report! I can confirm your results and add one more. The *ia32.efi works on a 32-bit machine. (Asus EEE).

I did get some weirdness on one uefi laptop - if I stroke the touchpad while memtest is running I either get a popup menu to select the address range to test, and it hangs on that menu, or else it reboots. I'm guessing that's a hardware problem with this laptop that was dropped too many times.

The beeps are intentional for those who can't see the screen. Once it boots, it's ready for braille display. Grub won't do the ASCII beep, but it should play two tones when the boot menu comes up.

Another way to see the difference between the boot screens is that the font and layout are different between legacy (isolinux) and uefi (grub). Isolinux says to use TAB to edit, Grub says press e to edit.

I added "86" to the grub menu for the next build. Not sure what to do about menu entries at this point. Maybe someone will figure out what the .bin files are for.

Eeqmcsq · 2025-05-22 18:17:03

I figured out how to get the memtest86+ia32.bin and memtest86+x64.bin files to boot in legacy boot. Edit the menu item and insert the word ".linux" before the file name. This also works with the .efi files. In other words, all of these work in legacy boot:

.linux /live/memtest86+ia32.efi
.linux /live/memtest86+ia32.efi
.linux /live/memtest86+x64.bin
.linux /live/memtest86+x64.efi

This suggests that isolinux.cfg menu items should be using the keyword "linux" instead of "kernel". Current menu items:

label memtest-efi
    menu label Memory test (memtest86+x64.efi)
    kernel /live/memtest86+x64.efi

label memtest-bin
        menu label Memory test (memtest86+x64.bin)
        kernel /live/memtest86+x64.bin

I couldn't find any explanation what "kernel" does. I took a guess that if the "linux" keyword works at loading /live/vmlinuz (a compressed kernel), and "memtest86+x64.bin" is a bzimage (also a compressed file), then perhaps the "linux" keyword would work, and it did on my legacy-boot only PC.

Perhaps the .bin file was created for users using an older version of isolinux that does not know how to boot an efi file.

Last edited by Eeqmcsq (2025-05-22 18:22:07)

fsmithred · 2025-05-22 20:03:58

Thanks again. That works. I changed "kernel" to "linux" on the memtest boot entries and it works. Both *.efi and *.bin work on a T450s Thinkpad in legacy or uefi boot. I didn't try the ia32 images. I probably won't include those in the boot menu, but they'll be there in case anyone needs them.

Eeqmcsq · 2025-05-22 20:05:53

I think I figured out what's going on with the legacy boot's .bin files not running. Isolinux is a variation of the Syslinux boot loader, and it uses the ISO 9660 format for CD/DVD images.

Here's a description of the "kernel" keyword.

https://wiki.syslinux.org/wiki/index.ph … ERNEL_file

KERNEL file

Select the file SYSLINUX will boot. The "kernel" doesn't have to be a Linux kernel, it can be a boot sector or a COMBOOT file.

Chain loading requires the boot sector of the foreign operating system to be stored in a file in the root directory of the filesystem. Because neither Linux kernel boot sector images, nor COMBOOT files have reliable magic numbers, Syslinux will look at the file extension. The following extensions are recognized (case insensitive):

 none or other	Linux kernel image
 .0		PXE bootstrap program (NBP) [PXELINUX only]
 .bin		"CD boot sector" [ISOLINUX only]
 .bs		Boot sector [SYSLINUX only]
 .bss		Boot sector, DOS superblock will be patched in [SYSLINUX only]
 .c32		COM32 image (32-bit COMBOOT)
 .cbt		COMBOOT image (not runnable from DOS)
 .com		COMBOOT image (runnable from DOS)
 .img		Disk image [ISOLINUX only]

Apparently, the "kernel" keyword tries to detect the type of boot image based on the file name's extension. So isolinux must be trying to load the memtest .bin files as a "CD boot sector", instead of a "Linux kernel image".

Using the keyword "linux" forces isolinux to boot the file as a linux kernel image, regardless of the file extension.

If that's all correct, I'm now wondering: since the Excalibur's isolinux for legacy boot and grub for UEFI boot are capable of running the memtest .efi, is it really necessary to include the memtest .bin in the boot menus?

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#1 2024-03-24 18:27:22

Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#2 2024-03-29 17:14:37

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#3 2024-03-30 02:47:43

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#4 2024-03-30 05:32:19

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#5 2024-03-30 05:39:50

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#6 2024-03-30 05:56:56

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#7 2024-03-30 13:22:57

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#8 2024-03-30 18:35:25

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#9 2024-03-31 07:36:32

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#10 2024-12-24 23:27:44

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#11 2024-12-25 01:36:06

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#12 2024-12-25 02:17:12

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#13 2024-12-25 04:03:36

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#14 2024-12-25 10:43:11

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#15 2025-05-19 03:32:16

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#16 2025-05-19 14:00:48

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#17 2025-05-19 15:13:41

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#18 2025-05-19 18:08:44

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#19 2025-05-20 00:47:36

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#20 2025-05-20 03:49:59

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#21 2025-05-22 06:48:43

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#22 2025-05-22 13:37:07

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#23 2025-05-22 18:17:03

Re: Daedalus desktop live: Cannot load memtest

#24 2025-05-22 20:03:58

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#25 2025-05-22 20:05:53

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