109CE: Hard disk install option 1 - boot floppy problem

[marksouth2000]

This issue came up in a post on the beginners section, I'm mentioning it here because it doesn't seem like anyone else has noticed so far.

Basically, the option 1 HD install (copy files to VFAT partition and make a boot floppy) fails because the autoexec.bat file is not in the floppy image that comes with Puppy.

Please read this thread for the first sighting of the problem, and for some extra details:

http://www.murga.org/~puppy/viewtopic.php?t=7269

Somebody must have the correct image. I'd be curious to know what should be in the autoexec.bat...?

[Nathan F]

Believe it or not, I just discovered this myself when doing a poorman's install onto my Toshiba Satellite. In my case the autoexec.bat file is not needed because I only have one Vfat patition, but if a person were to have more than one that situation might confuse the Freedos system that runs from the boot floppy. I'm not a dos expert so I don't know the syntax, but what it needs is a line pointing to the correct partition.

A better option in some cases is Wakepup, which has never failed me. Well, regardless this should be included in a bugfix. If anyone has a sample autoexec.bat file please go ahead and send it to me or post it here.

Nathan

[marksouth2000]

In my case the autoexec.bat file is not needed because I only have one Vfat patition, but if a person were to have more than one that situation might confuse the Freedos system that runs from the boot floppy.

I only have one FAT partition in my mchine, but it's on hdb, which I assumed would be D: to FreeDOS - doesn't work though.

I'm not a dos expert so I don't know the syntax, but what it needs is a line pointing to the correct partition.

If I ever knew anything about DOS I've forgotten it now. And glad.

A better option in some cases is Wakepup, which has never failed me. Well, regardless this should be included in a bugfix. If anyone has a sample autoexec.bat file please go ahead and send it to me or post it here.

Does Wakepup work on a poor man's install?

Somebody mut have made the floppy image that's copied during the option 1 install - anyone remember who??

Please, I need this solved, not because I need it to run Puppy (CD+pup001 works for me), but because the suspense is killing me! I'm hoping I won't have to install Win98 (shudder) to work this one out....

Cheers,
Mark

[pakt]

Does Wakepup work on a poor man's install?

Yes, just put a marker file 'pupxide' on the same drive that has your puppy files. A marker file is just an empty text file that WakePup uses to locate Puppy.

WakePup can be downloaded from here: http://www.murga.org/%7Epuppy/viewtopic.php?t=3875

Good luck

Paul

[marksouth2000]

Does Wakepup work on a poor man's install?

Yes, just put a marker file 'pupxide' on the same drive that has your puppy files. A marker file is just an empty text file that WakePup uses to locate Puppy.

Thanks Paul, I shall download it and give it a go.

To everyone else: it seems like this is a useful modification to make to the "option 1" install, if there is going to be a bugfix release of 109CE or a 110CE. It should not be too tough to change the install script to add the "pupxide" file and use the Wakepup image file instead of the original boot floppy image. Agreed?

[marksouth2000]

I shall download it and give it a go.

Well, I did, and it worked very well. But it took a long time checking for stuff that wasn't going to be there, and it required user interaction. So I went into the Wakepup floppy and cut the autoexec.bat and config.sys down quite a lot.

CONFIG.SYS

Code: Select all

; CONFIG.SYS for Option-1-WakePup v1.1c, (C) 26-Nov-05, Paul Akterstam.
;
; Modified by Mark South 19-May-06 for simple bootdisk for Option 1 HD install.
; (All modifications were to remove subtleties that are not needed for this case :-)

SHELL=A:\COMMAND.COM A:\ /E:1024 /F /MSG /P=A:\AUTOEXEC.BAT

!files=20
!buffers=20
!lastdrive=Z

AUTOEXEC.BAT

Code: Select all

@echo off
rem AUTOEXEC.BAT for WakePup v1.1c, (C) 26-Nov-05, Paul Akterstam ('pakt' on Puppy Forum)
rem Inspired by Barry Kauler's BOOT2PUP (www.goosee.com/puppy)
rem
rem Modified by Mark South 19-May-06 for simple bootdisk for Option 1 HD install.
rem (All modifications were to remove subtleties that are not needed for this case :-)
rem
rem Requires FreeDOS & FreeCOM (%config% can have a value in range 0..9)
rem Uses LINLD.COM with parameter file instead of TINY.EXE
rem
rem This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
rem WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
rem MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

echo.
cls
set pupdrv=
set cfg=

echo Checking any IDE drive for marker file PUPXIDE...
for %%x in ( C D E F ) do if exist %%x:\pupxide set pupdrv=%%x:
if "%pupdrv%"=="" goto failed
set drvtype=IDE
set cfg=IDECD2.CFG

echo.
LINLD.COM image=%pupdrv%\vmlinuz initrd=%pupdrv%\image.gz cl=@%cfg%
goto end

:failed
echo.
type FAILMSG.TXT

:end

These work fine like this because we already know that the installed files are on a FAT partition on an IDE hard disk, since that's all the install script will do.

It should not be too tough to change the install script to add the "pupxide" file and use the Wakepup image file instead of the original boot floppy image.

Now I'll have another look at the option 1 install script to see where to make those changes. (Don't hold your breath, weekends are my busiest time.)

Cheers, Mark

PS One thing, pakt: when there are two files with the same name and one is a ZIP and the other is an IMG, it's easy to feed the wrong one to "dd" to make the floppy, especially using tab completion in the shell. Don't ask me how I know..just try to imagine the puzzled stare and the thought "But, pakt said it would boot!".

[pakt]

... I went into the Wakepup floppy and cut the autoexec.bat and config.sys down quite a lot.

Yes, good idea to make a customized WakePup floppy for your own setup. Glad it worked for you

Paul