X-Slacko-4.4 with Xfce

For talk and support relating specifically to Puppy derivatives
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OscarTalks
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#1156 Post by OscarTalks »

Hello rg66,

Browsers are rather a challenge and largely a matter of personal preference. You have the Mozilla derivatives and the Chromium derivatives. Both are now very large and have frequent updates. For this reason it makes sense for a distro to contain only a small browser such as Dillo or Netsurf (which is quite nice and has some javascript support) and allow user to handle large browser selection, but some distro devs don't like this idea and I do sort of understand why.

In terms of Mozilla, there is still Seamonkey as an option. Palemoon offers a good compromise, but a few things are missing including WebRTC support for video chatting. Firefox can still be compiled for GTK-2 and alsa rather than using official builds. I believe the Slackware builds are still compiled this way so you can use those if you don't want to build your own.

Looking at Chromium derivatives, my personal favourite is Vivaldi. The devs seem to know what they are doing. It runs sweeter than any of the others in terminal although initial start-up may take a second or two longer. The UI is different but highly customisable. The 32bit Vivaldi was briefly dropped but re-introduced and it does not need GTK-3 whereas the 64bit version does.

Opera runs better in Slackware than it does in Ubuntu/Debian but keep an eye on it for processes running on after it has been closed (run from terminal to see). I suspect the updater is causing this but can't be sure. Most of these browsers do have "spam" brands in the default speed-dial but I don't think it is anything sinister. With all of these browsers I always modify the main binary with bbe to enable run-as-root and remove the --no-sandbox issue.
Oscar in England
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rg66
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#1157 Post by rg66 »

Thanks for the response OscarT,

I do want X-Slacko to have basic functionality ootb so a decent browser is a must for me, especially since 4.x won't be updated anymore. So far Palemoon is the one but I'll have a look at Vivaldi as I do like the chromium derivitaves such as opera etc....

Just found with a quick google search that running slimjet with "--no-sandbox --test-type" removes the warning.

edit: Just tried Vivaldi, so far I like it.
X-slacko-5b1 - X-tahr-2.0 - X-precise-2.4
[url=http://smokey01.com/rg66/]X-series repo[/url]

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rg66
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#1158 Post by rg66 »

I've uploaded palemoon-27.4.0.sfs, slimjet-15.0.3.0.sfs and vivaldi-stable-1.10.867.48-1.i386.sfs to the repo.

edit: added firefox-45.9.0esr.sfs and gimp-2.8.22.sfs

http://smokey01.com/rg66/X-slacko/sfs/
X-slacko-5b1 - X-tahr-2.0 - X-precise-2.4
[url=http://smokey01.com/rg66/]X-series repo[/url]

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Mike Walsh
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#1159 Post by Mike Walsh »

Hallo, rg66. Need a bit of advice on a rather odd occurrence.

Basically, I've restored X-Slacko 232 from a back-up, after some experimentation which I just knew would 'break' things (it did).....and now 232 can't see any network interfaces of any kind. Even the in-built list of modules has gone AWOL.

I've tried this with half-a-dozen or so backups, taken at two-monthly intervals over the last year or so. 232 was working perfectly when each backup was made, yet they're all displaying the same behaviour.

See here for further details. Any ideas? TIA.


Mike. :wink:

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Marv
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#1160 Post by Marv »

Hi Mike,

Is this a frugal install? If it is, is there any chance that it is finding the zdrv from the (kernel juggling? IIRC? that broke it?) instead of the correct zdrv if that other zdrv is still about somewhere? That's a reach but it would explain all of the restores breaking in the same way. Maybe you could beef up the kernel params to limit the search. I was following the other thread and almost replied there but...

I thought I had the corner on oddities :D
Pups currently in kennel :D Older LxPupSc and X-slacko-4.4 for my users; LxPupSc, LxPupSc64 and upupEF for me. All good pups indeed, and all running savefiles for look'n'feel only. Browsers, etc. solely from SFS.

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rg66
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#1161 Post by rg66 »

Mike, what does this command output from terminal?

Code: Select all

cat /etc/rc.d/PUPSTATE | grep ZDRV | grep -v INIT
X-slacko-5b1 - X-tahr-2.0 - X-precise-2.4
[url=http://smokey01.com/rg66/]X-series repo[/url]

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Mike Walsh
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#1162 Post by Mike Walsh »

Morning, rg.

Well, now; let's see.

I moved my 232 install last night, from sda11 to a directory inside sda10, which is one of my main data partitions (and has over 100 GB spare room).

Resulting from this, network functionality is all back again. The output from your code is as follows:-

Code: Select all

# cat /etc/rc.d/PUPSTATE | grep ZDRV | grep -v INIT
ZDRV='sda10,ext3,/X-Slacko_232/zdrv_xslacko_2.3.2.sfs'
#
.....which I'm guessing is now as it should be. Which just leaves the matter of the missing desktop!

Before this recent fracas, the XFCE desktop had been 'playing up' for a long while. Upon boot, it would 'flash' half-a-dozen times or so, then revert to a blank, grey background.

GKrellM shows. (It's a 'window', isn't it?)
Ditto with pWidgets.

But the background, and all the icons, etc.....Lord above knows what's happened with them, but they're MIA. XFCE is obviously trying to start, but for some reason is unable to.

The 'panel' works as normal.....and so does the Menu. So I can start everything, and basically 232 is once again functional. But where's my desktop?

Prior to all this, I'd been employing a 'workaround', which consisted of killing 'xfce-session' in the 'Processes' tab of the Task Manager/System Monitor thing, then restarting 'X' by typing in 'xwin' and hitting 'Enter'. Which worked nicely. But now, even this 'fix' refuses to function.

I've been researching no end of stuff on the XFCE forum, and related sites, etc., but nothing has shown up that might provide any clues as to what's happening.

So; any ideas? I would really love to get this one sorted; it's niggling me no end! Is there perhaps some config file somewhere, or a directory, that needs deleting, or 'resetting'?

TIA.


Mike. :wink:

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rg66
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#1163 Post by rg66 »

Mike, enable show hidden files in Thunar and go to /root/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml and move xfce4-desktop.xml somewhere like the Desktop. Restart X and see what happens.
X-slacko-5b1 - X-tahr-2.0 - X-precise-2.4
[url=http://smokey01.com/rg66/]X-series repo[/url]

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Mike Walsh
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#1164 Post by Mike Walsh »

MORE INFO re 'Missing Desktop'

Following another shufti around the web, I came across an article on the XFCE forums:-

https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?id=7793

Following the advice given here, I deleted /root/.cache/sessions, and restarted, via

Code: Select all

xfdesktop
.....which resulted in the following:-

Code: Select all

# xfdesktop

(xfdesktop:7778): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: g_file_get_path: assertion `G_IS_FILE (file)' failed

(xfdesktop:7778): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: g_file_get_path: assertion `G_IS_FILE (file)' failed

(xfdesktop:7778): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: g_file_get_path: assertion `G_IS_FILE (file)' failed

(xfdesktop:7778): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: g_file_get_path: assertion `G_IS_FILE (file)' failed

(xfdesktop:7778): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: g_file_get_path: assertion `G_IS_FILE (file)' failed

(xfdesktop:7778): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: g_file_get_path: assertion `G_IS_FILE (file)' failed

(xfdesktop:7778): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: g_file_get_path: assertion `G_IS_FILE (file)' failed

(xfdesktop:7778): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: g_file_get_path: assertion `G_IS_FILE (file)' failed

(xfdesktop:7778): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: g_file_get_path: assertion `G_IS_FILE (file)' failed
Segmentation fault
#
I doubt if that helps very much; I know segfaults are usually bad news. There's also mention in the thread about 're-installing' XFCE 4.10.....although this is on Debian. How 'do-able' is it in Puppy? Possible?

Of course, I could just set everything up from scratch again.....but it would take an age, and there's no guarantee the problem wouldn't recur again. The problem seems to have been fixed post 4.10.3; 232 is running 4.10.0.

I've tried X-Slacko 4.2 before now, and had exactly the same problem with it as I get on occasion with X-Tahr 2.0; periodically, the whole thing just slowly grinds to a halt, and I get all weird alternating flashing windows & stuff, followed by the entire thing just locking up solid. A 'hard' power-off is the only recourse.

Yet the ROX/JWM Pups never give me this problem...which is kind of annoying, as I really love the XFCE desktop.

(*grrrrrh..!*)


Mike. :wink:

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Moat
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#1165 Post by Moat »

Mike Walsh wrote:Before this recent fracas, the XFCE desktop had been 'playing up' for a long while. Upon boot, it would 'flash' half-a-dozen times or so, then revert to a blank, grey background.
Hmm... sounds kinda' like that gvfsd_metadata bug again...??

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 097#939097

Bob

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Mike Walsh
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#1166 Post by Mike Walsh »

@rg66:-
rg66 wrote:Mike, enable show hidden files in Thunar and go to /root/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml and move xfce4-desktop.xml somewhere like the Desktop. Restart X and see what happens.
I've done what you suggested, and all that's happened is that it's gone through the flashing routine again.....only this time, I see a bit of the default desktop wallpaper through pWidgets, instead of my own.

Was that what you expected? I suspect this is summat to do with a configuration file somewhere.....but I don't like the look of those segfaults.


Mike. :wink:

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#1167 Post by rg66 »

Mike Walsh wrote:Was that what you expected? I suspect this is summat to do with a configuration file somewhere.....but I don't like the look of those segfaults.


Mike. :wink:
It was something easy to try but I didn't expect much. Check the md5sum of your /usr/bin/xfdesktop, the one from the ISO is 6440fd225247b01e048b29355ed23707
X-slacko-5b1 - X-tahr-2.0 - X-precise-2.4
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#1168 Post by rg66 »

X-slacko-4.3 is available for download

Barring any major bugs, this will be the last release of the 4.x series

Download ISO and md5
http://smokey01.com/rg66/X-slacko/iso/

Download delta and md5
http://smokey01.com/rg66/X-slacko/iso/delta/

Changelog
http://smokey01.com/rg66/X-slacko/change_log.txt
X-slacko-5b1 - X-tahr-2.0 - X-precise-2.4
[url=http://smokey01.com/rg66/]X-series repo[/url]

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Marv
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#1169 Post by Marv »

First go of 4.3 is all good here. Frugal Grub4Dos install on my 'new :lol: ' i5 based laptop. Ran first without savefile, cleaned the savefile and updated from 4.2 to 4.3, first with the stock kernel and then swapping in the 4.1.31 I've used with the X- series for some time now. No glitches at all with display, sound, connection, suspends noted. Ran Palemoon but using Slimjet 15.0.4.0 shared with the other pups in the kennel.

System: Host: X-Slacko Kernel: 4.1.31 i686 (32 bit) Desktop: Xfce 4.12.4
Distro: Slacko Puppy 6.3.2
Machine: Device: laptop System: FUJITSU product: LIFEBOOK S761 serial: R1Y00453
Mobo: FUJITSU model: FJNB225
UEFI [Legacy]: FUJITSU // Phoenix v: Version 1.17 date: 03/14/2012
Battery CMB1: charge: 63.6 Wh 95.0% condition: 67.0/67.0 Wh (100%)
CPU: Dual core Intel Core i5-2520M (-HT-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB
clock speeds: max: 2501 MHz 1: 800 MHz 2: 800 MHz 3: 800 MHz
4: 800 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller
Display Server: X.org 1.14.3 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
tty size: 80x24 Advanced Data: N/A for root
Audio: Card Intel 6 Series/C200 Series Family High Definition Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.1.31
Network: Card-1: Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection driver: e1000e
IF: eth0 state: down mac: b0:99:28:cf:30:51
Card-2: Atheros AR9287 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express)
driver: ath9k
IF: wlan0 state: up mac: e0:ca:94:6f:ee:ee
Drives: HDD Total Size: 64.0GB (16.3% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: SAMSUNG_SSD_830 size: 64.0GB
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: None detected - is lm-sensors installed and configured?
Info: Processes: 270 Uptime: 12:46 Memory: 197.1/2854.3MB
Client: Shell (bash) inxi: 2.3.7

Annie sez hi, hoorah, and thanks,
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Pups currently in kennel :D Older LxPupSc and X-slacko-4.4 for my users; LxPupSc, LxPupSc64 and upupEF for me. All good pups indeed, and all running savefiles for look'n'feel only. Browsers, etc. solely from SFS.

belham2
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#1170 Post by belham2 »

Hi rg66 & marv,

1) Wanted to ask, from trying repeatedly this morning before heading to work, it just me or does 4.3 have a problem/glitch in creating a "savefile" after frugally booting up? Tried ~4-5 times, with the ISO downloaded & verified twice to make sure it wasn't corrupt. It would go thru all screens and appearance of proper motions in creating the savefile, but go to boot it all back up, there is/was no savefile created in the frugal folder (and/or anywhere on the drive). So....???

2) Also, another issue: in the initial frugal bootup tests I did, Thunar grabbed random directories outside itself (I've external hard drives, thumbdrives and such) and when it mounted some of them, Thunar would randomly "lock" them whole, and/or randomly "lock" directories, refusing to give me root access no matter what I set in Thunar Advanced section (it even refused chmod commands). These external drives, thumbdrives, etc are currently swapped across many puppies and ddogs, and there is no problem like this, as they are all 'root'.

Thanks.

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#1171 Post by rg66 »

belham2, I normally use a savefolder but I just tried from frugal ram and had no problem making an ext4 savefile.

Haven't had any thunar issues either, I've noticed before that thunar will lock an ntfs partition as read only if it needs chkdsk to be run from win comp.
X-slacko-5b1 - X-tahr-2.0 - X-precise-2.4
[url=http://smokey01.com/rg66/]X-series repo[/url]

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Marv
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#1172 Post by Marv »

Morning belham2,
I hadn't done a 'from scratch' boot on this, just an update so I had a go at it. Frugal Grub4Dos install on the Fujitsu S761 above, Directory name in the boot partition is Xslacko_4. Set time and location, connect with SNS, used Palemoon to find the forum and add a bookmark. Reboot, creating a 256Mb non-encrypted EXT2 savefile, extra characters 'test'. Reboot. The savefile exists, is recognized, and all that I set up is present. I've been using it for a couple of days (as an update) with my EXT2 data partition, an external USB 3.0 ssd, an external USB 2.0 hdd, a USB 3.0 32Mb stick, and YASSM share access to my NAS box. No glitches in any. I just created a test folder in the USB stick and owner was root,root and creation and deletion seemed normal. Mounts and unmounts of all seem normal (all of my filesystems are either fat32 or EXT2 at this poinr). The one thing I've noticed is that 4.3 doesn't recognize the O2 sdcard reader in this laptop whereas LxPupSc does. Haven't played with that at all and don't recall if 4.2 did as I haven't had these laptops long. I'm in the new testfolder install now but I'm pretty sure redshift was ok in 4.3 also. I kind of just expect it to be there in all my pups now.

My Grub4Dos menu entry is:

title X-slacko 4.2 with 4.1.31 PAE kernel
uuid 55C4-D026
kernel /Xslacko_4/vmlinuz pmedia=ataflash intel_pstate=disable ignore=usb pdev1=sda1 psubdir=Xslacko_4 pfix=copy ipv6.disable=1
initrd /Xslacko_4/initrd.gz

Sorry I'm no help,
Pups currently in kennel :D Older LxPupSc and X-slacko-4.4 for my users; LxPupSc, LxPupSc64 and upupEF for me. All good pups indeed, and all running savefiles for look'n'feel only. Browsers, etc. solely from SFS.

belham2
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#1173 Post by belham2 »

Hi rg66 & Marv,

Just got home and sat down with this. So, I did the exact same frugal install, but this time I told it to save the newly created "savefile" to a partition that Thunar wasn't showing with the padlock on it (ironically, I had the padlock on the partition that has ALL the frugal install folders of different pups, ddogs, and other linux stuff---all other partitions showed no padlock).

After it said the savefile was created, I rebooted, and then I immediately went into another pup. Sure enough, this time the "savefile" on the partition was in the parition where I asked it to save. So, I grabbed it, pulled it over into the X-Slacko-4.3 frugal-install folder, and rebooted back up choosong X-Slacko-4.3 (I use grub4dos too, Marv, our entries are nearly identical).

Upon reboot, X-Slacko acted like the savefile had been there all along, loaded it, and asked me no questions and/or popups. So....that tells me I must have some sort of "permissions" snafus going on in that main parition that holds all the other frugal installs and OSes. It's just this is the first it has appeared its ugly head, lol.

Oh well, all is working great now-----why can you see my dual screens immediately, rg, but mistfire & peebee's OSes can never see them???-----always a mystery to me----anyhow, I really love the Slimjet, especially putting the "--silent-boot" option in Startup and I still get a smile that Slimjet will rocket open upon clicking it even before I can let go of the mouseclick. Thanks guys for the responses, and thank you, rg66, as this has always been one of my fav pup distros :wink:

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Mike Walsh
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#1174 Post by Mike Walsh »

One of my favourite Pups, too.....but it doesn't seem to like the big ol' Compaq's hardware..! (Boo-hoo... *sniff*)

Having said which, 232 has been running with absolutely no dramas on ye anciente Dell lappie for a long time now. Must say summat about the old Intel/AMD graphics hardware argument, I guess.


Mike. :?

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Marv
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#1175 Post by Marv »

Hi belham2,
Once in a blue moon, IIRC when I was noodling around with some of the early 64b pups, the permissions on my fat32 boot partition would get goofed up. I would notice it first as adding a bookmark etc would fail ( my profiles were on that partition back then). Then I'd see the padlocks. IIRC I could get out of it with a RAM, CD, or USB boot and a thorough filecheck/repair of that partition. It always gave a quite a start though. Now my 'system' haha is spread over enough machines and drives so any one is less important. Mostly by chance, not smart design.
Pups currently in kennel :D Older LxPupSc and X-slacko-4.4 for my users; LxPupSc, LxPupSc64 and upupEF for me. All good pups indeed, and all running savefiles for look'n'feel only. Browsers, etc. solely from SFS.

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