Puppy Linux UEFI boot EASY

[foxpup]

Well done solving your booting problem. It is a bit unusual to me to boot the usb with refind.
For the wireless, use dmesg in console to find out what driver and version your kernel is looking for, for wifi. Then google the driver or go find it in the big repos of ubuntu and drop it in /lib/firmware and restart.

[mikeslr]

Hi s1wood,

Combined foxpup's suggestion to see what was available from the "Big Distros" with your indication that you were going to try another OS and did some research.

The only thing I could find which might be useful was that someone running Ubuntu Precise Pangolin was able to compile the necessary driver after switching to the 3.16.2 Kernel. At least, that was my take from this thread, https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php ... 936&page=3

You might want to try an early (Beta) FatDog64-700, which used that kernel and may have the necessary driver already present. Alternatively, you might want to try FatDog64-702, which used the 3.18.7 Kernel "This is a conscious decision to ensure that all existing 3rd party kernel modules for 700 will continue to work in 701." http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 107#883107.

Although firmware can be ported from one Puppy to another, drivers have to be compiled against the kernel of the operating system.

mikesLr

p.s. This thread may be of interest: https://gist.github.com/franga2000/2154d09f864894b8fe84

[foxpup]

Although firmware can be ported from one Puppy to another, drivers have to be compiled against the kernel of the operating system.

If I may add, Mikeslr: this is not always true. The wifi drivers intel delivers are just executables/blobs(?) you have to put in /lib/firmware. No compiling in that case, but the version has to be right.
Problem in Puppy is often that the version of the blob is not right for the kernel of the Puppy. It is not easy to know what version(s) of the driver are right if you do not have the graphic card to try.
Also mind that some wifi cards do not work for older kernels. You can find that info on the site of the card maker (often intel).
On the intel sites I often cannot find the right version: intel often just gives one version of the driver, often an old one. But in the repos of debian and ubuntu all the versions are collected.


In fact, gyro on Puppy also keeps a great collection of firmware drivers: http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=97276
If that does not work, you may have to compile!

[rcrsn51]

If I may add, Mikeslr: this is not always true. The wifi drivers intel delivers are just executables/blobs(?) you have to put in /lib/firmware. No compiling in that case, but the version has to be right.

You are confusing drivers with firmware. Intel provides an open-source wifi driver that is part of the standard kernel. Run:

Code: Select all

modinfo iwlwifi

But the driver ALSO requires firmware which changes with each new model of Intel's wifi adapter. See the "firmware" list from the previous command.

If the required firmware is not included in the Puppy ISO, you need to install it separately.

[foxpup]

You are confusing drivers with firmware. Intel provides an open-source wifi driver that is part of the standard kernel. Run:

Code: Select all

modinfo iwlwifi

But the driver ALSO requires firmware which changes with each new model of Intel's wifi adapter. See the "firmware" list from the previous command.

If the required firmware is not included in the Puppy ISO, you need to install it separately.

Thanks for pointing this out, rcrsn51.

[greengeek]

I made a webpage explaining this as clearly as possible:
http://helledussen.com/linux/files/UEFI ... e_usb.html

Hi Limbomusic - I just wanted to say many thanks for your webpage. Even though UEFI has been around a long time today is the first time I have tried to boot a UEFI laptop from usb and your webpage helped to prepare the usb stick in only ten minutes. Worked perfectly (Xenial 7.5)

I have some comments regarding your webpage:

1) The first comment re Format usb drive does not mention the "bootable" flag. I set this flag asssuming that it must be necessary, but a newbie would not know this.

2) Your note re ("actually, you only....) needs to be slightly bigger font so it is easy to see (i have old eyes )

3) The note re "Make a folder called EFI" - left me confused for a minute - should I label the directory "EFI" in capital letters or "efi" in lowercase. ? Maybe you could add a note to say specifically "(use capitals)"
(Maybe it does not matter??...)

4) I think that the comments at the bottom of page advising what to do with hibernate errors etc need to be larger font. (old eyes again...)

Your Boot Keys link was awesome! Fantastic info!!!!

Thanks!

[phredo]

Your method worked like a charm for me! I had tried several other methods but they either didn't work or were to complicated for me. I have two questions:

1) Could I do the same to boot from the SD card in my Win 10 laptop?

2} How could I modify your method so that I could have the Puppy files in a directory of its own? By the way, I ended up using the grub.cfg file from the bionicpup iso rather than yours so I could have its bootup options displayed. By having bionic pup in its own directory I could add other files to the SD card (or USB stick) and not have them mixed up with the puppy files.

Thank you!

[Limbomusic]

Greengeek:
1. I think you only set the "bootable" option if you use some sort of tool to format the usb stick. With the method I describe you don't need to do that - at least not from a windows computer. (you just right click and choose format using standard values)
2. Gotcha - fixed.
3. I don't think it matters. But we KNOW it works with capital letters and thats what it says so I think thats okay.
4. Fixed.
Youre welcome! And thanks so much ! Really nice to hear that it helped you.

phredo:
1. I think so yes, but I,ve never tried it - I guess as long as the BIOS supports it, you can.
2. I do not know. Maybe you should start a new thread? I'm not really using puppy much these days, so I'm a bit out of touch. Sorry

You're welcome !

[bigpup]

I am being lazy.
I have not looked at all posts.

My computer with UEFI bios will not see a USB drive, to boot from, if using normal settings.
To see USB devices as possible boot-able device.
MUST disable secure boot in the UEFI bios settings.
If secure boot is ENABLED. No possible way to boot from USB device.

With secure boot DISABLED.
I can put multiple Puppy versions on a USB flash drive or USB hard drive.
Each one a separate frugal install.
Run Grub4dos bootloader conig.
Install Grub4dos boot loader on the USB device to boot it.
When It boots, a Grub4dos menu pops up, listing all the Puppy versions to select which one to boot.

Yes, Windows 10 still boots with no problem keeping secure boot disabled.

[rcrsn51]

With secure boot DISABLED.
I can put multiple Puppy versions on a USB flash drive or USB hard drive.
Each one a separate frugal install.
Run Grub4dos bootloader conig.
Install Grub4dos boot loader on the USB device to boot it.
When It boots, a Grub4dos menu pops up, listing all the Puppy versions to select which one to boot.

This depends on how UEFI is implemented on your particular system.

In some cases, the flash drive must ALSO have a UEFI boot structure or the main UEFI firmware will ignore it.

This will also depend on whether you have enabled Legacy Mode.

[bigpup]

Never a simple answer that works for every possible computer

[rcrsn51]

Never a simple answer that works for every possible computer

Exactly. I have seen a machine where the main UEFI firmware required that a flash drive also had UEFI structure, but required Legacy Mode in order to detect it.

In that case, it wasn't so much legacy mode as a Compatibility Support Module that allowed for alternate boot devices.

[bigpup]

The UEFI bios could also now have CSM option.

The Compatibility Support Module (CSM) is a component of the UEFI firmware that provides legacy BIOS compatibility by emulating a BIOS environment, allowing legacy operating systems and some option ROMs that do not support UEFI to still be used.

[rcrsn51]

I suspect that each UEFI supplier can put whatever they want in their CSM modules and it doesn't have to be legacy BIOS support.

[giraldiego]

Hello, thank you for this guide, I was able to make a bootable USB with these steps.

But I am having trouble making my PC to boot from an internal SD card. I am trying to install it in a partition formatted as ext2 in the SD card, and from grub console I am able to load the vmlinux and the intrd, but I get an error saying it can't find the bionic_puppy8.0.sfs file. The files are located in the root of the partition, but they aren't found.

I end with a bash prompt and access to the console. Any clue how to solve this?

[foxpup]

welcome to the kennels @giraldiego

and from grub console I am able to load the vmlinux and the intrd, but I get an error saying it can't find the bionic_puppy8.0.sfs file. The files are located in the root of the partition, but they aren't found.

I end with a bash prompt and access to the console. Any clue how to solve this?

Working from grub console is not easy
Do you really end up in bash console? not in grub console?
Did you set root (grub parameter) properly? In grub console type "set" to get the grub parameters.

It may be easier to add a menuentry for your Puppy in the grub.cfg .
Something like this:

Code: Select all

menuentry 'Bionicpup' {
  insmod ext2
  insmod linux
  search --file --set root --no-floppy /initrd.gz
  linux /vmlinuz pfix=fsck 
  initrd /initrd.gz
}

I always put each frugal install in its own directory. Then the entry would be like this:

Code: Select all

menuentry 'Bionicpup' {
  insmod ext2
  insmod linux
  search --file --set root --no-floppy /upupBB/initrd.gz
  linux /upupBB/vmlinuz pfix=fsck psubdir=/upupBB/
  initrd /upupBB/initrd.gz
}

Maybe Puppy really needs the psubdir boot parameter?
For the first example:
linux /vmlinuz pfix=fsck psubdir=/

Of course, if you insist on working from grub console, you can type the lines from the menuentry in the grub console.

[gychang]

This indeed works when I formatted the USB stick and followed the instructions as described on the first thread. Now I have 2 Pups dual booting (BionicPup64, Slacko64) on a HD (on same partition sdb2 but in different folders in /BP64 and /SL64). Normally when I want to play with a pup, I have to change to CSM, from UEFI on bios. I like to be able to boot pups in UEFI. My bios has no option of secure boot...

1. I plan to format sdb2 with fat32 and create 2 folders BP64, SL64. Put in key files (usually 4) in each folders.
2. how do I edit grub.cfg so it finds each proper folders for dual booting?
3. do I need or modify menu.lst? (grub4dos)

thanks,

[bigpup]

I am not trying to say this is no longer good way to do it.
This is more of a manual way to do something that now can be handled all by a new Puppy installer program.

Recently Frugalpup Installer was released by gyro.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=114340
It can install a UEFI boot loader that will work with UEFI secure boot enabled.
Has ability to provide a Puppy security key for UEFI.
It also can install the old style bios boot loader.
Or it can install both boot loaders.

Just make sure to use the latest version.
Gyro is still tweaking it.
It only does frugal installs, but can do them to any type drive.
I have done installs to internal emmc cards, hard drives, sd cards, and USB sticks.

The drive does need two partitions.
first one a small 500MB, fat32 formatted, flagged boot.
All the boot files go on it.
This is a UEFI requirement for a boot partition.
Rest of drive, a partition(s) formatted, how you want.
Puppy frugal installs go on the second partition.