[CLOSED] Fatdog64-720 Beta [1 Dec 2017]

[step]

I'm still testing on a couple machines, and it is going well so far with my previous savefile and a few minor adjustments. I noticed that the wpa-gui tray icon only has one option left on a right click. I think I will miss the quick access to disconnect, reconnect, and scan. Can they be added back?

We had a discussion about removing those items from the right-click menu. We decided to eliminate items that don't apply to both the Wireless and the Wired tab. So, those three had to go.

I had been running with a small initrd, achieved by use of the installer, but that option was not there in the new version. Did I miss something? I know that the script to split it exists, but that seems like so much more effort that the automation that was there before.

Control Panel > Fatdog Installer > first tab, right side, check "use small initrd"

[jake29]

Something new I've started to encounter is the inability to terminate or kill a process. Most recently it was with Opera - in fact it may have been Opera in every case. I also could not shutdown or reboot. Resorted to REISUB in the end.

I guessing there are any number of reasons why this delay might be happening. Since changing the gpu driver. I had enabled 'Hardware Acceleration' in Opera. I've now disabled it to see if that is the cause.

Thought I would mention this in case anyone could comment.

[artsown]

@jake29

I know that google-chrome will crash on MP4 videos if hardware
acceleration is enabled. I suspect that Opera will also. Here's a
test site:
http://money.cnn.com/videos/archive

Art

[jake29]

@jake29

I know that google-chrome will crash on MP4 videos if hardware
acceleration is enabled. I suspect that Opera will also. Here's a
test site:
http://money.cnn.com/videos/archive

Hi Art. I have no issues with that site. I also haven't had a crash since disabling hardware acceleration.

[step]

@jake29

Hard to tell. It could be an Opera bug - they have had that sort of issues in the past. If you want to study opera's view of your GPU, including hw acceleration status and quirks, open page opera://gpu.
Another possibility is faulty hardware. With Fatdog64-710 I had a bad USB hub once that completely locked my system because a connected disk couldn't be dismounted. REISUB was the only way out.

[jake29]

@jake29

Hard to tell. It could be an Opera bug - they have had that sort of issues in the past. If you want to study opera's view of your GPU, including hw acceleration status and quirks, open page opera://gpu.
Another possibility is faulty hardware. With Fatdog64-710 I had a bad USB hub once that completely locked my system because a connected disk couldn't be dismounted. REISUB was the only way out.

Thanks for the thoughts step. I think the cause could well be a usb stick I've had connected. I have noticed it's presence even would affect BIOS loading - with it's removal fixing the problem.

[prehistoric]

Just want to say that I have been lurking on this topic. I downloaded the Fatdog 720 beta and set up a frugal install on my primary machine with a separate hard disk directory and boot option over a week ago. Also installed the latest Firefox (57.0.2). No significant problems, once I got audio set up.

This already looks stable enough for my modest purposes. I'll move my main system when the actual release comes out.

[polekat]

I tried to install flowblade from the packagemanger. When I went to run it from the menu it would n't. Running it from the terminal I get

Code: Select all

# flowblade
FLOWBLADE MOVIE EDITOR 1.2
--------------------------
Launch script dir: /usr/bin
Running from installation...
modules path: /usr/share/pyshared/Flowblade
MLT found, version: 0.9.6
Failed to import module app.py to launch Flowblade!
ERROR: No module named app
Installation was assumed to be at: /usr/share/pyshared/Flowblade

New install (yesterday) fd647.20. And there is no /usr/share/pyshared/Flowblade. Thanks for any help

[jamesbond]

Just want to say that I have been lurking on this topic. I downloaded the Fatdog 720 beta and set up a frugal install on my primary machine with a separate hard disk directory and boot option over a week ago. Also installed the latest Firefox (57.0.2). No significant problems, once I got audio set up.

This already looks stable enough for my modest purposes. I'll move my main system when the actual release comes out.

Thank for testing. It won't be long.

@polekat: perhaps it has experience bitrot. We'll look at it.
EDIT: flowblade 1.2 was a test release that was accidentally released. It never worked. I've pushed flowblade-1.0 that does work, to the repo.

[dr. Dan]

@ step
I've attached a screenshot from the test laptop. No checkbox, but the desktop computer (where I don't need it) has one. They were both installed from the same CD. I've reinstalled 720 a couple times, with no change.

Using the 710 savefile, my cursor changes from my preferred redglass to the system default when I change from user root to user spot, i.e. when I cross into a browser or e-mail window. With a new 720 savefile, I don't have that. With the 710 savefile, it generally works, but with a few little glitches along the way. I'll have to redo a lot of settings.

Thanks as always.

[jamesbond]

I've attached a screenshot from the test laptop. No checkbox, but the desktop computer (where I don't need it) has one. They were both installed from the same CD. I've reinstalled 720 a couple times, with no change.

What's the size of your /tmp? (Running "df -h /tmp" on a terminal will tell you that). The installer will only show "small initrd" checkbox if you have at least 1000M in /tmp. That implies about 2G of RAM.
If your machine has less, the installer won't show the checkbox.

Using the 710 savefile, my cursor changes from my preferred redglass to the system default when I change from user root to user spot, i.e. when I cross into a browser or e-mail window.

Assuming you use the fatdog-set-cursor to do that, it seems to be a bug to me. I'll check it out.

With a new 720 savefile, I don't have that. With the 710 savefile, it generally works, but with a few little glitches along the way. I'll have to redo a lot of settings.

Well, our official position is we don't support it. In reality, it will usually work most of the time, but it may fail in some corner cases, in an obscure or unexpected ways, because how things changed between versions. If you know what to do, using the old savefile is not a problem. If you **don't** know what to do, it's better to use new savefile rather than spending hours troubleshooting. That is reasoning for the official position.

_____________________


Anyway, most of the time the problem is because:
a) newer Fatdog includes library that used to be in the repo; and the built-in version is newer that the one installed in the savefile.
b) newer Fatdog has new configuration options, which didn't exist previously, and because you have changed the config file, that config file is now "baked" in the savefile and obscures the new one from the savefile.
c) Directories re-created as symlink (or vice versa) between different versions.
Solution for all of the above is simple: uninstall the offending library (a) and remove the white outs (fatdog-clean-whiteouts) to expose the built-in library; and (b) delete the old config file / directory / symlink from the savefile and do "aufs_reval" to expose the new config file from the basesfs. Of course, for this to work, you need to know the library and the config file which needs to changed. Generally not easy. The less you have customised your savefile/savedir, the greater sucsess you have, but who doesn't customise or install anything in their savefile/savedir?
Which is way we always say "Fatdog does not update from previous versions".

[Sage]

Continue to be impressed by FD720 which I use mainly as liveCD.
Notwithstanding:
a) can it be FULLy installed in the usual sense of deconstructed?
b) like many recent distros RTL8201CL NIC driver is absent. This was an extremely common chip a few years ago. [Suspect the kernel?] Anybody out there that can mould a simple .pet installer for those of us less well endowed, please?
c)can't get a picture, hdmi, on any of my Samsung TVs, old or new, not VESA, FB, modesetting, w.h.y. - most recent ones have dispensed with the vga input, too!

[jake29]

c)can't get a picture, hdmi, on any of my Samsung TVs, old or new, not VESA, FB, modesetting, w.h.y. - most recent ones have dispensed with the vga input, too!

I'm currently using an LG ultrawide monitor that is HDMI only. No issues at all.

[LateAdopter]

c)can't get a picture, hdmi, on any of my Samsung TVs, old or new, not VESA, FB, modesetting, w.h.y. - most recent ones have dispensed with the vga input, too!

FD720 works normally with my Samsung UE32F6100AK using the default Intel driver and Intel Braswell N3150 over HDMI

I also checked that it switched correctly to 50Hz and 25Hz with xrandr.

My TV HDMI port is set to PC mode so at 60Hz it is sRGB, but 50Hz and 25Hz are CVE modes which have a different colour space.
If the HDMI port is set to STB mode then 60Hz is a CVE mode too.

This was tested with unmodified FD720 booted from USB with a savefile.

[Sage]

Thanks for that. Didn't expect to discover that an Intel driver would work. Wasn't aware that TV hdmi port was adjustable either. Never stop learning....

[dr. Dan]

@jamesbond

What's the size of your /tmp? (Running "df -h /tmp" on a terminal will tell you that). The installer will only show "small initrd" checkbox if you have at least 1000M in /tmp. That implies about 2G of RAM.
If your machine has less, the installer won't show the checkbox.

That's good to know. I have 2G of ram. With the new savefile, as opposed to live CD, /tmp is 996M. I'll look into it more later. Splitting the initrd saves me 10~15 seconds at boot. It's still far faster than the old Windy OS.

Solution for all of the above is simple: uninstall the offending library (a) and remove the white outs (fatdog-clean-whiteouts) to expose the built-in library; and (b) delete the old config file / directory / symlink from the savefile and do "aufs_reval" to expose the new config file from the basesfs. Of course, for this to work, you need to know the library and the config file which needs to changed. Generally not easy. The less you have customised your savefile/savedir, the greater sucsess you have, but who doesn't customise or install anything in their savefile/savedir?
Which is way we always say "Fatdog does not update from previous versions".

Yes, and I was warned, so I just passed it along FYI. I'm using a new savefile, and will have to copy some things over, but I save most items to another partition in the first place For what it's worth, that solution doesn't seem simple! It does seem educational, so I will try later to better understand it.

Gslapt will not upgrade still, and a few programs have not downloaded through Gslapt, xfe being one example. I've attached pictures.

I appreciate the response!

[jamesbond]

@Sage - the vulkan-enabled drivers will stay in the repo, not included in the ISO. They're 5MB bigger and they're only usable in recent hardware, so for now we don't see the need to have it included in the ISO. But they're available for those who needs them, in the repo.

a) can it be FULLy installed in the usual sense of deconstructed?

Still no ... There is a guide which I wrote 5 years ago for Fatdog64 600: http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=79819 - some of the details have changed (e.g. the savefile command has changed a bit) although the principle is the same. Forum member avarghese has also written about it although I've not tested whether it works: http://my-techno-arena.blogspot.com.au/ ... 4-bit.html. If you're interested I can update my write-up for 720.

b) like many recent distros RTL8201CL NIC driver is absent.

According to the kernel source the driver should be "sis900". Can you check if this driver is loaded? (terminal: "lsmod | grep sis900"); and if not, try to load it ("modprobe sis900")? And also watch "dmesg" output to see if the driver prints out any errors (missing firmware perhaps? Though I can't see any reference to firmware in the source code...)

@dr.Dan:

That's good to know. I have 2G of ram. With the new savefile, as opposed to live CD, /tmp is 996M. I'll look into it more later. Splitting the initrd saves me 10~15 seconds at boot. It's still far faster than the old Windy OS.

You can split initrd manually: http://distro.ibiblio.org/fatdog/web/fa ... nitrd.html.
Alternatively, in the next release, we have adopted a suggestion from LateAdopter, here: http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 400#976400, we're using method (2) explained in that post.

For what it's worth, that solution doesn't seem simple!

It's not! That's why we never advertise it.

Gslapt will not upgrade still, and a few programs have not downloaded through Gslapt, xfe being one example. I've attached pictures.

Thanks, we'll check it out.

[borzeh]

Hi!
Successfully frugal install 720b on lenovo x220 (4GbRamCi5intelGMA3000) on inernal HDD sda1.
easily install python3 + pip + kivy (latest package MAKE INSTALL)
I like taskbarGrouping of same application windows very much!
everything works perfect as 710

But:

1- How can change menu icons height? , their size in 710 is more better , i think!

2- When Right click on the USB mounted drives -> there isnt safty remove straight (must first unmount then safty remve will appear!)

3-hope 720 final can be updated from 720b!

------
Thank you all for the best OS of the times!
i'm using fatdog since 700 and love it very much

[Sage]

Many thanks, jb. As explained, I am very happy using the liveCD for much of my work, but I liked your selections and modus operandi sufficiently to think about a relatively compact FULL installation. So, yes please, any further advice/revised instructions always welcome.

Ah, yes, the SiS900 chipset beloved of ECS. Crossed swords with that one before. Worthwhile, though, because after all the furore surrounding earlier ECS products when they first enacted the fully integrated single chip, I've found their later models, when they returned to separated N & S units, to be exceptionally stable and long-lasting, even with clocking. Which is why I still run several, 486/754&939. Vulkan is new to me, but for a FULL, size is less important, especially as I still use quite a bit of rotating storage which is well-proven, can withstand 20G & cheap to replace unlike SSSD, which requires careful SW control, etc. Will pursue your suggestions sometime this week, subject to 'events'!

Merry Christmas & Blwyddyn Newydd Dda, but not too 'merry', especially to all those who've given such good advice, innovation and support this year.

Next day: revisited the TV display issue. Tried all the drivers, resolutions & co again, including Intel - none work. Additionally, my UE32F5300AKXXU machine (already 2.5yrs old - tempus fugit) doesn't appear to provide adjustment to inputs via 'Menu'; perhaps I should take time to read the embedded instruction manual! - or get an LG machine? So many TVs, thinking of using them to light the house, esp. if they have a Redshift feature.

[stemsee]

Sorry if this is posted earlier I am in a rush so didn't go through all the posts.

Manually coppied initrd and vmlinuz from the iso to a directory and added grub.sfg entry. Would NOT boot. Balked at initrd

Booted iso in qemu, all good.

booted FatHouse with vmlinuz-4.14.2 (not modules) Booted a-ok!

bootd new initrd with vmlinuz-4.7.1 (FatDog) balked at initrd.

initrd has some problem!

Opened wpa-gui. wlan3 (usb donge) auto-selected in wifi tab, only etho and wlan2 (pcie) both in wired selection box.

No time to check stuff yet but this is first use!