Puppeee 4.3X

[sc0ttman]

Is anyone else having the problem below....?

I can't use the 'Remaster Puppy live-CD' tool, in the 'Setup' menu..
I choose the working directory but then get an Xdialog usage screen..

Has anyone else had this on Puppeee 431 or know a solution?
Thanks.

[userperson]

Puppy 4.31
Asus Eee 901

Made a bootable USB drive to try it out and liked it a lot. Much faster than the stock Linux it came with. Decided to install Puppy permanently.

Everything went OK (with some trial and error) until the very end where I ran in to two problems I could not solve.

1) It says to write the contents of /tmp/NEWGRUBTEXT into /boot/menu.1st.

I can't find /boot/menu.1st. I did a search and it found nothing called /boot. I can see the list of other directories -- I am somewhat used to Linux having run it since RedHat 5.2. Apparently /boot is in a different partition? If so how do I get the editor to open it? Or am I supposed to create a new file /boot in among the other files listed?

Please tell me exactly how to get to /boot so I can create this file.

2) I also did not know what to choose when it asked where to put GRUB: in one of the partitions or in the MBR. Please tell me which I should select.
I don't care if I can't use the old Linux my Eee came with -- it's obsolete.

I ended up with the whole Eee not booting at all and I had to reinstall the original OS from the original (2 year old) disk, so I know I did something seriously wrong with GRUB or with /boot.

Thanks for any help.

[prehistoric]

Puppy 4.31
Asus Eee 901
...

First question, are you aware that Puppy 4.31 is not Puppeee 4.31? I've installed the stock Puppy 4.3.1 on a 900A, so I know it is possible, just harder. By all means use Puppeee on an Eee PC if you can.

Everything went OK (with some trial and error) until the very end where I ran in to two problems I could not solve.

1) It says to write the contents of /tmp/NEWGRUBTEXT into /boot/menu.1st.

I can't find /boot/menu.1st. I did a search and it found nothing called /boot. I can see the list of other directories -- I am somewhat used to Linux having run it since RedHat 5.2. Apparently /boot is in a different partition? If so how do I get the editor to open it? Or am I supposed to create a new file /boot in among the other files listed?

Please tell me exactly how to get to /boot so I can create this file.

If, as it seems, you are using a 901 with a Xandros system installed to an internal SSD, you should be able to find /boot and /boot/grub/menu.lst already installed to those partitions. Once you find it you will have to do some editing.

Your problem is likely due to the fact that Puppy (Puppeee) runs entirely in RAM and does not mount disk partitions by default. Your search was confined to the mounted file system which is in volatile RAM. This design allows you to run from removable media without altering your previous system in any way. (I typically boot the systems I'm testing on an Eee PC off an SD card in the built-in reader. Since Puppeee 4.31 is still billed as a beta release, this is prudent. All you need do to boot off this is change the order in which the BIOS accesses the "hard drives" to put the card in the flash reader ahead of the internal drive. When I pop out the SD card, the BIOS can't find that drive, and boots normally off the internal SSD or hard drive.)

If you had mounted those partitions by clicking on the drive icon, you should have seen the /boot directory on one of them. You can certainly install Puppeee to a bare machine by using Gparted to repartition and format the internal drive, once you get it running on that machine. You also need to install Grub as a separate operation. This should create a /boot directory on a Linux partition. It sounds like you never really got Grub installed. When you are using one of the methods to run from a removable flash drive, you don't need to install Grub.

You may want to experiment with installing standard Puppy 4.3.1 on some old machine where nobody cares if you clobber something like Windows 98, and the internal drive is an ordinary ata hard drive before you try this on your new netbook. Every laptop has some peculiarities. We are still learning about differences between different models of Eee PC.

2) I also did not know what to choose when it asked where to put GRUB: in one of the partitions or in the MBR. Please tell me which I should select.
I don't care if I can't use the old Linux my Eee came with -- it's obsolete.

If you are wiping everything previous, you can certainly install to the MBR. I also have systems which are dual-booting Puppy 4.3.1 and XP without problems after I installed Grub to the MBR, but the first time you try this it can be a little tricky. There are instructions on-line for resizing the Windows partition in order to make space for the Linux partition Puppy will use, and creating that new partition, using Gparted, which is in Puppy and Puppeee.

Because Puppy takes very little space it is quite practical to leave the old system around in case it has something you may need later. On a laptop, the BIOS code for a suspend operation expects to find certain partitions and programs on the disk, so clobbering everything can easily result in suspend failing. On many different machines, I've found sneaky little things like diagnostics on "hidden partitions" which cost me a great deal of trouble to restore. My advice is to leave most of the previous system intact, until you know more about what you can remove. On one Puppeee system I've installed, I used the Xandros Skype program simply by mounting the internal drive partition which held it and linking it to my desktop icon. I don't know how much else I can use this way.

I ended up with the whole Eee not booting at all and I had to reinstall the original OS from the original (2 year old) disk, so I know I did something seriously wrong with GRUB or with /boot...

Been there, done that. It's not the end of the world.

[cimh]

Jemimah or others

Is there somewhere I can access the previous 2.5 beta files?

I've been having a couple of problems since going to 3.1. There isnt much logic as to why they should happen (frequent crash when hooking up to wifi but only immediately after booting) and inability to mount my 16g ext4 ssd.

I didnt get either of these with 2.5 so I thought best to roll back and see if the problem goes away or if I've screwed something else up!

cimh
eee 901

[jemimah]

cimh,

Hmmm, I don't keep the old files around since it's too hard for me to support them (for a while I was releasing a new version every week!). I can't remember all the differences between them. Someone else might still have 2.5 though.

It's better if you help me work through issues with the current version.

If you run pmount from the terminal, it will usually tell you why the mount is failing. I will double check the ext4 support in 3.1.

The crash is somewhat more disturbing... is anyone else having that issue with 3.1? I'm about to release 3.2, maybe you'll find that works better.

[jemimah]

Sc0ttman, I'll review the remaster tool when I get a chance. I don't think it will work though without an ISO image to start with. There's a script around the forums called Dougal's Remaster Script that is better and more flexible.

[neurino]

Someone else might still have 2.5 though.

I do have, I'm uploading files to drop.io, it should be available at http://drop.io/puppeee25 in minutes

[jemimah]

I have confirmed that ext4 support is broken in 3.1. It'll be fixed in 3.2.

[jemimah]

Too much orange? Or go for it?

[neurino]

Too much orange? Or go for it?

I tried that set of icons when I loaded the background on my eee but it was clearly to me that's definitively too much orange!

I love the standard blue icons on orange bg!


Moreover I always set the tray to autohide to gain space, I think it's a must-do, but if you don't want it then you should (or I can do it for you) raise the puppeee writing to not be hidden by the tray.

[cimh]

cimh,

If you run pmount from the terminal, it will usually tell you why the mount is failing. I will double check the ext4 support in 3.1.

The crash is somewhat more disturbing... is anyone else having that issue with 3.1? I'm about to release 3.2, maybe you'll find that works better.

Thanks - I'll not test any more and wait for 3.2 - the crash always happens immaidately the 'rA0 is down' osd appears after boot. (so that event must be causing it) it either takes the form of the screen going blank, multiple lines/ boxes on the screen, or the screen gardually fading to white over 5 secs. Its pretty terminal pulling the battery is often the only way to sort it.

seems to happen both in xorg or xvesa.

I wonder if others have had this

cimh
901

[userperson]

Thank you for the helpful reply.

First question, are you aware that Puppy 4.31 is not Puppeee 4.31?

I have both iso's here. I could not get the USB drive to boot at all with Puppeee so I went to Puppy. I hoped they were somewhat similar when I asked my question here, though maybe they aren't at all.

I tried running both Puppeee and Puppy off the USB drive on my full size laptop, and I could access wifi with Puppy but not Puppeee, which gave me another reason to choose Puppy.

If, as it seems, you are using a 901 with a Xandros system installed to an internal SSD, you should be able to find /boot and /boot/grub/menu.lst already installed to those partitions. Once you find it you will have to do some editing.

OK... I couldn't find it but maybe it'll show up when I try next time. Is there some procedure for getting the editor to look in other partitions for a file? It only seemed to search the partition it was already in. Maybe I need to write down all the partition names and try /mnt with each one until the editor sees /boot somewhere.

Your problem is likely due to the fact that Puppy (Puppeee) runs entirely in RAM and does not mount disk partitions by default. Your search was confined to the mounted file system which is in volatile RAM.

I didn't understand what I was editing before. I'm supposed to edit the file that appears on the USB drive. I found its icon earlier and I can do this.

I typically boot the systems I'm testing on an Eee PC off an SD card in the built-in reader.... All you need do to boot off this is change the order in which the BIOS accesses the "hard drives" to put the card in the flash reader ahead of the internal drive. When I pop out the SD card, the BIOS can't find that drive, and boots normally off the internal SSD or hard drive.)

I do this BIOS thing regularly -- I'm always trying different Linux versions on my "junk" box using a bootable CD or USB drive. So I'm OK with this procedure.

It sounds like you never really got Grub installed. When you are using one of the methods to run from a removable flash drive, you don't need to install Grub.

Either that or I installed it so badly it wasn't findable or usable.

Originally I wanted to permanently install an alternative to Xandros. Maybe I'll have to settle for running Puppy or Pupeee off the USB drive and answering the little series of questions every time I log in. Anything to get a grown-up Linux running on the netbook instead of that silly dumbed-down Xandros.

You may want to experiment with installing standard Puppy 4.3.1 on some old machine where nobody cares if you clobber something like Windows 98, and the internal drive is an ordinary ata hard drive before you try this on your new netbook.

Yep, I've got just such a machine and I'm always putting new OS's on it. I may not know what I am doing, but it's fun to try stuff out.

If you are wiping everything previous, you can certainly install [GRUB] to the MBR. I also have systems which are dual-booting Puppy 4.3.1 and XP without problems after I installed Grub to the MBR...

OK, I'll choose the MBR option then if I manage to get to the permanent-install point.

I don't have Windows on either my junk box or my Eee so dual booting is not a consideration. I only run Linux off a CD on my nice laptop -- I don't know enough to put Windows Vista at risk. It's a pain but sometimes you need it for some purpose.

On a laptop, the BIOS code for a suspend operation expects to find certain partitions and programs on the disk, so clobbering everything can easily result in suspend failing.

Helpful info, and more reason to just leave Vista alone and work around it.

On one Puppeee system I've installed, I used the Xandros Skype program simply by mounting the internal drive partition which held it and linking it to my desktop icon.

I will try this if I end up keeping Xandros, because I like using Skype.

I ended up with the whole Eee not booting at all and I had to reinstall the original OS from the original (2 year old) disk...

Been there, done that. It's not the end of the world.

Nah, it only takes about 20 minutes to restore everything now that I've done it a few times.

Thank you for the information. I will give it all another try. I appreciate the good "customer service" on this list.

[trapster]

[jemimah]

I decided it would be best to keep it simple for this version.

[cimh]

Puppy 4.31
Asus Eee 901

Everything went OK (with some trial and error) until the very end where I ran in to two problems I could not solve.

1) It says to write the contents of /tmp/NEWGRUBTEXT into /boot/menu.1st.

I can't find /boot/menu.1st.

Hi

Looks like you selected to do a frugal rather than a full install? I got hung up here too. and never got the frugal working well. IMHO a full install is much easier, the grub is set up automatically with no mucking about and seems to be full proof. I do not think the full install slows down the boot at all If I select xvesa rather than xorg mine boots from switch on to desktop in 16-20s which is amazing.

The MBR choice works fine for me.

With wifi pwireless2 is a bit fiddly at first - If I remember the first time I find it best to click on the connect icon on the desktop and select wifi.


Its worth persisting - this is one of the fasted and best distros I have found on my eee. Especially if you replace seamonkey with chrome.


cimh
901

[neurino]

I decided it would be best to keep it simple for this version.

I vote for blue

anyway it's so easy to customize, I would only add a default background and leave the rest untouched

Anyone will then choose it's fav icon set / background (someone will set the reverse bg with stock icons like trapster, I'll set the orange bg an so on)

[neurino]

jemimah sorry if I bother, when will be beta 3_2 downloadable?

I'll have to travel next week and need to replace beta 2_5 to get my Huawei dongle work and connect since Puppeee is the only os on my 901 now.

So if it's a matter of 4/5 days I'll wait for beta 3_2 otherwise I'll go with 3_1 that works anyway with the dongle but haven't used enough to know if conflicts with some of my 901 hardware or with some software I use.

Thank you

[jemimah]

It should be posted later today I think.

Can someone with a 701SD tell me if this locks you up on Beta 3.1?

Code: Select all

echo 0 > /sys/devices/platform/eeepc/rfkill/rfkill0/state

[bob scott]

With "echo 0 > /sys/devices/platform/eeepc/rfkill/rfkill0/state"

my 701sd with 4.3.1 puppeee beta 3.1 did not lockup. I got "no such file or directory". Hope this helps.

[prehistoric]

@userperson,

...I tried running both Puppeee and Puppy off the USB drive on my full size laptop, and I could access wifi with Puppy but not Puppeee, which gave me another reason to choose Puppy.

Puppeee is still a work in progress, but has one big advantage here: there are only a limited number of different wireless cards in Eee-PCs. If you are lucky, the one in your machine will already be working. Even if it is not, I would encourage you to keep trying. Puppeee is under active development, and Jemimah is looking for testers with different Eee-PC models. You will get better support here than you could likely get if you paid for it. Note: Puppeee was never designed to run on that regular laptop. It is strictly specific to the ASUS Eee-PC and perhaps a few very similar machines sold under other labels.

Your first problem is getting any kind of system to boot off the SD card. You seem to have that working. If you take that card and copy the needed files to it, as described on the first page of this topic, without reinstalling and changing the loader code that is now booting, you should be able to come up with a Puppeee installation on an SD card that will boot. Note: you do not need to install GRUB anywhere if you are using one of the other methods described for getting USB flash drives to boot.

If, as it seems, you are using a 901 with a Xandros system installed to an internal SSD, you should be able to find /boot and /boot/grub/menu.lst already installed to those partitions. Once you find it you will have to do some editing.

OK... I couldn't find it but maybe it'll show up when I try next time. Is there some procedure for getting the editor to look in other partitions for a file? It only seemed to search the partition it was already in. Maybe I need to write down all the partition names and try /mnt with each one until the editor sees /boot somewhere.

You're getting a little confused about what program you're using. We have been talking about using the file manager to find the file, and a text editor to modify it.

There is a second common source of confusion connected with mounting file systems. Those of us who started out mounting 1/2" tapes, or 14" disk packs, on mainframe computers have a good mental image of the problem. Even if you can see the icon for the device on your desktop it does not mean the file system on the device, (if any,) is accessible to the OS. If you were working with a large computer, and the disk pack was sitting on the floor, you would say "duh!" if someone using a terminal reported they couldn't find anything on it.

In this case, mounting is simply a matter of clicking on the icon. If you haven't mounted the file system, Puppeee isn't going to do it without permission, because this might cause it to modify something you wanted left alone. (Except for the device you booted from, for which it already had permission, or it would not have been able to access the files holding the OS.) When a Unix/Linux file system is mounted it temporarily replaces a directory in the file system already in use. This could be all kinds of places, but the convention is to put most mountable file systems on empty directories under /mnt. Usually, the name of the directory resembles the name of the device, e.g. /mnt/sda1. The biggest exception is /mnt/home which is the device it is running from.

...Originally I wanted to permanently install an alternative to Xandros. Maybe I'll have to settle for running Puppy or Pupeee off the USB drive and answering the little series of questions every time I log in. Anything to get a grown-up Linux running on the netbook instead of that silly dumbed-down Xandros.

Wait a minute! Once it puts a pup-save file there at shutdown or reboot you don't have to keep answering questions. It should ask you automatically the first time you shut down. After that, it saves the data in RAM to that file every time you shutdown, and restores it when you boot off that device.

Keep trying, you're getting closer.