diff --git a/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd.nix b/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd.nix
index e4496384b857..bf54f59c21e9 100644
--- a/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd.nix
+++ b/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd.nix
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ let
 in
 
 {
-  require = [./iso-image.nix];
+  require = [./iso-image.nix ./memtest.nix];
 
   # Use Linux 2.6.29.
   boot.kernelPackages = pkgs.kernelPackages_2_6_29;
@@ -122,5 +122,9 @@ in
       chown -R root.root /etc/nixos
     '';
 
-  
+  services.mingetty.helpLine =
+    ''
+        
+      Log in as "root" with an empty password.
+    '';
 }
diff --git a/modules/installer/cd-dvd/memtest.nix b/modules/installer/cd-dvd/memtest.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..fb3aa8178556
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/installer/cd-dvd/memtest.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# This module adds Memtest86 to the Grub boot menu on the CD.  !!! It
+# would be nice if this also worked for normal configurations.
+
+{config, pkgs, ...}:
+
+let
+
+  memtestPath = "/boot/memtest.bin";
+
+in
+
+{
+  boot.extraGrubEntries =
+    ''
+      title Memtest86+
+        kernel ${memtestPath}
+    '';
+
+  isoImage.contents =
+    [ { source = pkgs.memtest86 + "/memtest.bin";
+        target = memtestPath;
+      }
+    ];
+}