slackware 14.1 accessibility question

jdashiel · 12-07-2014, 11:22 AM

To date no member of linux-speakup email list has figured out how to get slackware 14.1 to start talking in order to install it. Could anyone with an install dvd handy do those of us trying to install slackware accessibly a huge favor? Put a dvd in a drive and power down, then turn the computer on and count the seconds it takes for the boot: prompt to show up on the bottom of your screen. I need to know how many seconds this takes for two reasons. First I'm totally blind and I do not have a monitor hooked to the computer on which slackware will be installed. That's an amd64 athelon k8 computer and this way I'll get an idea when to start typing if you send me the results of your timing test. I'm a command line type and only managed to log into linuxquestions.org this time using safari on a very old mac. lynx couldn't do it for me for some unknown reason. If I don't manage to log in here again, please send email to jdashiel -at- shellworld dot net. This information is not documented anywhere. It used to be 30 seconds for older slackware versions then moved up to 45 seconds and I know that since I used to listen to the dvd spinning. Now with slackware 14.1 and other versions the dvd takes a long time to spin up audibly and I can't tell when the boot prompt comes up any longer.

frankiej · 12-07-2014, 02:23 PM

For me, from power on to boot: prompt was approximately 31 seconds. After that it just sits there at the boot prompt waiting.

TracyTiger · 12-07-2014, 07:11 PM

My older computer also takes about 30 seconds to the boot: prompt. Of course this time can vary quite a bit with each computer and whether an extended POST is enabled or not.

If there is no keyboard input, the boot: prompt will wait 2 minutes before the default kernel setup boots.

One strategy is to press the space bar every 20 or 30 seconds for the first minute or two after turning on the power. That will stop the automatic boot of the default kernel and the space bar should be ignored during POST. You actually just need to press the space bar at least once before the 2 minute boot: prompt time. This assumes that 2 minutes is enough time to get to the boot: prompt on your machine.

I tried this strategy and 12 minutes later the boot: prompt was still there just waiting for me to type something.

This strategy just helps assure that when you type you'll be at the boot: prompt. This strategy doesn't let you start typing as soon as you may like to.

EDIT: Without visual feedback from a monitor, you may be having trouble not because of "timing" but it could be that the CD/DVD is "broken" and is not actually running and therefore bringing up a boot: prompt.

Another possibility is that the arguments you type after the boot: prompt result in an error (and another boot: prompt) instead of installing the kernel.

TracyTiger · 12-08-2014, 04:21 PM

I've been in contact with jdashiel via email. A monitor and local sighted assistance will be acquired for further troubleshooting.

The results will then be posted in this thread.

Didier Spaier · 12-21-2014, 04:18 AM

jdashiel, welcome to LQ.

It happens that I just released a Slint installer for Slackware 14.1 shipping brltty, so a Braille terminal can be used for installation, see this post (actually a short url redirecting you to the post).

I assume that you don't own one on these expensive terminals, but you you can still download one of the ISO files, then either burn it on a DVD or put it on an USB stick, see http://slint.fr/installer.html for instructions. When you will hear a "beep" the greeting screen will be ready. I reproduce it below:

Code:

 
Welcome to the Slint installer for Slackware-14.1 (32-bit x86 edition)!

Here are the available languages for installation:
04 Dutch            11 Polish                  19 Swedish               
05 English (USA)    12 Portuguese (Brazil)     20 Turkish
06 French           13 Portuguese (Portugal)   21 Ukrainian
07 German           15 Russian   
08 Greek            17 Spanish (Latin America)

Please type the language code at the prompt below, then press [Enter].
Alternatively, wait 2 minutes or just press [Enter] for English (USA)

Append 'u' for non-SMP kernel (CPU<Pentium III), 'n' for 'nomodeset' in
case of black screen after booting. Examples:
   boot: 06 | boot: 04n | boot: 06u | boot: 04nu

You can pass extra parameters to the kernel after the language code.

This installer also allows you to boot an already installed system.

To know more about that and other features, press [F2]
boot:

All Speakup kernel drivers are shipped in the kernel but as modules, so you will have to wait a few seconds for the relevant one to be loaded for your device to become operational (I assume that you'll have connected your device before booting but didn't check yet if we have proper udev rules to manage it, so we'll have to experiment there).

I intend to enhance the installer so it actually has a good support for Speakup, so I would be very grateful if you could help me test and enhance it.

You can try either the 32 or 64 bit version but only with a BIOS firmware as there are some limitation due to usage of GRUB in case of an UEFI firmware (but in legacy mode).

Feel free to communicate with me directly as need be using this address: didier (at) slint [dot] fr.

PS:

Quote:

Originally Posted by TracyTiger

I've been in contact with jdashiel via email. A monitor and local sighted assistance will be acquired for further troubleshooting.

The results will then be posted in this thread.

I didn't read this before posting, my bad.

Still, i am eager to cooperate.