Problems with Puppy Linux install

Aggressively_Passive · 04-27-2014, 08:42 PM

Hello, I am new to linux and am trying to install puppy on a Gateway ml3109, but I keep running into kernel panics and freezing.

Specs:
1.6 GHz Intel Celeron M 520
512 MB DDR2 Samsung Ram
ATI Radeon Xpress 200
80 GB IDE Hard Drive
Previous OS: Windows Vista (I kind of broke it)

I have tried 3 or 4 versions of puppy including precise, slacko, and lucid. I would like to install Slacko, because it came the closest to success. I also tried ubuntu, but ended up with a blinking underscore and a black screen. I am fine with wiping out the drive. I have tried burning the ISOs on my Mac to Sony DVD + RW discs at 4x and 2.4x speeds. I have tried swapping the ram with 2 256 mb ddr2 dimms from an old iMac, it booted up but ran into the same freezing/panics. I also tried swapping the drive with a 60 GB Ide drive, but with no avail. I have also set the optical drive as the first boot option. I get to the desktop than 5 seconds later freeze and kernel panic.

This is what one of the errors says:
kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception is interrupt
panic occurrred, switching back to text console
(But it never switches to any text console, just stays on that screen with mouse frozen)

hilyard · 04-27-2014, 09:09 PM

Don't try to install Puppy Linux, just make a LiveCD of the proper version for your hardware.
In your case, the version that is appicable is Slacko 5.7.0 Non-PAE
This is due to your ancient hardware and the kernel capability of it.
Best wishes!

Aggressively_Passive · 04-27-2014, 09:12 PM

Sorry I misspoke, I have been making LiveCDs from the ISOs. That's what I meant when I said I was burning DVDs.

darry1966 · 04-27-2014, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hilyard

Don't try to install Puppy Linux, just make a LiveCD of the proper version for your hardware.
In your case, the version that is appicable is Slacko 5.7.0 Non-PAE
This is due to your ancient hardware and the kernel capability of it.
Best wishes!

Yep Celeron M is definately non-pae kernel - Slacko should run and check that you are having good burns of your cds.

Aggressively_Passive · 04-27-2014, 11:23 PM

I have disk utility set to verify burns, and I have re-burned the dvd several times. But once more shouldn't hurt.

onebuck · 04-28-2014, 08:48 AM

Hi,

Welcome to LQ!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aggressively_Passive

I have disk utility set to verify burns, and I have re-burned the dvd several times. But once more shouldn't hurt.

So you verify the burnt image. You did verify the downloaded ISO image before burning?

You can use the following to help too download & verify the ISO image on a Windows/Xp machine;

Quote:

M$Windows:
Windows Burn tutorial <- 'Nero' Live Video for the newbies who burn the iso instead of the image of the ISO.
Imgburn <- 'ImgBurn is a lightweight CD / DVD / HD DVD / Blu-ray burning application that everyone should have in their toolkit!' + Freeware

-- MD5SUM:
M$Windows iso md5sum checking <- LQ Post on how too
md5sum.exe <- M$Win Application to perform md5sum checking.
winMd5Sum Portable <- FREE + Good for all M$ Windows

The above links and others can be found at 'Slackware-Links'. More than just Slackware® links!

I do suggest that you use a slow burn rate, 4 should provide a valid burn of the ISO image.

Hope this helps.

Aggressively_Passive · 05-02-2014, 03:09 AM

Thanks everyone for the replies, you have been helpful.

I have almost fixed the problem. I switched to dvd-rw, and have started creating the live cds from the laptop itself. That stopped the kernel panics.
Now, the only problem is the freezing. I think there's a problem with the video drivers.

Any ideas?

rokytnji · 05-02-2014, 08:23 AM

Use the Vesa.video driver

http://puppylinux.org/wikka/BootParameters