Newbies - Puppy needs YOUR help too!

Booting, installing, newbie
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puppyluvr
Posts: 3470
Joined: Sun 06 Jan 2008, 23:14
Location: Chickasha Oklahoma
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#871 Post by puppyluvr »

:D Hello,
To kill a process, use "pprocess" under "System" or open a terminal and type:
killall

followed by the name of the program.. IE:
killall mplayer
and hit enter.
Some Pups have "kill" as a right click menu item, to use on the taskbar..
You can also start a program this way, by name, and use the terminal to chase errors... 8)
BTW the Linux equiv to ctrl-alt-delete is ctrl-alt-bkspc
which will exit the Xserver to a console..
Enter
xwin
to return to the desktop...

For fun, open a terminal and enter
xmessage I wrote this!!!

swaan
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun 17 Mar 2013, 19:29

#872 Post by swaan »

I've been using precise puppy 5.5 on a 512mb usb stick for about 3 days now as my hdd went dead along with win7.

First I'd like to thank everyone who made this possible. It's a neat little thing. I have previously had DSL as a backup os and also SysRescue CD.

I love the wizards and pop up windows, how much useful stuff is packed into the tiny footprint. It's easy to use and helps me get things done. That is most important. Great to tinker. It feels warm and friendly and that makes it awesome. I don't want my OS to come and assimilate me with it's cold looks and rigid workflows. I don't want a serious world.

However there are things that nag me: I can't imagine having a more confusing audio setup. I have 2 sound cards and I just couldn't find a way to get the volume sliders work. This is also the first time I have used Seamonkey which is the most awful browser I have used in recent times - weird unreadable fonts, rendering problems, sluggish. Right click can be dangerous (click and it already selected something from the menu). Thats about it for now :)

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Tote
Posts: 237
Joined: Thu 19 Jan 2012, 07:53
Location: South Wales

#873 Post by Tote »

It's the challenge of making it how you want it that makes Puppy addictive. :D Try Firefox or Opera. Experiment. You might want to make a copy of your save file first.

starhawk
Posts: 4906
Joined: Mon 22 Nov 2010, 06:04
Location: Everybody knows this is nowhere...

#874 Post by starhawk »

@tote,swaan -- Seamonkey is a 'fork' of Firefox. They're twins. Not identical twins, but twins -- and they generally behave the same.

Try Opera or Chrome/Chromium.

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Sky Aisling
Posts: 1368
Joined: Sat 27 Jun 2009, 23:02
Location: Port Townsend, WA. USA

Newbies - Puppy needs YOUR help too!

#875 Post by Sky Aisling »

swaan

Sorry to hear your negative report about Seamonkey.
My experience is the opposite.

What version Seamonkey are you using?
You can find the version in the *about* area from the *menu* bar at top of the browser's page.

Some of the older versions present with hard to read font.
That can be changed.
Try adjusting screen themes from puppy's menu/desktop/desktop settings

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coldb
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu 21 Mar 2013, 20:53

#876 Post by coldb »

Hello everyone!!

So... I'm using Precise Puppy 5.5 for about two weeks (after much resistance) cuz I had several problems trying to use other linux distros on pendrives. Also, I didn't know the capacity of the Puppy until meet the Puppy Arcade... :D

Ironically after trying out I realized that most of the apps that come by default replaced pretty much all that I was using before. :shock:



Plus, some points that I would like to highlight about Puppy:
  • It's lightweight and cool;
  • Full of nice wizards that really work;
  • Booted in an old machine that I have without the Plop Boot Manager disk (lol);
  • Amazing community, I hope I can contribute in some way in the future.
Now I think I'm ready to try some derivatives...

saroele
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu 04 Apr 2013, 20:50

feedback to the puppy developers

#877 Post by saroele »

I'm using puppy since a few days (slacko5.5), and mainly wanted to recover a laptop with pentium 1.6Ghz and 512Mb RAM and windows XP into an all-round computer for my kids.

My first experiences are very limited, and I struggled a lot to install puppy on my hdd. Let me give you a bit of feedback already now, cause in a few days or weeks I might have forgotten initial troubles:
  • * I was confused by the different versions, not knowing what is meant by slacko, etc.
    * I know the linux community is proud of it's diversity, but it's simply a pain for beginners: too much choice is overwhelming and it feels like every choice you make could be a wrong one
    * there is big need for a single place with up-to-date documentation. I don't like browsing forums for basic information
    * I tried puppy from a live CD first, saving the file when closing. Next time I wanted to install it, but this was not possible cause the save file was loaded and therefore the drive could not be unmounted. So I found out about the pfix=ram boot options but it did not work
    * I had to put

Code: Select all

puppy pfix=ram 
  • in order to make it work, but that was not mentioned in official documentation if I remember well.
    * the installation was painful. I was confused by the many different options (partitioning, frugal vs full, saving in a directory or not, size of savefile) again. I also had trouble with my drive (bad sector or something like that), causing me to try it at least 10 times. The fact that gparted did not want to run and I had to use fdisk and mkfs to fix my drive complicated the story, but that's of course not to blame on puppy
    * the installation ends with the GRUB thing and guess what: again many choices: which GRUB to use, where to install it (MBR or the partition), ... I chose MBR but my computer did not start up, so had to do all over again and install GRUB in the partition in which I installed puppy (frugal).
    * it is VERY unclear how you have to shut down after doing the frugal install: save the file or not? Then another window with question to save another file...
    *on the other hand, it's amazing how fast puppy starts up, how easy it is to get wifi running etc.
So I'm still convinced it's a great linux distro and I'm willing to keep on using it. But once you want to install it, it's not as easy anymore as using it from the live CD.

I still have a few questions, but I will post them in another thread. I'm happy to give more details about the troubles I faced if it can help you making things more clear for future newbies like me.

Let me finish on a positive note: puppy linux looks like a very nice distro and with more documentation and less options to choose from it will convince many more users :-)

dsaly1969
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon 22 Apr 2013, 17:50

#878 Post by dsaly1969 »

I just recently switched over from Lubuntu to Precise Puppy on my dual boot desktop at home (although frankly we hardly ever start Windows 7 anymore). I had tried Puppy as my Lubuntu install had gotten corrupted due to a problem with an automatic software upgrade.

But Precise Puppy not only rescued my documents to store externally when I could not boot up Lubuntu, it was also so fast and efficient that my family and I decided to make the switch (my wife and kids also prefer a Linux system). It had no problem detecting my monitor, keyboard, or mouse. The install process to the HD took only a few minutes. It had no problem detecting my ethernet Internet connection (I live in a rural area so no WiFi only satellite internet for me). All the codecs worked right away (no problem with Flash, mp3, etc.). I'm still fiddling with Java so I can run Java games like Magarena, but if I have problems I can ask here on the forums.

Most of my family prefer Seamonkey, but I also put on Chrome for my son to play Black Hat Rider (some of the key commands conflicted with some of the shortcuts for Seamonkey). With the access to Ubuntu repositories we have a decent selection of games (I'm a glChess fan and love having access to a lot of chess engines). I have Chocolate Doom up and running to take away work stress when I get home. My son and daughter primarily uses Abiword for school assignments, but I can always upgrade to LibreOffice if necessary.

I will have to learn bash and more on how to use the terminal, but I love how easy it is to find an load software (both pet's and deb's).

All in all - great job and great product! Thanks!

Dave

paulparker
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun 28 Apr 2013, 01:50
Location: Australia

puppylinux easy to use but NOT install

#879 Post by paulparker »

Subject: easy puppylinux to use but NOT install or damage

Subject description: use or demonstrate puppylinux on other computers without harming them...


Feel this needs be marked IMPORTANT so quick to find.

Previously used puppylinux to quickly demonstrate linux on other people's computers without fear of mucking them up.

Installed sometimes, specially older machines :-)

Along with links to the simple instructions of how to demonstrate puppylinux without damaging anothers computer...

purmasuu
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat 25 May 2013, 00:52

On puppy needs ur help 2

#880 Post by purmasuu »

I am a terrible typist , many times I can't even do my password correctly . Because I have this drawback I tend to try to do everything thru the GUI . I run the latest Lucid now but with Wary combined in . I say this because I see the 525 version sign on , but the beautiful lightning scene is what comes on with the usual original template icons
.
I have been fooling with this since last summer . Trying to get a bullet proof version on my usb flash stick (8g,4g) I started with a live cd from Linux Format magazine and enjoyed its speed and simple look . I like the control that I do have over it . Because I run wide open on the public access points I like not having to worry about viri . Should it happen I just re format and began again with a re-install .

My original stick with the updated sfs or apt is still there . I copy to other sticks and fool with them as I strive to understand the Puppy system . I originally came from the Mint system (Debian ver) It is quite fast but uses alot of space . What ilike about puppy was its resilience especially the Lucid version . It is as if it tenaciously keeps digging until it mounts . None of the other flavors and versions can match that . One thing I like is be able to plug it in another computer , mount up and go to town .
I had even used a (6g) Knoppix version . It is blinding fast but very touchy and hard to control the windows . I probably didn't understand the settings .
The main problem was I would put a cd in it and I couldn't get it to run . I knew it could run in XP or "7" I can get Gnome to work in either video or the exe but not both at once . My main confusion is with the little gear icons that look like exe's but don't operate the same . I can't click on them the way I could in windows to run an application . I can't use the run comand either because the little routine doesn't see it as an application . So sometimes the programs work and sometimes it doesn't .

I just about started and loaded this puppy every way it can be loaded and run . I like the frugal mode the best . However I find I don't need all those saves in session or otherwise . I need the original save for my base mount . Then I need about 1 or 2 more for the final tweaked save . With a last one that I mess with as I drop out packages and find what is actually needed .

My I idea is to have a puppy for each area of operation . One for media ' one for writing , one for photos , one for the internet . The idea is to keep puppy nimble and quick .

No one part would fail and ruin the other parts . I think the biggest problem Windows 7 had was trying to do all things and reserving huge amounts of space for various operations . I think trying to protect and redundancy is what slows it down . With all its libraries , services and functions , it can't help but become muscle-bound . It takes most computers with windows more than 5 to 10 minutes to load up . After people have using it awhile with what they do and the various bugs that crop up that is a more realistic number .

I think to get up and running with the internet as well windows must go thru 6-8 changes . each one can fail . I think the inherent setup that puppy has makes it more efficient . Right now I am trying to think what using usb stick can do to make say a business such as a postal service can do with it . Well for now I am out of time .

My main issue right now is I can't get abiword to use the template I want for its standard letter .

The second matter is I reformatted and mounted a usb stick but it won't load its drivers for starting puppy . I can run it after I mount it with another usb stick or even live cd . the only thing that is missing is the boot (exe) gear-look that say "boot cap" under it . "Boot mess"(exe) is right next to it . I can't put one in there . Also I can't expand the partition that Puppy is in .
..
b
[/b]

johnfriction
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue 04 Jun 2013, 22:57

My experience with Puppy

#881 Post by johnfriction »

Glad this thread is up -- helps me feel like I'm contributing in a small way. :) I just started “getting into" Linux a couple months ago. We have several computers in the house: a new Windows 8 HP Envy dv7, a 2009 or so Dell Latitude 1440, and an HP Mini 110 netbook (1.6Ghz Atom, 2GB RAM). I've tried several distros on the Dell or the HP Mini, including Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Lubuntu, and Linux Mint. I've decided on Mint for the Dell (dual boot with Win7) and Lubuntu (only) on the netbook. The netbook is INCREDIBLY more satisfying to me with Puppy or Lubuntu than with XP!!

At the same time, I've been playing with Puppy and found it to be fun. It does run faster on the Dell than Mint. I would definitely say that Lubuntu is faster on the netbook though than Puppy, including bootup and even overall speed. Puppy works out of the box on both machines, including wireless, which is very impressive because the stupid Broadcom drivers do not work on any of the *buntus/Mint without plugging into Ethernet and downloading the firmware.

The Windows 8 HP is another story, and I haven't spent a lot of time on it yet. Mint 15 might be best, and that's probably what I'll try and convince my wife on with dual boot if I can get HDMI to work right… we don’t get cable or anything and use it every day to watch TV. Puppy does boot on it with UEFI set to legacy mode and Secure Boot turned off, fortunately HP makes both pretty easy. However, it took some tinkering to get the video to work in Puppy and initially did not boot to GUI (it's got an AMD A8 CPU with AMD Radeon graphics), and I have had no luck at all with the sound. Tried the ALSA wizard several different ways, etc. I probably won’t keep trying.

Anyhow, I’ve been very impressed with Puppy and would probably use it on a computer with a dead hard drive or a slower system than the HP Mini. I suppose I wonder why I personally would use it frequently over Lubuntu, which seems just as fast and easier to set up certain things I need (like Dropbox and WINE with Word 2003). I think Puppy might be better off too with something like LXDE—JWM looked very dated when I first pulled it up, although it’s grown on me a little. I know there’s LxPup, but how much space would it take to offer both JWM and LXDE, which is also very lightweight? I know the idea of switching to Firefox or Chromium with Slypheed has been tossed around too – SeaMonkey’s horrible UI was a turn off and I installed FF right away, which works great on both my Dell and HP.

It’s been fun diving into the Linux world, and I’m going to continue using Puppy USB stick now and then.

starhawk
Posts: 4906
Joined: Mon 22 Nov 2010, 06:04
Location: Everybody knows this is nowhere...

#882 Post by starhawk »

johnfriction -- a note about sound, I have a particularly persnickety Compaq that's not quite as new but taught me a few things nonetheless.

There may be a setting in BIOS to set the internal audio to "Auto" or "Enable" or "Disable" -- there was in my Compaq, and when I plugged a graphics card into it, which by the way was a 2xDVI card, Puppy claimed the card had HDMI ports and tried to pipe the audio (unsuccessfully) through that! Whoopsie. Changing the BIOS setting from "Auto" to "Enable" and then running Puppy's "Multiple Sound Card Wizard" fixed that pretty quickly -- once I figured out that this was the source of the issue.

Also -- you might try Upup Precise 3.8.3.1 or Upup Raring 3.8.7 -- both are in the "Puppy Projects" section of this forum and are extremely well done. (We call 'unofficial' versions "Puplets" and they are usually supported just as well as the official builds.) I have Upup Raring running on a small, weird, but very new motherboard I have that's waiting for a case right now. That board previously had an earlier build of Upup Precise (Upup Precise 3.8.2) and those two Puplets are the only ones that I could get to work with the board -- it has "Poulsbo" graphics (Intel's new graphics whoozimawidget for Atom processors that don't use the i945 chipset -- those things are a real trip, I tell you!).

johnfriction
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue 04 Jun 2013, 22:57

#883 Post by johnfriction »

starhawk - Thanks for the tips! I'll have to keep trying the sound -- I'd take Puppy over Windows 8 any day!!

ssreddy
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed 12 Jun 2013, 16:39
Location: Hyderabad, India

Love Puppy Linux

#884 Post by ssreddy »

Started using Puppy Linux Slacko version since 2 days & am immensely happy with it.

Really amazing how so much is built into such a small foot print. Hats off to the developers.

I have installed it on to an 8 GB USB flash drive.I keep getting the message that the max limit that I can allot to my personal file is 1.50 GB. When I have so much space left, why can't I allot more? In fact, I did allot 2.2 Gigs now & it's working fine. I have 2 GB of RAM.

I have downloaded & installed Google Chrome; It has no menu entry. How to open it from the console? I have subsequently installed & using Chromium though. This one does have a menu entry.

I have been using Linux (Ubuntu, Mint) since 2011, so not a total newbie to linux. I love Linux in general & now, Puppy in particular. I have win XP on the hard drive & this one on the flash drive & am immensely happy. I now feel there is no need to go for Ubuntu or Mint.

Thanks once again.

andytwo2
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun 30 Jun 2013, 21:27

newbe help

#885 Post by andytwo2 »

Hope im in the right general area. I was looking for some help with xastir.

TKS

Dewbie

#886 Post by Dewbie »

andytwo2 wrote:
Hope im in the right general area. I was looking for some help with xastir.
First try a search using xastir as keyword.
See if your question is answered in those threads.
If not, start a new thread, perhaps in the Beginners Help section.

PuppyUser2309
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue 18 Jun 2013, 23:26

#887 Post by PuppyUser2309 »

Not sure if this is the right place for this kind of feedback, but here goes - I tried to follow the instructions in the Puppy Linux Manual for installing Puppy to the hard drive. They're good but possibly outdated.

The "Installation-Frugal" section here http://puppylinux.org/main/Manual-English.htm#Manual05 explains how to use GRUB bootloader. I'm new at this but my understanding is that GRUB bootloader has been superceded by Grub4DOS.

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Omega
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed 12 Jun 2013, 09:50
Location: Germany

#888 Post by Omega »

I have a Fujitsu Siemens Amilo L1300 with a CeleronM CPU with 1,4GHz and 512MB memory.

At first I tried Puppy Precise 5.4.3 but this version didn't worked because a CeleronM is apparently not PAE compatible. Then I tried the Retro version of Precise 5.4.3 and was amazed by it.

Everything was like I wanted from the beginning: A clean desktop, WLAN, Internet, accessing windows shares, a word processor, spreadsheet, all common video codecs, flash, java vm and many more. Wow!

Meanwhile I updated to Precise 5.6.1 and am still very excited. And I'm glad that the kernel in Precise 5.6.1 supports both PAE and NON-PAE processors.

I hope that Puppy Linux will continue to support old(er) computers in the future because I don't feel like buying a new PC and updating to Win7 or Win8 anymore.

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ardvark
Posts: 1448
Joined: Tue 02 Jul 2013, 03:43
Location: USA

#889 Post by ardvark »

Hi all...

I just recently installed Precise Puppy 5.6.1 for an old eMachines T-1090 that has a Celeron 900 Mhz (Socket 370,) 256 MB's of memory and a Radeon 7500 64 MB PCI add on card. Before that it was using the onboard Intel 82810 graphics chipset.

Of all the lightweight OS's I've tried so far, Precise Puppy works the best on this system, even though the hardware is too old to handle videos.

One recommendation I would like to offer is that the Puppy Package Manager be reworked to where I am not asked a series of questions when I choose something to install. Questions like what server to download from and whether or not to install dependencies can be left up to the manager.

For those who want to be able to have these choices, an "Expert mode" button can be offered that would allow this. Otherwise the manager can handle the details. I like Synaptic a lot for this reason, it just does the job without bothering me. :)

Also, having a lot more software to choose from would be a great bonus. Currently, it's pretty slim pickin's as to what's available.

Best Regards...

tropicalretriever
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon 24 Jun 2013, 10:54

#890 Post by tropicalretriever »

Hello everybody,

I have tried a lot of different distros including Debian based and Slackware based, but I have only tried Puppy once. As I am typing this I am burning another ISO and will give it another look. The reason I am hesitant is that you are always running as root and I couldn't find a firewall, although there may be one I don't know about. I think the best thing about linux is all the choice it gives the end user, so why not let them choose if they want to set up a root account or not? That is about it, and thank you for a great distro. I know a lot of hard work goes into making it.

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