Can't boot PL 431 from CF Card on a VAIO VGN-AR250G
 

I tried to boot this computer from a usb pendrive with DSL (working well on other computers) & never passed certain point in the process (crashes without any message). Then burnt a live cd with PL 431 in it &, from the cdrom it boots ok. Since this machine doesn't have a hd & I found a CF Card (128 MB) with an interphase to use in an usb port, decided to format & partition it in 2 parts (109 MB for PL & the rest as a swap-file for PL).
Up to this point everything appears to be ok but at the moment of booting the machine it gives off the message: <Performing a 'switch=root' to the layered filesystem... kerenel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!>. The only activity I see are 3 leds blinking on the laptop & a cursor (_) on the screen, but cannot write anything & the keyboard is useless for rebooting the machine. So, have to press the Power button for a few secs. to turn it off.
I've enabled everything within the BIOS that could lead to permitting the machine to boot from a usb drive.
I noticed that within the process of installing PL to a device there are other methods for enabling the device to boot-up; I used the default setting in my 2 trials:

1. the file system tried the first time was ext3;
   the next time, after deleting the partitions & re-partitioning the drive again, I used ext2 (mainly for satisfying my curiousity)

If I'm not wrong here I think there're 5 alternatives including the default one & I'm planning to try each and everyone in the order they appear there. If someone works well in my situation I'll post that as a reply to this thread but I don't feel that's going to happen & that's why I'm posting this before exhausting my alternatives.
Thanks in advanced for any hints/info on this that anyone can post as a reply here! I don't think I'm the only person with this issue in the past 3 years.

One suggestion. You might try the ttuuxxx 214 updated Iso.

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=42553

Made to boot and run on older gear with newer applications.
Some gear has trouble with the kernel in 4.31. Like my IBM A22 Laptop (couldn't find pup_sfs). I ended up installing 4.0 Dingo. I wish I had the room on it for ttuuxxx 214. Sounds like a sweet puppy Linux version for older gear.

Sorry rokytnji, but don't understand the contents/intentions of your post nor what's encountered in the link. Are you suggesting to download another distro? A newer one or an older one?
Thanks for responding!

Yes.

It is a newer version of 2.1.4. Designed by ttuuxxx . Some Puppy Linux Distros Kernels do not load up on older gear like yours. So developers at Murga Puppy Linux developed Puppy 412 and 214 for home users faced by kernel boot problems with older gear (after a install).

Hope that is clear enough.

Thanks rokytnji for responding!
What about the functionality of those other distros when compared with 431? Drivers?
Is there another more updated version of PL than the 431 I'm dealing with now (but not a Beta one)?
I'm asking the last question because have the idea that sometimes problems like this might be solved in a subsequent release.

Yes
http://puppylinux.org/news/releases/...ting-platform/

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=puppy



Actually. 214 and 412 are pretty supportive when it comes to the kernel and drivers. I run Puppy 4 Dingo on my IBM A22 Laptop, Pentium 1000 Hz, 256MB of ram, 20 gig Hardrive. I dual boot it with AntiX 8.5 Full Iso running a Custom rolled 2.6.34 Kernel also.

Any Hows. My Puppy Dingo install. Which has a older kernel than Puppy 4.31. It picks up my Belkin F5D 7010 ver.6 PCMCIA wireless G cardbus just fine without having to manually load a module. I am running Firefox 4.3, Skype, Opera 10.61, a external web cam, external mic. All on a 2001 laptop. All those applications I mentioned above are available at murga puppy linux forums and also through private members/developer repositories at murga/puppy linux and also from ibiblio.org.

One can only test and see what works first hand by booting a live cd and see what works and how well you like the interface. There are also many different flavors of Puppy 4.31.
1. NOP (xfce 4.31 without open office but OO can be installed if wished)I run this as a frugal install dual booting with
2.Bruno (I run this to on frugal install on Desktop. 2nd post down in link)
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/vie...cf0113a5dd0830

A lot of choices are available when deciding to use Puppy Linux.
http://puppylinux.org/wikka/Puplets

Keep trying till you find what you like. Thats what I do.

Have a question before downloading the 'retrofitted' distro. First, I'm running PL431 live cd. Have a 128MB CF card in the appropriate slot (same distro installed but not booting). The cd was burnt with a utility found within PL421 (don't remember its name) but the burning process didn't close the recording sequence (I understood that more info could be added to the cd). The desktop right now show I've 237MB of free RAM. Have no hard disk.
> How many options I've for downloading the said distro: to a Temp folder(RAM), to the cd or to the emptied CF card?
What I've in mind is one of the following:
1) d/l to ram, 'burn it' to the card & see if it boots;
2) d/l to cd, 'burn it' to the card & ibid;
3) d/l to cd, burn it to cd & ibid; then installing in the card.
In any case, since I've a pendrive with DSL in it, I'm wondering if it could be possible to put some files in the CF card to permit two things: booting-up the said pendrive with DSL & to boot this other PL distro (a menu wouldn't hurt but any working arrangement would do).
Thanks for all the shared info!

My situation has changed a bit..., maybe it would be better to open a new thread but this one is very related to it.

Recently, after selecting to save in an open live cd where Puppy 431 was (working well as a live cd) the pupsave file & some other little files with the purpose of avoiding searching for my bookmarks & other issues within an external media device (or attachment to a self directed email) my Ubuntu Brasero reported having burnt successfully to the said media. Now if I look inside it can't find anything that resembles the burnt file(s) &, what's worst, the cd no longer boot up neither the notebook nor the desktop (where Ubuntu resides) with a 'kernel panic' message.

Due to this situation downloaded the latest puppy to be found, burnt it with Brasero to a blank cd-r & now I'm pleased to be writing this from/with it. Have noticed that it's a MUCH improved OS now (compared with PL421 & 431), which in itself merits my applause!

My problem now with Lupu is that I read that before selecting a browser to be installed it was better/wise to create the Pupsave file, but I can't find instructions/buttons to do that anywhere from the page I read it nor in some forums that I already searched. I'm planning to put all extra files in a CFCard including the Pupsave file because this notebook lacks a HD.

My problem later on is going to be that I'm intending to put this os in its own partition within the primary HD in the desktop for the purpose of being able to boot either Ubuntu or Lupu there. I must say that before installing Ubuntu there I made several partitions thinking of this possibility in advanced. What I've there is something like this:
I - first partition = Ubuntu
II - 2nd partition = Ubuntu-swap (or stuff)
III - 3rd partition = Puppy Linux
IV - 4th partition = Puppy Linux-swap (or stuff)
V - 5th partition = DSL
VI - 6th partition = DSL-swap (or stuff)
VII- 7th partition = Win98
VII- 8th partition = Win98-swap (or stuff)

When partitioning the drive I was using Gparted from PL431 & the other utility you put in there for partitioning hdds (pdisk partition manager, I think). I would like to know if, before trying to put Lupu there, I must check something to avoid problems with this. I know Lupu is a new distro & probably there's not much info regarding circumstances like this yet, but a question in time is better than one after the need arises (have read something about an incompatibility regarding inode... 256 bytes &, with some distros, they recommend changing that to ...128 bytes)!

Thanks in advanced for any help on these issues!

PS I don't know if I'm braking a forum rule here, which I would regret very much, by putting the next link to the proper discussion where I started my last issue, now with Lucid:
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/vie...=454333#454333

Hope not!

Not ibid
 

My situation has changed a bit..., maybe it would be better to open a new thread but this one is very related to it.

Recently, after selecting to save in an open live cd where Puppy 431 was (working well as a live cd) the pupsave file & some other little files with the purpose of avoiding searching for my bookmarks & other issues within an external media device (or attachment to a self directed email) my Ubuntu Brasero reported having burnt successfully to the said media. Now if I look inside it can't find anything that resembles the burnt file(s) &, what's worst, the cd no longer boot up neither the notebook nor the desktop (where Ubuntu resides) with a 'kernel panic' message.

Due to this situation downloaded the latest puppy to be found, burnt it with Brasero to a blank cd-r & now I'm pleased to be writing this from/with it. Have noticed that it's a MUCH improved OS now (compared with PL421 & 431), which in itself merits my applause!

My problem now with Lupu is that I read that before selecting a browser to be installed it was better/wise to create the Pupsave file, but I can't find instructions/buttons to do that anywhere from the page I read it nor in some forums that I already searched. I'm planning to put all extra files in a CFCard including the Pupsave file because this notebook lacks a HD.

My problem later on is going to be that I'm intending to put this os in its own partition within the primary HD in the desktop for the purpose of being able to boot either Ubuntu or Lupu there. I must say that before installing Ubuntu there I made several partitions thinking of this possibility in advanced. What I've there is something like this:
I - first partition = Ubuntu
II - 2nd partition = Ubuntu-swap (or stuff)
III - 3rd partition = Puppy Linux
IV - 4th partition = Puppy Linux-swap (or stuff)
V - 5th partition = DSL
VI - 6th partition = DSL-swap (or stuff)
VII- 7th partition = Win98
VII- 8th partition = Win98-swap (or stuff)

When partitioning the drive I was using Gparted from PL431 & the other utility you put in there for partitioning hdds (pdisk partition manager, I think). I would like to know if, before trying to put Lupu there, I must check something to avoid problems with this. I know Lupu is a new distro & probably there's not much info regarding circumstances like this yet, but a question in time is better than one after the need arises (have read something about an incompatibility regarding inode... 256 bytes &, with some distros, they recommend changing that to ...128 bytes)!

Thanks in advanced for any help on these issues!

PS I don't know if I'm braking a forum rule here, which I would regret very much, by putting the next link to the proper discussion where I started my last issue, now with Lucid:
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/vie...=454333#454333

Hope not!

You can create a personal pup save file before installing your browser by just using the reboot and picking your hardrive or cd as the place to keep the save file.

After that is done. A new Icon may show up on your Desktop called save. You can use that icon to save then. I usually keep a backup of personal save file separate from my frugal puppy linux installs. For example. I make my save file in Puppy called rok_pupsave. I then open my partition with AntiX and go to /home file. I drag and drop that rok_pupsave to antiX/home and select "copy" not move. Now I have a backup in case I need it. That way if frugal fails to boot because of corrupted personal save file. I can delete the one in /mount/home in Puppy. Then drag and drop the one in /home AntiX to restore a pristine virgin one. Hopes that makes sense.

Is Ubuntu Installed?

(I see now. You are installing Ubuntu after. Install Puppy frugally. Tell it to put newgrubtextfile in root of Puppy. Install Ubuntu. Install Ubuntu grub to MBR. After Ubuntu install is done. You may have to edit Ubuntus Grub 2 bootloader.
I try to stick with Grub Legacy as it is easier for me to deal with when it comes to editing)



If Puppy is the only OS going on this card. Make sure the Puppy Partition is flagged as boot. Right click in gparted will show this. Also if Puppy is the only OS install grub to MBR.

If a frugal install. First partition on CF drive. Text file should look approx. like

######might be (hd0,0) also##########

For the kernel panic issue. you can type in when grub screen loads up

To give time for things to settle down and give the drive time to find root.



Happy Trails, Rok

Thanks rokytnji for responding!

My desktop has Ubuntu (latest release with some updates already) installed in it. What I was intending to do was to install PL 431 (now PL 511, instead) in one of those partitions, but haven't resolved yet how to make a choice at boot time of which OS to use.

The card that you refer to is going to be used on the notebook & not in the desktop. The purpose of this is both, to have a very portable OS & having a persistent OS in terms of my configs, because right now I'm booting with Lucid 511 in a Live cd (the VAIO VGR AR250G has no HDD) & I prefer to use this computer for everyday web browsing & reading emails. I'll check that "puppy rootdelay=20" thing in my next boot &, if it gives me something different I'll post that right here.

I rebooted the notebook & after seeing Lucids 'face' on the screen & being presented with the F2 option (for booting up) I typed the command you suggests that will give the syst more time to syncronize but the 'poltergeist' showed up again (I mean, "kernel panic..."). Still, I would like to learn more about this situation. If there's a link to an article that explains why this might happen it would be welcomed!

Thanks in advanced, rokytnji for all the help provided!

Since using Midori web browser duplicate messages in 2 diff. forums have appeared. I wanted to delete this one which is the same as the last one but didn't see a button for that purpose.

Today I paid more attention to the booting process' notices appearing on the screen, they're as follows:

1) Loading drivers needed... done
2) Searching for Puppy files... done
3) Loading personal file /... done
4) Loading the 'lupu-511.sfs'...done
Kernel panic...

I think there's no problem reading the pupsave file from the card, instead there's something else subsequent to that access to the card. What occurred to me is that, if I now I'm using the card just for holding these files but previously I tried to use to boot the notebook I might need to uncheck the boot flag in order to avoid certain ambiguity that might arise due to that fact. I'm about to check that card now with GParted & proceed to change the status of the flag & check the booting process again. If I'm right or wrong I'll post it right away next...

What is the Viaos specs again? I mention this because of playdayz response to svgt post.

This is on page 40 of long 5.11 thread
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/vie...3aaa576545e7e5

From thread below (it's a long one)

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=58978

Not sure If I mentioned Well Minded Puppy Google Search. If I did. Well. Here it is again.
http://wellminded.com/puppy/pupsearch.html

Good luck with the Kernel Panic. I have never been any good with getting past that error message.

Thanks rokytnji for responding! I'm sorry I didn't submit from the very beginning these needed specs.

VAIO VGR AR250G - 512MB RAM - {no hdd installed} - BIOS=Phoenix Technologies [R0150J6] - SanDisk=TransFlash 128MB (inserted in a TransFlash Adapter) {could also be put in a Motorola Secure Digital USB Adapter}

Read many lines in the linked forum pages but those discussions were too technical & covering many aspects of others' problems/specific-situations that a little headache is approaching to my forehead..., thanks for the links anyway!

Do you know what application is running & producing that panic message? Something that might do a lot is learning where Puppy saves the config files (i.e., my location, keyboard, date & time, LAN & WiFi settings, etc.); the browser settings (History, Bookmarks, destination folder for the D/L's, other settings as in Preferences). My point here is that while running Lucid511 in this machine from the live cd (which comes with Midori only) I can't reach my Yahoo acct. because it uses https, so I resorted to D/L another browser that supports those & put it/them in the card. Then I've to install the browser each time I boot up if I'm pretending to use https sites; I also have to import my Bookmarks from there & then start to complete my browser settings. If I only knew where those config files were I could save them to the card before shutting down; then my problem would be deciding when & how to put those files in their proper places (I'm sure a script could be written specifically for this - which has to be placed in the card as well). Do you agree?

That is all saved in your personal .pupsave file you should have made when puppy was shut down while running live. In other words, You can use the Cd to run Puppy. Use the CF card to save when you shutdown. When booting puppy cd. It will look for that pupsave file in the cf card when it boots (that is my understanding at least).

Since Puppy runs in ram while booting off the cd. 512MB of ram should be fine to run live off the cd. I would just use the cf card to hold changes in Puppy and use the cd to run off of. You can eject the cd after it boots up and finishes loading desktop and connecting. Hope you understand what I am trying to say here. You do not need to install Puppy 5.1 to run it and save whatever changes. Just point (when you finish connecting, installing new browser and bookmarks,etc...) when puppy shuts down and asks "save changes" . Point it to the cf card. Give it 1gig of space. Tell it to save there. Puppy will format that cf card as ext2 file system for the pupsave changes (just the space you tell it to, whether 512MB or 1 gig). It will leave the rest of the cf card alone. I have never tried saving to cf card. I usually save to SSD drive or SD Flash or USB flash or Internal IDE drive partition. Hope you understand.

Edit: just realized you said transflash 128MB. Is that the CF card? I thought it was bigger like 2 gig or so. Tell save to only use 128MB if that is the case. Not a lot of room for a lot of changes though. 1 gig would be best. 512MB is usually good to. 128 MB is small.

Here also

http://puppylinux.org/main/index.php...ll%20Puppy.htm


http://puppylinux.org/main/index.php...ard%20Disk.txt

http://www.mygnulinux.com/?p=385

Thanks rokytnji for responding!

When I referred to 'where puppy puts those config files' above wasn't referring to the final destination, instead I was supposing that a separate folder/file was getting fatten/modified as one progresses using the OS & browser(s) & it's when the shutdown sequence starts that puppy gathers all that data/files & respective locations & puts all of them within the pupsave file (maybe a compressed file). If this's correct, then having the possibility of gathering all these files & putting them in the card before shutting down the syst. enables you to put them back to their respective places once the syst.'s running back again. I know, that's preciely the purpose of puppy when asking to save these files, but my problem's that if I do that, when Lupu's starting up it ends up in a kernel panic. So, in the meantime, I would prefer that there's some method of circumvent this loop-hole. Thanks for mentioning that Lupu saves the pupsave file in an ext2 file syst., I'm using an ext3 one - I'll change it before shutting down & recheck the startup process by rebooting inmediately.

Also note that I mentioned above Lupu, this's because I downloaded & made a live cd with it & this's the OS that I'm trying to boot with the pupsave file in the card. I still have the cd with PL431 but after trying to save pupsave file in the cd it stopped booting up as is normal; for it to boot I've to make some selections at the grub screen before the sequence begins.

I already visited the 1st link provided before doing anything & tried the usb method: didn't work for me. In my dead laptop I had PL421 installed besides Windows in a frugal installation & it worked very well - 2nd link' reference. More or less, that was the methods I used in my dead laptop: 3rd link reference. I should say now (if in case I didn't before) that this VAIO has no HD & that's the pivotal thing with my issues.

What selections. Is it asking what sfs to load?

By the way. Certain folks are just like you getting Kernel panics with Lupu on older gear. I have responded in Murga forums to IBM A20m user and a IBM T20 user who experiences exactly what you experience with Lupu. They have Hardrives and CDROMs. It seems to be something with OLD bios and Lupu Kernel conflict. That is why older Puppy Linux Distros work on older gear. It has something to do with newer kernel (seems to be Puppy Lupu 5.1 specific) and old bios.

Can I suggest something else. I run MacPUP which uses E17 Desktop (which is quite attractive,fast, and modern looking) on one of my older Laptop (only have 1 left now, a IBM A22m). Macpup is based on Puppy 4.31. There is a Macpup Foxy (Firefox version though that does not matter as any browser can be installed as a sfs in a frugal install) and a Macpup Opera version (which firefox can also be installed to using a sfs file in a frugal install)

Just opening your eyes to what is available and what can be done with Puppy. I won't run Lupu Puppy 5.1 yet because I consider it still with bugs even though Puppy has it listed as a release candidate. Just my opinion. But I consider 4.31 based Puppies to be stable and easy to use. Lots of prepackaged pets and sfs files for 4.31. And Lupu does not play well yet with Ubuntu repos and packages. That bug report thread that gave you a headache kinda bears my point out. If you have any more CDs. Give Macpup a shot. You might like it. The newer MacPup Opera comes with a 2.6.30.5 kernel. So that is pretty recent for a puppy distro.

http://www.macpup.org/

or just watch the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAljSNALFrM

Edit: forgot to mention. You can find a lot of Video How tos just by going to sneekylinux in youtube or type puppy linux in you tube search.

Today I managed to put the pupsave file within an iPod (256MB), rebooted & it worked! The iso file in the live cd is 130MB & the free space within the CFCard isn't even 115MB. I decided to try to trim some fat from it by using a remastering cd utility that comes with Lupu but I didn't know how to use it & I was auto-declared 'tilted'.

What I'm thinking of doing with that card is finding another puplet with much less memory requirements that, if possible, could solve at least one of the unresolved issues that I have with this notebook.

Thanks for everything! I'll post anything else that might arise...