Re: [PATCH] x86_64: simplify the memtest parameter setting

Yinghai Lu
2008-04-19T03:17:49Z

On Fri, Apr 18, 2008 at 7:15 PM, Frans Pop <elendil@planet.nl> wrote:
> On Saturday 19 April 2008, Frans Pop wrote:
> > Yinghai Lu wrote:
> > > -config MEMTEST_BOOTPARAM
> > > - bool "Memtest boot parameter"
> > > +config MEMTEST
> > > + bool "Memtest"
> > > depends on X86_64
> > > default y
> >
> > With this patch, this default no longer makes any sense.
> >
> > > help
> > > This option adds a kernel parameter 'memtest', which allows memtest
> > > - to be disabled at boot. If this option is selected, memtest
> > > - functionality can be disabled with memtest=0 on the kernel
> > > - command line. The purpose of this option is to allow a single
> > > - kernel image to be distributed with memtest built in, but not
> > > - necessarily enabled.
> > > -
> > > + to be set.
> > > + memtest=0, mean disabled; -- default
> > > + memtest=1, mean do 1 test pattern;
> > > + ...
> > > + memtest=4, mean do 4 test patterns.
> >
> > s/mean/means/
> > s/; -- default/ (default)/
>
> These are still good (IMO).
>
>
> > Maybe some explanation of what a "test pattern" is would be useful.
> >
> > > If you are unsure how to answer this question, answer Y.
> >
> > Also makes no sense anymore.
>
> Oops. Just see I was too fast. After reading it again I see that the y/n
> value is correct after all.
>
> However, it also means that the new description is probably too short.
> The phrase "allows memtest to be set" does not really mean anything to a
> user who does not know what memtest really does. It also does not explain
> that memtest is a boot parameter.
>
> Also, it should probably be made more explicit that no memtest is actually
> performed unless the memtest boot parameter is passed at the boot prompt.
>
> Looks like 4 is the maximum possible value. This should be mentioned
> explicitly (here as well as in Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt).

current it only support 4 pattern, will try to move memtester pattern
into it later...

YH