Fatdog64-620beta2

A home for all kinds of Puppy related projects
Message
Author
JustGreg
Posts: 782
Joined: Tue 24 May 2005, 10:55
Location: Connecticut USA

#46 Post by JustGreg »

I am still having problems. First, I do have to say the documentation in the FAQ is very good. I have been reading it and trying things.

I did try the nomodeset parameter and use vesa driver. I had no success with that parameter. But, I did create the file, /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-gpudriver.conf. I modified it for the radeon driver and tried the option. Thank you, Jamesbond for the information. It is a little better, but, still fails.

I am going to try the coldplug kernel parameter to see if it resolves the issue. What is confusing for me is Fatdog64 611 works so well on this computer.

I did a hard info report using the Fatdog64 620 Beta 2. The report lists the CPU: AMD C-60 APU with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics 1000.00MHz.

I have also checked to see what other drivers in the 600 pet library that are available. Here are the latest ones that look like they may work:
ati-catalyst-12.6-hd234-3.7.10.pet 2013-Mar-01
ati-catalyst-12.8-3.7.10.pet 2013-Mar-01
ati-catalyst-13.1-3.7.10.pet 2013-Mar-01
ati-catalyst-legacy-13.1-3.7.10.pet 2013-Mar-01

Any suggestions on which one to try first, will be appreciated.

I do think that Fatdog64 is the distribution to use with UEFI booting. The boot process works well out of the box. Mokmanager is not easiest to use, but, does work. Once everything is set up, there are no booting problems. If you are familiar with Grub then the transition to Grub 2 is not that hard.

Thank you in advance for any help on this. Now to see what coldplug does while waiting for the 25 centimeters of snow coming down to stop :shock:
Enjoy life, Just Greg
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

kirk
Posts: 1553
Joined: Fri 11 Nov 2005, 19:04
Location: florida

#47 Post by kirk »

What is confusing for me is Fatdog64 611 works so well on this computer.
That means it's the new kernel or the new Xorg ati driver that is causing problems.
ati-catalyst-12.6-hd234-3.7.10.pet 2013-Mar-01
ati-catalyst-12.8-3.7.10.pet 2013-Mar-01
ati-catalyst-13.1-3.7.10.pet 2013-Mar-01
ati-catalyst-legacy-13.1-3.7.10.pet 2013-Mar-01

Any suggestions on which one to try first, will be appreciated.
Go to ATI's web site:

http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx

and go through their driver selector, but don't download what they suggest, just make note of the Catalyst version they say to use. Then download the pet that is needed.

I've also put a pet of the old version of the Xorg ati driver you can try.

http://distro.ibiblio.org/fatdog/broken ... 6.14.6.pet

User avatar
ally
Posts: 1957
Joined: Sat 19 May 2012, 19:29
Location: lincoln, uk
Contact:

#48 Post by ally »

hey kirk/jb

LOVING this new build, fast, cool and stable - sweet!

I have noticed a 'gtk dialogue' error when using ppm, packages install ok after clearing error box, however, items install to 'other' directory (firefox & galculator)

:)

jamesbond
Posts: 3433
Joined: Mon 26 Feb 2007, 05:02
Location: The Blue Marble

#49 Post by jamesbond »

ally wrote: I have noticed a 'gtk dialogue' error when using ppm, packages install ok after clearing error box, however, items install to 'other' directory (firefox & galculator)

:)
Thanks ally, fixed for next release. It only happens when initial download is slow - but yeah, it shouldn't happen in the first place.
Fatdog64 forum links: [url=http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=117546]Latest version[/url] | [url=https://cutt.ly/ke8sn5H]Contributed packages[/url] | [url=https://cutt.ly/se8scrb]ISO builder[/url]

User avatar
ally
Posts: 1957
Joined: Sat 19 May 2012, 19:29
Location: lincoln, uk
Contact:

#50 Post by ally »

it's really hard to find bugs - been trying hard too!

:)

JustGreg
Posts: 782
Joined: Tue 24 May 2005, 10:55
Location: Connecticut USA

#51 Post by JustGreg »

Thank you, Kirk for the information and making the older driver available.

I tried the coldplug parameter. It seems to work. I have done over 20 cold starts and no problems. I am staying with it for now.

I am fairly sure the video driver is not the problem. I think the new kernel is doing something that causes a initialization problem. When the kernel is probing the hardware, the display changes greatly, but, it seems to be in a graphic mode for console at the end. It does not go into a text mode (80 by 25) initially.

Thanks for the help. At least, we know another way (coldplug) to help new hardware to work. I also think the BIOS is optimize for Window$ in some way for a quick graphic start up and is not documented. The issue may be in going from a text mode to graphic mode. Window$ 8 wants to be in graphic mode for the boot process. Windows$ 8 does not display any of the normal POST information. This could be the source of the initialization problem.

Hopefully, I will not be back reporting on this problem.
Enjoy life, Just Greg
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

User avatar
ally
Posts: 1957
Joined: Sat 19 May 2012, 19:29
Location: lincoln, uk
Contact:

#52 Post by ally »

hey jb

having difficulties with the pmusic build

unable to select tracks from directory by navigating the file tree, clicking on directory location does not open to reveal music files

was able to obtain a playlist by using the random add function (in theis case 10 files) but only 3 were displayed in the list although more files playable [edit - this refreshed when trying to navigate file tree again]

current track info did not change from the default 'hoovers - ride with me' file

the 'define which sources to search' dialogue box stayed on screen also

:)

jamesbond
Posts: 3433
Joined: Mon 26 Feb 2007, 05:02
Location: The Blue Marble

#53 Post by jamesbond »

Thanks for the report. Yes it is not working the way you explained it. Pmusic in Fatdog is old (version 2.6.2), I saw kirk attempted to update to pmusic 3.0 but then cancelled the update. Probably because it requires updated gtkdialog. I just tried to install pmusic 3.2.3 (latest) but it doesn't work too, again because gtkdialog failed to launch the menu.

I need to check with zigbert which version of gtkdialog is required - we recently updated gtkdialog to version 0.8.3 (from 0.8.0) and apparently this is still not good enough?
Fatdog64 forum links: [url=http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=117546]Latest version[/url] | [url=https://cutt.ly/ke8sn5H]Contributed packages[/url] | [url=https://cutt.ly/se8scrb]ISO builder[/url]

JustGreg
Posts: 782
Joined: Tue 24 May 2005, 10:55
Location: Connecticut USA

#54 Post by JustGreg »

Kirk had mentioned that the Fatdog 64 boot software would work with any kernel. So I tried it with the latest Slacko 5.5. It did work after getting the grub configuration correct for Slacko 5.5.

However, if anyone else tries this then make sure you have pfix=nox option for the first boot. The puppy automatic setup of the X server fails badly. Slacko 5.5 reports the BIOS has no VESA extensions. One needs to use xorgwizard carefully to select the proper Video driver. Make sure you test the configuration and have a successful result before starting X server.

I have keep the pfix=nox option. I am getting similar failures of the X server that I first encountered with Fatdog64 620 Beta1 and Beta2. The video setup on this Compaq CQ-58 is difficult.

But, the coldplug option has greatly help. If there is an interest in how I setup Grub, please tell me and I will post the details under the Hardware section.

For UEFI hardware, I still think Fatdog 64 is the best because it is a 64 bit architecture. The new UEFI hardware uses the 64 bit processors.
Enjoy life, Just Greg
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

User avatar
prehistoric
Posts: 1744
Joined: Tue 23 Oct 2007, 17:34

#55 Post by prehistoric »

JustGreg wrote:...If there is an interest in how I setup Grub, please tell me and I will post the details under the Hardware section,,,
Please do.

jamesbond
Posts: 3433
Joined: Mon 26 Feb 2007, 05:02
Location: The Blue Marble

#56 Post by jamesbond »

prehistoric wrote:
JustGreg wrote:...If there is an interest in how I setup Grub, please tell me and I will post the details under the Hardware section,,,
Please do.
And JustGreg just did, here: http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 810#690810.

Thanks JustGreg.

Another note on the radeon problem - I encountered this in around beta1 I think. My laptop has an radeon card, it would boot fine in BIOS mode. But when I tried to boot it under UEFI (on the same laptop!), the radeon driver *does not* work for me - it displayed the screen briefly, showed some corruption, and then went to the neverland requiring power-cycle to get it restarted. It used to work in pre-beta1. We tried to go back to earlier version of radeon Xorg driver but it didn't work too, so our guess now is something in the kernel have changed. In the end, I was forced to use unaccelerated "modesetting" driver if I want to be able to do anything at all.

EDIT: I have just tried with beta2 and I still have the same problem.
Fatdog64 forum links: [url=http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=117546]Latest version[/url] | [url=https://cutt.ly/ke8sn5H]Contributed packages[/url] | [url=https://cutt.ly/se8scrb]ISO builder[/url]

gcmartin

save-sessions reboot

#57 Post by gcmartin »

2 tthings that are probably already schedule for adjustments in the upcoming release.

SWAP ON is not remembered over save-sessions reboot.
NUM-Lock is not remembered over save-sessions reboot.

Swap is the most critical because of all of the subsystems, browsers and VM clients that are being run, its a little unsettling to have to constantly stumble upon this not getting started at system startup. System will begin to crawl and if someone is unaware, they could wrongly assume a different system component the problem. If the swap detection could be added back in, it would address this.

I have always been clear on the flags in GParted. But, many/most system users do not make constant changes to their HDDs/USBs. The number of time the community users will boot a system exceeds the GParted concern by the 10s of thousands. And, I think that most who use GParted already know about their own use of SWAP where seeing the flag is not an issue. The SWAP partition flag is expected by all/most of us who use GPARTED. whereas Windows users who never used SWAP would never see a flag anyhow. So, this might help in your evaluation of turning swap detection on/off.

thanks to consideration.

jamesbond
Posts: 3433
Joined: Mon 26 Feb 2007, 05:02
Location: The Blue Marble

#58 Post by jamesbond »

Thank you gcmartin for the feedback.

Automatic swap detection will not be coming back for reasons I have stated before. If one needs to use swap at every boot, add swapon command in /etc/rc.d/rc.local or add the swap entry in /etc/fstab.

JustGreg, just saw your comment about the snow - I thought it no longer snows in March? :shock:
Fatdog64 forum links: [url=http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=117546]Latest version[/url] | [url=https://cutt.ly/ke8sn5H]Contributed packages[/url] | [url=https://cutt.ly/se8scrb]ISO builder[/url]

User avatar
rcrsn51
Posts: 13096
Joined: Tue 05 Sep 2006, 13:50
Location: Stratford, Ontario

#59 Post by rcrsn51 »

jamesbond wrote:JustGreg, just saw your comment about the snow - I thought it no longer snows in March? :shock:
It sure does. But it's the snow in April that is really depressing.

JustGreg
Posts: 782
Joined: Tue 24 May 2005, 10:55
Location: Connecticut USA

#60 Post by JustGreg »

Another note on the radeon problem - I encountered this in around beta1 I think. My laptop has an radeon card, it would boot fine in BIOS mode. But when I tried to boot it under UEFI (on the same laptop!), the radeon driver *does not* work for me - it displayed the screen briefly, showed some corruption, and then went to the neverland requiring power-cycle to get it restarted. It used to work in pre-beta1. We tried to go back to earlier version of radeon Xorg driver but it didn't work too, so our guess now is something in the kernel have changed. In the end, I was forced to use unaccelerated "modesetting" driver if I want to be able to do anything at all.
I think it is a UEFI BIOS issue. As far as I can tell, the UEFI BIOS seems to prefer a graphic mode. Window$ 8 uses graphic video for the start. It shows a "lame" graphic from power up.

With Slacko UEFI USB device, I found that the VESA BIOS extensions are not present. The UEFI BIOS may not even support text modes now. That change is probably buried in the thousand pages of the UEFI specification. The legacy BIOS may still have it.

I think the Radeon driver is OK. It is going from the graphic mode of UEIF BIOS to console text mode that may be the issue. Something may not get re-initialized correctly when the X server starts. However, since I have added the coldplug option, X server has started correctly for over 30 times now. When the kernel probes the hardware, the display flashes with strange patterns and colors, but, the X sever does start without freeze up.

The problem you describe with beta1 and beta2 is the same as I found. It does not always happen, which is maddening. You think you have fixed, only to find a couple of boots later, it is still there.

I did the Slacko UEFI experiment to see if it would have the same problem. Yes, it does. Once again, sometimes it works and other times, it does not.

I guess Linux needs to drop the text mode console and stay with a graphical frame buffer console. I wish I knew more on how to set that configuration up. But, I will make the offer to test it if someone makes a total graphical start up process. Edit: I checked the Fatdog64 FAQ. Fatdog64 does use the graphical frame buffer console. So, it will have to be another version of Puppy to be tested.

I hope this helps.

Yes, rcrsn51, snow in April is depressing, but, the good news is it disappears quickly.
Last edited by JustGreg on Sun 10 Mar 2013, 20:44, edited 1 time in total.
Enjoy life, Just Greg
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

User avatar
prehistoric
Posts: 1744
Joined: Tue 23 Oct 2007, 17:34

UEFI and graphics

#61 Post by prehistoric »

Check the description of graphics under UEFI in this Wikipedia article. They have made a deliberate move away from VGA dependence. The UEFI BIOS screens I have seen so far have all been graphical. We are dealing with a new, incompatible standard.

JustGreg
Posts: 782
Joined: Tue 24 May 2005, 10:55
Location: Connecticut USA

#62 Post by JustGreg »

Thanks, Prehistoric for the wiki article. I have read that article before, but missed something.

Under the services section, there is the following:
The operating system is permitted to directly write to the framebuffer provided by GOP during runtime mode. However, the ability to change video modes is lost after transitioning to runtime services mode until the OS graphics driver is loaded.
Which sounds like the problem, I and others have encountered. If there is a transition to console text mode, the ability to go back to another graphical mode with the run time services is not ensured. By probing the hardware first with coldplug, the graphical drivers (kernel frame buffer and other driver) are loaded. The kernel is not using the run time services of the UEFI BIOS.

The above is my guess. What do others think of it? I am married with children (grown), so I am use to being told I do not know what I am talking about.
Enjoy life, Just Greg
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

kirk
Posts: 1553
Joined: Fri 11 Nov 2005, 19:04
Location: florida

#63 Post by kirk »

Greg,

I suspect something is not initializing fast enough, or maybe more likely there's a bug in the radeon KMS driver. We'll give the 3.8.3 kernel a go when it comes out in a few days, no reason to think it will help, but there's a chance.
jamesbond wrote:
JustGreg, just saw your comment about the snow - I thought it no longer snows in March? Shocked

It sure does. But it's the snow in April that is really depressing.
What's snow? :lol:

User avatar
rcrsn51
Posts: 13096
Joined: Tue 05 Sep 2006, 13:50
Location: Stratford, Ontario

#64 Post by rcrsn51 »

kirk wrote:What's snow?
Ask any of the pasty-faced people showing up in your state this week.

JustGreg
Posts: 782
Joined: Tue 24 May 2005, 10:55
Location: Connecticut USA

#65 Post by JustGreg »

Kirk, I hope you are correct on the new kernel. But, I do know that the coldplug option does resolve the issue. When the next kernel comes out, I will test it without coldplug option to see if it takes care of the issue.
Enjoy life, Just Greg
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Post Reply