How to Install Puppy on Toshiba Laptops

[benali72]

Puppy often doesn't recognize Toshiba laptop video properly. I couldn't get Puppy to boot off Live CD for 203CE using a Toshiba Satellite Pro 6000.

You try to boot off the Puppy Live CD, and whether you select XVESA or XORG, the system hangs. Or you get a wierd "bad video mode" message and then it hangs.

Here's how I fixed this problem.

(1) Try to boot every Linux you can off Live CD (various versions of Puppy, Red Hat, Ubuntu, SLAX, and whatever you've got).

(2) Eventually you'll find one that boots ok and recognizes Toshiba video.

(3) Copy the XORG.CONF file for the working system onto your thumb drive (USB memory stick)

(4) Shutdown the system. Now go back and try to boot Puppy off Live CD again. (In my case, I was using Puppy 203CE, but the version really doesn't matter).

(5) When Puppy tries to set up video, hit Control-C. This should stop probing and put you into a Linux command prompt.

(6) If the thumb drive is not already mounted, mount it now. The MOUNT command should look something like this:

mkdir /mounted
cd /dev
mount sda1 /mounted

(7) Now simply copy the XORG.CONF file you saved from the thumb drive into position within Puppy's filesystem:

cp from_wherever /etc/X11/xorg.conf

(8) Start up Puppy video using the new, valid XORG.CONF file:

xwin jwm

There are many small ways you could vary this, but the basic principle is sound. As long as you can boot ANY Linux on the laptop, there should be some way for you to (1) save its XORG.CONF file (2) get Puppy to use that file when you boot it from Live CD.

[benali72]

Oops, I should have also mentioned, in my case Ubuntu 6.0.6 was the Linux that recognized the Toshiba Satellite Pro 6000's video (interestingly, Ubuntu 7.1.0 did not).

[cthisbear]

How about posting your file......it may help someone else.

Regards .......Chris

[Lobster]

benali72 that is very clever

Lot of quality Toshiba laptops out there . . .

have added a link to your post from here
http://puppylinux.org/wikka/LaptopsWorking

[benali72]

Lobster,

Thanks for posting the info. This technique might even work for non-Toshiba laptop users who have Video problems.

cthisbear,

The working XORG.CONF file is posted below. The indentation didn't take but the list is copied from the working Puppy.
Thanks.

# /etc/X11/xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the /etc/X11/xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man /etc/X11/xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg
Section "Files"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi"
# path to defoma fonts
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection
Section "Module"
Load "i2c"
Load "bitmap"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "type1"
Load "vbe"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Synaptics Touchpad"
Driver "synaptics"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Protocol" "auto-dev"
Option "HorizScrollDelta" "0"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "stylus"
Option "Device" "/dev/wacom" # Change to
# /dev/input/event # for USB
Option "Type" "stylus"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "eraser"
Option "Device" "/dev/wacom" # Change to
# /dev/input/event
# for USB
Option "Type" "eraser"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "cursor"
Option "Device" "/dev/wacom" # Change to
# /dev/input/event
# for USB
Option "Type" "cursor"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection
Section "Device"
Identifier "Trident Microsystems CyberBlade XPAi1"
Driver "trident"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 28-51
VertRefresh 43-60
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Trident Microsystems CyberBlade XPAi1"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
EndSection
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
InputDevice "stylus" "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice "cursor" "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice "eraser" "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice "Synaptics Touchpad"
EndSection
Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection

[dalderton]

It is probably me but this plan did not work in the way that I did it.I remastered the 3.01 cd with the /etc/x11/xorg.conf file from Ubuntu 6.06 and tried it on the TE 2000 with the usual Puppy result of hanging at the hardware probe in xorgwizard.It worked fine on my normal computer.I am assuming that on the Laptop the xorgwizard rewrote the xorg.conf file or something.I only know enough to know how much I dont know.
One day I will find a way to do it. Regards Dennis

I have found a way to do it in the bugs system a fix is given with a redone /usr/sbin/xorgwizard file http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=22873 This worked for me with my Toshiba. Many thanks to Richard... Dennis
EDIT I have worked out how to remaster the CD properly now i.e. the /tmp/etc/X11 file so it should work properly doing that. My mistake.
Regards Dennis

[DaveR]

I have a Toshiba Satellite 1800/1805 that will not boot Puppy 2.14, 2.17 or 3.01 but is perfectly happy running Ubuntu 6.06 or 7.10 in that everything works OK. The video is "Trident 64 bit graphics accelerator, 64 bit PCI local bus".

Following benal172's advice I copied Ubuntu 7.10's xorg.conf to pendrive then back to Puppy after it hung probing video. After that "xwin jwm" started video probing all aver again renaming my new xorg.conf in the process. Of course the system hung just as it did before! ;-( Any helpful hints would be greatly appreciated as I'd like to get Puppy running on that beast!

These are the relevant lines from Ubuntu 7.10's xorg.conf:
Section "Device"
Identifier "Trident Microsystems CyberBlade/i1"
Driver "trident"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 28-51
VertRefresh 43-60
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Trident Microsystems CyberBlade/i1"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
EndSection

[raffy]

In my own experience, using NEC laptop (which in turn uses IBM video chip), Puppy version 2.12 does it with Xorg. Here is the xorg.conf (it is using Neomagic chipset).

[ICPUG]

DaveR,

How to stop the video probing is covered here:
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=14140

I know nothing about the Toshiba - just pointing at something that might help.

ICPUG

[DaveR]

Thanks - I have tried some of those recommendations too. My video is "oem:Trident CYBER 8620" according to "ddcprobe"

There is also this:
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=22873
where I have posted some negative results.

I wish someone could combine all this troubleshooting help into one post!

[sindi]

Precise 5.7.1 kernel panic
Lupu 5.1.1 hangs at blank screen.
Wary 5.5 works fine (except the sound eventually died)
Pulp 4.1.2 and Puppy 4.3.1 (retro) also work (with added fbcon as well).
Xorg not Xvesa in 4.3.1
option DPMS
Trident
Cyberblade/i1
1024x768x24

I have not tried the xorg.conf fix in Lupu or Precise, nor did I try Slacko.

The 2001 800MHz computer came from a doctor next door.
She kept the huge 15GB hard drive so I added a 6.5GB one.

My young neighbor's friend wants Precise, to run a program called Scratch that requires
Ubuntu 12 or later. I will try it in Wary and upgrade libraries as needed. The program
is for kids to write illustrated animated stories. He said it needs 7GB of HD but the
website says 23MB. I got smtube to work in all Puppy 5's by adding required pieces
(and I always upgrade glibc). It works on here at 360p.

[SugarSweetStarr]

Section "Device"
Identifier "Trident Microsystems CyberBlade/i1"
Driver "trident"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 28-51
VertRefresh 43-60
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Trident Microsystems CyberBlade/i1"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
EndSection

I have wiped and reinstalled. xorg fell over after the xorg 7.6 update on Wary, so I wiped and reloaded again and manually added this to my generic xorg.conf and rebooted. All is good for now....