EasyOS version 2.3.2, June 22, 2020

[BarryK]

Hi Barry,

My laptop that I've been playing around with Easy and Quirky on is one with the instabilities. Toshiba P55W-C5200 model.

Tried latest versions, the instabilities appear after initial setup and rebooting. Basically the computer becomes unresponsive and I have to hard reset. Usually first the keyboard dies then the pointer shortly after that. Up until first reboot it all seemed to run fine.

Easy 0.8 and 0.6.8 Xerus I checked /mnt/q_ro and there is both a q.sfs and a q_sfs.

Because var points to tmp/var there are no logs to check after rebooting. I am going to try rebooting and dmesg >> file over and over until it acts up to see what messages I get. I'll report back what turns up.

Eventually I'll try booting my desktop with an Easy usb to test it there. It currently runs FreeBSD.

Add: btw the laptop works flawlessly with both Fatdog64 and Xenialpup 7.5

Thanks for the feedback, greatly appreciated.

Would you mind testing Quirky Xerus64 8.5?
This has various modes of running, from live-CD, usb-stick, or a full install.

It would be good if you can test stability when running from both live-CD and usb-stick.

If both are unstable, that will tend to indicate a kernel problem.

The usb-stick is a "full install", so completely traditional, the most likely to be stable.

The live-CD runs in RAM, using aufs layered filesystem.

Finding out the stability of these on your Toshiba will be very helpful.

Download Quirky Xerus 8.5 from here:

http://bkhome.org/news/201802/quirky-xe ... eased.html

Forum feedback:

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 243#984243

Thanks in anticipation

[Cu Chulinux]

Easy OS testing update:

I managed to get some dmesg messages saved just prior to instability. I should also add that there are some strange graphic effects too. Often the lockup happens in the middle of opening the desktop menu. Either the menu appears with a blank box where the submenu should be or the top menu just appears as a blank box. Sometimes they start flashing on and off. At that point the keyboard is unresponsive but I can usually still move the pointer around for a while.

The following appears in dmesg just prior:

[ 764.082766] DMAR: DRHD: handling fault status reg 3
[ 764.082774] DMAR: [DMA Write] Request device [00:02.0] fault addr f81000 [fault reason 23] Unknown
[ 772.538080] [drm] GPU HANG: ecode 8:0:0x85dffffb, in Xorg [1936], reason: Hang on rcs0, action: reset
[ 772.538086] i915 0000:00:02.0: Resetting rcs0 after gpu hang
[ 869.524549] DMAR: DRHD: handling fault status reg 2
[ 869.524556] DMAR: [DMA Write] Request device [00:02.0] fault addr 0 [fault reason 23] Unknown
[ 879.413262] i915 0000:00:02.0: Resetting rcs0 after gpu hang
[ 955.848048] DMAR: DRHD: handling fault status reg 3
[ 955.848054] DMAR: [DMA Write] Request device [00:02.0] fault addr f36000 [fault reason 23] Unknown
[ 964.319903] i915 0000:00:02.0: Resetting rcs0 after gpu hang

Looks like something faulty in the graphics driver or interface. A VERY basic online search seems to point to the i915 driver. I'll see what I can find out after the weekend (will be busy with offline life things).

I'll play around with Quirky 8.5 after the weekend as well.

[rerwin]

Barry,
I have had problems booting Easy all along. It persists in easy 0.8.

If I boot to my USB3 drive and use either 'normal startup' or 'Commandline only' and enter 'xwin' before the resolution changes to 1920x1080, I get to the desktop at the wrong resolution then immediately see messed up graphics and, finally, loss of the VGA signal, requiring manual power-down and power-up.

The technique that works is to select 'Commandline only' and enter 'xwin' after the resolution changes. But this works only after manual power down/up; after a 'reboot' this results in the message: "ERROR: Boot drive not found", after listing sda 8 times (instead of sda 3 times then sdb).

Separate issue: the message "date:...invalid time always appears before the 'finding' line; it has the time zone appended.

I attach my log of boot attempts in the hope it provides a clue. The PC is my early 64-bit Presario, details also attached.

BTW, when I have a stable desktop, /mnt/q_ro has both the q.sfs file and mounted (green dot) q_sfs directory.

Richard

[BarryK]

Cu Chulinux and rerwin,
Would you mind trying this live-cd, 'quirky-pyro64-0.8.iso'.

It is not EasyOS, it is a Quirky, but built with the same Pyro64 packages (that were compiled in OpenEmbedded) as used to build EasyOS 0.8.

Boot the live-cd, save the session, reboot, see if it remains stable.

If not, that it strongly points to the graphics driver.

If stable, it points to the underlying architecture of EasyOS.

'quirky-pyro64-0.8.iso' does use aufs layered filesystem, but it's a more traditional proven design.

Here it is:

http://distro.ibiblio.org/quirky/quirky6/project/temp/

[scsijon]

@Cu Chulinux,

It might be worth doing a full memory test cycle too. Give it time, it's not a short test.

I am not sure what type of box/laptop your using but i've had this response in the past when memory was failing. First memory module was ok and it started up and loaded ok, but when it started filling the memory up it started to use the faulty memory module and wierd problems appeared. Especially with 'soft' memory errors, where it wrote ok, gave the correct check back, but individual memory bits started blanking afterwards. Alternately, if your using socketed Memory Modules try lightly wiggling them or switching them around (if you can) if it fails, as it can be the vibration on the Module fingers also causing a fail, although this is less common nowadays and a wiggle seems to reset the fingers again.

[don570]

I have the previous Easy installed on LENOVA THINKCENTRE DESKTOP
and it always stalls after a couple of hours of use. I must do a hard reset.

/mnt/q_ro has both the q.sfs file and mounted (green dot) q_sfs directory

I have 2.5 gigs of RAM so there shouldn't be a memory problem.

I only use a small number of apps so it may be possible to track down
the cause.

Rox filer
mypaint Appimage using wacom digital tablet from https://travis-ci.org/mypaint/mypaint
xine playing an audio file
seamonkey with html file opened
_____________________________________________

[rerwin]

Boot the live-cd, save the session, reboot, see if it remains stable.

If not, that it strongly points to the graphics driver.

If stable, it points to the underlying architecture of EasyOS.

Quirky-pyro64-0.8 reboots to a stable desktop. I then used it to create and send a PM in SeaMonkey.

BTW, when I created a CD of Quirky-Xerus64-8.5 I was unable to get it to boot! It hangs at "Loading vmlinuz ...". The md5sum was correct.

But the USB-drive image version works perfectly. I used the same USB CD/DVD drive as for quirky-pyro64-0.8.
Richard

[BarryK]

Boot the live-cd, save the session, reboot, see if it remains stable.

If not, that it strongly points to the graphics driver.

If stable, it points to the underlying architecture of EasyOS.

Quirky-pyro64-0.8 reboots to a stable desktop. I then used it to create and send a PM in SeaMonkey.

BTW, when I created a CD of Quirky-Xerus64-8.5 I was unable to get it to boot! It hangs at "Loading vmlinuz ...". The md5sum was correct.

But the USB-drive image version works perfectly. I used the same USB CD/DVD drive as for quirky-pyro64-0.8.
Richard

Good! Or not good, but that does point to where the problem is.

Now I await feedback from Cu Chulinux.

don570,
Quite a long time to wait for it to hang, but would you mind also testing the live-cd? See post a couple further up, the 'quirky-pyro64-0.8.iso'.

Boot it, save session, reboot, then use it for a couple of hours, see if remains working.

If so, then you will have confirmed rerwin's experience, and I will have narrowed it down considerably.

Though, rerwin has a different problem, not hanging, but still seems to be gpu related.

[Billtoo]

I booted the dvd on my hp mini, setup the network,etc. and then made
the save to a 64gb usb-3.0 flash drive and rebooted.

I had tried a usb flash drive install of 0.8 earlier today and it had
lockups that required holding to power button down to turn off the
computer.

Booting from this dvd is working well, no lockups.

System info file attached.

Thanks.
----------------------------------------------------------------

EDIT: I also had problems with a usb flash drive install of 08 on a pc
with nvidia graphics.
I installed the devx and kernel source,blacklisted nouveau,and ran the
install script for the proprietary nvidia driver.
The install script gave an error about no 32bit compatibility libs available,then
completed but after running xorgwizard and choosing nvidia,it ran a test that came up with no resolution,couldn't tweak it to show the
correct resolution.
I gave up, it wasn't running very long but there were no lockups.

[Billtoo]

I did a new install to a 32gb SDHC card:

video-info-glx 1.5.3 Sun 4 Mar 2018 on Easy Pyro64 0.8 Linux 4.14.20 x86_64
0.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GF108 [GeForce GT 430] (rev a1)
oem: NVIDIA
product: GF108 Board - 1071v1p1 Chip Rev

X Server: Xorg Driver: nouveau
X.Org version: 1.19.1
dimensions: 3200x900 pixels (846x237 millimeters)
depth of root window: 24 planes

direct rendering: Yes
server glx vendor string: SGI
server glx version string: 1.4
OpenGL vendor string: Mesa Project
OpenGL renderer string: Software Rasterizer
OpenGL version string: 2.1 Mesa 17.0.2

Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3550 CPU @ 3.30GHz
Core 0: @1604 1: @1635 2: @1609 3: @1613 MHz

I'm using this script in root startup to configure the monitors:

#!/bin/sh
xrandr --output DV1-I-1 --primary --mode 1600x900 --pos 0x0 --rotate normal --output HDMI-1 --mode 1600x900 --pos 1600x0 --rotate normal

Maximizing a window uses both screens which isn't great but is useable.

I ran it for over an hour with no lockups.

That's it so far,
Thanks.

[don570]

I downloaded quirky-pyro64-0.8.iso from
http://distro.ibiblio.org/quirky/quirky6/project/temp/

However file is slightly bigger than shown and a different md5sum
and a different name

I get following...
8CAD0F9942648DEA50483F45DCF84E2A

3a82f7f24999a2b7901dc788e58d300f pyro64-0.8.iso

[BarryK]

I downloaded quirky-pyro64-0.8.iso from
http://distro.ibiblio.org/quirky/quirky6/project/temp/

However file is slightly bigger than shown and a different md5sum
and a different name

I get following...
8CAD0F9942648DEA50483F45DCF84E2A

3a82f7f24999a2b7901dc788e58d300f pyro64-0.8.iso

I downloaded the iso, and got the correct md5sum:

Code: Select all

# md5sum quirky-pyro64-0.8.iso 
3a82f7f24999a2b7901dc788e58d300f  quirky-pyro64-0.8.iso

Yes, the online text file has the wrong name for the iso file.

[Cu Chulinux]

Posting this from Quirky Pyro 0.8 which seems to be functionung smoothly. Dl'ed, dd to USB (my laptop has no CD/DVD drive), booted, saved settings, rebooted.

Surfed around for about an hour with no issues. Hangups in Easy would have occurred long before that.

As I recall I had same/similar issues with Quirky Xerus as with Easy. Off to work now but will test that again later and report back.

I don't think it's memory since Xenailpup and Fatdog run no problems. They suspend and restart too.

[don570]

I downloaded the iso, and got the correct md5sum:

Code:
# md5sum quirky-pyro64-0.8.iso
3a82f7f24999a2b7901dc788e58d300f quirky-pyro64-0.8.iso

I downloaded the file again and got the same results as I posted before.
I should have said that I use http://onlinemd5.com/ an online MD5SUM check
(because I use Windows 7 to download)
and for some reason the size of the file is over 400 megs,
whereas you have it listed at 384 megs.

Filename:quirky-pyro64-0.8.iso
File size:402,653,184 Bytes
Checksum type:MD5 File checksum:
8CAD0F9942648DEA50483F45DCF84E2A

But the file seems fine and boots my machine.
_________________________________________

[don570]

I spent the last 24 hours using the special ISO version of Easy
quirky-pyro64-0.8.iso
and so far it is stable and works great with my intel 945 graphics chip. I was able to eject the CD.

Blender 2.79 works great!

I have one things to report about special ISO version.
I accidentally pulled out a USB stick that Xine was using and Xine crashed.

... but the other apps were still stable. I was able to restart X and
run xine again.

____________________________________________________

[Cu Chulinux]

I left Quirky Pyro running on laptop with lid closed. After getting back and opening lid it started up no problem. Seems quite stable, comparable to Fatdog or Xenialpup. I even ran a couple AppImage files - AZPainter, FreeCAD, Qupzilla wouldn't run, probably a QT5 issue.

I have Quirky Xenial 8.5 installed to HD so I booted that to test again. First boot I right-clicked on desktop when it appeared and it froze. Second boot (after fix and reboot) I let it sit doing nothing for a while and now it iseems to be running ok. I am typing this running Quirky 8.5. Subjectively it does not feel as stable. I'll try using it for a while and see how it goes. I'm getting the occasional GPU hangs and resets in dmesg.

Edit: yeah Quirky Xenial 8.5 still locks up on me just like Easy. Can't reliably use it on laptop. I think it's Intel i915 graphics related as often preceded by blank squares on screen where menu or new/moved window should be.

Will sometime this week (time permitting) try on my desktop computer (home-built AMD with nvidia card, about six years old now).

[foxpup]

Barry

My machine is Pentium(R) Dual-Core CPU E5200 @ 2.50GHz, 2G RAM and nVidia Corporation GeForce 7050/nForce 610i gc. This kind of machines are good candidates to run Puppy/Quirky/Easy/fatdog/Dog because they have XP or Vista who are considered EOL and Puppy and his kennel is faster and friendlier. This computers are still fairly powerful and there are a lot of them around.

I have never managed to run any easy on it without issues (tearing and hanging).

I install everything frugally on HDD by copying init, kernel and main sfs to a map on a ext3 "Puppy" partition. For easy and quirky I add a BOOT_SPECS or INSTALL_SPECS to the initrd.q

Here are some details when trying to boot Easy 0.8 Pyro.
1st start: goes to X, but the left third of the desktop is on the right. Continues to blackscreen within a second and freezes.
2nd start: fsck after improper shutdown. Starts xorg video wizard with no text, only buttons. I choose Fallback and the xorg.conf.NVIDIA. It goes to X. Connection to the internet with eth0 is automatic. Both q_sfs and q.sfs are in /mnt/q_ro/ . Normal shutdown.
3rd start: no X, blackscreen, hangs
4th start: fsck... blackscreen with 2 thick dark brown vertical stripes in the middle of the screen, hangs
On the 5th and next startups I did it like I always succeed with easy on this machine: I use qfix=nox and do "xwin" on the prompt. So it needs a stop at the prompt before going to X.

I then tried Quirky 0.8 Pyro. It starts up fine and seems stable. The same with Quirky Xerus 8.5.
I was a bit surprised because I thaught I had the same problems with quirky as with easy. But I did not find any trace of a previous installation of any quirky. I only found previous installs of easy. So I decided to try April. It is fine also. I am posting from it now.

[foxpup]

I 've installed both Easy 0.8 and Quirky Xerus 8.5 on a new laptop.

I 've reported failure on reconnecting to wifi on startup on both easy and quirky before. This was a "show stopper".
I now can report back that on the latest easy and quirky everything works very well now with both SNS and frisbee: Connection on startup is fast and automatic.
Thanks to rerwin who provided fixes.

[lp-dolittle]

Hi Barry,

in view of the current blog posts, I ran a quirky-pyro64-08 live-CD on the Dell Latitude E6500 Laptop on which Quirky Xerus64 8.3final keyboard-settings were reset after each restart of X, and I just faced exactly the same problems with both quirkies. Now, while I'm writing this post, the screen is flickering permanently.
As it seems, the (intel) graphics controller might cause the problem. See the hardware-specs in the attachment.

hope this feedback may be of some help

kind regards

[Cu Chulinux]

Well, I tested Quirky 8.5 running from USB. I have discovered I seem to have no issues as long as I don't change the DMI setting. I usually set that higher (yeah my eyesight ain't so good now). As soon as I changed it in Quirky it froze on restarting X. I rebooted to console and removed the DMI set line from .Xresources and now it is running ok so far. Again this points to graphics driver issues, although with Xenialpup I have DMI set at 132. I have come across some i915 kernel settings related to the GPU reset issues, more research is indicated.

I will have to test this in the HD install as well, and try it in Easy once I reinstall that. I managed to munge my Easy HD install AND my Easy USB. I think I somehow mixed up 0.8 and 0.6.8 files. I imagine they don't work well together.