install DSL without CD but have nonbootable USB port, how?

gychang · 02-09-2009, 03:37 PM

I have Puppy 4.1.2 installed on 233MHz, 96MG RAM. with 9G HD. Have NO CD but, HAVE bootable external floppy and also have non-bootable USB port.

I will like to use the DSL as the permanent solution (Puppy is somewhat slow), for mainly net surfing and playing music files.

I have copied the DSL 4.4.10.sysylinux CD to my USB card, and was able to get my floppy to start reading the USB card (with the command of "dsl fromusb") but the final DSL desktop is fuzzy, hardly readable. Change of the video setting didn't help.

Is it possible to install DSL in my setup as is? and if it is how?

thanks in advance.

gychang

roystonlodge · 02-12-2009, 11:14 AM

Hmm, if you're able to boot but the picture is fuzzy, the solution might be to use different TinyX module instead of the default Xvesa.

First, try using Xfbdev instead of Xvesa. It's a little slower than Xvesa because it doesn't have any 2D acceleration, but it draws directly to the framebuffer so it's compatible with older hardware that might not be compatible with Xvesa.

Fortunately for you, Xfbdev is already included with DSL. Use this cheat code at boot: xmodule=fbdev fb ###x###. Replace the ### with the resolution of your monitor (800x600 for example).

If that doesn't work for you...

You can also download TinyX modules for specific video cards from the MyDSL repository. Of course, this requires that you find out what chipset your video card uses, and also requires that there's a TinyX module for your video card's chipset. You use the xmodule= cheat code at boot to tell DSL which module to use.

The page at the DSL Wiki regarding alternate TinyX modules is here:
http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/index.php/TinyX

And here's the DSL Wiki page for the boot cheat codes:
http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/i...hp/Cheat_Codes

Now, to install DSL on your hard drive, boot DSL toram from the USB drive and do a Frugal install on the hard drive from the DSL gui. You might want to create a new partition for DSL if you don't want to erase your Puppy installation.

gychang · 02-12-2009, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roystonlodge

Hmm, if you're able to boot but the picture is fuzzy, the solution might be to use different TinyX module instead of the default Xvesa.

First, try using Xfbdev instead of Xvesa. It's a little slower than Xvesa because it doesn't have any 2D acceleration, but it draws directly to the framebuffer so it's compatible with older hardware that might not be compatible with Xvesa.

Now, to install DSL on your hard drive, boot DSL toram from the USB drive and do a Frugal install on the hard drive from the DSL gui. You might want to create a new partition for DSL if you don't want to erase your Puppy installation.

this is great, your suggestion of xfbdev worked like a charm, thanks again.

gychang

roystonlodge · 10-14-2009, 03:22 PM

Yay! I think this is the first advice I've ever given that's actually paid off.