Puppy 4.3.1 -- bug reports and suggestions

Please post any bugs you have found
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otropogo
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Seamonkey meltdown trashes bookmarks, passwords, settings

#196 Post by otropogo »

This afternoon my system reset - not sure how or why. It booted into Slax, as I'm using the Ultilex 5.0.0 LiveCD, which boots to Slax by default if no user input.

When I rebooted Puppy, and opened Seamonkey, it went to the SM home page instead of my set preference. When I tried to access my mail, Seamonkey's password manager failed to provide the password. When I looked in the password file, it was wiped clean...

I checked the Bookmarks, and they were still there. I then tried rebooting. On the first reboot, I got the same situation as the previous time. But on the second reboot, things got worse...


Now Seamonkey popped up the User Profile Manager window, showing the only profile - default. And when I clicked to start Seamonkey, I got another popup telling me that:
Seamonkey cannot use the profile "default" because it is in use. Please choose another profile or create a new one.
Several further reboots changed nothing in this situation. So now I had lost acccess to my passwords, bookmarks, and all my Seamonkey settings.

I also tried starting seamonkey from the programs menu instead of the desktop icon, and noticed that there are now three Seamonkey browser tabs there, one with an icon, and two without. But they all produce the same result.

Happily (I thought) I had a 2fs backup from only a week ago, so I tried booting with that, thinking I would only lose a couple of passwords and five or six bookmarks. But that was a vain hope too.

The first sign of trouble was that the Xorg configuration screen opened instead of the desktop. I know I haven't changed anything in my video hardware since this save was made. Next, Xorg failed to accept my choice of resolution, and forced me to tweak the refresh rate repeatedly before I could get a gui. I'd chosen 1200x1024, and had to settle for 1600x1200.

And finally, when the desktop loaded, it was with a background image I'd replaced almost two months ago. Firedog, which I removed the first week of November, was back, and of course, I was missing a lot more passwords and bookmarks than I expected.

While looking among my Flash cards for another backup file, weird things also happend with Pmount. It was showing the flash cards on the USB reader as "Generic Storage Devices" with impressive capacities of 102GB, 196 GB, and 209 GB.

I noticed this after trying to save the password file and the bookmark file from the save to a flash card. The save was executed without error messages, but the files never appeared on the target card.

Remembering earlier problems with MUT, I opened Pmount's preferences window and unchecked the MUT box. After that Pmount showed USB storage normally, and I was able to really save the two files.


And then I had one last idea - what if I installed the Seamonkey 2.0 pet. Maybe I could import the settings, bookmarks, and passwords from Seamonkey 1.1.18 even though I couldn't open it?

Well, it was a nice thought...

Seamonkey 2.0 installed ok, opened on the desktop, asked if I wanted to import stuff from SM 1.x. I said yes, but no cigar.

I still have three Seamonkey tabs in my programs menu, plus the desktop icon. But every one of them opens the same brand spanking new Seamonkey 2.0, with no bookmarks, passwords, or settings other than the defaults.

arghhhhh
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PaulBx1
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#197 Post by PaulBx1 »

In Windows, plugging in my flash drive automounts and turns on the flash drive light. Unmounting it turns off the light.

In Puppy, using the same flash drive, the light turns on when the drive is plugged in, and stays on no matter what the mount status is.

I don't like the Windows automount, but I do very much like the flash drive light reflecting the mount status of the drive. It gives a positive indication ON the drive and may save someone from pulling the wrong drive if they have more than one plugged in. I also like the "beep" you get when unmounting in Windows.

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otropogo
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SLAX supports UDF DVDs, why can't Puppy?

#198 Post by otropogo »

Today I tried some DVD-RAM disks (3x Maxell and 5x Verbatim) written under Windows98SE in dla format (disk-like access?) on Windows 7.

I hadn't been able to access these disks since the motherboard on my Win98 system died a year ago (the replacement MB stubbornly refuses to detect any dvd burners, and I haven't been able to figure out how to enable dla support in Win2k)

Windows 7 (on a new Toshiba laptop) read them w/o problems. I then tried a blank Verbatim 5xDVD-RAM disk and a blank Sony DVD-RW. Win7 asked whether I wanted them formatted USB-flash style.

I'd never been able to mount any DVD-RAM disks in Puppy, but thought I'd try with Slax 6.1.2, bundled in the Ultilex 5.0.0 LiveCD, and was pleasantly surprised to find that SLAX will read and write to UDF formatted (its icon for the disks carries the text "UDF disk") 3X and 5X DVD-RAM and DVD-RW disks formatted by Windows 7.

The only thing it apparently can't do is format them as UDF itself.

Pmount in Puppy 4.3.1, OTOH, shows the disk size, but responds "unable to mount SR0" to every attempt to mount any of these disks.


I reported this shortcoming over a year ago, but gave up on it as there was little expression of interest, and I assumed it was just another Linux deficiency (Knoppix 5.1.1 couldn't read UDF either).

But if SLAX can manage this, why can't Puppy?

(BTW - I'm also puzzled by the fact that Pmount can't detect my USB-connected burner while Pburn 3.1.6 can - SLAX will automount, offer to format, read, and write to the same disk on the USB burner as readily as on the IDE cable)
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zygo
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mtpaint wont save from a screen capture

#199 Post by zygo »

mtpaint wont save from a screen capture in 431. Can someone confirm?

====================
EDIT 1st March 2010
Sorry. mtpaint does save. The lack of labelling of the 2 entry fields is confusing.
Last edited by zygo on Mon 01 Mar 2010, 14:39, edited 1 time in total.

zygo
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#200 Post by zygo »

sorry duplicate post

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technosaurus
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#201 Post by technosaurus »

nope, works when booting pfix=ram - what format did you try to save it in? xpm will give an error message if there are too many colors
Check out my [url=https://github.com/technosaurus]github repositories[/url]. I may eventually get around to updating my [url=http://bashismal.blogspot.com]blogspot[/url].

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#202 Post by technosaurus »

I compiled versions 0.4.6 and 0.4.8 in this thread.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=45392
Please report back which version works or better yet post the bug and fix to http://code.google.com/p/puppy-development/issues/list
(one bug per thread is much easier to track than XX bugs scattered in one)
It's not always Puppy's fault - sometimes it is good to check the upstream developer's website. Here is more info on gparted bugs right on the download page.
WARNING: Recently there have been several reports of problems when resizing file systems using gparted-live-0.5.0-3. In the case of the NTFS file system, The error message seen after the partition is resized is:

ERROR: Current NTFS volume size is bigger than the device size!

The problem appears to be related to the combination of packages, Linux kernel, and patches used in the GParted Live image. We are investigating to find the root cause of the problem. Until this problem is solved we recommend GParted Live 0.4-6-1 for resizing all file systems.

You can roll back to my 0.4.6 build (which I think also has ext4)
The bug report to track this problem is bug #604298.

The forum post "WARNING! Problem Resizing File Systems with GParted" contains a list of the confirmed cases of this problem.

If you experience this problem, please open a new post in the GParted forum.
Check out my [url=https://github.com/technosaurus]github repositories[/url]. I may eventually get around to updating my [url=http://bashismal.blogspot.com]blogspot[/url].

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#203 Post by technosaurus »

sorry I can't help more with the CD/DVD related issues - I'm so cheap that I have been doing manual frugal installs since Puppy 2.X

for the 2.6.25 version there is a UDF kernel patch if you want to recompile it here:
http://djkaos.wordpress.com/2008/05/28/ ... r-distros/
Check out my [url=https://github.com/technosaurus]github repositories[/url]. I may eventually get around to updating my [url=http://bashismal.blogspot.com]blogspot[/url].

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otropogo
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#204 Post by otropogo »

Thanks for the UDF tip. I'm afraid Kernel patching/compiling is not among my few skills, however.

Maybe I can persuade the SLAX crew to polish their implementation.

DVDs for on the fly backup are probably going the dodo's way anyhow. But it's nice to be able to salvage one's data from the bad old days before cheap gigabyte flash cards.

BTW-since posting the previous bug, I discovered a trick for accessing my USB burner on Puppy 4.3.1:

It turns out the problem is more apparent than real. Maybe no developer has recently felt the need for a USB burner on Puppy, and so this glitch crept in.

If you attach a USB burner to the system, it doesn't show in pmount. Pmount only shows sr0. However, if you tell pmount to mount sr0, it will then mount both sr0 and sr1 (so long as they both have a disk inserted that Puppy can handle - DVD-RAM and UDF DVD-RW need not apply).

At that point, the desktop also displays a disk icon for sr1, and it can then be dismounted individually

And, strangely, if you dismount sr0 while sr1 has a readable disk in place, then pmount replaces the sr0 tab with one for sr1. Remount sr0, and the tab changes back. But I haven't seen pmount display both sr0 and sr1 together yet.
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enhu
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removing or uninstalling vlc thru package manager

#205 Post by enhu »

removing or uninstalling vlc thru package manager will also remove your default media player.
so as removing firefox - when you remove firefox thru puppy package manager, you will also lost your default browser.

PANZERKOPF
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Re: removing or uninstalling vlc thru package manager

#206 Post by PANZERKOPF »

enhu wrote:removing or uninstalling vlc thru package manager will also remove your default media player.
so as removing firefox - when you remove firefox thru puppy package manager, you will also lost your default browser.
A pet's script hacks the defaultbrowser script. (You can edit this
script with Geany). There is string like "exec firefox $@", where "firefox" can
be changed to name of your default browser.

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rerwin
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Report of error with HCF modem driver on Nabble

#207 Post by rerwin »

Frank, in Germany<
I ran across your Nabble message while investigating my own "error -5" problem, so would like to respond as the person currently responsible for Puppy's dialup modem support. The responses from the experts, Marvin Stodolsky and Antonio Olivares pointed out that for your modem, with IDs 1106:3068, several drivers are possible. Although they conclude that the HSF driver is being selected in error and that the correct driver is for a SmartLink-type modem, Puppy is equipped to handle that, just not automatically, at present.
The problem is likely that there are some instances of primary
> PCIDEV=1106:3068
with Conexant subsystems. It is a common error in the PCI ID database
that someone reports a first instance of a AC'97 controller, and
mistakenly things that the support is Universal, as constrasted to
being Subsystem dependent. Puppy Linux appears to be saddled with
such a case. The best solution would be to have scanModem
incorportated in PuppyLinux

MarvS
The solution is to use the BootManager "preferences" feature to use the sound-card driver. Add the appropriate entry from the following (or perhaps just paste them all in the BM Preferences list):

Code: Select all

hsfmc97ali:snd_ali5451
hsfmc97ati:snd_atiixp-modem
hsfmc97ich:snd_intel8x0m
hsfmc97via:snd_via82xx-modem
In addition, you will need to fix an error in only the puppys that use kernel 2.6.30.5, to activate the sound-card modem. Obtain the firmware replacement fron the 2.6.25.16-kernel puppy isos or installation. The file is /lib/modules/all-firmware/slmodem. Then use PupDial to "probe > ERASE" the ttySHSF0 device and reboot.

An alternate might be to simply blacklist the "hsf" module.. Either way, there may be an impact from the residue of the HSF detection. If so, please contact me by PM. I have fixed this kind of conflict in my next release/upload of a modem "fix pack" for Puppy 4.3.1, which will be posted in this thread.

Anyone with modem issues in Puppy, please contact me first for resolution, since Puppy's modem support is unique among distros -- and is evolving, with help from feedback.
Richard.

UPDATE 1/15/10: Corrected workaround advice.
Last edited by rerwin on Fri 15 Jan 2010, 22:49, edited 2 times in total.

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#208 Post by PANZERKOPF »

A minor bug in rc.network script's function "failure_message": The variable
"L_MESSAGE_Failed" is named as "L_MESSGAE_Failed"

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nubc
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#209 Post by nubc »

I describe what happens when I try to use an external hard drive connected by USB.
When I plug the USB connector in, no icon appears on desktop. So I open the mount icon, and click Refresh several times with no result.
Then I remove the USB and reconnect in another USB port. This causes an icon to appear on desktop. I open mount and there is a new usbdrv tab listed. I click the MOUNT button, and the applet disappears for a long while, and apparently wont be coming back in a reasonable amount of time.
So I right click the desktop icon, and the only available command is UNMOUNT. So I open the mount icon again and the drive spontaneously becomes available in ROX.

This is a very tedious operation just to look at an external drive. If the problem is because of the auto-detection of the USB insertion, I would gladly dispense with the generated desktop icon, and go back to just mounting the drive manually, as I do in Puppy 2.17.

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nubc
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#210 Post by nubc »

After messing around for several hours, I have come to the conclusion that Puppy 4.3.1 cannot play back a (downloaded) FLV file, probably because it sees the wrong format, perhaps mistaking flv for mp3, as indicated by assigned icon.

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rjbrewer
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#211 Post by rjbrewer »

nubc wrote:After messing around for several hours, I have come to the conclusion that Puppy 4.3.1 cannot play back a (downloaded) FLV file, probably because it sees the wrong format, perhaps mistaking flv for mp3, as indicated by assigned icon.
Wrong conclusion;

I play many types of files with gxine, vlc, realplayer, or mplayer on
any puppy version since 4.0.

You may have a hardware problem of some kind?
The post you made in "how to" shows an elaborate and unneccesary
method of playing files.

I just drag the files from rox or my storage usb and drop them on the
gxine or vlc icon and they play fine.

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nubc
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#212 Post by nubc »

Your characterization of the procedure as elaborate may be accurate, but to call it unnecessary is an opinion, that I don't share. Why should I drag stuff around on the desktop when I can single click it where it lies? I am working with the interface, and that's how to set VLC for FLV playback. You make a general claim that gxine plays it all on various Puppy 4.x versions, but you dont say specifically 4.3.1. I'm just reporting a bug, not looking for a debate.
Last edited by nubc on Wed 20 Jan 2010, 03:17, edited 2 times in total.

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#213 Post by rjbrewer »

I have 4 different versions of 4.3.1 installed. No problems with any
as far as playing video files goes.

Just clicking on a flv, mp4, or wmv file opens the default player
and starts playing it.

Asf or asx files I drag to icon.

Inspiron 700m, Pent.M 1.6Ghz, 1Gb ram.
Msi Wind U100, N270 1.6>2.0Ghz, 1.5Gb ram.
Eeepc 8g 701, 900Mhz, 1Gb ram.
Full installs

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#214 Post by Pizzasgood »

I just tested it with Qemu. Yeah, it plays fine. However, the file I tested didn't run when I clicked it. It didn't have a .flv extension (no extension at all). Perhaps that's the problem. (I tried playing it directly out of /tmp while Seamonkey was on the page it came from, which I assume is what nubc was trying to do.)

I didn't look into it beyond that. Got stuff that needs doing tonight. Sorry.
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technosaurus
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#215 Post by technosaurus »

to avoid dragging you can:
right click on it
set run action
defaultmediaplayer "$1"

(this goes similar for all filetypes that are missing mime-types that puppy can handle)

there will be a file in:
/root/.config/rox.sourceforge.net/MIME-types/

Please gzip and share it here if it works
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