Puppylinux for the OLPC laptops: XOpup

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01micko
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#61 Post by 01micko »

8)
XOpup gained some more stability and features and is out as XOpup-1.0
Check the top post for more info and download.
I can't wait to get out my razor! :lol:

This version indeed feels nice and solid on the xo-1.

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
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tony
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#62 Post by tony »

Hi All,

how does this version of Pup work with the package manager?

Regards Tony.

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mavrothal
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#63 Post by mavrothal »

tony wrote:how does this version of Pup work with the package manager?
I'm not sure I understand the question, but XOpup is Puppylinux 5.1.1 (lupu) at its core. So has quickpet and its PPM uses the lucid pup as well as the Ubuntu-lucid repositories, (if activated)

If you are asking how XOpup-1.0 compares with the previous versions (vN/RC) in PPM performance?... Is better :D
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rrolsbe
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XOpup-1.0

#64 Post by rrolsbe »

Finally got the time to try out the released version of Puppy on my XO-1. Seems to be working quite fine. I like the idea of striping out a lot of the applications that are currently loaded into RAM at start up (IE.. the lupu-511.sfs content). This would leave more room to actually run applications without out running out of RAM. After all, any applications installed outside of the lupu-511.sfs file would not be loaded into RAM at boot time (of course they would load into RAM slower from the flash media). I use Seamonkey or Firefox in lieu of the built in browser. It would be nice to have that inside of the lupu-511.sfs file (would load faster).

A few questions:

Puppy normally sets up half the available RAM as /tmp. I think /tmp is were flash writes are normally cached but Puppy running from an SDHC card does not cache these writes (not sure why booting from USB caches flash writes but booting from SDHC doesn't? -- both use NAND flash? Does/could this require less RAM for /tmp? (leaving more RAM to run applications)

Is there enough resources to remaster the lupu-511.sfs file while booted from the OLPC (maybe to add Seamonkey)? If not, I think there are other ways to add applications to the main lupu-511.sfs wherewithal.? Seamonkey is the only large executable I run often that SHOULD load faster from RAM as opposed to loading from flash memory. I like the idea of making ALL the normal stuff striped from the XO version of Puppy available as SFS or PETS.

Last question. I boot into Puppy on my ASUS netbook using a write-locked SDHC bootable card (for security reasons while traveling) and simply power off the netbook using the power switch (nothing can get corrupted on the SDHC card because it is write locked) Would this be possible with the XO? I know the machine could not use a swap file from a write locked SDHC card or would crash when it ran out of RAM..

Again, Thanks for all the hard work.
Regards, Ron

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mavrothal
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#65 Post by mavrothal »

Hi Ron,
When puppy runs from a USB flash runs in mode 13 so ALL writes are in /tmpfs and periodically are saved in the savefile. Running from an SDcard is in mode 6 and saves directly to the read-write layer eg your card. Thus no tempfs. These are the default for puppy in general.
The Remaster Puppy application does not work in XOpup because it is setup to make a new iso, which is useless for XOpup anyway. You can do it manually though. You'll need to write the contents of lupu-511.sfs to a folder, incorporate your changes and remake the lupu-511.sfs.
In the example we assume that lupu-511.sfs as well as the seamonkey.pet is at the root of your stick. In terminal type

Code: Select all

cd /mnt/home
pet2tgz seamonkey.pet
mkdir newsfs
cd newsfs
mkdir sfs
mkdir puppydata
mount -o loop ../lupu-511.sfs sfs
cp -aR sfs/* puppydata/  # will take some time
cd puppydata
tar xvzf ../../seamonkey.tgz
cd ../
mksquashfs puppydata/ lupu-511.sfs  # will take some time
# a new lupu-511.sfs file will be created in your newsfs folder
umount sfs # thiis is the original
mount lupu-511.sfs sfs # check that the new lupu-511sfs has your changes and is OK
umount sfs
mv ../lupu-511.sfs ../lupu-511._sfs_orig # to have it in case something goes wrong
cp -a  lupu-511.sfs ../ 
Your seamonky containing sfs is ready. Reboot to use it.
You will also need to remove the previous savefile or folders.

Alternatively, you can run XOpup, make all the changes you want including network setup, browser, bookmarks etc, save to a lupusave file and then merge the lupu-511.sfs and lupusave.2fs into a new lupu-511.sfs. eg loop mount them in sfs1 and sfs2 copy their contents in puppydata and make a new lupu-511.sfs from this. This will be your own XOpup with everything you need and will always be pristine! (just make sure that is not 300MB :D)

Running from a locked card and without swap is a problem. Pretty soon the XO-1 will run out of memory. What you can do is to set your root partition on the card read-only (though programs may change it) or if you are happy with your modified sfs just don't save the session at the end. However in all cases the lupu-511.sfs file is always pristine. Is read-only. Is the lupusave sfs or your save partition that has all the changes.


BTW :shock: : I have made a pet with the wxcam 1.0.6 camera application, but I can not fully test it since my XO-1 camera is brocken.
If any one wants to test and report, is HERE
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rrolsbe
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Report back on wxcam

#66 Post by rrolsbe »

Thanks for the reply in your previous post.
When puppy runs from a USB flash runs in mode 13 so ALL writes are in /tmpfs and periodically are saved in the savefile. Running from an SDcard is in mode 6 and saves directly to the read-write layer eg your card. Thus no tempfs
I believe the SDHC card is seen as a USB device on the EEE ASUS netbook. That is why it can boot from an SDHC card and caches writes.
I have made a pet with the wxcam 1.0.6 camera application, but I can not fully test it since my XO-1 camera is brocken.
If any one wants to test and report.
I didn't have much time but I installed the wxcam pet and it locked up my XO. It appears to lockup worse when I have USB devices attached (keyboard, mouse, wire ethernet adapter). With these USB devices attached, I had to power cycle the XO after launching the wxcam (no mouse or keyboard response on either the XO or external USB mouse/keyboard ). Disconnected all external USB devices and rebooted/retested. When I launched the wxcam the camera LED lite and the application wxcam GUI was displayed on the desktop and the XO mouse pad functioned; however, the only thing I could do was shutdown the XO nothing else responded.

Since I had to hard power reset my XO several times during the above testing, I need to backup my pupsave file and rerun these tests again.

Hopefully this quick report is useful even though it contains no details as to what might be wrong. The only thing I can say for certain is, with the pet installed (and NOT launched), my USB ethernet adapter is not recognized.

Thanks Again for the info in your previous post!!!
Regards, Ron

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mavrothal
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Re: Report back on wxcam

#67 Post by mavrothal »

rrolsbe wrote: I didn't have much time but I installed the wxcam pet and it locked up my XO.
Sorry for the trouble. I certainly did not see this behavior neither on the XO-1 nor the XO-1.5. :?
If you feel like trying again, try this way.
Open the PPM activate the official Ubuntu-Lucid repositories (restart PPM) and install first
libwxbase2.8
libwxgtk2.8
libmjpegtools-1.9
Then install the pet and see if this works now.
If not, also install "libxvidcore4"
Basically the pet contains a part of the above required libraries (trying to minimize size) that should be sufficient, but maybe is not.
Thanks for testing
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rrolsbe
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Results of test

#68 Post by rrolsbe »

Open the PPM activate the official Ubuntu-Lucid repositories (restart PPM) and install first
libwxbase2.8
libwxgtk2.8
libmjpegtools-1.9
Then install the pet and see if this works now.
After performing the above and before rebooting, the webcam application worked; however, after rebooting everything worked until I launched the webcam application.

I captured a tif picture and an avi movie using the webcam app successfully before i rebooted. Maybe it has something to do with the whiteout files in /dev?


Even though your camera is broke, seems like yours would have the same issue?

Regards, Ron

UPDATE: Removed the .wh files still locked up when I launched the webcam.
Also, I had to remove the .wh files to get my sound to work on the released XO-1.0 (the one without the webcam installation). I though the speaker icon didn't display when the sound was borked, guess I remembered wrong. Guess the .wh files are still a problem?

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mavrothal
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Re: Results of test

#69 Post by mavrothal »

rrolsbe wrote: After performing the above and before rebooting, the webcam application worked; however, after rebooting everything worked until I launched the webcam application.
Ron,
thanks for testing.
What happened when wxcam was launched after reboot? The application crashed or the XO?
If it is the application only you can launch it through the terminal and see if it is spitting any complains.
I do not have this issue on relaunch, eg the app loads but does not work (because of the camera I presume), but nothing else.

whitespace files is still a problem but this is a more general Aufs issue. I did not observe anything specific with the wxcam.

Are you using the savefile os the seve-to-patrition setup?

I guess I have to fix somehow my camera...
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rrolsbe
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More test results

#70 Post by rrolsbe »

Forgot to mention in my previous post, I installed the following.
Then install the pet and see if this works now.
If not, also install "libxvidcore4"
When I launch the webcam from the start menu, the XO locks up and the application never appears. I will try launching it from the command line and report back.
Are you using the savefile os the seve-to-patrition setup?
I am using two pupsave.2fs files, one for testing the webcam and the other for normal usage. I have never used save to partition. Is that wear the save file is saved directly to the sdhc cards ext2/ext3 file partition instead of union mounting a 2fs file? That would be a difference.


Regards, Ron

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mavrothal
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Re: More test results

#71 Post by mavrothal »

rrolsbe wrote: I am using two pupsave.2fs files, one for testing the webcam and the other for normal usage. I have never used save to partition. Is that wear the save file is saved directly to the sdhc cards ext2/ext3 file partition instead of union mounting a 2fs file? That would be a difference.
Regards, Ron
How do you distinguish between the two savefiles? Do you rename them depending on which one you use or they are both loaded (you can do that in puppy)?
I find saving to the entire (ext2/3) partition on an SDcard to be much more stable, albeit slower. It's still using the layered system, the card is just another layer, but with less (if any) problems. Needs more work when you are testing to erase it for a fresh start, but for "normal" use is much better in my opinion.

Thanks for testing.
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rrolsbe
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Pupsave files used for debugging

#72 Post by rrolsbe »

How do you distinguish between the two savefiles? Do you rename them depending on which one you use or they are both loaded (you can do that in puppy)?
As long as the pupsave file starts with pupsave and ends with 2fs or 3fs, it will ask you at boot time which one you want to use. The two pupsave files are NOT both loaded/used at the same time.

0 Do Not use any pupsave
1 use pupsave.2fs
2 use pupsave-webcam.2fs

The above works great to isolate my webcam debugging from my normal working pupsave. The only caveat is you need room to store both pupsave files. In fact, depending on the version of puppy, it will look at all connected devices (including sub directories) for a file call pupsaveXXX.2/3fs and list all for selection at boot time.

The only problem I have had, if you are booting a new Puppy release and select a pupsave used in an earlier Puppy release, it will perform an update without asking.

rrolsbe
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More webcam test results.

#73 Post by rrolsbe »

If it is the application only you can launch it through the terminal and see if it is spitting any complains
.

When booting selecting the pupsave.2fs with the webcam wherewithal, I get the following error:

Error saving /root/.config/rox.sourceforge.net/ROX-Filer/globicons input/output error

In a terminal window I cd /root/.config/rox.sourceforge.net/ROX-Filer/ and the commands ls, file, rm all give input/output error on the file globicons?

When I do an ls -al in the ROX-Filer directory I get all question marks except for the file name globicons. Also, there is a file called globicons.new that appears to be a valid XML file.

I have never seen the input/output error?

I would like to put this error to bed before trying to launch the webcam from the command line. This might even be the problem.

Regards, Ron

Update: mounted the sdhc card on my other laptop running Puppy then:

losetup-FULL -f <--This command told me /dev/loop2 was available
losetup-FULL /dev/loop2 lupusave-xcam-broke.2fs
e2fsck -y /dev/loop2

Had a bunch of errors.

Mounted up the lupusave-xcam-broke.2fs and the file globicons is now gone.

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mavrothal
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#74 Post by mavrothal »

Ron
I/O errors means that your pupsave file is seriously corrupted or (unlikely) the stick itself. You can run an fsck to verify (check the post on recovering sound in the previous page, on how) but I do not think is going to fix it.
I think the best is to just make a new pupsave.
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rrolsbe
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Output from wxcam in terminal window

#75 Post by rrolsbe »

Marvoral

Turning off my XO several times, via the power switch, during my webcam debugging certainly would wack the mounted pupsave.2fs file. Here is the output from running wxcam in an xterm.

# wxcam
Determining video4linux API version ...
Using video4linux 2 API
V4L2_CID-_GAMMA is not supported
Determining pixel format...
pixel format YUYV 4:2:2
Found V4L2_PIX_FMT_YUYV pixel format
pixel format: RGB 444
pixel format: RGB 565
pixel format: raw RGB Bayer
Found V4L2_FMT_SBGGR8 pixel format

At this point the XO is locked up requiring a power cycle.

Regards, Ron

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mavrothal
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#76 Post by mavrothal »

OK Ron thanks,
nothing suspicious there.

Check your PM :wink:
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mavrothal
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openchrome driver

#77 Post by mavrothal »

If you are one of the rare few with an XO-1.5, I have compiled the latest openchrome driver from source (snv 886), and now XO-1.5 is almost in par with the XO-1 :D
The annoying camera light is gone but most important, does not freeze the computer on video playback.
Get the openchrome_svn886-2.pet from HERE

You may also find interesting :wink: a new 2.6.35 kernel for the XO-1.5. Needs further testing but shows improved wakeup from sleep behavior.
You can download boot15.tar.gz (md5sum 1ca171f9d97a81cddcc783a255f720e9). Extract it and replace the boot15 folder of XOpup-1.0
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#78 Post by 01micko »

Hi mavrothal

I will give the kernel a spin tonight.

The woofed up spup I built has geode and openchrome drivers :D , but the older ones :( .. still could be worth my while to knock up a different flavour of xopup!

Cheers
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mavrothal
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#79 Post by mavrothal »

01micko wrote: I will give the kernel a spin tonight.
FYI, the initrd/kernel is for XO-1.5 only.
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#80 Post by 01micko »

:oops: .. yes denoted by the big 15

Well the spup experiment then!

Cheers!
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