Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

carolus · Joined: 14 Feb 2007 Posts: 129

Do these methods work with Windows XP and Vista? On XP, I can't find any file C:\boot.ini, hidden or not.

I don't have the BIOS capability to boot from USB, and don't want to touch my MBR nor in any way modify my vendor-installed Windows XP. Nor do I want to write anything to my NTFS hard drive from Puppy. (Copying files to it with Windows is OK, and minor editing of configuration files using a Windows editor is OK)

Currently I'm booting Puppy 2.16.1 from CD, but if that could be avoided it would be more convenient.

rcrsn51 · Posted: Wed 07 May 2008, 15:56 Post subject:

Read here for a discussion of how to make a custom boot CD that will launch Puppy off a USB drive.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=16950

carolus · Joined: 14 Feb 2007 Posts: 129

Thommo1971 · Joined: 07 Jul 2008 Posts: 7

Will this method work with Windows 98SE on a FAT partition? If not, is there an equivalent method?

I have an Acer travelmate laptop that has no built in drives and wont boot from USB.

muggins · Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 6673 Location: lisbon

Have you seen this tutorial? It tells you how to install puppy to a windows partition & boot without touching your computer's mbr.

Thommo1971 · Joined: 07 Jul 2008 Posts: 7

Thanks, muggins. I hadn't seen that before and it is really helpful. It seems to be exactly the solution I am looking for and is pitched at Linux Newbie level! So, a big thank you!

I'll let you know how I get on

markofkane · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 314 Location: Kane, IL USA

Edit:

Even though I got it to work this morning, I removed everything because it gave me errors after that, or would not uncompress the linux file.

I did it all over again, and got stops like

pup_400.sfs file not found

And Can't access TTY job, Job control turned off.

And all the files were in lower case, because I checked the md5 file, and it was ok, and I extracted the files with ISO buster.

I guess I am better off just booting from CD (if that still works) and use my config that I already have saved.

ICPUG · Joined: 24 Jul 2005 Posts: 1289 Location: UK

markofkane,

I would have helped try to solve your problem if you had provided some details before removing the frugal Puppy.

I have had very few problem reports that have been due to Lin'N'Win. It is user error or Windows idiosyncrasies usually! I have had many success reports.

I guess one problem I did have was that it would not work on NTFS compressed directories and I did not know that. Once I knew I changed the instructions to accomodate the problem.

I guess in this case I will have to just wonder.

If a problem occurs it is nice to know some machine details; which Windows version is used; what the error message was and what the menu.lst says.

ICPUG

markofkane · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 314 Location: Kane, IL USA

I can try it again,

I'll tell you what I know right now:

I have:

A Dell Dimension 4400, 1.6 GHz P4 processor, 1 GB of RAM, Windows XP Home, A creative LIVE soundcard, and Nvidia G-Force 5500 PCI card.

I'll be back after I attempt it again (but I do think it's a C:\ drive problem, because a lot of times, the pup_save file becomes corrupted on the C:\ drive, but not my second Hard drive)

Thanks!!

menu.lst

######################################################
# GvR Sept 30th 2004
color black/cyan yellow/cyan
timeout=5
default=0

title Default Boot on HD 0
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
boot

title Puppy Linux 4.00
kernel (hd0,0)/vmlinuz PMEDIA=idehd PDEV1=hda1 psubdir=puppy400
initrd (hd0,0)/initrd.gz
boot

######################################################

markofkane · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 314 Location: Kane, IL USA

I just thought of something!! I am using instructions for Windows XP service pack 2!!!! I have SP3!!!!

So, that's that problem, right? Confused

markofkane · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 314 Location: Kane, IL USA

Alright, it worked!!(I'll have to reboot to see if it works again) But I am starting new. Can I use my old Puppy_save file?? I would like to keep my configs.

Now I got another problem: I had it save my pup_save file to my second HD, and when I reboot, it does not acknowledge it. (It starts over a s a fresh install, having to set my keyboard
and stuff over again at each boot)

what can I do? Thanks!!

nooby · Joined: 29 Jun 2008 Posts: 10557 Location: SwedenEurope

I had same problem as you had.

But after power off from puppy several times and after shutting down from
windows again then no more such problem.

Re :" But I am starting new. Can I use my old Puppy_save file?? I would like to keep my configs. "

I got the problem that the links in the local bookmakrs was for the cd(dvd
so it had a /mnt/sda1/ where it should have been /mnt/home/

so apart from that it works.

that it didnt found it now I hope others could explain.

I managed to get it to work but I am still in sp2.

markofkane · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 314 Location: Kane, IL USA

I have to start over again, I should have left well enough alone.

I could not get the boot from CD to work anymore, it would not load the pup_save files anymore without errors.

something about superblocks. Confused

nooby · Joined: 29 Jun 2008 Posts: 10557 Location: SwedenEurope

Sounds a lot what did happen to me but I shut down completely serveral times
both from puppy and after logging in to windows
and IIRC I also did a new install after changing the name of the safe file
so it would not be written over. Then I changed it back.
I guess that did create what I described above but it cured all the
trouble you describe too. And then after some tweaking the links worked too.

So don't give up. Smile