Converting MemTest86 Pro 8.1 to ISO (from memtest86-pro-usb.img)

[niagarasys]

I purchased an upgrade from MemTest86 Pro 7.4 to MemTest86 Pro 8.1 and was disappointed to discover it required a USB flash drive as opposed an .ISO delivery which could be either USB or disc format. Prior to getting a refund I had asked support if there was a method of obtaining an .ISO file and I was sent to https://www.memtest86.com/technical.htm#iso

I downloaded CentOS 64-bit 7.6 1810, went through the trouble of installing it on a PC, and followed the directions which completed successfully unfortunately the ISO is not bootable.

I emailed support and they suggested Ubuntu, so I downloaded 18.04.2 64-bit, completed the same tasks, the script spit out some errors but also created the disc, which also is not bootable.

Does anyone have any advice on how the memtest86-pro-usb.img can be successfully converted to an .ISO?

[David (PassMark)]

was disappointed to discover it required a USB flash drive as opposed an .ISO

In the system requirement on the home page it is listed that a USB drive is required.
The feature page also notes that there is no CD boot support in V8.

But V8 of the software is UEFI BIOS only and all UEFI BIOSs support USB boot. So CD booting should no longer be required. USB boot is also faster. USB allows logs files and reports to be written to the drive. USB drives are also more reliable and easier to create.

an .ISO delivery which could be either USB or disc format

This isn't the case. You can't just write an ISO to a USB drive (and the reverse doesn't work either). The file system is different in each case and needs to be converted. Which isn't trivial.

....and followed the directions

Except that you didn't, as we never tested anything on CentOS. We used Ubuntu.

the script spit out some errors

Maybe it would help if you posted the errors.

[niagarasys]

Except that you didn't, as we never tested anything on CentOS. We used Ubuntu.

Clearly you're more interested in replying with your arrogant opinions than helping me and actually reading what I wrote, where I clearly wrote "Ubuntu, so I downloaded 18.04.2 64-bit,"

So, yes, I did follow the directions.

I'll simply request a refund

[David (PassMark)]

Pretty hard to help you with the errors, if you don't tell us what the errors are. Just saying.

[SignedAdam]

niagarasys Thank you for asking this question, unfortunately it looks like no one else other than me and you want an image on a disk! the benefits of having memtest 86 on a disk are huge. just to list a few

1) once a disk "cd-r" has been finalised the data can't be changed, unlike on usb's were data can be unlocked and removed or changed
2) because of fact 1) you can always trust the data to be as you burned, and that no one has messed with it or changed it "potential security risk with usb"
3) some computers can't boot from usb! fact! I've tried
4) again because of fact 1) the data can't be corrupted. unless you damage the disk, usb's can be damaged to if they dont have protection over the usb connector
5) usb's cost more money! not all of us are bankers!

now to answer your question niagarasys please search for a tool called OSFMount, once you have downloaded an installed it. use it to mount the img file, then also use it to convert the img file in to an iso, then burn the iso to a disk, job done. i spent 2 days looking in to this because of all the benefits to disk media

[David (PassMark)]

1) But you want the drive to be writable to save the test report
2) Optical drives are more likely to be damaged & scratched. In any case MemTest86 is code signed by Microsoft. If it has been "messed with" then secure boot just won't boot it.
3) All UEFI machines can boot from USB (and MemTest86 is now UEFI BIOS only). Some vendors might choose to turn this off or ship a machine without a USB port, but we can't keep everyone happy all of the time.
4) This is a re-hash of point 2)
5) A 4GB brand name flash drive is $3. You can use it 1000 times. You can use a CD-R once. So USB drives are cheaper, faster, more reliable, less likely to be damaged, smaller, higher capacity, compatible with all machines and you can save log files and test reports. (Some USB drives can also be write protected with a switch, if you want read only).

But as we had a few people living in the past & we made this unsupported ISO built about a year ago

[SignedAdam]

David (PassMark)

This isn't about which is better, but about "How to" and that the option should be available for people who want it, if you've got a stack of disks, this makes use of them, Microsoft still support burning windows 10 to disk media to this day! so to simply say its dead is outrageous.

above your reply you'll see a "How to" to do exactly what the user wanted, instead of reasons why not to do something! it shouldn't be about the why! but the how. view points shouldn't matter, politics should stay at home

[SignedAdam]

* ill add because i can't edit my reply

my solution :

now to answer your question niagarasys please search for a tool called OSFMount, once you have downloaded and* installed it. use it to mount the img file, then also use it to convert the img file in to an iso, then burn the iso to a disk, job done. i spent 2 days looking in to this because of all the benefits to disk media

works on newer versions pro or free

[David (PassMark)]

so to simply say its dead is outrageous.

It's dead.

[SignedAdam]

David (PassMark) I understand your view point, but it’s important to listen to your user base. If the customer ask how to do something, surely they shouldn’t be met with reasons why not?

niagarasys didn’t ask for a “view point” but a “How to”

I'm glad to be of assistance in this matter, even if I was a bit late - I hope this post helps other likeminded customers looking up the same thing I did (which is why I shared my knowledge here)

happy new year stay safe everyone

[BillyRay66]

It is short-sighted to not offer or at least support ISO media for a couple of reasons. Many people run Servers in remote datacenters and would like to mount an ISO via virtual media to stress-test a system before taking it into production. Servers like SuperMicro don't offer an on-board Diagnostics memory tester so being able to mount an ISO with MemTest is very valuable.
Adding to that, USB or other physical media is useless to this audience. Often virtual USB does not work reliably or not at all. Virtual CDROM/DVD however is very reliable.

Many of us would appreciate Passmark re-evaluating offering/supporting ISO again.

[David (PassMark)]

As per the post above, we made this unsupported ISO built about a year ago

The Supermicro UEFI BIOS is pretty rubbish. There are several known bugs, and they know about them, but they just don't care. You should push them to get their USB boot option stable.

[BillyRay66]

It's not just Supermicro. There are other brands too.
And I cannot relate to Supermicro Uefi boot being problematic. I install VMware ESXi via EUFI mounted ISO on a weekly basis and never have problems. I agree on their USB problems. On many of their motherboards, booting from USB3 ports is unstable. Booting from USB2 ports on the rear of such servers always works.

By the way, sorry to say this but your attitude is disappointing and unprofessional by the way. No need to be so arrogant and unfriendly. We are your customers.

[David (PassMark)]

There is nothing unprofessional about it. Optical drives are dead. The world is moving on. MemTest86 is now UEFI only and all UEFI systems have to support USB booting.

And I am not really sure what the problem is at this point. An ISO was made available a year ago for legacy systems / procedures. And people can also make their own CD if they want.

[therifla]

I wanted to buy memtest pro but without ISO version it's useless. There is still a lot of cases where ISO is mandatory and USB isn't an option, seems they don't care about such users, sure, it's their right, but David's arguments are wrong.