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Old 07-14-2012, 01:37 PM   #1
Benny7440
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How to boot frugally with grub CorePlus-4.5.5.iso?


I'm actually booting up PL528.005 frugally but can boot other puppies the same way (each has its own folder already). Recently, I d/l CorePlus-4.5.5.iso for trying booting through the lan connection an HPCompaq laptop that has no hdd.

I would prefer to boot CorePlus-4.5.5.iso frugally, then install in a sdcard (if possible), put it in a usb adapter (the HP laptop has no card port) & try to boot the HP with it. This's because I've searched for ways of updating the 'BonEcho' browser that comes with my version of DSL but with no luck there; I've tried also to learn how to upgrade DSL itself but the same thing here: no help found. Any of these OS (DSL - newest version & TinyCore) would be very interesting & useful for virtualization experimentation. This will be my next step...

Or, try to boot the HP laptop via PXE with this tiny OS. I already tried other puppies but it always gave me an error when loading 'initrd.gz' file.

I, sometimes, can boot that laptop with DSL in a flash drive, but it with increasing frequency has been giving me a message of "a disk unit is locked"??? When this happens it always reverts to trying to boot via PXE. Any ideas as to what really is happening when the BIOS reports this?

Any 'tree' of possibilities available to obtain all/any of the above results? Thanks!
 
Old 07-19-2012, 07:10 PM   #2
aus9
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lots of puppy users at puppy sub-forum or the site puppy forum can help with puppy on usb stick

2) but I have booted tinycore on usb stick in the past, assuming bios accepts usb hd as an option I can link you to tc wiki and stuff if you prefer DSL to puppy

3) disk unit locked could be a number of things

a) the usb has actual slide lock ....locking the data write function

b) the usb stick reports to the operating system that it is full...actually the OS thinks its full but you get my drift

4) as usb sticks are cheap I would buy a 1G stick and format it as either ext2 to minimise writes or ext3 if you are tempted to pull stick out without unmounting

some TC usb stuff suggests you format it a certain way. their wiki assumes cd boots but you don't need to burn the cd....you can download the iso, mount it and extract the files then format the usb stick.....create the folders ....copy files onto them....then use grub (legacy) to add bootloader to usb stick

let me know if that is what you are interested in
 
Old 07-20-2012, 12:45 AM   #3
aus9
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ahhh forget above post

I just downloaded the coreplus iso.....and its already an isohybrid standard therefore try this

(or cf card etc)

NOTE CHANGE sdb to whatever appears in your /var/log/messages when you insert the usb stick
eg I have hard drive sda so usb is sdb but if you boot a computer with no hdd....yours may be sda...got it?

Unmount your usb stick to re-format it

1) use

Code:
su (or sudo su)

umount /dev/sdb1

fdisk /dev/sdb

press m to get help

delete your partitions and create a linux partition as ext2 ....
----actually I did this before running the dd command so it may not be necessary but who cares?

then create one partition linux type ignore my size of 512 Megs and press a to make it a bootable flag so press p to get
Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1   *        2048     1001471      499712   83  Linux

then format it with 

mkfs.ext2 /dev/sdb1

---now copy iso onto usb stick 

dd if=CorePlus-current.iso of=/dev/sdb
change to your download folder to use the dd command

of course you need to go into your bios to change the hard drive boot order to detect the usb stick (cf card etc)

I don't cf card but I assume it will be similar?
 
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Old 07-20-2012, 12:00 PM   #4
Benny7440
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Thanks you for responding, aus9!

I've read twice your posts & then had a look to my 128MB cfcard in the usb adapter. I took a snapshot of the screen after copying all the contents of it to another folder in preparation to the reformatting that should follow up. The card is formatted as vfat.

Just for the sake of been complete in my explanation I'll state the following:
1) the contents of the card includes all the folders & files of DSL, that was in a futile attempt to boot from it the said HP laptop;
2) various files in preparation/attempt to use it for PXE lan-booting the said laptop with the aid of the card &/or grub boot loader, it also was futile (see/note the 'netbootme' files.

In relation to these last files, do you think there's something I can do with those 'netbootme' files before formatting the card?

The referenced flash drive (MuVo MP3 Player from Creative - 64MB; reformatted as vfat) has no switch for locking it. Working from the VAIO, after mounting it it reports a 55MB total with 1377 KB free space (after deleting the variousfiles folder).

I would like to know what files to insert in the card to boot CorePlus or a link to where this info might be found. But I've a doubt, since I'm already booting using grub what do you want to say about grub IN relation to the card (your 1st post above)?

In relation to your 2nd post above, is it enough to put the iso file there or some/all its contents should be extracted & copied there?

Thanks in advance!

PS. Please, if you've something to say in relation to using DSL from the card &/or the 'netbootme' thing reference these first.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	cfcard_in_usbadapter_contents-vfat_formatted.png
Views:	25
Size:	144.5 KB
ID:	10169  

Last edited by Benny7440; 07-20-2012 at 12:08 PM. Reason: Forgot to include a screenschot
 
Old 07-20-2012, 02:35 PM   #5
floppy_stuttgart
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I dont fully understand, but I think one answer could be:
- boot TinyCoreLinux from the CD
- load and start the application tc-install then install TinyCoreLinux on your SD/USB (install extlinux
or modify the extlinux.conf if it is already installed; in this case you dont need to use the tc-install, just have to copy few files from the CD onto your SD card).
I have personally a SD 8GB with TinyCoreLinux, Slitaz, Knoppix...
 
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Old 07-20-2012, 03:36 PM   #6
Benny7440
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Thank you, floppy_stuttgart, for responding!

I'm booting from the hdd, frugally, anyone of a # of puppies over there, only; & don't have a cd with TinyCoreLinux nor CorePlus, although have the CorePlus iso file available in a folder in one partition in the hdd.

Do you have a list of needed folders/files from CorePlus to be put in the cfcard to use it for booting up the HP laptop?

Edit: After posting the above started to read some info at:

http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:i...d_or_dvd_drive

& decided to give it a try but, even though "unetbootin-linux-578" is executable already, it gave me the message: "mlabel not found. This is required for Arch Linux install mode.
Install the "mtools" package or your distribution's equivalent.".

How can I continue my experiment or where I must d/l this required file? I'm using PL528.005...

Last edited by Benny7440; 07-20-2012 at 04:29 PM. Reason: New info found
 
Old 07-20-2012, 07:46 PM   #7
aus9
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ok I know I am supposed to reply with your important stuff first...but I need to correct one of my suggestions

last post I suggested to format and then do the dd command....I have just woken up in aussie land and booted my debian and relooked at fdisk for the usb stick and it now reports

Code:
fdisk /dev/sdb
Disk /dev/sdb: 512 MB, 512753664 bytes
64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 489 cylinders, total 1001472 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x4e32704b

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1   *           0      133119       66560   17  Hidden HPFS/NTFS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

now I have re-read some of your posts and would like some clarification

1) Am I correct to assume you want to have multiple distros on your cf card?

2) And in using the term...."frugal" do you agree you mean....."poor man's install"
What I mean is that.....the intended target has isos of various types.....and a bootloader boots as if the iso acts like a cd

as I can not see your bootloader menu....forgive me for seeking clarification

3) If I call your first computer PL and your target computer HP, want are your priorities for the HP?

I have no experience with vfat....now a days

and...if your only going to use usb stick....I would suggest that multibooting is ----not---an option based on your free space of

do you care if your cf card has only one distro option or --must-- it have multiboot

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

as we are not in the same time zone....I am thinking in linux format terms.....for the cf card
grub-legacy or grub2 can boot some isos.....using the keyword.....fromiso
but we have......grub4dos....with similar function

http://superuser.com/questions/15413...-boot-from-iso

----------------------------------------------------------
In relation to your files to be put on media the answer for the file folders are

/boot
/cde

for Tinycore


but its not entirely clear to me what is your cf bootloader

so try this and post results...I am showing my usb stick that had dd command to install one distro

Code:
dd if=/dev/sdb bs=512 count=1 | strings
1+0 records in
1+0 records out
512 bytes (512 B) copied, 2.4567e-05 s, 20.8 MB/s
fSfQ
xpu	
isolinux.bin missing or corrupt.
f`f1
{fRfP
Operating system load error.
Kp2N
and for my hard drive its

Code:
dd if=/dev/sda bs=512 count=1 | strings
GRUB
ZRr=
`|f	
\|f1
GRUB 
Geom
Hard Disk
Read
 Error
1+0 records in
1+0 records out
512 bytes (512 B) copied, 0.00010588 s, 4.8 MB/s
and I know hd is grub2 and usb is isolinux...ignore the "errors" they are relevant only if things not working and need to report to you

ok sorry about longer post but leaping ahead,

mount the multicore iso.....extract the folders and copy to cf card
then you need to do one of the following
a) modify your existing bootloader for cf card for the entry....but I don't know what your using yet
b) modify your existing bootloader to chainload if TC was on its own partition....also known as PBR
c) replace your bootloader to obtain same results
 
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Old 07-20-2012, 08:42 PM   #8
aus9
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forgot to ask

that knoppix folder....is that got persistence?

where are your persistence changes stored pls?
 
Old 07-21-2012, 12:42 AM   #9
Benny7440
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It's very late here already & I'm very tired of dealing with a DSL issue, so I'm not going to be complete in responding to your post, but I'll be precise.

1) I just want to put CorePlus over there, only.

2) You're right, have an ext3 partition with some folders each holding a diferent puppy: 528, 525, 511, Wary512 & Puppy Studio.

3) I just want to be able to boot something else in the HP since DSL has proven to be very hard to manage & I can't find any help with it anywhere I've searched up to now.

Sorry but I'll finish with this post tomorrow when I'm awaken...

Thanks for your help, aus9!
 
Old 07-21-2012, 04:07 AM   #10
aus9
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well as you want TC there only ....have I got a deal for you....giggles

http://techpatterns.com/forums/about2153.html

BTW I don't make a habit of doing step by steps as I get too grumpy but I have a created a mini howto based on my real success on getting Multicore onto a sd card that is inserted into a usb reader that my bios accepts as an USB storage device.

have a read of it....and see if you understand it.

Leaping ahead...I know little about isolinux so prefer grub2 ....but it seemed appropriate that TC is smallish so should use grub legacy??

if you are almost "there" feel free to reply here or there and I shall see what I can do.

PS I have not yet tested persistence.....I may try to find time to do that over the next few days

but you can always post to TC forum?
 
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Old 07-21-2012, 08:29 AM   #11
floppy_stuttgart
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Benny7440 View Post
Thank you, floppy_stuttgart, for responding!

I'm booting from the hdd, frugally, anyone of a # of puppies over there, only; & don't have a cd with TinyCoreLinux nor CorePlus, although have the CorePlus iso file available in a folder in one partition in the hdd.

Edit: After posting the above started to read some info at:

http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:i...d_or_dvd_drive
So far I understood: you dont have a CD drive. You have the ISO on the HDD.
Personally, I would
- start "isomaster" (from Puppy?)
- extract from the ISO (and put the files on your USB/SD)
-> /boot/core.gz into /core4/
-> /boot/vmlinuz into /core4/
-> /cde/onboot.lst into /core4/tce/
-> /cde/xfbase.lst into /core4/tce/core4.lst
-> /cde/optional/*.* into /core4/tce/optional/

Then introduce a new grub(?) menu entry on your SD card

Proposal for Grub (NOT TESTED! because I have no Grub on SD, but extlinux on SD). hdx,y to be defined by yourself.

title Core4
root (hdx,y)
kernel /core4/vmlinuz quiet showapps nozswap pause waitusb=5:UUID="your SD card UUID_NUMBER_to be putted here" tce=/core4/tce printk.time=1 lst=core4.lst
initrd /core4/core.gz

And: you could move into the tinycorelinux forum for a quicker help.
But: in any case, post here your progress. We will do it together.

Last edited by floppy_stuttgart; 07-21-2012 at 11:17 AM.
 
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Old 07-21-2012, 08:19 PM   #12
Benny7440
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To aus9: Yesterday I was working from the HP laptop so didn't have access to my menu.lst file. I'm reproducing it below:

# GRUB configuration file '/boot/grub/menu.lst'.
# generated by 'grubconfig'. Sun Jul 3 04:15:57 2011
#
# Start GRUB global section
timeout 15
color light-gray/blue black/light-gray
# End GRUB global section
# 1) Linux bootable partition config begins
title Puppy Linux 528-005 frugal in sda2 dir puppy528-005
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
kernel /puppy528-005/vmlinuz pmedia=atahd psubdir=puppy528-005
initrd /puppy528-005/initrd.gz
# Linux bootable partition config ends
# 2) Linux bootable partition config begins
title Puppy Linux 525 frugal in sda2 dir puppy525
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
kernel /puppy525/vmlinuz pmedia=atahd psubdir=puppy525
initrd /puppy525/initrd.gz
# Linux bootable partition config ends
# 3) Linux bootable partition config begins
title Puppy Linux 511 frugal in sda2 dir puppy511
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
kernel /puppy511/vmlinuz pmedia=atahd psubdir=puppy511
initrd /puppy511/initrd.gz
# Linux bootable partition config ends
# 4) Linux bootable partition config begins
title Puppy Wary 512 frugal in sda2 dir wary-512
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
kernel /wary-512/vmlinuz pmedia=atahd psubdir=wary-512 acpi=off
initrd /wary-512/initrd.gz
# Linux bootable partition config ends
# 5) Linux bootable partition config begins
title Puppy Studio frugal in sda2 dir puppystudio
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
kernel /puppystudio/vmlinuz pmedia=atahd psubdir=puppystudio
initrd /puppystudio/initrd.gz
# Linux bootable partition config ends
# 5) Linux bootable partition config begins
title netbootme in sdb1
rootnoverify (sdb0,0)
kernel gpxe.krn
initrd isolinux.bin
# Linux bootable partition config ends
# 6) Tiny Core bootable partition config begins
default 0
timeout 10
title tinycore
kernel /mnt/home/TC/boot/bzImage quiet
initrd /mnt/home/TC/boot/tinycore.gz
# Tiny Core bootable partition config ends
# title Install GRUB to floppy disk (on /dev/fd0)
# pause Insert a formatted floppy disk and press enter.
# root (hd0,1)
# setup (fd0)
# pause Press enter to continue.
title Install GRUB to Linux partition (on /dev/sda2)
root (hd0,1)
setup (hd0,1)
# pause Press enter to continue.
title - For help press 'c', then type: 'help'
root (hd0)
title - For usage examples, type: 'cat /boot/grub/usage.txt'
root (hd0)


I haven't tried to boot TC here, yet.

That Knoppix folder is part of a copy from my MuVo MP3 player contents, which is my DSL there. At the copy you're seeing here was added other files not pertaining to the DSL installation. In relation to persistency, I'm not sure I understood it correctly but if so I should say that DSL is as persistent as any other distro unless I'm out of memory in the stick...

I should also say that for the same issue of memory there I've not a 'MyDSL' folder for any extensions. I, nevertheless, would like to get rid of Dillo, BonEcho & other things that I don't use from this installation for making space to install a more recent updated browser.

To floppy_stuttgart: I do have a cd drive in both, the VAIO AWA the HP. In a partition within the VAIO's hdd have some iso files at hand.

For some unknown reason, a known good cd with Ubuntu nor any other cd with an iso file in it boot any more from this HP even though it, in the past, booted some live cds.

I don't understand when you say "Then introduce a new grub(?) menu entry on your SD card"; is it supposed to mean that grub itself should be included in the cfcard or it's referring to a menu.lst entry (which resides in the VAIO's hdd)?

Is it much different if I just left-click the iso file & move the folders/files to the sdcard myself? I mean, does isomaster does something extra? What filesystem the sdcard should be?

Thanks to both of you, I feel now I see things much clearer!

Last edited by Benny7440; 07-21-2012 at 08:56 PM. Reason: For completion of reply.
 
Old 07-21-2012, 11:00 PM   #13
aus9
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well I agree with floppy_stuttgart, strictly speaking you would be better off posting at the TC forum.

casually I would say you must have an older TC as your grub menu shows the kernel as bzImage but luckily they have moved to a name that makes it easier to non-TC grubs to install a bootloader.

(Trivia....if you used knoppix grub to attempt to install you would first need to create a sym link from bzImage to vmlinuz)

Anyhow, in the long run you are better off with posting at TC forum or the puppy forum.

I am still making changes to my link so am declaring cloud mode is a success but persistence is not.
and while I have my own agenda to see what I can do.....its probably no longer suitable to portray myself as better than anyone on this matter.

its been too long since I have used TC....and when I did use it, there was TC or MC and no coreplus

good luck to you

2) sometimes, your cd drive might just need a clean of the lens or push the cables back in
 
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Old 07-22-2012, 08:25 AM   #14
floppy_stuttgart
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oh man. I am guessing again what your needs are..

put a

title Core4
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
kernel /core4/vmlinuz quiet showapps nozswap pause tce=/core4/tce printk.time=1 lst=core4.lst
initrd /core4/core.gz

in the menu.lst of your hp hdd ? So, you could start TinyCoreLinux on your HDD (should be an ext format)


Is it much different if I just left-click the iso file & move the folders/files to the sdcard myself? you can do it, but adapt the path in the menu.lst .. and... you can move the files on the SD if you need the SD card instead of the HDD install.
I mean, does isomaster does something extra? isomaster simply extract the files, then move the extracted files to the SD in the directory structure of the previous post (with a file manager like MidnightCommander or Roxfiler or fluff). It mean put the file
/boot/core.gz from the iso to /core4/core.gz on the HDD ( or SD?)
/boot/vmlinuz from the iso to /core4/vmlinuz on the HDD ( or SD?)
/cde/onboot.lst from the iso to /core4/tce/onboot.lst on the HDD ( or SD?)
/cde/xfbase.lst from the iso to /core4/tce/core4.lst
all files from /cde/optional/ on the iso to the directory /core4/tce/optional/ on your HDD or SD
What filesystem the sdcard should be? ext2

Last edited by floppy_stuttgart; 07-22-2012 at 08:57 AM.
 
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Old 07-23-2012, 10:03 PM   #15
aus9
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I have moved off TC due to unexplained persistence issues so instead have converted to
macpup using the enlightenment desktop

my only issue now is to watch out for free space on my 1G sd card as to save changes you create a squashfile of what (you) have changed

I am not suggesting you move to macpup.

submitted for closure reasons only

good luck
 
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