How to boot Puppy on USB flash from NTFS partition

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muggins
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#21 Post by muggins »

Have you seen this tutorial? It tells you how to install puppy to a windows partition & boot without touching your computer's mbr.

Thommo1971
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Joined: Mon 07 Jul 2008, 15:31

#22 Post by Thommo1971 »

Thanks, muggins. I hadn't seen that before and it is really helpful. It seems to be exactly the solution I am looking for and is pitched at Linux Newbie level! So, a big thank you!

I'll let you know how I get on

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markofkane
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#23 Post by markofkane »

Edit:

Even though I got it to work this morning, I removed everything because it gave me errors after that, or would not uncompress the linux file.

I did it all over again, and got stops like

pup_400.sfs file not found

And Can't access TTY job, Job control turned off.

And all the files were in lower case, because I checked the md5 file, and it was ok, and I extracted the files with ISO buster.

I guess I am better off just booting from CD (if that still works) and use my config that I already have saved.

ICPUG
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#24 Post by ICPUG »

markofkane,

I would have helped try to solve your problem if you had provided some details before removing the frugal Puppy.

I have had very few problem reports that have been due to Lin'N'Win. It is user error or Windows idiosyncrasies usually! I have had many success reports.

I guess one problem I did have was that it would not work on NTFS compressed directories and I did not know that. Once I knew I changed the instructions to accomodate the problem.

I guess in this case I will have to just wonder.

If a problem occurs it is nice to know some machine details; which Windows version is used; what the error message was and what the menu.lst says.

ICPUG

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markofkane
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#25 Post by markofkane »

I can try it again,



I'll tell you what I know right now:

I have:

A Dell Dimension 4400, 1.6 GHz P4 processor, 1 GB of RAM, Windows XP Home, A creative LIVE soundcard, and Nvidia G-Force 5500 PCI card.

I'll be back after I attempt it again (but I do think it's a C:\ drive problem, because a lot of times, the pup_save file becomes corrupted on the C:\ drive, but not my second Hard drive)

Thanks!!


menu.lst

######################################################
# GvR Sept 30th 2004
color black/cyan yellow/cyan
timeout=5
default=0

title Default Boot on HD 0
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
boot

title Puppy Linux 4.00
kernel (hd0,0)/vmlinuz PMEDIA=idehd PDEV1=hda1 psubdir=puppy400
initrd (hd0,0)/initrd.gz
boot

######################################################
Last edited by markofkane on Wed 09 Jul 2008, 13:01, edited 1 time in total.

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markofkane
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#26 Post by markofkane »

I just thought of something!! I am using instructions for Windows XP service pack 2!!!! I have SP3!!!!

So, that's that problem, right? :? :? :? :?

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markofkane
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#27 Post by markofkane »

Alright, it worked!!(I'll have to reboot to see if it works again) But I am starting new. Can I use my old Puppy_save file?? I would like to keep my configs.

Now I got another problem: I had it save my pup_save file to my second HD, and when I reboot, it does not acknowledge it. (It starts over a s a fresh install, having to set my keyboard
and stuff over again at each boot)


what can I do? Thanks!!

nooby
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#28 Post by nooby »

I had same problem as you had.

But after power off from puppy several times and after shutting down from
windows again then no more such problem.

Re :" But I am starting new. Can I use my old Puppy_save file?? I would like to keep my configs. "

I got the problem that the links in the local bookmakrs was for the cd(dvd
so it had a /mnt/sda1/ where it should have been /mnt/home/

so apart from that it works.

that it didnt found it now I hope others could explain.

I managed to get it to work but I am still in sp2.

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markofkane
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#29 Post by markofkane »

I have to start over again, I should have left well enough alone.

I could not get the boot from CD to work anymore, it would not load the pup_save files anymore without errors.

something about superblocks. :? :? :? :?

nooby
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#30 Post by nooby »

Sounds a lot what did happen to me but I shut down completely serveral times
both from puppy and after logging in to windows
and IIRC I also did a new install after changing the name of the safe file
so it would not be written over. Then I changed it back.
I guess that did create what I described above but it cured all the
trouble you describe too. And then after some tweaking the links worked too.

So don't give up. :)

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markofkane
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#31 Post by markofkane »

I figured it out

title Puppy Linux 4.00
kernel (hd0,0)/vmlinuz PMEDIA=idehd PDEV1=hda1 psubdir=puppy400
initrd (hd0,0)/initrd.gz
boot

Change hda1 to hdb1

And placed the puppy400 folder in my second drive. Wow, that was simple. I wish I would have known in the first place.

nooby
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#32 Post by nooby »

It is a good feeling when one get how to do it.

I am not on your level but as a noob had same
experience. I have also planned to have in a
memory stick but have been caught up with
installing on DVD and frugal install on the HDD
but a thumbdrive would be cool.

I am in solaris now but that one is too big for my
machine. Fun to test things out.

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markofkane
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#33 Post by markofkane »

aw, thanks, :oops: but I am not that smart. Sometimes an idea comes and it helps. I am still having a few problems. Like Windows wanting to run chkdsk when I boot into windows if I save a file into a NTFS partition while running Puppy.

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markofkane
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#34 Post by markofkane »

I've decided to abandon the frugal install. There's a bug where even though the pup-save file is in the same place, Puppy will not load it after so long.

I am tired of starting all over again.

nooby
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#35 Post by nooby »

But if you tell more then Barry can fix it?
I mean he can fix it for me and all the others
who still want to use frugal install.

Give me a hint on how to find out if this happen to me too?
How did you came upon it. What to look for to know it does
happen at my place too?

Would be much appreciated.

ICPUG
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#36 Post by ICPUG »

markofkane,

Thanks for trying again and I'm sorry I didn't get back earlier but I have been busy on other things - like earnig some money!

I've seen some of your other posts now and everything points to a not quite perfect c: drive. You seem to have mastered the Lin'N'Win and it works. What seems to fall over is that your pupsave tends to get corrupt. Switching off your PC at the off switch rather than going through the menu-shutdown-power off computer may cause this but a disk drive with errors on it is the more likely option. If this is the case you will probably start to get the same fault when you use the CD to boot Puppy because it also has to pick off the pupsave file from the hard drive.

So far I have not tested Lin'N'Win with SP3 because I don't have it. I have not received any feedback either, although I am currently in correspondence with someone who is trying it out. I don't think SP3 would be the cause of problems though.

The only other thing to mention is that you should keep the pupsave file in the same place as the associated puppy_400.sfs and zdrv_400.sfs. If you don't then you must not use the psubdir parameter in menu.lst.

ICPUG

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markofkane
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#37 Post by markofkane »

I always shutdown using the Start---Turn off computer----Turn off button in Windows, except when it, or Puppy locks up, and mouse and keyboard fail to respond.

I use the same routine for Puppy, even though it's called something else.

And I never had this to happen when I boot from the CD.

But, it could be, that GoBack might be a culprit in this.

Thommo1971
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Joined: Mon 07 Jul 2008, 15:31

#38 Post by Thommo1971 »

Ok, I've tried the Lin n Win New B tutorial and it works! I got it succesfully working on my old Acer laptop running Win98SE, and also have it installed on my main pc running WindowsXP. The thing I like about it is that it is easy to do, requires no partioning and doesn't mess up windows!

My only gripe is that it wont automatically install the driver for the cardbus Belkin wireless card - it doesn't even see it. When I try to manually install it, it still doesn't work. However, on my toshiba laptop, with a full install of Puppy on its own partition, it worked out of the box. I'm wondering if my acer has the old pcmicia slots rather than cardbus and its something to do with that?

nooby
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#39 Post by nooby »

I have an USB version of Belkin wireless card. there is a cd
for install on Windows. I have not looked if it has drivers for linux.

I have not tried it. Mu Desktop does not need it at the moment.

carolus
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#40 Post by carolus »

PaulBx1 wrote:OK, now explain to me what the point of all this is? :)

I mean, compared to an ordinary "poor man's install", where all this stuff is on the hard drive.

:lol:
For one, you can avoid touching your NTFS hard drive with anything but Windows software, which can appeal to the risk-averse.

But mainly, I'm posting this to point out problems with using upper case for the boot parameter keywords as in the examples for menu.lst. In at least some circumstances, lowercase is required. See
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=31893

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