X-Slacko-4.4 with Xfce

[rg66]

@rg66 do you have pet packages for zram?

No but I found a script that enables it. Remove fake .gz, extract to /etc/init.d and reboot.

It's set to use 1/2 the RAM but this seems a bit high, you can change line 61 from 2 to 3,4 or whatever

59 # initialize the devices, set total size to 1/2 RAM

61 echo $((mem_total / 2 / num_cpus)) > /sys/block/zram$i/disksize

[rg66]

Kernel testing, tried 3.17.4 and 4.0.4 form tahr repo and no auto connect for lan. Slacko kernel, no problem. I guess I'll try and compile one and see what happens.

[rg66]

Easy fix, startup script running dhcpcd sorts it out. Added to 3.1

[mistfire]

@rg66 I test your script form zram. Is there a zramswap script for x-slacko 2.3.2? Because there is no /lib/lsb/init-functions there.

[rg66]

I was in X-tarh when testing, sorry. Try the one from that, remove fake .gz

[mistfire]

Thank you @rg66 I will use it for future use. By the way because of your idea, I found the simpler script for zram. I modified it to automatically set the zram size to 25% of physical ram when it starts.

[rg66]

Thank you @rg66 I will use it for future use. By the way because of your idea, I found the simpler script for zram. I modified it to automatically set the zram size to 25% of physical ram when it starts.

Much better, thanks. I'm now trying to get pmount to list zram.

[Billtoo]

Manual frugal install to an external 128gb usb 3.0 ssd running on a
macmini.

Computer
Processor 4x Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3210M CPU @ 2.50GHz
Memory 16534MB (313MB used)
Machine Type Physical machine
Operating System X-slacko - 3.0
User Name root (root)
Date/Time Fri 26 Jun 2015 11:14:07 AM EDT
Display
Resolution 1920x1080 pixels
OpenGL Renderer Mesa DRI Intel(R) Ivybridge Mobile x86/MMX/SSE2
X11 Vendor The X.Org Foundation

I added some panel plugins + mpg123 + wine 1.7.44

It's working well so far, thanks

EDIT:Added a few more applications,Qupzilla,Smplayer/Smtube.
An error message popped up a couple of times (snapmerge I think) but a
reboot fixes the problem.

[Billtoo]

Manual frugal install to a 32gb flashdrive.

Computer
Processor 8x Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2600 CPU @ 3.40GHz
Memory 16615MB (728MB used)
Machine Type Physical machine
Operating System X-slacko - 3.0
User Name root (root)
Date/Time Sun 28 Jun 2015 09:32:13 AM EDT
Display
Resolution 3840x1080 pixels
OpenGL Renderer GeForce GTX 560 Ti/PCIe/SSE2
X11 Vendor The X.Org Foundation
OpenGL
Vendor NVIDIA Corporation
Renderer GeForce GTX 560 Ti/PCIe/SSE2
Version 4.5.0 NVIDIA 346.82
Direct Rendering Yes

Added some applications from PPM + wine.17.46 + Smplayer/Smtube + more

Haven't seen any errors so far.

[Mike Walsh]

@rg66:-

I've attempted installing both X-Precise AND X-Slacko to 16GB SanDisk Cruzer Blade flashdrives. Both have installed.

However, when I attempt to boot either one, the initial splash screen comes up; 'loading vm.linuz'; 'loading initrd.gz'; then, upon 'searching for Puppy files', it insists it can't find the x-slacko/x-precise .sfs files, and I get 'dropping out to initial ramdisk console, etc., etc.'

Upon viewing the contents of the flash drive, there they are, large as life. So; how come they won't boot? The boot flag is set on both flash drives; and for installation, I use the Puppy Universal Installer, as I always do. Never had any problems with it in the past. Should I have used BootFlash instead?

Upon recollection, I seem to remember having this exact same problem, trying to boot Carolina 1.3. All 3 of these 'Pups' use the XFCE desktop. In each case, they run fine from the LiveCD, but refuse to run from a flash install. In fact, as I recall, I couldn't even persuade Carolina to run from a hard drive manual frugal; every time, the main .sfs file couldn't be 'found'.

Any ideas, anybody? I'd really like to get at least ONE of these up-and-running; out of all the Linux desktops, XFCE has always been my favourite. I ran Xubuntu for several months.....absolutely loved it (until Ubuntu's updates started playing havoc with my video graphics, and causing it to constantly crash.....)


Regards,

Mike.

[mikeslr]

Hi Mike Walsh,

Puppy Universal Installer may not be the right tool to create a multi-boot USB-Key. AFAIK, it may be a great tool for easily doing a Frugal install of ONE Pup to a USB-key. But trying to install two Pups could be the reason for "booting confusion" resulting in SFS not being found.

I've never tried to create a Multi-boot USB-key using Puppy Universal Installer. The following is the technique I use, and it's never failed:

1) Plug in the key and use gparted to format it & set the first (usually only) partition as bootable. Exit gparted but leave key plugged in.
2) Mount key if necessary. Create folder with a simple name.
3) Mount Puppy ISO and copy it essential files --initrd(.xx), vmlinuz, puppy_XXX.sfs, and if present zdriv_xxx.sfs and adrv_xxx.sfs-- to that folder.
4) Run Grub4Dos, selecting USB-Key as partition where it is to be installed, and as only partition to search.
5) (Optional but recommended) Edit menu to add without No SaveFile option, i.e., a listing for some Pup with "pfix=ram" included in its kernel line arguments.

To do a Multi-boot, I just create additional uniquely named folders at step 2; and unpack the other desired Pups into them at step 3.

Later, I can add other Pups by just creating new folders, unpacking the pups into them, and editing Grub4Dos' Menu.lst to include them.

mikesLr

[Mike Walsh]

Hi, mikeslr.

Thanks for the reply. I may have been a wee bit misleading, the way I wrote that. What I should have made clear is that I have two 16 GB SanDisk Cruzer Blade flash drives.....with X-Precise installed to one, and X-Slacko installed to the other.

(Actual fact, I have about a dozen of these 16 GB SanDisk Cruzers. I bought a couple three or four years ago, when they first hit the market....and was so impressed, I've just kept on adding to the collection!)

I've done a multi-boot USB key before, using isobooter, from rcrsn51's thread of the same name. Works beautifully. I might, however, give your method a try, just out of curiosity; see what happens, like.

No; for some reason, I just cannot get any of the XFCE-based 'Pups' to work on my big ol' Compaq desktop. Which is strange, as I ran Xubuntu 14.04 on here for several months before Canonical's updates started breaking my graphics; round about the same time that I switched to running all 'Puppies'. And I've run no end of different 'Pups' on here.....about 40, at the last count.

But what is it with the XFCE-based Pups???


Regards,

Mike.

[Deacon]

Hi, mikeslr.

Thanks for the reply. I may have been a wee bit misleading, the way I wrote that. What I should have made clear is that I have two 16 GB SanDisk Cruzer Blade flash drives.....with X-Precise installed to one, and X-Slacko installed to the other.

(Actual fact, I have about a dozen of these 16 GB SanDisk Cruzers. I bought a couple three or four years ago, when they first hit the market....and was so impressed, I've just kept on adding to the collection!)

I've done a multi-boot USB key before, using isobooter, from rcrsn51's thread of the same name. Works beautifully. I might, however, give your method a try, just out of curiosity; see what happens, like.

No; for some reason, I just cannot get any of the XFCE-based 'Pups' to work on my big ol' Compaq desktop. Which is strange, as I ran Xubuntu 14.04 on here for several months before Canonical's updates started breaking my graphics; round about the same time that I switched to running all 'Puppies'. And I've run no end of different 'Pups' on here.....about 40, at the last count.

But what is it with the XFCE-based Pups???


Regards,

Mike.

Have you tried using a vanilla pup and putting XFCE on it?

[rg66]

@ Mike Walsh

I doubt it has anything to do with Xfce as the main.sfs hasn't been found so no desktop environment has been loaded yet. I do all my frugals as mikeslr has suggested and have never had a problem (except for my now dead Acer lappy but that had issues with everything).

I just used universal installer to put X-slacko on a freshly fat32 formatted thumb drive and it booted no prob. What does your syslinux.cfg "pmedia=" say?

[gcmartin]

Hello @Mike Walsh

I may have missed this, but, did you boot a Live DVD version of this PUP? Might try that on your PC to insure issues do not exist. Then, using the Live, have it create the USB for you.

In my case, I would boot Live, tailoring the desktop system to my needs, and remaster. There are other "Live" options of operations, as well.

Let us know..

[Mike Walsh]

Thanks for the replies, every body.

@rg66:- Hm. I didn't know the Pups would work with FAT32! I've always used ext3 on my USB installs. As I said, I, too, used the Universal installer, but went about it the traditional way. I'll try FAT32, and Mikeslr's method, and see how I get on.

I'll have a look and see what pmedia is, and get back to you.

For now, I've done a 'frugal' in a small partition on the main hard drive.....and it's all working nicely from there. I do have one query, however; I don't know whether anybody else has found this. When I click on 'Home' for the first time in a session, Thunar seems to take about 30 seconds to respond. Then, 20 seconds later, up pops a second instance, which I didn't ask for (I have the desktop set for single-click operation, as I do Thunar itself).

Any ideas?

@gcm:- As you can see, I do have her 'up & running' now; I did use the LiveCD to install from, and I never have any problems that way. Carolina will run nicely from the LiveCD, but for some reason, I've never been able to get that one to install, either to USB or hard drive, so... I don't know quite what's going on, there. Could just be a 'duff' download, perhaps? I'll have to investigate further; re-download the .iso, and take it from there.


Regards,

Mike.

[Mike Walsh]

@rg66:-

Pmedia=usbflash.

That's what it said, but.....it still wouldn't boot. So: I tried what you said you tried.....FAT32 & Puppy Universal installer. No soap.

The problem I've got here is that my big Compaq desktop (which WILL boot from USB, BTW), when confronted with a vfat-formatted 'stick' to boot from, doesn't even 'see' it. I have no problems using ext 2/3 for Linux USB installs; it's quite happy with that. But vfat; as far as the BIOS is concerned, there's nothing there. Odd. (And yes; before you ask, the 'boot' flag is set. I've done this too many times to forget that one. )

So; I'm going to give Mikeslr's method a go. His instructions are nice and clear.....with one exception; which format he uses. You say you use the same method yourself. What do you format the stick to, when using that way of doing things?

I've never had this much trouble before with a Puppy flash install, but.....we'll get there, one way or another! This same stick has hosted at least half-a-dozen Puppy installs before, with nary a murmur; can't be too much wrong wi' it!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE (1:20 a.m): Have tried Mikeslr's method, formatting the stick to ext2 (which, I understand, is the preferred file system for flash drives, anyway). It'll boot; it starts looking for the Puppy files.....and, once again, it 'can't find' the xslacko-2.3.2.sfs file.

Code: Select all

Dropping out to initial ramdisk console....
#

Grrrr!!!

What is going on here?? I'm getting more than a wee bit 'cheesed-off' with things at the moment. I'm turning in for the night.....hopefully I can view things more objectively in the morning, and put my 'considering cap' on. Something odd is going on here.


Regards,

Mike.

[Geoffrey]

Have tried Mikeslr's method, formatting the stick to ext2 (which, I understand, is the preferred file system for flash drives, anyway). It'll boot; it starts looking for the Puppy files.....and, once again, it 'can't find' the xslacko-2.3.2.sfs file.

I have the same problem with a few thumb drives I have, the one's that don't work are only found as usbflash, the one's that do work as usbhd, I have a variety of usb thumb drives, Lexar, Verbatim and Sandisk, from 4gig> 32gig, these all work as usbhd, I have a 8gig Tevion branded drive as sold by Aldi stores, it's as slow as snail and found as a usbflash and also doesn't find the xslacko-2.3.2.sfs, I've tried switching the removable bit on the drive with "bootit" from within window to no avail, though I have had a few unbranded drives that have been able to switch the removable bit, thus making them usbhd and usable.

Bootit may work for you, http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 582#491582

[rg66]

On my desktop I use frugal install to ext4 Hard drive partition, flash drives I use fat32 so I can also use them to transfer data in Windows. I manually copy the files to a dir and use grub4dos and have never really had many problems.

[Sage]

Could be the stick, could be the BIOS? Never liked Dell - used to be a part-time member of the WIntel cartel, past masters of cheapo/proprietarising fiddling. Tried F8, I suppose? Try finding which manufacturer made the m/b and flash the BIOS to one of that makers versions? (Save a copy of the installed!). Change the m/b? Plenty available for a song that need bad caps changing. Fraid the SW side isn't my bag, but the guys here are good at that.