Several questions re using Puppy

[dk60902]

Hello,

I'm new to this. Please help with several questions. I downloaded 5.1.1, burned to CD, and booted to my old Compaq Presario 2196Z w/ AMD Athlon ~1.8 GHz, 512 MB RAM, 40 GB HDD w/ Windows XP. It runs very slow on XP. I have been thinking about doing a clean install, and was able to get 5.1.1 running from the CD. I followed the directions from the tutorial to be able to boot from a USB flash drive (old 256 MB lying around). When, I reboot w/ CD in the tray, USB flash inserted, BIOS set to boot from removable device 1st, then CD/DVD drive, then HDD, it won't boot up. I can't remember the msg I get, but when I remove the USB flash, it'll boot up just fine. I haven't tried reinstalling on the USB drive.

1. Has anyone had problems booting from USB drive w/ 5.1.1?
2. Do you suggest flash drive w/ higher capacity > 256 MB?
3. When I want to shut down the computer, is it suppose to save settings, assuming I do it properly, so that when I reboot, I don't have to re-enter all the settings all over again? Now, when I shut down, I have to go through the wizard each time to connect to internet, and re-download Mozilla Firefox each time.
4. I'm also having problems connecting w/ the Wireless. I can connect w/ Ethernet. I tried the simple set up. I click on the wireless button. Then, the system scans for wireless networks. I click on my network, click WEP, and enter my password, but it fails to connect. Any suggestions?
5. I'm interested in installing 5.1.1 to the HDD, but will that wipe out the HDD w/ my other programs, files, Windows XP, etc.?
6. Finally, tomorrow, when I go to work, I have an ancient computer (1998 Cybermax PC w/ 400 MHz 10 GB HDD, ?? RAM, DVD drive that I want to try to revive w/ Puppy Linux. I think there must be a virus, or it must be corrupted b/c it doesn't run. I lost the Windows 98 disc that came w/ the computer. Would 5.1.1. be a good choice as an OS, or should I try an earlier version of Puppy?

Thanks for any help.

[RetroTechGuy]

Hello,

I'm new to this. Please help with several questions. I downloaded 5.1.1, burned to CD, and booted to my old Compaq Presario 2196Z w/ AMD Athlon ~1.8 GHz, 512 MB RAM, 40 GB HDD w/ Windows XP. It runs very slow on XP. I have been thinking about doing a clean install, and was able to get 5.1.1 running from the CD. I followed the directions from the tutorial to be able to boot from a USB flash drive (old 256 MB lying around). When, I reboot w/ CD in the tray, USB flash inserted, BIOS set to boot from removable device 1st, then CD/DVD drive, then HDD, it won't boot up. I can't remember the msg I get, but when I remove the USB flash, it'll boot up just fine. I haven't tried reinstalling on the USB drive.

1. Has anyone had problems booting from USB drive w/ 5.1.1?
2. Do you suggest flash drive w/ higher capacity > 256 MB?
3. When I want to shut down the computer, is it suppose to save settings, assuming I do it properly, so that when I reboot, I don't have to re-enter all the settings all over again? Now, when I shut down, I have to go through the wizard each time to connect to internet, and re-download Mozilla Firefox each time.
4. I'm also having problems connecting w/ the Wireless. I can connect w/ Ethernet. I tried the simple set up. I click on the wireless button. Then, the system scans for wireless networks. I click on my network, click WEP, and enter my password, but it fails to connect. Any suggestions?
5. I'm interested in installing 5.1.1 to the HDD, but will that wipe out the HDD w/ my other programs, files, Windows XP, etc.?
6. Finally, tomorrow, when I go to work, I have an ancient computer (1998 Cybermax PC w/ 400 MHz 10 GB HDD, ?? RAM, DVD drive that I want to try to revive w/ Puppy Linux. I think there must be a virus, or it must be corrupted b/c it doesn't run. I lost the Windows 98 disc that came w/ the computer. Would 5.1.1. be a good choice as an OS, or should I try an earlier version of Puppy?

Thanks for any help.

How about this as a stop-gap measure.

1) Perform a full HDD scan on your Windows XP machine.

2) Defrag the disk. (these 2 operations are simply making sure that you have a "clean" location to store your pupsave -- you can try the operation without these, if you would like).

3) Create a folder on C: called "puppy511"

4) Copy your created pupsave into this folder

5) Copy a second copy of your pupsave into this folder, under a different name.

6) Boot from the Puppy CD

-- select your main pupsave (the other is a backup copy -- with 2 of pupsaves, Puppy will ask you which one to load)

7) Once booted from CD, navigate to /mnt/home/puppy511/, open the CD folder, and copy the .sfs file from the CD to the pupp511 folder.

Now you can simply store the boot CD in the drive, and if you want to boot XP, you simply eject the CD and boot normally.

Note: I still run my XP laptop like this.

Note2: you may wish to add a swap file, or swap partition. 512MB is perhaps OK, but there may be times that you consume more than that, so another 256-512MB wouldn't hurt you.

Note3: your 256MB flash is perhaps too small (think about your pupsave, plus 100+MB of .sfs in that limited space). Some time back, I picked up a 2GB Kingston at Walmart, for $6 (clearance sale?). It's not uncommon to find 4GB and sometimes 8GB for less than $20, if you want to go the flash route.

This "install" will permit you to learn your way around Puppy, and determine if 5.1.1 is the right distro for you (or determine if you need an older version -- I doubt that you need a "retro", with your hardware).

Note4: That machine should not be that painfully slow, even under XP. I would recommend that you look into a full virus scan, and search for other malware. There are live boot virus scanners available, which have the advantage that your Windows system, and any viruses inside, are not active during the scan.

[WineCurmudgeon]

I have the same problem with booting 5.1.1 from a USB stick. I did the installation off the CD, and saved everything. But the USB won't boot into my ASUS 1005 HA or my desktop (an Acer Aspire), both of which are reasonably new and run Ubuntu Netbook Remix and Xubuntu respectively. I have made all the necessary changes in the setup configuration for each. Both of them recognize the USB drive, and I have used other USB sticks to boot the Asus. In addition, the Acer boot setup tells me the USB stick is not bootable.

I don't necessarily want to run Puppy off those machines; I want to take it with me when I travel (I write for living) as a backup. And if I can't get two newer machines to boot off the USB stick, what am I going to do with older hardware?

Any thoughts? During the Puppy USB installation process, there is a bit about the master boot record. Is that where I need to make changes? And I vaguely remember, during an older netbook remix install, that I had to use something like UNetbootin for a USB stick.

[RetroTechGuy]

6. Finally, tomorrow, when I go to work, I have an ancient computer (1998 Cybermax PC w/ 400 MHz 10 GB HDD, ?? RAM, DVD drive that I want to try to revive w/ Puppy Linux. I think there must be a virus, or it must be corrupted b/c it doesn't run. I lost the Windows 98 disc that came w/ the computer. Would 5.1.1. be a good choice as an OS, or should I try an earlier version of Puppy?

Thanks for any help.

BTW, I didn't not this one. I have a Compaq Armada 333MHz, running Puppy 4.3.1 Retro (4GB or 6GB HDD). I run it as a dual boot (though rarely use the Win98 on it).. I have it set up as a frugal install, and boot it from the CD (as described in my previous post).

As old as your machine is, it may not run 5.1.1 (but since you're starting fresh -- give it a try). I don't know if there yet exists a 5.1.1 Retro (which, if it did exist, would be designed to support some older hardware). Yours is about the same vintage as my old laptop, so I wouldn't count on the regular 4.3.1 or 5.1.1 running on it.

Also, you are likely to be rather light on memory, so plan in installing a swap partition or swap file -- I would recommend that you have at least 512MB of RAM+swap. My old laptop has 256MB Ram, and I added a 512MB swapfile (giving me 750MB RAM+swap).

[RetroTechGuy]

I have the same problem with booting 5.1.1 from a USB stick. I did the installation off the CD, and saved everything. But the USB won't boot into my ASUS 1005 HA or my desktop (an Acer Aspire), both of which are reasonably new and run Ubuntu Netbook Remix and Xubuntu respectively. I have made all the necessary changes in the setup configuration for each. Both of them recognize the USB drive, and I have used other USB sticks to boot the Asus. In addition, the Acer boot setup tells me the USB stick is not bootable.

I don't necessarily want to run Puppy off those machines; I want to take it with me when I travel (I write for living) as a backup. And if I can't get two newer machines to boot off the USB stick, what am I going to do with older hardware?

Any thoughts? During the Puppy USB installation process, there is a bit about the master boot record. Is that where I need to make changes? And I vaguely remember, during an older netbook remix install, that I had to use something like UNetbootin for a USB stick.

OK, I'm now running a new install of Puppy 5.1.1 on an older Asus Netbook.

I did my install on the SD card, and upon reboot the X server crashed. Is this the problem you experienced?

I then put my CD back in, and booting off it once again (puppy pfix=ram), so I could create a small "test" file (also useful for making backups of my main pupsave).

Upon reboot, the X server crashed. I then manually re-copied lupu-511.sfs to /mnt/home/, and performed a reboot after which my system worked fine (in fact, I am posting from the netbook, running Lupu511).

It might be worth recopying the .sfs file, and see if it was corrupted during copy.

[cthisbear]

RetroTechGuy advice is sound 4 both posters.

USBs have problems in Puppy 5.
Lucid. 235 and 237 versions were duds.

239 lucid works.

Check >> Boot and LBA >> in GParted.

Try the usb in another port...a rear port.
Check the Bios that the USB >> is the first drive to boot.

Don't install Puppy on a Windows partition ..you will lose the lot.

Shinobars >> Grub 4 Dos may work.
Puppy was never meant 4 a full install.

Wireless may need >> Pwireless2.

My RADICAL WAY >> this post...is not recommended.

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=62447

:::::::::::

Would 5.1.1. be a good choice as an OS, or should I try an earlier
version of Puppy?

Forget it.

1998 Cybermax PC w/ 400 MHz 10 GB >> How much ram????

Skinny Pup might work >> Download 53.51MB

Use this download here...not the first post

http://downloads.trash80.org/puppy_stuf ... -4.0_a.iso

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=33301

""""""

or this >> 214x-Top5

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=42553

""""""""

Fat free 2.16

" Works VERY well with 32MB (&16MB too!). Works even better with 64MB.

I've only attached a screenshot for 32MB (took out myupgrade chip), 200Mhz Pentium 1.

BTW: I have been running a Libretto 50ct with 16MB RAM, 100Mhz Pentium1 with puppy2FF and it works fine.

Libretto 70ct with same FF with 32MB RAM and it pops along nicely.

I have a Libretto 30 (486) with 8MB RAM that i will eventually try your puppy486FF iso with.

In short, good stuff ! Retro computing is my hobby so I always take interest. Thanks Big Bass. "

fat-free-2.16-dillo.iso 56438KB

http://www.puppy2.org/slaxer/fat-free-2.16-dillo.iso

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 4c368ecd95

or Puppy 1 series from 1.07 onwards.

Puppy Search

http://puppylinux.org/wikka/PuppyLinuxSearchEngine

Chris.

[RetroTechGuy]

1998 Cybermax PC w/ 400 MHz 10 GB >> How much ram????

Skinny Pup might work >> Download 53.51MB

Incidentally, I'm running 4.3.1 Retro on a 333MHz laptop (the one listed above looks like more machine than mine).

The RAM is likely to be the main issue, though I had downgraded the 333MHz to 64MB of RAM, as a test, and still successfully booted. He'll probably want a largish swap file (e.g. I have 256MB RAM, and a 512MB swap).

http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/dis ... modems.iso