4.1.2 Unleashed: custom Puppy won't boot from frugal install

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tronkel
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4.1.2 Unleashed: custom Puppy won't boot from frugal install

#1 Post by tronkel »

I've just been having a go with Unleashed for 4.1.2.

I get a kernel panic every time I try to boot from a frugal install that uses the newly created build copied from isolinux-builds in Unleashed direct to the folder where Puppy looks for the puppy_412.sfs and initrd.gz. Anyone else experienced problems here?

Is it best to have the modules merged to the puppy_412.sfs or to the initrd.gz as offered by the Unleashed script?

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WhoDo
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Re: Unleashed problem - 4.1.2

#2 Post by WhoDo »

tronkel wrote:I've just been having a go with Unleashed for 4.1.2.

I get a kernel panic every time I try to boot from a frugal install that uses the newly created build copied from isolinux-builds in Unleashed direct to the folder that Puppy looks for the puppy_412.sfs and initrd.gz. Anyone else experienced problems here?

Is it best to have the modules merged to the puppy_412.sfs or to the initrd.gz as offered by the Unleashed script?
I thought it was just me, Jack. I've tried with the modules in the pup_412.sfs, a separate zdrv_412.sfs and crammed into the initrd.gz and it doesn't seem to help whichever way.

I tried just updating to the 4.1.2 Unleashed core over an existing 4.1.1 Unleashed install last time, and it won't even mount the AUFS file system and eventually gives an "attempt to kill init - Kernal panic" error. At Barry's suggestion, I'm going to download the whole shebang again, recheck the MD5 sums and start from scratch. He assures me the 4.1.2 Unleashed build works fine. Will let you know how I go.

Cheers
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tronkel
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#3 Post by tronkel »

Hi WhoDo

Happy new year to you and yours.

Hope everything is going OK with Puppy 4.2 apart from the problem with Unleashed. I downloaded my Unleashed from Nluug using ftp. The packages dowload failed, leaving about 2 dozen packages missing. I then downloaded the other packages separately, ending up with the correct total number. I wonder if the point where the trip-up occured involves a crucial corrupted package. I'll have a look back at where this was. How was your download?

I had an idea that I wanted to use 4.1.2 to make a special ISO for Asus eeepc users who want a quick and automatic replacement for the OEM Xandros that ships with that model.

Will let u know if I find the solution.

All the best - keep in touch if you need anything

Jack
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WhoDo
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#4 Post by WhoDo »

tronkel wrote:Happy new year to you and yours.
And to you and yours as well, Jack. All is indeed well, apart from the Unleashed problem of course. John Swenson and Glassparrot seem to be having similar issues.
tronkel wrote:I downloaded my Unleashed from Nluug using ftp. The packages dowload failed, leaving about 2 dozen packages missing. I then downloaded the other packages separately, ending up with the correct total number. I wonder if the point where the trip-up occured involves a crucial corrupted package. I'll have a look back at where this was. How was your download?
I grabbed my 4.1.1 Unleashed from a CD Barry posted me for Christmas, added the fixes from his blog and then updated with the 4.1.2 Core when it was posted at ibiblio. I haven't yet had a chance to go back and download the lot to start from scratch. That's a job for when I'm back in my Puppy "cave" at home, early next week!

I too will keep you posted on my progress, mate.

Cheers,

Warren
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#5 Post by tronkel »

Hi Warren,

I just downloaded the packages-4 folder to try to establish if there was anything strange going on there.

It all download OK this time from ibiblio this time. albeit slowly. Unfortunately still no go with boot-up from the ISO though.

How many files does your Unleashed packages folder contain?
Mine ended up with 619 but ibiblio seemed to download 1238 in total - exactly twice that number. I wonder if Barry's original upload of Unleashed to ibiblio got corrupted. If this is the case some all all of the mirrors could also have been affected - dunno.

Only 619 files actually appeared in the packages folder though just as previously. How very strange!!

Will do more research and let you know what I find.
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#6 Post by WhoDo »

tronkel wrote:How many files does your Unleashed packages folder contain?
I downloaded 638 packages from Pet_Packages_4 on ibiblio. Total 858Mb when unpacked. Directory shows 627 items but I did get rid of a couple of extraneous packages. I also did a comparison check against the included packages list for Puppy 4.12 and got a complete match.
tronkel wrote:Will do more research and let you know what I find.
In the meantime I have downloaded a complete clean Unleashed and tried to build a new pup with only the default selections. No go; same errors - here is what I see when I try to run the build after it fails to mount the layered file system:

Code: Select all

bootinit.log -
mount: mounting /dev/sr0 on /mnt/data failed
mount: mounting /dev/sr0 on /mnt/data failed
mount: mounting /dev/loop0 on /pup_ro2 failed
mount: mounting unionfs on /pup_new failed

kernel log -
(4) EXT2-fs warning: mounting unchecked fs, running e2fsck is recommended
(6) kjournald starting. Commit interval 5 seconds
(6) EXT3 fs on sda5, internal journal
(6) EXT3 fs: mounted file system with ordered data mode

Pausing for 60 seconds ....

Performing a 'switch root' to the layered file system ... Kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!
Here is what Barry suggested when I PM'd him earlier about the problem:
BarryK wrote:You could do a test build from my "pristine" 4.1.2 then compare what you have inside boot/initrd-tree0 with what you have inside your initrd-tree0.
- do you have the same modules?
- do the dependency files look ok? (like /lib/modules/2.6.25.x/modules.dep)
- what changes have you made to the 'init' script compared with mine?
- is your 'createpuppy' script different from mine?
Needless to say the failure to build from Barry's pristine 4.1.2 tarball makes those steps redundant.

Next I think I'll try using the Puppy 4.1.1 0rootfs_skeleton_411 package to see if it builds with that. Reports elsewhere indicate 4.1.1 Unleashed builds without issues. I'll keep in touch.

Update:
I used the Puppy-4.1.1 Unleashed core, added the packages including my updates and was able to successfully create a Puppy 4.2alpha ... at last! :shock:

The problem seems to be in the /boot/initrd0 section of the 4.1.2 Unleashed tree. I didn't bother to do a compare on the two directories - I don't have time for that. I'll just manually add the 4.1.2 patches from the entries in Barry's blog, then produce an alpha for uploading sometime this week.
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#7 Post by tronkel »

Here's another approach that seems to work.

Use the normal 4.1.2 Unleashed core, but replace the whole of the Unleashed boot folder in 4.1.2 Unleashed core with the one from 4.1.1. Unleashed core.

Then simply open boot/initrd-tree0/PUPPYVERSION in a text editor and change it from 411 to 412 and save the file.

This has built what I think is Puppy 4.1.2

The fault of course has not been established as such. Maybe when Barry gets back, he could re-visit the boot tree and establish where the fault is.

In the meantime, this should put the 4.2 build back on track.
Last edited by tronkel on Mon 05 Jan 2009, 18:31, edited 1 time in total.
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MagicZaurus
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#8 Post by MagicZaurus »

Hi Tronkel & WhoDo!

Just to let you know that I had similar problems in building from Unleashed 4.1.2 yesterday. I thought I'm doing something wrong as I just started to play around with it the last 2 days.

Maybe I will try the way with the core from Unleashed 4.1.1.

Good luck for 4.2.

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#9 Post by Pizzasgood »

Huh. Here's my guess: In the past, I have had a working initrd-tree/ directory, but after copying it to another computer it became goofed up. Everything looked fine, but the device files in initrd-tree/dev/* were somehow wrong.

I suspect that that is what has happened here.

So try deleting the boot/initrd-tree0/dev directory from the 4.12 unleashed and replacing it with the one from 4.11, and see how that works.
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#10 Post by MagicZaurus »

I managed to built a working version from Unleashed 4.1.2 now.

After downloading the core and packages I did the following 2 things.

1) Copy 'depmod' from puppy-unleashed-4.1.1/boot to puppy-unleashed/boot.

2) Copy puppy-unleashed-4.1.1/boot/initrd-tree0/dev to puppy-unleashed/boot/initrd-tree0/dev.

After that I just used the ./createpuppy and no problems or errors observed.

Cheers

MagicZaurus

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#11 Post by glassparrot »

Worked like a charm! :D Thanks, Magiczaurus. I think Barry should cut you in on the company! :wink:

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#12 Post by WhoDo »

glassparrot wrote:Worked like a charm! :D Thanks, Magiczaurus. I think Barry should cut you in on the company! :wink:
Maybe, but the suggestion to replace the /boot/initrd-tree0/dev directory came from Pizzasgood not MagicZaurus, who still did the testing and reporting. Thanks to both guys for a working solution! 8)
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#13 Post by MagicZaurus »

Not so much kudos for me, I just picked up the suggestion from 2 other guys and put them together and tried it. The problem with 'depmod' was mentioned in another thread. That's how a good community works, also in real life, everybody contributes his part.

I just started to 'play' with Puppy Linux about 10 days ago and it's great. Really a great job done by Barry and very good to learn about the internals of Linux.

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#14 Post by beer-man »

I've tried six was to sunday and still cannot get unleashed to create a working iso. I've tried everything I've seen posted and still get kernel panic when switching root.

I did find that if I have my flash drive (load with puppy) plugged in it boots /switches to that some how.

I don't have lots of linux experence, but have played with it though out my 19 years in the computer career.

my goal is to try to strip down puppy to just boot into rdesktop and connect to a terminal server.

thanks

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#15 Post by Pizzasgood »

Instead of trying everything, try only doing the two things MagicZaurus listed: replacing the /boot/initrd-tree0/dev directory and adding the depmod program. You may want to move the packages directory out of the unleashed tree, delete the unleashed tree, grab a fresh unmodified copy, put the packages directory back, and then make those modifications, just to make sure it's clean.

Also, be sure that you're modifying the initrd-tree0 directory, NOT the initrd-tree directory. In fact, you may want to delete the initrd-tree directory just to make sure the changes are being incorporated. When you do that, also remove the initrd.gz file form isolinux-builds/. That way you can make sure it's being rebuild freshly.

When Unleashed is running, chose only the defaults initially, to make sure it's working.

Also, check that you're actually running the same kernel version as that of the Puppy you're trying to build, as not doing so can cause issues.

And make sure that the official copy of that version of Puppy also boots - preferably you would be doing the building from that very version of Puppy to ensure maximum compatibility.
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#16 Post by beer-man »

when I say I've tried everything, I mean that I have systematically tried everything, from deleting unleashed folder and starting clean to ...
yes I'm using the defaults. I've tried creating from my hard drive install, usb and cdrom.

I will try what you have suggested.

thanks

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