Slacko 6.3.2 32-bit no drivers from USB bootup

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-TDRR-
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Slacko 6.3.2 32-bit no drivers from USB bootup

#1 Post by -TDRR- »

Hi, this is my first post! I have been enjoying Puppy Linux a lot and already tried XenialPup64, BionicPup32, TahrPup32 and i want to try out Slacko32. Partly because it seems easier to install Wine on it than on the other ones (and trust me, i tried) and i like how it looks too.

The problem is, when i boot from USB, i get no message that the zdrv file was loaded, and i can't move my mouse at all. I did manage to install it once and it fixed the mouse (Though it was working VERY strangely, with an excessive amount of up-down sensitivity) and sound worked too, though i didn't test network connectivity.

I also want to try and install it on older PCs i have lying around, but just in case i haven't burnt a CD in case it will have the same issue as booting from USB, because these writable discs get harder and harder to find around here.

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bigpup
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#2 Post by bigpup »

What exactly is the computer you are trying to boot Slacko 6.3.2 on?
Make and model?
Specs if you know them?

If it is a very new computer.
3 years or less old.
That is probably the problem.
The computer hardware is too new for Slacko 6.3.2

If not seeing anything about the zdrv loading.
Are you sure the zdrv sfs file is on the USB drive?

How are you installing Slacko 6.3.2 to the USB drive?
Specific details!!!

You could also just have a bad download of the Slacko 6.3.2 iso.
And or a bad install to the USB drive.
Downloads and installs do go wrong, sometimes.

Always try and start an install to a USB flash drive, after you first reformat the partition on it.
That makes sure it is clean of all data and the file system (format) is all good, with no errors in it.
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

HerrBert
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#3 Post by HerrBert »

-TDRR- wrote:The problem is, when i boot from USB, i get no message that the zdrv file was loaded,...
Slacko 6.3.2''s initrd.gz is different to newer Puppy's initrds. It does not announce loading of zdrv.
Concerning hardware-issues:
bigpup wrote:If it is a very new computer.
3 years or less old.
That is probably the problem.
The computer hardware is too new for Slacko 6.3.2
Also Slacko Release Notes has some usefull information about limitations|known issues.

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mikeslr
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#4 Post by mikeslr »

For an up-to-date Slackware based Puppy try peebee's LxPupSc, http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 751#870751.

Unless you need a Wine version based on the 4 Series, the easiest Wine to get up and running is Portable Wine version 3.3_v2.1, http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 245#989245

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Wiz57
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#5 Post by Wiz57 »

Another option for Slackware based Pups is ScPup, both 32 and 64 bit,
also by peebee. I use ScPup 32 on my old Acer Aspire One netbook!
Wiz
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=114980

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-TDRR-
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Location: Venezuela

#6 Post by -TDRR- »

Thanks for the advice everyone! My PC has a Celeron N2805 CPU, it's intelgrated Intel Baytrail and 2GB RAM, i unfortunately don't have much other info about it (no mobo or anything) but it probably is from 2017.

bigpup: It could be a bad download, but why then can i install Slacko and it fixes itself? If you can tell me which is the MD5 sum of the Slacko 6.3.2 ISO then i can compare it with mine and see if that's the issue. It says uefi on the name too.

I had to uninstall it though since i had to get Windows running again so i don't have Slacko installed anymore (So i'm again without mouse on it), i'll try again whenever i free around 4GB of space just in case.

HerrBert: Thanks, but i tried looking there and didn't notice anything relevant to my issue.

mikeslr: That might do, i'll try it later. Is it for Slackware-based pups in particular or it will work on any 32-bit pup? Wine 3.0 should still run nicer than the ancient 1.7.2 i got on TahrPup32.

Thanks, but i'm not interested in that pup. I like how Slacko looks and runs, plus the fixed repo (or so i have read) is what interests me the most about it.

Wiz57: I have seen it, but isn't that like, much older than current Slacko? Wouldn't it be the exact same problem (or even worse)?
EDIT: Huh, i was wrong. I did remember seeing another pup with a similar name that was veeeery old. Still not the same look unless it can be set up to look like Slacko.

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bigpup
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#7 Post by bigpup »

Are you sure the zdrv sfs file is on the USB drive?

How are you installing Slacko 6.3.2 to the USB drive?
Specific details!!!
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

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bigpup
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#8 Post by bigpup »

The problem is, when i boot from USB, i get no message that the zdrv file was loaded, and i can't move my mouse at all. I did manage to install it once and it fixed the mouse (Though it was working VERY strangely, with an excessive amount of up-down sensitivity) and sound worked too, though i didn't test network connectivity.
You installed it once to what?
You installed it How?

Is the problem still booting from a USB flash drive install?

If you used a USB flash drive that is formatted fat32.
Windows used it for any storage of data.
There is a chance the file system on it is fragmented.
If you install Slacko to that.
Slacko files will be fragmented and cause Slacko to not work correctly.
Bad install.

To eliminate this possible cause of your USB problems.
Do a fresh format of the USB drives partition to fat32.
Then install Slacko to it.
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

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mikeslr
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figuring out what drivers and firmware are needed

#9 Post by mikeslr »

Hi -TDRR-,

Wine portable works under any Puppy newer than the 4 Series: I'm currently using it under Slacko 5.7.2 Tahrpup 6.0,6 Xenialpup 7.5, dpup-stretch 7.5 and Bionicpup 8.0; and also under 64-bit Puppies with their 32-bit compatibility libraries loaded or installed.

You haven't answered bigpup's question, "Are you sure the zdrv sfs file is on the USB drive?" I'll ask another: Does it have a fdrv.sfs?

In order for your operating system to communicate with a computer's hardware --such as your mouse-- it requires both drivers and firmware. Puppy devs always package drivers in the zdrv.sfs as they are specific to the kernel (vmlinuz) contained in the ISO. Firmware, however, can be used with any Puppy. So some devs include it in the zdrv.sfs and others just make it available as a separate download in an fdrv.sfs: download once, use with any Puppy.

At any rate, let's find out what drivers and firmware your computer needs. Boot into BionicPup32. (Any of your functioning Puppies will do; but Bionic has the most up-to-date version of Pup-SysInfo). I know the Devices and Drivers Columns will probably provide the information. But I don't know how to read them. Someone else may advise.

Alternatively, there are bash commands --which I also don't know-- which output the information.

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-TDRR-
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#10 Post by -TDRR- »

bigpup wrote:You installed it once to what?
You installed it How?

Is the problem still booting from a USB flash drive install?

If you used a USB flash drive that is formatted fat32.
Windows used it for any storage of data.
There is a chance the file system on it is fragmented.
If you install Slacko to that.
Slacko files will be fragmented and cause Slacko to not work correctly.
Bad install.

To eliminate this possible cause of your USB problems.
Do a fresh format of the USB drives partition to fat32.
Then install Slacko to it.
Sorry, i'm not accustomed to have to provide actual details instead of just a quick rundown of what i did. I'll try to be more specific from now on.

I just installed it to my HDD (First partition, 280GB, NTFS) using Puppy Installer from Slacko itself, and finally Slacko was running perfectly fine again. It had a proper driver for my Intel Baytrail, sound was working well and my mouse was working too. However, no wireless connectivity, but that one is likely just a missing driver. I'll report that one for Slacko 7.x.

Wireless connectivity does work just fine on all Puppies i have, except maybe for TahrPup, been a while since i last ran it on this laptop so i can't remember.

No matter how many times i formatted my USB, i could format it and install it from Puppy, install it using Rufus, and both get the exact same issue. (Well, Rufus does make it so that it takes longer on the "Looking for Puppy Files....." part but otherwise the same)

Slacko runs really well on this laptop, slightly faster than BionicPup32 from what i can perceive. Totally worth the trouble of installing it without a mouse IMO.
mikeslr wrote:Wine portable works under any Puppy newer than the 4 Series: I'm currently using it under Slacko 5.7.2 Tahrpup 6.0,6 Xenialpup 7.5, dpup-stretch 7.5 and Bionicpup 8.0; and also under 64-bit Puppies with their 32-bit compatibility libraries loaded or installed.

You haven't answered bigpup's question, "Are you sure the zdrv sfs file is on the USB drive?" I'll ask another: Does it have a fdrv.sfs?

In order for your operating system to communicate with a computer's hardware --such as your mouse-- it requires both drivers and firmware. Puppy devs always package drivers in the zdrv.sfs as they are specific to the kernel (vmlinuz) contained in the ISO. Firmware, however, can be used with any Puppy. So some devs include it in the zdrv.sfs and others just make it available as a separate download in an fdrv.sfs: download once, use with any Puppy.

At any rate, let's find out what drivers and firmware your computer needs. Boot into BionicPup32. (Any of your functioning Puppies will do; but Bionic has the most up-to-date version of Pup-SysInfo). I know the Devices and Drivers Columns will probably provide the information. But I don't know how to read them. Someone else may advise.

Alternatively, there are bash commands --which I also don't know-- which output the information.
I tried your Wine-Portable and it worked really well on Slacko32. Still, various programs don't run, but they're likely fixable with Winetricks. About Winetricks, how is it used with Wine Portable?

Slacko doesn't have any fdrv, but since most things work after installing Slacko to my HDD i'll just guess the would-be contents of it are in zdrv instead.

I'll just try posting the output of SysInfo to the Slacko 7.x thread and most likely the dev may tell me if it's a missing driver (And if he will add it to the next update). In Windows, the ASUS PCE N15 is the driver i got if that's useful at all.

Unrelated question but does anyone know if the Mesa drivers will be updated? I'm getting only OpenGL 3.3 support on an Intel that should have 4.0 (And is listed as having 4.0 in the Mesa release notes AFAIR).

Thanks again to everyone.

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#11 Post by bigpup »

I just installed it to my HDD (First partition, 280GB, NTFS) using Puppy Installer from Slacko itself, and finally Slacko was running perfectly fine again

Install to a USB flash drive not working correctly.
Both installs should have the exact same Slacko files installed.
So, how they work should be the same.

Maybe post a image of what Rox File Manager shows is on the USB, drive will give us a clue.
Should be a program in menu>Graphics that will take a picture of it.
Attach that image file to a post, so we can see it.

Try plugging the USB drive into a different USB port.
Do not have any other USB drives plugged in.
USB mouse or keyboard is OK.
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

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-TDRR-
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Joined: Mon 14 Oct 2019, 13:18
Location: Venezuela

#12 Post by -TDRR- »

bigpup wrote:
I just installed it to my HDD (First partition, 280GB, NTFS) using Puppy Installer from Slacko itself, and finally Slacko was running perfectly fine again

Install to a USB flash drive not working correctly.
Both installs should have the exact same Slacko files installed.
So, how they work should be the same.

Maybe post a image of what Rox File Manager shows is on the USB, drive will give us a clue.
Should be a program in menu>Graphics that will take a picture of it.
Attach that image file to a post, so we can see it.

Try plugging the USB drive into a different USB port.
Do not have any other USB drives plugged in.
USB mouse or keyboard is OK.
I don't have the USB drive at hand right now, but i can show you the whole contents of the ISO file.

In the folder "help" there are two files:
help.msg with a size of 1551 (Bytes i think?)
help2.msg with a size of 1304

And in the folder "[BOOT]" there are two files:
1-Boot-NoEmul.img with a size of 2048
2-Boot-NoEmul.img with a size of 4 194 304

The attached image was taken with 7Zip on Windows 7.

I also tried plugging the USB drive into both available sockets but neither worked, and i didn't have anything else plugged in.
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mikeslr
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Winetricks under Wine portable

#13 Post by mikeslr »

Hi -TDRR-

To initiate winetricks under wine-portable I just open a terminal and type, code:

wine.sh winetricks

FYI, wine.sh is the command to use for those instances when you would have used just "wine", without the quotes, under the 'non-portable' versions of wine.

See, however, Mike Walsh's post, http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 096#900096 for installing the zenity-based version (prettier GUI). I haven't tested it under the latest version of Wine-portable (and don't really recall doing so with earlier versions).

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bigpup
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#14 Post by bigpup »

If the usb drive install is not working OK.
What is on the USB drive is the problem.
Not what is in the iso.
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

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-TDRR-
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon 14 Oct 2019, 13:18
Location: Venezuela

#15 Post by -TDRR- »

bigpup wrote:If the usb drive install is not working OK.
What is on the USB drive is the problem.
Not what is in the iso.
I still think it might just be a bug that happens with my specific hardware, because every other Pup runs just fine from USB even if i use the exact same install method.

Thanks mikeslr i'll try that on BionicPup32. Wine-portable has been running nicely so far.

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