Save file on MMC SD card not loaded at live CD boot [SOLVED]

[luc0zade]

I'm running Racy 5.2.90 from a live CD on a Dell Latitude E5420 laptop.

I previously tried Lucid Puppy 5.2.8.004 but it doesn't include the drivers for my wifi, Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205, or built-in SD card reader, O2 Micro, Inc. Device 8321.

However Racy has a newer kernel, 3.0.17 and everything seems to be working fine ...except that every time I boot, I get the welcome message, "this is the first time you are running Puppy!".

When I shutdown the session, Puppy prompts me to create a save file, which I put on the SD card in the internal card reader.

The problem is that next time I boot from the live CD, it doesn't find the 'racysave' file and I have to set up the network etc. from afresh again.

The save file seems to be alright because I can see it on the SD card, but it just isn't loading during boot.

Do I need to enter special boot options? Something about pmedia = ataflash?

I've tried clicking "Configure startup of Puppy" in Puppy Setup, but this isn't possible either because I get a message saying "Must shutdown and create a personal save file first", although I have of course already done this when closing the previous session.

I've also tried the earlier version of Racy, 5.2.2 but had exactly the same issues.

Any advice?

Aaron

[darkcity]

if your booting from cd when you get chance to enter commands try setting the psubdir, note the dirrectory the sd card is usually mounted to-

will probably be something like /mnt/sdb1

if so enter:-

Code: Select all

puppy psubdir=/mnt/sdb1

---

I'm not sure about pmedia because on one hand the boot media is still cd on the other hand you to mount the sd card.

more commands here-
http://puppylinux.org/wikka/BootParametersPuppy

---
if you want to boot just from Sd see
http://www.ehow.com/how_8461068_boot-pu ... -card.html

looks like sd card is handled as a usbflash

[luc0zade]

Hi, thanks for replying.

Your suggestion started me looking at boot commands and I think the two parameters I need are pdev1 to specify the device where the sfs file is stored and pupsfs to specify the exact filename of the sfs file.

I think psubdir is used when the sfs file is in an unusual folder, but as the sfs file I am trying to load is in the root folder on the SD card, I don't think I need to use this command.

Also, the pdev1 and pupsfs parameters use the name of the device before is it mounted, not the name of the device's folder under /mnt - so for the SD card, the device is referenced as mmcblk0 (the name of the device) not mmcblk0p1 (the name of the mounted folder).

I'm still not sure whether I have to specify the name and location of the racysave (pup_save) f2s file as well, but I'm guessing I don't because it's in the same folder as the sfs file.

So the complete boot parameter command I have been trying is:-

Code: Select all

puppy pdev1=mmcblk0 pupsfs=mmcblk0:racy_puppy_5.2.90.sfs

The good news is that I think this command is directing the boot process to use the correct sfs file.

The bad news is that despite this success, on every boot there is a kernel panic due to "not syncing" just after "Setting up the layered filesystem" when the boot process reaches "Performing a 'switch_root' to the layered filesystem".

I'm not sure how to investigate this error further, but I have tried including additional boot options such as pfix=nocopy to stop the sfs file being copied into RAM and pmedia=usbflash to specify the boot media.

However the kernel panic error stays the same and occurs at the same point in the boot process every time.

I do hope I can get this fixed because it would obviously be very convenient to be able to store settings between sessions.

[bigpup]

Just to be clear and understand.
When first asked to make a save file. You chose the SD card and the make save file process put it on the SD card?
What is the SD card identified as? (like sda, sdb, sdc etc...)

[luc0zade]

Yes, that's right. A series of prompts appeared when I started to shutdown the first session and by following these instructions I created a save file on the SD card with the filename racysave-v01.2fs .

The unmounted SD card appears as a device at /dev/mmcblk0 in both Pdisk and Gparted, but when it is mounted by Pmount it appears at /mnt/mmcblk0p1. The save file is visible at /mnt/mmcblk0p1/racysave-v01.2fs .

However I did notice that in addition to /dev/mmcblk0 there is also an entry /dev/mmcblk0p1.

I've now tried entering the boot parameter code using mmcblk0p1 instead of mmcblk0, e.g:-

Code: Select all

puppy pdev1=mmcblk0p1 pupsfs=mmcblk0p1:racy_puppy_5.2.90.sfs

However the boot process is still crashing when it reaches "Performing a 'switch_root' to the layered filesystem". As before, I've tried adding various combinations of pmedia=ataflash, pmedia=usbflash and pfix=nocopy to the command but this doesn't seem to make any difference.

I've also tried removing the pdev1=mmcblk0p1 code from the command, e.g.:-

Code: Select all

puppy pupsfs=mmcblk0p1:racy_puppy_5.2.90.sfs

...but still got the same failure.

[rjbrewer]

You will need an external card reader in order for the
sd card to be seen and used as a usb device.

[darkcity]

there are two files to consider

1) base sfs pupsfs, will the linux root directory, read only
if so the racy_puppy_5.2.90.sfs

2) pupsave file 2fs, contains modifications, writable

are you still booting from cd?

are you sure there is a copy on racy_puppy_5.2.90.sfs on the sd? if not try this-

A) copy racy_puppy_5.2.90.sfs to /mnt/mmcblk0p1

B) boot using the following:-

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puppy pmedia=usbflash pdev=mmcblk0p1

[bigpup]

Wild idea?

Try this.
Boot the Puppy live CD
Use boot option puppy pfix=pcmcia

I have read posts talking about this could be a timing issue, where Puppy is booting too fast, for the SD card to be found. and powered up.
One solution was to have a USB flash drive, also plugged in, so Puppy live CD spent some time looking for a save file. This would give the SD card time to come on line.

[luc0zade]

Thanks for the suggestions.

@darkcity

Yes, I am booting from a live CD, but I do have a copy of puppy_racy_5.2.90.sfs in the root directory of the SD card.

The save file, racysave-v01.f2s is also in the root directory of the same SD card.

@bigpup

I think you are right to suspect the problem may be caused by the slow speed of the SD card interface.

I've tried adding pfix=pcmcia to the boot code, but it still crashed.

Because I thought the speed of the SD card might be an issue, I'm using a 'class 10' SD card which claims to have a read speed of 30 Mb/sec. However HardInfo is reporting that the O2 Micro card reader has a speed of just 12Mb/sec.

Either way it's half the speed of USB 2.0 at best, so until the Linux driver for the O2 Micro 8321 SD Host controller is optimised, I could have difficulties.

@rjbrewer

Does using an external USB card reader increase the speed of the SD card? I guessing that it would be limited to 30 Mb/sec at best, if this the fastest read speed which the SD card can manage?

However perhaps I don't have to read the base sfs file off the SD card? I am booting using the live CD, so the only file on the SD card which I really need to access is the f2s save file.

Is there a boot parameter code to specify just the location of the f2s pup save file alone?

[luc0zade]

SOLVED AT LAST

@darkcity

In your post you suggested the boot command:-

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puppy pmedia=usbflash pdev=mmcblk0p1

I noticed that you'd typed pdev=mmcblk0p1 not pdev1=mmcblk0p1 - but I thought this was just a typo, because the 'Advanced help' available by pressing F3 on the live CD clearly states that the parameter is pdev1.

However after nothing else worked, I thought I'd try one last time using the command exactly as you'd typed it, e.g. pdev=mmcblk0p1 and guess what, it worked! The boot process found both the sfs file and the f2s racy save file on the SD card.

In fact I've since discovered that as well as pdev=mmcblk0p1, pdev=mmcblk0 also works.

Why does the 'Advanced Help' page say that the parameter is pdev1? I've spent hours messing around because of this!

Anyway, thanks for your suggestion, it was exactly right!

[darkcity]

@luc0zade

great work and persistence ; -) the pdev1 may be left over from an early puppy, or as an additional parameter. I've notice that there was another mistake on the help screen - but its a long time since I booted that was. Probably someone who knows Puppy well should proof read both help menus.


EDIT

pdev1 is correct parameter see.
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=77120

[bigpup]

Barry has a blog post about a fix for this problem.
http://bkhome.org/blog/?viewDetailed=02771

[luc0zade]

@bigpup: Thanks for posting the link above to Barry's blog.

My experience conforms exactly with his supposition.

The boot process only finds the saved session file on the MMC SD card if there is also a USB flash drive plugged in when I boot the live CD, even though neither the SFS or the f2s session save file are on the additional USB storage. During my previous testing, I didn't realise that having an extra USB flash drive plugged in when booting the live CD was essential for success.

I also need to enter at least one boot parameter code, for example:-

Code: Select all

puppy pmedia=atacd

See also my post on this thread.

The good news is that hopefully a permanent fix for this problem with MMC cards is in the pipeline.

[bigpup]

If you update to the next version of Racy, the fix should be in it.
Racy 5.2.91
http://bkhome.org/blog/?viewDetailed=02774

[luc0zade]

Thanks for the tip.

I've just tested the latest release of Racy, 5.2.91 (5.3RC2) and the problem is FIXED - the live CD boot finds the f2s session save file on the MMC SD card WITHOUT needing to have a USB flash plugged in at the same time. Nice work, Barry!