Puppy Linux Windows Users: exe installer programs

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Sylvander
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#31 Post by Sylvander »

1. Used wakepup2.exe to write the new fileset to the same floppy.

(a) When I had formatted the floppy in Windows...
When I booted it, the following error was displayed:
NTLDR is missing
Press any key to Restart


(b) When I had formatted the floppy in BoxPup...
When I booted it, an error beginning with the following was displayed:
This is not a bootable disk

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WB7ODYFred
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Left a link to this topic at http://www.portableapps.com

#32 Post by WB7ODYFred »

http://portableapps.com/node/17855 Here at this forum a left a link to your discussion here. Sylvander, thanks for your testing efforts. I really hope you do get a single .EXE file to download that will install to a USB FLash disk and write a correct boot floppy, too.

This will make building a bootable USB Flash Disk while operating under WINDOWS a no-brainer!

When it all works properly, POST a follow up link to the portableapps.com web under the forum topic

For people who want linux http://portableapps.com/node/17855

Keep up the work and the testing!

WB7ODYFred

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steve_s
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Re: Left a link to this topic at http://www.portableapps.com

#33 Post by steve_s »

WB7ODYFred wrote:http://portableapps.com/node/17855 Here at this forum a left a link to your discussion here. Sylvander, thanks for your testing efforts. I really hope you do get a single .EXE file to download that will install to a USB FLash disk and write a correct boot floppy, too.

This will make building a bootable USB Flash Disk while operating under WINDOWS a no-brainer!

When it all works properly, POST a follow up link to the portableapps.com web under the forum topic

For people who want linux http://portableapps.com/node/17855
Thanks! So far the exe that does the usb flash should work fine for computers that can boot directly to usb.

As far as the exe that is needed for wakepup, it needs help: we are missing a file. I can't figure out what it is, at least not using Windows.

In other words, there is a hidden file or a file missing in the exe to make it bootable and I don't know what it is.

Anyone have ideas? :? I can't check it again until later today or tomorrow...we gotta figure out what it is before I redo the exe to get it going...love Windows and those hidden files... :wink:
Keep up the work and the testing!
Last edited by steve_s on Mon 23 Nov 2009, 02:37, edited 1 time in total.

Sylvander
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#34 Post by Sylvander »

1. "we are missing a file. I can't figure out what it is"
The only file in the root of my WakePup2=(a) that isn't included in the root of WakePup2=(b) is...
autoexec.bat

I have given a copy of that file a zip extension [which extensions are allowed?] and attached it below.
Just download it and change the extension back to bat.
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autoexec.zip
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steve_s
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#35 Post by steve_s »

Sylvander, good catch, but that wasn't enough.

I realized that, just like copying the resulting contents of an iso image is not the same as reading a disk that has a burned iso image on it is, so it is with a floppy disk image.

So I ran a program that converted a floppy disk directly to an exe.

In Windows

Extract this WAKEPUP2.EXE from the zip file I've attached to the base folder in your system. By base folder I just mean the default folder that comes up when you run Start>Run and type in "cmd" (without the quotes of course).

So, if I type in cmd I might get a command prompt that pops up and defaults to:

Code: Select all

C:\Documents and Settings\Steve S>
If I saved WAKEPUP2.EXE to this directory, when I run dir from that prompt, WAKEPUP2.EXE will be listed.

To copy the image of wakepup2 to a new, already formatted floppy disk that is ready to go and inserted in the A: drive, I type this command at that Window's prompt:

Code: Select all

WAKEPUP2.EXE A:
I've tried this, it copies the image like a champ and I've booted to the new floppy and wakepup boots up as intended.

PLEASE TEST though. I hope my instructions are clear enough. Tell me how it goes. 8)

Sylvander
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#36 Post by Sylvander »

1. The latest wakepup2=(b) works! :D

2. METHOD:
Because this is designed to be used by Windows users...
I did [almost] all of the work in Windows.
(a) Downloaded the zip file whilst working in BoxPup.
Saved the file to a handy location outside of the BoxPup file system.
i.e. Put it in sda6/00 [E:\00].

(b) Rebooted into Win2000Pro, unzipped the wakepup2.zip file.

(c) PROBLEM1!
Along with the wakepup2.exe file were 3 unneeded/empty/random folders.
I scanned E:\00 for trojans and infection, and none was found, so I erased the 3 folders [using Eraser].

(d) Opened wakepup2.exe, and it wrote the image to the [previously reformatted (in BoxPup)] floppy disk.

(e) Rebooted the PC [with the wakepup2 floppy in the drive], and it booted just fine and loaded the Puppy from the Flash Drive.

(f) PROBLEM2!
The Puppy wasn't loading any of the configurations previously made!
And when I shut it down it reported that nothing was being saved!
I wouldn't [except for very exceptional purposes] work with any Puppy that didn't/couldn't save configurations and/or new package installations.

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steve_s
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#37 Post by steve_s »

Slyvander: first of all, thank you very much for giving all my crazy efforts a run. This can't be figured out without someone else testing it.

Problem 1 response: yeah, I made it in Windows, so invariably it adds weird other files. That's why I said just extract the exe file and didn't say anything about the rest; it's not needed.

I am thinking about taking that exe and seeing about putting it into another exe so that it can be loaded via a double click; don't know if that will work, but needed this part tested first. Now that it works, I'll look at the next step.

As far as whether or not Puppy is saving, did it load any kind of save file? Have we produced a save file with this version? We may need to look back to the original thread with T_Hobbit's comments and see if there were issues with this version creating a save file..if that isn't loaded we may have to track down the issues this version of Puppy on the usb drive is creating regarding the save file... :?

Sylvander
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#38 Post by Sylvander »

1. I went into Windows and zipped up a copy of the wakepup2.exe file [with the 3 extra folders not included], to make wakepup2.zip, a copy of which is attached below.

2. I then extracted the wakepup2.exe file from the above wakepup2.zip file [the 3 extra folders were of course not present] and used it to write the image to the reformatted floppy, and booted that floppy.
PROBLEM3?
Yet again, at 1st boot of the newly made wakepup2 floppy...
The boot halted just prior to loading the files from the USB Flash Drive.
The 2nd attempt yet again proceeded normally to load the files.

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T_Hobbit
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#39 Post by T_Hobbit »

steve_s wrote: As far as whether or not Puppy is saving, did it load any kind of save file? Have we produced a save file with this version? We may need to look back to the original thread with T_Hobbit's comments and see if there were issues with this version creating a save file..if that isn't loaded we may have to track down the issues this version of Puppy on the usb drive is creating regarding the save file... :?
I can't help with wakepup 'cos I don't have a working computer with floppy drive... But I made a Puppy USB drive and it asked if I want to save a pup_save... I always boot Puppy this way with no problems!
Which FAT you have? More than 1 partition?
In a couple of hours I can try it as soon as I get home!
T_Hobbit
:idea: Rebuilding old DOS Machine for Wing Commander Privateer and Puppy :!: Old spare parts to give away - anyone interested :?:

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#40 Post by Sylvander »

1. "Which FAT you have? More than 1 partition?"
FAT32, single partition filling the 1GB Flash Drive.
No pupsave being made [opportunity not offered], so not found at boot.
See screenshots below.
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01.jpg
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#41 Post by steve_s »

All right. Through a natural progression we seem to have two projects going on in this thread, all with the same ultimate goal: make it easier for Window's people to get Puppy going. One project: exe file to put a good bootable usb flash drive together. Very close on that one.

And the other project is to get WakePup2 in an exe file to quickly put it on a flash drive. Please to announce that, through the encouragement and testing of Sylvander, we now have that together. I took our successful wakepup exe file and put it in another exe file, so now it is accessable through a standard Window's double click.

WakePup2 as an EXE file for Window's
Download the attached zip file, unpack it, make sure you have a formatted, ready-to-go floppy in the A: drive, double-click this downloaded wakepup2-img-write.EXE file and watch it go! 8) It will put the WakePup image file, unpacked on your floppy drive.

PLEASE TEST, Sylvander (and of course anyone else that wants) to confirm, but I did it, it works and boots on the test floppy. :D

On this aspect of the project, of course, absolute prop's go out to the creator of WakePup, forum member pakt.
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#42 Post by steve_s »

T_Hobbit wrote:
steve_s wrote: As far as whether or not Puppy is saving, did it load any kind of save file? Have we produced a save file with this version? We may need to look back to the original thread with T_Hobbit's comments and see if there were issues with this version creating a save file..if that isn't loaded we may have to track down the issues this version of Puppy on the usb drive is creating regarding the save file... :?
I can't help with wakepup 'cos I don't have a working computer with floppy drive... But I made a Puppy USB drive and it asked if I want to save a pup_save... I always boot Puppy this way with no problems!
Which FAT you have? More than 1 partition?
In a couple of hours I can try it as soon as I get home!
Ha! Figured it out! See if you gent's can get your save file working as well.

I had the usb all booted, runs good. Mounted it:

Code: Select all

mkdir /mnt/sdb1
mount -t vfat /dev/sdb1 /mnt/sdb1
And I noticed that although all the file names were lower case, a few of the file extensions were upper case: help.MSG, boot.MSG, and initrd.GZ.

Still via command I used the mv command to change each one 'cause rox wouldn't let me do it:

Code: Select all

mv initrd.GZ initrd2.gz
mv initrd2.gz initrd.gz
for each of those.

Then it asked if I wanted to save it after that, then it loaded the new save file on next boot...

If you gentlemen can confirm then I'll change the exe program to reflect the new changes and we are golden.

8)
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savefile-proof.jpg
Just evidence that I saved some different settings and it worked...
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T_Hobbit
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#43 Post by T_Hobbit »

@steve_s: did you use "dd for Windows"? Wakepup is a image writen to a floppy, right? Maybe "dd" is more case sensitive friendly...

@Sylvander: you're booting using wakepup, right? Are you able to boot some computer with your flash drive only? Maybe wakepup is passing pfix=ram to the boot process... or maybe this is just a stupid idea! :P
T_Hobbit
:idea: Rebuilding old DOS Machine for Wing Commander Privateer and Puppy :!: Old spare parts to give away - anyone interested :?:

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#44 Post by steve_s »

T_Hobbit wrote:@steve_s: did you use "dd for Windows"? Wakepup is a image writen to a floppy, right? Maybe "dd" is more case sensitive friendly...

@Sylvander: you're booting using wakepup, right? Are you able to boot some computer with your flash drive only? Maybe wakepup is passing pfix=ram to the boot process... or maybe this is just a stupid idea! :P
Nah, the Wakepup part is all set. I used the Windows equivalent of the dd, then put that in another exe. It's golden.

As far as passing the pfix=ram to usb, not a stupid idea, but I do think it is all about the capitalization aspect...want to see if Sylvander can do the same I did with the extensions...

I've made the exe and am testing...

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#45 Post by Sylvander »

1.
(a) Downloaded wakepup2-img-write.zip, rebooted into Windows, unzipped the wakepup2-img-write.EXE file and used that to write the files to the usual floppy previously formatted yet again in BoxPup.

(b) Rebooted to the new wakepup2 floppy.
This [as per usual][on the 1st boot] halted right before the loading of the files from the USB Flash Drive, but succeeded at the 2nd run.

2. "I noticed that although all the file names were lower case, a few of the file extensions were upper case: help.MSG, boot.MSG, and initrd.GZ"
Not in my case; all the file names and extensions are lower case. [See my screenshot in previous post]
And yet, still no opportunity is given to save.

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#46 Post by steve_s »

Ok, I started back over, from scratch.

I have it to where it boots ever time and saves ever time I want it to.

I am redoing the exe file...it's got usbflash on it too. 8)

Let me test it a little more and hack a little bit more before I post it...

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#47 Post by Sylvander »

Regarding PROBLEM3:

1. A WakePup2 floppy made using the normal method within BoxPup exhibits the same problem symptoms. :?
e.g.
(a) I formatted a floppy within BoxPup.
(b) Used the WakePup2 program to write the necessary files to the floppy.
(c) Rebooted with the floppy in its drive, and the USB Flash Drive in place.
(d) The blue LED on the Flash Drive was constantly lit and unblinking.
(e) The process twice halted immediately prior to the point where the Puppy files are loaded off the Flash Drive.
[I hit Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart]
(f) At some point during the 2nd attempt, the blue LED began flashing.
I knew from past experience that this is a good sign, and I could now expect success at the next attempt.
(g) At the beginning of the 3rd attempt, the LED was unblinking, but at a certain point it began blinking, and the files began loading, and Puppy booted successfully.

2. Is this a problem with my hardware or what?

3. I notice that on a neighbours PC...
[I'm showing him Puppy booting from an optical disk and Flash Drive, on his PC]
When the identical boot process got to the same point [of loading the files off the Flash Drive], his PC gives a constant/unvarying [rather quiet] beep tone.
Sound like a warning of something.
His PC's BIOS [like mine] doesn't support booting USB.

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#48 Post by T_Hobbit »

Are you using acpi=off option? Or pci=noacpi?
I remembered just now that on my old laptopn I had a similar problem with 4.3.1.
I solved it by using one of that options to boot correctly and I needed to had xorgwizard rightly finished to see the question about saving on shutdown.
T_Hobbit
:idea: Rebuilding old DOS Machine for Wing Commander Privateer and Puppy :!: Old spare parts to give away - anyone interested :?:

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#49 Post by Sylvander »

1. "Are you using acpi=off option? Or pci=noacpi?"
(a) I don't even know what that means.
OK, looked it up in Wikipedia.
That's enabled in my PC's BIOS I believe, and so far as I know no configuration has been made to switch it off in any Puppy.
I have it enabled in Win2000Pro.

(b) I have never previously had PROBLEM3 with any Puppy I've ever run; this is the only one.
Mind you, Puppy 4.2.1-rc3 is the only other I run from a Flash Drive, and it has always saved normally.

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#50 Post by T_Hobbit »

The new Puppy versions have a kernel that doesn't work that good with old hardware.

Edit your syslinux.cfg and you must see something like

Code: Select all

default vmlinuz initrd=initrd.gz pmedia=usbflash fastboot
Add acpi=off to the end. If it doesn't work, try pci=noacpi.
Remember that if you xorgvesa, you must finish the selection by pressing "done" (or whatever "say" the other button but "change"...).
T_Hobbit
:idea: Rebuilding old DOS Machine for Wing Commander Privateer and Puppy :!: Old spare parts to give away - anyone interested :?:

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