Puppy2-pre-pre-alpha USB Flash test files

[BarryK]

I'm using the new Puppy2 right now, booted off a USB Flash drive, seems to be
working okay, so I have announced it on the Developer News page:

http://www.puppylinux.com/news.htm

And download from:

http://www.pupweb.org/test/

Let me know if the "superfloppy" concept works for you, in particular if you have a quirky BIOS that has a boot-from-usb option but can't seem to actually boot a usb drive.

[BarryK]

Oh yes, the Lucent and SmartLink modem drivers are included.

The file "extlinux.conf" that you will find in the download package, has "vga=785", which is 640x480x16 and you get the custom Puppy logo at bootup.
If the parameter doesn't work for you, just remove it.
..let me know also.

[Lobster]

[Cructacean wailing]
(I can not boot from USB) will have to get my other computer going . . .

downloading now . . .
I have a ZIP boot option (would that be USB - does not say so . . .)
My flashdrive is 64 meg - however for now I want to boot this - nothing more. I may buy a larger capacity later today.

Very exciting I remember using the pre-alpha CD multisession and saving a file - loading and altering and using on another machine and look how that has developed . . .

Pup2 - Solid State

# tar -zxf puppy2-001.tar.gz
tar: puppy2-001/initrd.gz: time stamp 2006-01-09 11:02:14 is 10892 s in the futu re
tar: puppy2-001/pup_001.sfs: Wrote only 1024 of 10240 bytes
tar: puppy2-001/pup_001.sfs: time stamp 2006-01-09 11:08:41 is 11271 s in the fu ture
tar: Skipping to next header
tar: puppy2-001: time stamp 2006-01-09 11:09:17 is 11307 s in the future
tar: Error exit delayed from previous errors

does the above mean a bad download? Download again?
can not seem to open the md5sum txt?
Pretty sure something is wrong this is my expanded directory (see image below) - files are too small . . .

[Lobster]

OK seem to have sourced the error - something to do with Fox Linux reporting my HD as full - changing HD and will try again . . .

Hey - I was freaking out here (more so then usual)

I'll be back (as the Governor of California once said)

[Ted Dog]

OK first try did not work, then with a minor hack in init script have this running via CF -ide on NTA terminal interesting changes will need to look rhis over more. Other note growisofs does work on DVD-RAM drives/disks

[Lobster]

Ted can you mirror - I know that is unusual for a "pre-pre Alpha" but - maybe it is as well to have second test site? Leave it to your discretion and sensibility . . .



Let us know how you get on - now really must change the HD - only a couple of mins as I leave the case open

[Ted Dog]

Well this is an unusual happening. I do not recall a pre-pre-Alpha prior puppy 2

[BarryK]

OK first try did not work, then with a minor hack in init script have this running via CF -ide on NTA terminal interesting changes will need to look rhis over more. Other note growisofs does work on DVD-RAM drives/disks

Yes, ide cf is part of the grand plan, just not implemented yet.

In the extlinux.conf file, if you put "PMEDIA=idecf", that's all that will be needed. The "init" file is under heavy development right now!

I plan to get the ide cf boot working this week, as I have a NTA to test on also.

[Ted Dog]

http://www.puptrix.org/pre/pre/alpha/puppy2-001.tar.gz

[Ted Dog]

is under heavy development right now!

Yeah it was hard to find the code with all the helpful comments littering the script. Ok commenting code that doesn't yet exist is just the opposite of what I am use to

[BarryK]

Yes, ide cf is part of the grand plan, just not implemented yet.

In the extlinux.conf file, if you put "PMEDIA=idecf", that's all that will be needed. The "init" file is under heavy development right now!

I plan to get the ide cf boot working this week, as I have a NTA to test on also.

No, sorry, the parameter will be named "ideflash".

[Lobster]

Sad to report I must bow out of testing for the time being
- the second download went OK and the install seemed to go OK but (remember I am using only a 64 meg flashdrive) when setting up the .sfs - the message that the device is full came up.

Now for all you manufacturers of flashdrives . . .
"Comes with FREE PUPPY OS" - has kinda a nice ring to it . . .

Anway do test if you are able

[BarryK-not-logged-in]

Lobster,
If you went through those steps, you will have rendered your flash drive unusable for other purposes.

When you did this:
# dd if=/dev/sda of=oldimage

That saved the complete previous drive contents.

To restore:
change directory to the puppy2 files, then:
# dd if=oldimage of=/dev/sda

Hopefully then you will have a usable flash drive back.

[BarryK]

Ted Dog,
Did you use the "superfloppy" instructions and the "extlinux" program on the ide cf card, or did you use syslinux?
...the latter is possible, but needs some more work.

Did you use the "ide=nodma" boot parameter?

I was just looking at the "init" script. yes, very easy to get the ide cf working. There is already handling for "idehd" in the script, so the boot parameter "PMEDIA=idehd" should work -- although the next release of the script will recognise "PMEDIA=ideflash".

[Ted Dog]

Exactly followed directions, then moved the CF into the NTA terminal since I was not able to boot (BIOS) with any listed USB-... type
changes to /sbin/init:
Well I cut the comment just after the idehd case that stated what the output should be and moved it to just before the check if anything was set, hard coded to hda everything else was exactly like the commented line.
I did try to use the switch, first off, but I think it tried to match hda1,hda2 etc not plain hda. So I forced it to my will Not flexible but it worked for me.

[Lobster]

To restore:
change directory to the puppy2 files, then:
# dd if=oldimage of=/dev/sda

Hopefully then you will have a usable flash drive back.

Yep seems to have worked
had to remount first (see below) as I tried to boot on another computer
This rewriting process took about 3/4 mins. People need to also be patient with the installation process . . .

Code: Select all

# modprobe usb-storage
# probedisk

shame I could not test it - ah well - thanks for releasing such an early version be interested how people get on

[gaztelugatxe]

Hi, all,

This rewriting process took about 3/4 mins. People need to also be patient with the installation process . . .

How long should take the command "dd if=/dev/zero /dev/sda" using USB1 in a 256 Mb flash drive?

I am a bit worried because it is about 30 minutes now doing it and I don't know if it is working or not.

Sorry, forget about it, it's finished just now.

Gerardo.

[BarryK]

dd doesn't have a progress bar ...I wonder if there is any customised version of dd that does?
A progress bar, showing % completed, would be mighty useful, especially with the woefully slow usb1.

[Guest]

dd doesn't have a progress bar ...I wonder if there is any customised version of dd that does?
A progress bar, showing % completed, would be mighty useful, especially with the woefully slow usb1.

Problem solved. I'll use "bar", which is a commandline progress bar, works with dd. This will be in a future install script.

[BarryK]

That's me, BarryK posting above.