Puppy 2.12 live-cd booting problems ... text is messed up!

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Gn2 · #31 Post by **Gn2** » Wed 20 Dec 2006, 18:47

WHY no delete option now !

Tri-City-Maniac · #32 Post by **Tri-City-Maniac** » Wed 20 Dec 2006, 20:29

Well, as i said ... i tried an older puppy version (2.10 seamonkey edition) ...

And all is working fine! No messed up booting screen or other crappy things!

Maybe there's a bug in 2.12 which is responsible for the unreadable text at booting procedure. Version 2.12 works fine with my other pc's, but not with my notebook ... and version 2.10 runs perfectly on my notebook.

But what are the main changes from 2.10 to 2.12?

PeteTX · #33 Post by **PeteTX** » Sat 23 Dec 2006, 10:16

PaulBx1 wrote: I read through this, may have missed it, but I'm wondering, did you try just letting it boot till it is done, with the messed-up display, then type ctrl-alt-backspace?

Screen messes-up before start of config menus. Boot is never "done", as system is waiting on multiple user inputs (config menus), and ctrl-alt-backspace has no effect at that point.

PaulBx1 wrote: That should kick you out of X back to the "#" prompt...

It never gets that far. I thought I explained this issue in my last post, but will try to be more specific -

* Screen is messed-up in Command Line Mode, before xorg is even configured, let alone loaded.

* Screen is OK in graphics desktop mode (xorg) (if you can manage to configure and get into it "blind")

I will answer your other comments/questions along with your questions made in my related Bug report thread there, as it may help whomever isolate and fix this problem in Puppy!

Tri-City-Maniac wrote: @PeteX: I tried the same way you did, but my screen frozes after that ...

After you select the keyboard, and wait for the screen to change, you have to hit the <TAB> key just once first, and then Enter (to select xorg). If you just hit Enter (selects xvesa), then it crashes (at least on mine).

Also, there are a couple places where the screen will seem to just go blank for a while (and of course, any "please wait..." messages to warn you about that are not visible because the screen is messed-up!), so you need to wait for at least a minute before giving-up!

Tri-City-Maniac wrote: Well, as i said ... i tried an older puppy version (2.10 seamonkey edition) ...

And all is working fine! No messed up booting screen or other crappy things!

That corresponds with my own experience with my video working fine with 2.01r2, but blows-up in 2.12.

Tri-City-Maniac wrote: Maybe there's a bug in 2.12 which is responsible for the unreadable text at booting procedure. Version 2.12 works fine with my other pc's, but not with my notebook ... and version 2.10 runs perfectly on my notebook.

I agree. I am seeing the same thing here.

Tri-City-Maniac wrote: But what are the main changes from 2.10 to 2.12?

That is what I would like to know as well. There was apparently some change in the way video is handled from the prior versions which is causing this bug.

BarryK · #34 Post by **BarryK** » Tue 26 Dec 2006, 09:20

Guys, I posted a request for information in this other thread:
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=13692

If you can manage to "blindly" get through to X running, open a terminal and get the info that I have requested.
I think that I should be able to fix your problem.

If you can't get X running, bootup a older puppy that does work, and run
'scanpci'. I really do need the return from 'lsmod' in the 2.12 puppy though.

PeteTX · #35 Post by **PeteTX** » Tue 26 Dec 2006, 22:12

BarryK wrote: If you can manage to "blindly" get through to X running, open a terminal and get the info that I have requested.
I think that I should be able to fix your problem.

Bary, last I heard, Tri-City-Maniac had not been able to get x running successfully yet on 2.12 (although he should be able to run a scanpci in another version).

However, I have posted the information you requested in that other thread.

Thanks!

zalman · #36 Post by **zalman** » Sat 30 Dec 2006, 12:50

Although my screens look somewhat different from yours (I have more orange, then it goes all blue and red and grey and black, but always garbled), I believe I have run into the same problem on my old IBM Thinkpad 770 Pentium MMX 233 with 64MB.

It is too bad the latest version is messed up, I wish the web page would have told me before I spent money downloading it.

Where should I download the previous version that works, including vesions for a 64MB computer?

Sage · #37 Post by **Sage** » Sat 30 Dec 2006, 16:29

Fortunately (unfortunately?!), don't have any machines that misbehave in this way, although I avoid onboard video like the proverbial. The trick to get things started in circumstances like this is to run a second machine that doesn't have the specific issue alongside the misbehaving one. Then, keystrokes can be exactly mirrored from one to the other. I've used this technique to start up many machines in the past, including laptops with broken screens and no video-out port; can check fans, heat dissipation and use serial, parallel, network or USB ports with Laplink-type cables, for example, to get a handle on problem areas.

zalman · #38 Post by **zalman** » Sat 30 Dec 2006, 22:17

That is a good idea for those of us who have multiple computers on hand. Those of us who do not, however, are stuck.

Now where should I download these older versions you mention?

Gn2 · #39 Post by **Gn2** » Sun 31 Dec 2006, 02:42

Zalman

Find Barry K's work-around (disabling conflicting frame buffer support)

Sage

How can that work - if bootup cannot procede _ Plse see posts that tried to work blindly
(bootup DID continue but screen Temp. unreadable)

Versus no way to correct in only alternative mode (pfix=rdsh)
This will be fixed in v2.13 final - Barry is amazing to rapidly respond
to all user's needs..

zalman · #40 Post by **zalman** » Sun 31 Dec 2006, 07:57

Gn2 wrote:Zalman

Find Barry K's work-around (disabling conflicting frame buffer support)

Could you link to it?

Searching for "Barry K" as author does not seen to work and searching for variants of "conflict" "frame buffer" and "disable" yield either far too many results or none at all.

zalman · #41 Post by **zalman** » Sun 31 Dec 2006, 08:17

Okay, I found topic 13692 which appears to deal with the same problem and which Barry K has posted in, however, I was unable to find an implementable solution. Is there something I can type after "puppy" at the "boot:" line?

Sage · #42 Post by **Sage** » Sun 31 Dec 2006, 09:51

You are right, as usual, G! But the only excuse I can think of for anyone not having multiple machines available is an unsympathetic 'other half'! People constantly force their old kit on me, often leaving it on my doorstep. The roadside skips are heaving old HW and municipal tips are awash with them. Almost all are suitable for Puppy and (point of this follow up!!) all yield masses of spares for substitution - every technician resorts to substitution first for a fast and dirty diagnosis; meters and 'scopes only follow for difficult cases.
In this case, however, laptops contain much (mostly?) proprietary HW, smc s, irreplaceable parts leading to multiple incompatibilities - it's always been so, it's deliberate and it engenders leverage. It becomes a severe intellectual exercise getting some of them working in Linux, BSD, Belenix, etc. Like the old Irish joke - wouldn't start from here & co.
The only laptop worth having is one supplied, serviced and supported entirely by the company; when you leave the company, get smart - give it back.
Snowdog excepting.........

Sit Heel Speak · #43 Post by **Sit Heel Speak** » Sun 31 Dec 2006, 10:20

zalman wrote:That is a good idea for those of us who have multiple computers on hand. Those of us who do not, however, are stuck.

Now where should I download these older versions you mention?

Download 2.10 at

http://puptrix.org/Puppylinux/2.10/

Its devx file:

http://www.puppyos.net/test/devx_210.sfs

Gn2 · #44 Post by **Gn2** » Sun 31 Dec 2006, 10:35

Yes. I very much agree with your opinions RE wasteful discards.

But that ignores the affects of decades of advertising -
Society in general practice is now "imprinted" that new is better, more is a necessity & to be otherwise is to be a "non-fit" societal renegade !
I think that was one of my "private enjoyments" in ability to trouble shoot & breathe new life into any machinery.

It always felt like somehow I was "tripping up" the "disposable merchandising" tactics in "approved fashion "
- while enjoying plaudits of service trade profession.
OTOH - there comes a time when (practical considerations) dictates show it is better to replace than restore.

Now somone please explain.... why does a disposable society value in ludicrous monetary prices - memorabilia without intrinsic worth ?
Elvis makes more money now than if he had not overdosed while porking out.

Stop the whirled - methinks there's nuthin wierder than "civilization" in action.
Markl Twain said it all - 'I often reflect it seems a ironic shame, Noah built the ark & yet welcomed humans aboard.'

BarryK · #45 Post by **BarryK** » Sun 31 Dec 2006, 10:50

2.13BETA2 is out. See if that fixes the "messed up text" problem!

Sage · #46 Post by **Sage** » Sun 31 Dec 2006, 11:31

Brilliant - thanks, Barry and a Prosperous New Year to you (but vide infra!).

Well, G, nobody on this Forum can have escaped my observations on the evils of capitalism, the brainwashing from birth practiced, especially, by a certain nation, etc. Conspicuous consumption should become a criminal offence?
Respect the planet, recycle, renew as a last resort.

Sage · #47 Post by **Sage** » Mon 01 Jan 2007, 10:20

With all this banter about laptop and Xorg issues, decided to fire up my old and heavily modified Presario 863MHz/256Mb, which normally sits unused in a dark corner, with P2.13beta2.
Sure enough, gives the totally black screen syndrome after choosing parameters from the XOrg menus. No dummy start up procedures worked, no keystrokes were active, no boot codes worked. A thousand curses on XOrg and laptops!
The biggest single problem seems to be that Barry has removed the XVesa option from the menu. I reached the XVesa selection, which works perfectly, by selecting a crt monitor, then hitting the <Fix> button to access the XOrg/XVesa choice - there may be other ways of doing this, but I see laptops as an utter waste of time and intellectual effort, so anything that works will do. I suspect that XOrg might work if crt choices are used, but why bother - XVesa is all that is need for a basic Puppy OS.
Laptop manufacturers deserve to DIE!

Gn2 · #48 Post by **Gn2** » Mon 01 Jan 2007, 17:05

Laptop OEM oddities aside - Vesa always works - IF the kernel makefile was edited to include compatible frame buffer modes !
If/when any glitches arise - generic Linux methods and full CLI power should be available
OR how any LInux variant has deviated to be able to apply altered trouble shooting methods

(As does knowing what is happening. behind scenes minus any wizardy that fails).

Sage · #49 Post by **Sage** » Tue 02 Jan 2007, 06:28

We read this morning that Barry has reverted to his earlier, more rational video mode selection procedure for v2.13-final. I note your comments in another thread, G, about BIOS settings and PNP. Like I said, a thousand curses on laptops and their manufacturers. What does it take to stop folk wasting their personal wealth on these monstrosities?! If the company wants you to have one, that's their problem.....

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Puppy 2.12 live-cd booting problems ... text is messed up!