Question Working computer won't boot to memtest86 ?

[Pimpom]

I assembled a spare desktop computer from old parts, for unattended processes that would otherwise keep my regular computer engaged. It works fine but ran into an unexpected issue yesterday: It won't boot to Memtest86.

I've cleared the BIOS and all settings are at default. The components are: Phenom II x4 955, GA-78LMT-S2PT, 2x2 GB DDR3, no discrete graphics card. HDD and boot disks fitted as required. I think I ran memtest86 on this rig before but am not 100% sure.

I have two memtest bootable flash drives that I've been using for years. Both still work on other computers and both are detected by the spare computer. One is UEFI-boot with Memtest86 v9.0 and the other is non-UEFI with Memtest86+ 5.01.

The spare computer is pre-UEFI and I'm not surprised that it doesn't boot with the first memtest86 disk. It gets stuck at "Verifying DMI pool data....". The second disk is legacy bootable. The error message simply says "Boot error" after 'Verifying DMI pool data'.

Any suggestions please?

 

[Lutfij]

Have you tried creating the utility onto you USB drive anew? Considering that perhaps the installer might be fiddly, use a version of that era(2009+)...?

 

[Pimpom]

Thanks. I've been meaning to do that. But each of my thumb drives and even SD/µSD cards is committed to a specific purpose. I should have a couple more somewhere but I've misplaced them for the time being. I'd like to avoid overwriting the existing memtest86 boot disk - a 16MB SD card - if possible so that I can compare it to whatever works. I'll look for the other media again when I have time.

IIRC, I created the existing disk by making an MS-DOS bootable disk, removed the DOS files and copied the memtest86 files onto it. That must be 9-10 years ago, about the same age as the motherboard in question. What puzzles me is that it still boots other computers in my house.