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

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).

Maybe something like this:
This option allows a memory test to be executed when the system is
booted. A memory test is only actually executed if the kernel boot
parameter 'memtest' is passed.

The value of that parameter is the number to times the test is
performed:
memtest=0: don't perform the test (default)
memtest=1: perform the test once
...
memtest=4: perform the test 4 times (maximum).

If you are unsure how to answer this question, answer Y.

Hmmm. The original description mentions "N patterns". If those patterns are
actually different, then a different description is probably needed.

Sorry for the confusion.

Cheers,
FJP
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