Can not execute mt86.cfg settings via PXE network on memtest86 v9.4 site version

[Ellick]

Hi Admin,

I have purchased memtest86 v9.4 site version. And I tried to run it via PXE network, I used tftpd64 as my DHCP program. When ran PXE memtest86 on my laptop which had intel 12th CPU (Alder Lake), the laptop was running memtest86 automatically, seems tftpd64 DHCP setting did work. But the test didn't follow mt86.cfg setting which I created. The user manual show version9.4 should support Alder Lake chipset, so is there any special setting for Alder Lake? If any advice, please let me know. Thank you.

BTW, another laptop with intel 11th CPU (Tiger Lake) can work with memtest86 v9.4 site version very well, running OK from PXE network, and succeed in executing mt86.cfg.

The below is my mt86.cfg.

TSTLIST=0
# TESTCFGFILE=customtests.cfg
NUMPASS=1
# ADDRLIMLO=0x10000000
# ADDRLIMHI=0x20000000
# MEMREMMB=16
# MINMEMRANGEMB=16
# CPUSEL=PARALLEL
# CPUNUM=1
# CPULIST=2,3
# MAXCPUS=32
# DISABLEMP=1
# ENABLEHT=1
# ECCPOLL=0
# ECCINJECT=0
# MEMCACHE=0
# PASS1FULL=0
# ADDR2CHBITS=12,9,7
# ADDR2SLBITS=3,4
# ADDR2CSBITS=8
# LANG=ja-JP
# REPORTNUMERRS=10
# REPORTNUMWARN=0
# REPORTPREFIX=BASEBOARDSN
AUTOMODE=1
# AUTOREPORT=0
# AUTOREPORTFMT=HTML
# AUTOPROMPTFAIL=1
# SKIPSPLASH=1
EXITMODE=1
# MINSPDS=0
# EXACTSPDS=0
# EXACTSPDSIZE=8192
# CHECKMEMSPDSIZE=1
# SPDMANUF=Kingston
# SPDPARTNO=9905402
# SPDMATCH=1
# SAMESPDPARTNO=1
# BGCOLOR=BLUE
# HAMMERPAT=0x10101010
# HAMMERMODE=SINGLE
# HAMMERSTEP=0x10000
# CONSOLEMODE=1
# CONSOLEONLY=0
# BITFADESECS=300
# MAXERRCOUNT=10000
# TFTPSERVERIP=192.168.10.192
# TFTPSTATUSSECS=60
# PMPDISABLE=0
# RTCSYNC=1
# TRIGGERONERR=1
# VERBOSITY=1
# TPL=HIGH_LEVEL

[David (PassMark)]

We haven't used tftpd64 with Memtest86. I am not sure if anyone has.

If you are using Windows as the PXE server machine then we suggest using the "Serva" software. We have tested this and know it works.
There is a video covering the setup process here
https://www.memtest86.com/tech_pxe-network.html

It is also covered in the MemTest86 User's Guide PDF, which is included with the MemTest86 download.

We do support the Alder Lake chipset, and are not aware of any PXE problems with it.

On the Alder Lake machine did you attempt a USB boot with the same config file to check if it works from USB drive as maybe the problem isn't PXE related?

[Ellick]

Thanks for your reply. One more question, what is BOOTX86.efi checking? I found if the memtest boot normally, it will check some hardware info, like CPUID. But my new laptop was stuck in booting. So I'm curious what does BOOTX86.efi do? If you would like to share some information of BOOTX86.efi, that will be great. Thanks.

Test Pass: PXE startup ---> get DHCP IP ---> read BOOTX86.efi ---> read blacklist.cfg ---> read mt86.cfg ---> complete test ---> upload Report.
Test Failed: PXE startup ---> get DHCP IP ---> read BOOTX86.efi, then memtest stuck here, never go next.

[David (PassMark)]

Anything with the file name extension .efi is a UEFI binary executable file. These files are like Windows executable files and use a subset of the "PE32+" image format with a modified header signature.

So the .efi files in this case are the main MemTest86 executable file.

There are a number of special 'boot loader' files that are searched for by the UEFI firmware when a machine boots in the /EFI/Boot folder. These are,

x86 CPUs that are 32bit (bootia32.efi),
x86 CPUs that are 64bit (bootx64.efi)
Itanium CPUs that are 64bit (bootia64.efi)
ARM CPUs that are 32bit (bootarm.efi)
ARM CPUs that are 64bit (bootaa64.efi)

In MemTest86 we supply 3 .efi files. These are,
bootaa64.efi, bootia32.efi, bootx64.efi.

Which means there is support for booting Memtest86 on 32bit and 64bit x86 systems and also 64bit ARM systems.

We do not supply a "BOOTX86.efi" file. And I don't think there is any file called BOOTX86.efi in the UEFI standard. So I am not sure where you got it from.

[Ellick]

Sorry, my mistake for typo. Yes, I used "BOOTX64.efi".

[Ellick]

Actually, I can't see the below hardware info pop up before memtest startup via PXE network. And I ran memtest from USB key, it works. Only failed on PXE network. That's why I asked the job sequence of Bootx64.efi. So after bootx64.efi execution, will the memtest check the hardware info? something like baseboard, CPUID and so on. I'm investigating the difference between USB key startup and PXE startup now.

[David (PassMark)]

Test multi-processor support (the last line in your screen shot) is a step to check of the UEFI BIOS supports multi-threading. Some UEFI firmware have bugs and only support single threaded tasks.

There should be no difference in the execution of Memtest86 between a USB boot and a PXE boot.

Are you sure you are using the same blacklist.cfg and mt86.cfg files in both instances?

[Ellick]

Thanks for your reply. I will check the USB boot files. Is that OK I replace blacklist.cfg, mt86.cfg and BOOTX64.efi on Server with copies in USB key?

[David (PassMark)]

Yes, it should be OK. Assuming they all came from the same version of the software.

But I just noticed this in your config file

TSTLIST=0

Was this what you wanted, to run only test #0?

[Ellick]

TSTLIST=0 was just used for debug setup, not my real test case.

[Ellick]

Thanks a lot for your helps all the time. Finally, I have figured out why my laptop failed on the PXE booting, it was caused by my UEFI. After UEFI updated, PXE boot works well on my laptop. Really appreciate for your always patiently explain.

[David (PassMark)]

Glad it was solved.
Buggy UEFI firmware is unfortunately fairly common.