when trying to network boot memtest86+.bin using pxelinux (from
syslinux-common), it fails to run. on machines with a floppy drive, it polls
the floppy drive repeatedly. eventually, it spits out out "8000" over and over
again.

a workaround is to symlink or copy memtest86+.bin to memtest86+, and it works
fine, although having to rename or symlink the binary to network boot
memtest86+ seems a bit of unnecessary hassle.

i also experienced the same problem with version 2.11-3 of memtest86+, as well
as versions of memtest86 in lenny and sid.

thanks for maintaining memtest86+, we use it extensively at Freegeek!
http://freegeek.org

live well,
  vagrant

Apparently it seems to be an SYSLINUX issue.

As explained in
PXE_FAQ<http://pxe.dev.aboveaverageurl.com/index.php/PXE_FAQ#I_used_PXELINUX_to_boot_memtest86.2B.bin.2C_but_all_it_does_it_print_.228000.22_over_and_over_again.21>
:
 I used PXELINUX to boot memtest86+.bin, but all it does it print "8000"
over and over again!

You've almost got it. Apparently ISO/PXE linux doen't like the .bin
extension on executables. Just rename memtest86+.bin to memtest86. Don't
forget to change pxelinux.cfg/default as well!

The following are the reserved file extensions to avoid with PXELINUX:

   - .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]

In pxelinux.cfg/default, instead of using:
   kernel memtest86+.bin
one can just disable extension autodetection and specify:
   linux memtest86+.bin

it polls
and over
it works
memtest86+, as well

Hi,

this bug is very old.
Can you or anybody else confirm if current version 5.31 or better 6.00
in sid works now fine with pxelinux?