Can't get Puppy to work with Asus X502CA

What works, and doesn't, for you. Be specific, and please include Puppy version.
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majka
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Can't get Puppy to work with Asus X502CA

#1 Post by majka »

Has anyone had success booting any puppy on Asus X502CA laptop?
The laptop is 64bit, 4GB ram soldered.
I have tried several different puppies, several different USB drives.
No USB drive is seen once a puppy OS is installed to it.

The machine has LinuxMint xfce on the HD. LM loads fine.
The machine will boot from a USB drive with MX17Linux.

I had (another) USB drive with LinuxMint xfce on it - used THAT to install LM to the HD.
The SAME USB drive then had BionicBog64 installed onto it, and the USB drive with BionicDog64 is not seen by the machine.
When I say, 'not seen' I mean, even in the bios, the USB drive with a PuppyOS is not listed.

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rcrsn51
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#2 Post by rcrsn51 »

Is this a UEFI issue? Have you tried switching the "BIOS" back to legacy mode?

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bigpup
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#3 Post by bigpup »

If it has this.
Also helps if secure boot is disabled in the bios.
it can prevent Linux and other non-Windows operating systems from booting.
Puppy does not have the supporting stuff for booting with secure boot enabled.

Could be something about how you are installing Puppy to the USB stick.

How are you doing the install?
Details?
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

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Flash
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#4 Post by Flash »

Is the boot flag set in the USB drive that has Bionic Dog installed?

majka
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#5 Post by majka »

I see what the likely problem is.
I'm using USB Image Writer from LinuxMint to write PuppyOS.iso to USB device.
This seems to work for every other Linux so far.
*I need to find a similar solution for Puppy.*

I forgot, that, years ago, I'd do this process :
1. burn a Puppy.iso to CD/DVD
2. then re-boot from CD/DVD,
3. write the running PuppyOS to USB device.
4. THEN I can boot Puppy from USB device.

The issue I remember is that, for each new Puppy, there would be yet another burnt CD,
and Netbooks/Laptops are dropping optical drives, so,
to install Puppy to these netbooks (ASUS X502CA is an example), I need to
utilise my old Dell,
burn a CD/DVD on that machine,
boot from CD/DVD on that machine,
write to USB Device on that machine,
transfer to new laptop,
throw CD/DVD away.

Can I write a Puppy.iso to USB Device directly?
Are we up to that yet?

thanks, m

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bigpup
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#6 Post by bigpup »

Unetbootin.
http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/
It has a Windows version and a Linux version.
Works for me to do installs to USB sticks.

If you can work from a running Puppy.
This installer will work for any Puppy iso.
YaPI
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=107601
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

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bigpup
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#7 Post by bigpup »

Do you not understand the above posts about legacy mode and secure boot?
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

majka
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Joined: Sun 08 Feb 2015, 04:41

#8 Post by majka »

Secure Boot cannot be toggled off/on in the BIOS. (see bios_pg4_security.jpg).

Secure Boot Control can be enabled, which then gives control of Secure Boot Parameters??
I need to research what these Keys do before I play with them. (see bios_pg6_keys.jpg)
Maybe someone can advise.

I have not found Legacy Mode function on this BIOS.

uNetBootin (Dell laptop with LinuxLite) will not recognise the USB Drive
(which in this case happens to have PuppyOS installed via LinuxMint USB Image Writer)
and, which IS actually mounted on the Dell desktop (see unotbootin1.jpg).

In the uNetBootin screen, the field for Drive: is blank, and when the cursor is placed there, the field goes to dk blue and will not accept text.
UnetBootin asks that the USB Drive be formatted to Fat32 using GParted.
(Using my Dell Laptop with LinuxLite), GParted will not format the USB Drive to Fat32.
The process is started, but then aborted.

Maybe I should install uNotBootin onto my Slacko 6.3.2. and try there??
Attachments
bios_pg4_security.jpg
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bigpup
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#9 Post by bigpup »

GParted will not format the USB Drive to Fat32.
The process is started, but then aborted.

What format does Gparted say it is before trying to reformat it?

There are a few non-normal formats that LinuxMint USB Image Writer could have used.
What Gparted sees may tell use that.

Yes Unetbootin will only install to a fat32 formatted USB stick.

If you do not care about what is on the USB stick.
Gparted should be able to delete all partitions.
This will delete all that is on drive.
Start over fresh.
partition and format to fat32.
Last edited by bigpup on Wed 27 Jun 2018, 21:27, edited 1 time in total.
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

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bigpup
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#10 Post by bigpup »

You do not want to change the secure boot keys.

Someplace in the bios should be an option to just enable or disable secure boot.

In my bios it is under boot options setup.
In a security sub section.
Sub section.
Not directly easy to find.

In your bios setup.
That I/o interface security line looks like something you could click on to see other options.
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

majka
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun 08 Feb 2015, 04:41

#11 Post by majka »

FYI 1 : Finally found 'Legacy USB Boot' mode in this BIOS... it is 'enabled'.
FYI 2 : I suspect one of my USB Devices is faulty/corrupt, and refuses to be formatted to ANY format types
(problem identified in previous post).
This USB Device has been set aside - Not in Use.

I did a bit more research..

To disable Secure Boot in (my) BIOS (summary)

In this BIOS, 1 or more of the 4 Factory KEYS need to be removed.
Keys are PK, KEK, DB, DBX
I was able to achieve 'disabled' Secure Boot with only PK removed.
Some BIOS's may need more of these KEYS removed.
Before removing the KEYS you need to save them to an external device.

To disable Secure Boot in (my) BIOS (process)

1.
Format a USB Device to FAT32 on a different computer (GParted).

2.
Insert USB Device into target computer when computer is OFF.

3.
Switch on target computer and enter BIOS as you normally do
(F2 on many machines).

4.
Navigate to Factory KEYS management page (see bios_pg6_keys.jpg).
Each KEY has 3 or 4 functions attached to it in a menu arrangement.
set xx (key) from File = import KEY
get xx(key) to File = save out KEY
delete the xx(key) = delete KEY from BIOS

5.
Click on Get xx(key) to File.
You will be provided with 2 choices (see bios_secure_boot_keys_save.jpg).
1. the USB Drive you inserted
2. the HD you have installed
Save to the USB location, for each of the 4 keys.

6.
The KEY(S) are saved to the inserted USB Drive.
The KEY(S) can be copied to anywhere else, and also to another USB Drive.
It is not Drive specific, but whatever USB Drive is used, the USB Drive must be FAT32.
In my worked example, there was no folder/directory containing the KEYS,
and no other folders/directories on the USB Device; just 4 KEYS.
From the same or another USB Drive, the KEYS can be imported using the same process.

7.
Delete the 4 KEYS one at a time, using Delete the xx(key).
Go back to Security Page in BIOS, and the Secure Boot State is now 'disabled' (see bios_secure_boot_disabled.jpg).

8.
I progressively added KEYS from bottom-up, to determine that only PK removal,
was required to achieve 'disabled' Secure Boot.

Note : I am not sure if I can leave the computer with PK removed, and still have a relatively secure machine.
Need to do more reading.

I will investigate unetbootin later.

m
Attachments
bios_secure_boot_keys_save.jpg
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bigpup
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#12 Post by bigpup »

What a piece of junk, to have to do all of that, to just disable secure boot. :roll:
Every bios I have used has a simple selection to make.
Enable or disable.

Looks like it could be a bios, when secure boot was first introduced.
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

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rcrsn51
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#13 Post by rcrsn51 »

I read that some UEFI setups require you to set an admin password before you can disable secure boot.

ozsouth
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#14 Post by ozsouth »

Guys, welcome to the brave new world of today's new computers. After my TPM debacle, the OP's experience is mine also & no 2 brands are the same.

majka
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Joined: Sun 08 Feb 2015, 04:41

#15 Post by majka »

>> ... I read that some UEFI setups require you to set an admin password before you can disable secure boot.

Yes I read that too. I also read that although some person responding to a forum was CERTAIN this was the solution,
it was shown that it was not the solution in every case, and suggested that KEY removal was required.
I am aware of that, and will keep it in mind.
Maybe THAT is a more successful procedure in my case, than KEY removal.
Baby steps. Still messing with KEYS atm.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

>> ... to have to do all of that, to just disable secure boot

I can simply delete KEYS, and be done with it, however the KEYS are deleted, not disabled.
So you can't get them back.
The instruction I read was to save the KEYS to an external USB Device before KEY removal.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

>> ... What a piece of junk

This laptop was donated to me, wiithout a HD and a screaming fan.
I replaced the fan, stopped the screaming (known issue).
All reviews I've seen, say this is a cow of a machine.
The screen is clear and bigger than anything else I have.
The hinges are tight.
They're the only things positive about this laptop so far.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I have now used unetbootin to make a fresh BionicDog64.iso on a USB Drive.
This BD64.iso WILL boot my 32bit Dell laptop.
This BD64.iso WILL NOT boot my ASUS X502CA 64bit with just the PK key removed.
The Bootable USB Drive however IS seen in the BIOS, just will not boot even when selected as the preferred boot media.
Note that MX17linux.iso on USB WILL boot this machine.

I will try to progressively remove each of the 4 keys and boot the BD64.iso each time.
See if more keys removed will make a difference.

m

majka
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#16 Post by majka »

Found that selectively removing individual keys had no effect on ability to boot from USB Device with BionicDog64.iso.
(Although at least the USB Drive is seen by the bios, it will not boot the .iso.)

(Bootable USB BionicDog64.iso was created with unetbootin, on LM18.3.
Same Bootable USB BionicDog64.iso was confirmed to work on Dell Inspiron 32bit.)

After all the KEYS were removed, a new menu selection appeared allowing me to restore the KEYS without the 'USB Drive with stored KEYS'.
So maybe the KEYS are not deleted, just disabled, athough this is not indicated in the BIOS.

After KEYS were restored, thus restoring the parameter: Secure Boot <enabled>,
I tried adding admin and user passwords in BIOS.
(This was suggested as a solution to toggle off Secure Boot <enabled>.)
This had no effect on the state of Secure Boot <enabled>.

That's as much as I can do until someone else has more experience with this BIOS, and communicates a solution.
At this point, any Puppy's are excluded from running on this 64 bit laptop.

Edit: If deleting keys, just save keys out to empty USB device beforehand anyway, just in case.
I think there is a difference between deleting keys individually, and 'Deleting all keys to enter Setup Mode'.
The latter I think, allows you to re-instate all keys from the BIOS only, the former requires you to import keys from a USB device.

m
Last edited by majka on Mon 02 Jul 2018, 01:55, edited 2 times in total.

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bigpup
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#17 Post by bigpup »

The Bootable USB Drive however IS seen in the BIOS, just will not boot even when selected as the preferred boot media.
Does it do anything at all?
You do what?
You see what?

Specifically what you see could be a clue?
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

majka
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun 08 Feb 2015, 04:41

#18 Post by majka »

In my other laptops, all 32 bit, I have 2 methods of booting an OS from a USB Device.

method 1

1. Start computer, enter BIOS, (F2).
2. Set boot order for USB first boot.
3. Save changes (F10)
4. Shutdown computer.
5. Plug in USB with bootable OS
6. Restart computer.
7. BIOS finds and boots OS from USB.
Order is important.

method 2

1. Plug in USB with bootable OS
2. Enter BIOS (F2).
3. Navigate to Boot Override function.
4. Select USB device in the list.
5. Click on USB device.
6. BIOS automatically quits and boots from bootable USB drive.
Order is important.

In *this* 64 bit computer, neither of these methods works.
In this computer...

1.Plug In USB with bootable OS
2. Disable keys to make Secure Boot inactive.
3. Search for USB device in Boot Order screen and Boot Override screen.
If USB is not present, Reboot computer, enter BIOS (F2) now with Secure Boot disabled.
4 In BIOS, go to Boot Order screen, set USB device as first in the boot order (bios_boot_order.jpg).
6. Go to Boot Override screen, select the USB device and click (bios_boot_override.jpg).
7. BIOS blinks and returns same page, has not done anything and goes nowhere.
8 Leave USB plugged in, reboot computer, computer boots OS on HD, but not USB device.

I KNOW that the USB selection says 'UEFI : Imation_classic...'
I dont know if UEFI is simply a name attached to the USB bus, or a set function of the BIOS.
There is no toggle to change UEFI to OTHER or OFF other than Secure Boot, which people suggest enables/disables UEFI.
(I think I'm understanding that last part correctly).
It's been several hours, many days, lots of searching, reading.

m
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bigpup
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#19 Post by bigpup »

1.Plug In USB with bootable OS
2. Disable keys to make Secure Boot inactive.

Save this setup in the bios before going any deeper.
Secure boot needs to be already disabled when it boots.

Reboot computer and access bios setup.
Now change the boot device order so the USB is first.
Save bios setup.
Reboot.

Also see if you can access a boot device selection screen by pressing F8 or maybe F12 just as it boots.
This keeps from having to change boot device order in the bios.

If still having problems.
What bios is it?
What is computers make and model?
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

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bigpup
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#20 Post by bigpup »

There is no toggle to change UEFI to OTHER or OFF other than Secure Boot, which people suggest enables/disables UEFI
Secure boot is just a feature of the UEFI bios.
The other parts of the UEFI bios are still working.
Secure Boot works like a security gate. Code with valid credentials gets through the gate and executes. However, Secure Boot blocks at the gate and rejects a code that has bad credentials, or no credential.
Most all Puppies do not have the needed credentials, so Puppy gets blocked if, secure boot is enabled.
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

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