Memtest86 on dvd

[bevills1]

Is there a way to create a bootable memtest86 DVD? I have a laptop that boots DVD but not CD, and the only ISO I can find is for CD. Can a memtest86 ISO for DVD be made, and how can it be done if it can?

[redwudz]

Just burn it to a DVD with ImgBurn.
It's just data, so the media shouldn't make any difference as long as the PC can boot from it.


http://memtest86.com/technical.htm#win

[bevills1]

No I can't burn this ISO to DVD. I tried Nero which prompts me to insert CDR/RW, and ImgBurn which
says incompatible media unless there's a CDR/RW in the drive.

[sneaker]

It should work like redwudz said. Maybe your burners/readers don't like the (crappy) medium you are using. Or your burner can't burn DVDs in the first place.

Try better medium or use a USB stick.

[bevills1]

Two different burners recognize the DVD for what it is, and two different burning programs indicate CDR/RW media is needed to burn the image file. Also both DVD burners have successfully burned both numerous DVDs and numerous CDs. I Google searched the problem to find others have the same issue but found no solution. That ISO file is apparently suitable to only burn to CD and not to DVD.

[sneaker]

I have never heard of or experienced such a problem. Same happening with the memtest86+ iso? ImgBurn log and error message?

[redwudz]

I just took the ISO of Memtest86 v4.3.7 and burned it in ImgBurn to a TY DVD. I used 'Write image file to disc'. No problems.
Rebooted my PC (The one in my Computer Details) and the program started and is running at present.
I have had some BSODs in the past, so good time as any to run a memory test.

[Nelson37]

First, you are doing something wrong with the image to have the burning problem. If it fits on a CD it will fit and boot on a DVD.

Second, memory testing programs are a near-total waste of time. Results are not dependable, full test takes hours, RAM is cheap, and swapping modules takes a minute or two. Have not used any such program in decades. Just not cost-effective.

[sneaker]

Second, memory testing programs are a near-total waste of time. Results are not dependable, full test takes hours, RAM is cheap, and swapping modules takes a minute or two. Have not used any such program in decades. Just not cost-effective.

So every time your PC produces an error or crashes you swap the RAM?

[Nelson37]

Only on those rare occasions when the error indicates that RAM is a good probability, which is pretty unusual unless you buy a lot of extremely cheap RAM, which is a bad economy.

Swapping the chip gives you an absolute indicator of what the problem is, or is not. RAM testing programs do NOT repeat NOT do this. I get paid to solve the problem, if I make a second trip to solve the same problem, that gets done at no charge. Therefore, I do not waste time on procedures which do not lead to solving the problem, and I sure as hell do not wait two or more hours on testing programs that do not give definitive or dependable answers.

[sneaker]

For me the point of testing software like Memtest86+, Prime95, Intel Burn Test and x265 is to test a new or changed system to find out if there is any problem in the first place. I don't want to find out later that files got corrupted and I need to replace hardware, maybe re-install OS or similar. The point is to provoke errors quickly before you ever use the system "productively".

[bevills1]

Both the Memtest86 ISO v7.3 and v5.1 I tried failed to burn to DVD+R as I described, but today I tried Memtest86 v4.3.7 ISO which burned with no problem to the exact same DVD+R tried unsuccessfully with the other versions. I know not why the other ISO files fail to burn, but I'm glad v4.3.7 works.