Pupsave Creation at First Shutdown [Alternative Solution]

[musher0]

Hi, Mick.

In answer to your questions above:

My sda2 partition is an ext3 partition. It is located on an 1 Tb external
e-sata disk.

The French translations are not installed at this point; but I routinely tick
fr_CA as the chosen locale in the first boot panel.

In some try-outs, I remember that I used the keyboard wizard to modify
the xkeyboard settings further, to microsoftinet, qc and fr-legacy.

I'll have to redo a first boot to get that "shutdownconfig_results" file.

You mention shinobar. He has produced a shutdown script as well, did he?
Any problems with his? Substituting those scripts would be too easy, eh?

Bye for now.

musher0

[musher0]

Hello again, Mick.

You wrote:
> that will throw a mount error and therefore that file system will be
reported as 0 (zero), then I think there is some weird thing in there that
subtracts 1M for some reason.

That IM is for safety, for wiggle-room. That "weird thing" is an "expr"
calculation command. I saw it and refrained from removing the line...

It's obvious: if the script thinks there is no file system and still substracts
1M from it... The anti-matter Puppy begins!

You have a falcon's eyes, my friend! Thanks

We continue. BFN.

musher0

[01micko]

Please run probepart

Here is my sample output, with a usb hdd plugged too, note sda3 is the extended partition

Code: Select all

# probepart
/dev/sda1|ntfs|409432526
/dev/sda2|ntfs|614197080
/dev/sda3|none|2
/dev/sda5|ext4|307468034
/dev/sda6|ext4|307194866
/dev/sda7|ext4|254695424
/dev/sda8|ext4|56399872
/dev/sda9|swap|4112384
/dev/sdb1|ntfs|602565956
/dev/sdb2|ext4|22571324

I suspect that is ok..

Also, from a live boot I want..

Code: Select all

cat /etc/rc.d/PUPSTATE

..to make sure the initrd is doing it's job, it might be a busybox (initrd version) or even a timing problem.

[musher0]

Please run probepart

Here is my sample output, with a usb hdd plugged too, note sda3 is the extended partition

Code: Select all

# probepart
/dev/sda1|ntfs|409432526
(...)

I suspect that is ok..

Also, from a live boot I want..

Code: Select all

cat /etc/rc.d/PUPSTATE

..to make sure the initrd is doing it's job, it might be a busybox (initrd version) or even a timing problem.

Hi, Mick.

Please find attached the requested files and results. The archive also
contains a screeny of console information from the actual shutdownconfig
run.

I'd like to add that, this time, booting from a CD, I had no problem
whatsoever getting a 32 Mg pupsave file to be created. ( <-- This info
might be important for other users who initially experience the bug. <-- )

I then rebooted from the grub4dos interface, loading the freshly created
2fs file: the gdk bug was not present, and the desktop showed normally.
I did another boot after requesting that the devx sfs file be loaded, and
again success, everything was as it should.

Many thanks for your interest in this bug.
I remain at your disposal. TWYL.

musher0

[01micko]

Can you boot from grub pfix=ram and supply the cat /etc/rc.d/PUPSTATE please? Don't worry about trying to make a save, I just want to see that :-

Code: Select all

PDEV1='sda2'
DEV1FS='ext3'

I'm thinking more and more it's an issue with your hardware detection in the initrd... as said, perhaps timing.

If that's all good it must be the mathematics in shutdownconfig.

EDIT: btw, the disktype error is trying to probe the floppy when either there is no drive or no floppy disk inserted, something I want to deprecate, or at least make optional.

[musher0]

Ah, boot from grub. Ok. Back in a few minutes.

[musher0]

Here you go, Mick.

Concerning your "EDIT": I only put a diskette in the diskette drive when I
get nostalgic about FREEDos, never in Linux. It would be strange, wouldn't
it, if the Puppy detected an 1T eSATA drive as a 1.44K diskette drive. A
"snake eating its tail" kind of thing. Just a thought.

In any case, I edited the first post of this thread to make clear to those
users who may experience a similar problem that there are a couple of
valid work-arounds for this bug.

BFN.

musher0

[01micko]

Bingo!

Found the source of the bug... initrd is not recognising that you have an ext3 filesystem!

Code: Select all

DEV1FS=''

Now to find out why . Hmm,.. there is a cutdown "probepart" in the initrd, I guess thats as good as any place to start.

Here's something radical to try. Remove the slacko-5.6.1.sfs (yes, the main one), leave the initrd and vmlinuz there, and boot. It will say something like "can't find slacko-5.6.1.sfs .. dropping out to initial ramdisk console".
You'll be dumped to "#". Type "/sbin/probepart_init" (no quotes). Tell me if sda2 has a filesystem according to the output, plus other partitions results as well. Sorry, there is no way to save these results, just snap or write 'em down.

----------------------------------
[a little later ]

While you in are the ramdisk shell environment run this also;

Code: Select all

guess_fstype /dev/sda2

And why not try on other partitions?

IF THAT FAILS.. try this one.

Code: Select all

blkid /dev/sda2

[musher0]

Hi, Mick.

Another requested report.

For some partitions, the last field of the probepart_init reading is unsure.
That part of my report is a transcript from blurry or overexposed pictures.
I hope it's not too important. I can send the pics in a separate archive, or
redo the tests with a steadier hand if you need them.

As you will see, the low-level Linux recognizes the file types for all the
partitions.

Thanks again. BFN.

musher0

[01micko]

Ok, my last post was crap (rdsh ? .. still crap), you can get all that from running pup anyway (pfix=ram of course).

Take a look in /initrd/tmp, zip up all those logs and post them, should cover everything and if/why there is a breakdown in the initrd.

TIA

[musher0]

Ok, my last post was crap (rdsh ? .. still crap), you can get all that from running pup anyway (pfix=ram of course).

Take a look in /initrd/tmp, zip up all those logs and post them, should cover everything and if/why there is a breakdown in the initrd.

TIA

Here you are!

[musher0]

Hello, all.

Here's a reprint from a message sent a few minutes ago:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello again, Mick.

I tried Godt's patch: no joy. However replacing the busybox blkid in
/sbin with the attached solves the problem, in CLI [mode] as least.

I did check BK's code with set -xe earlier and his exit script has no
errors. It's the Imperial Poodle who wrote the busybox applet for
blkid who should be chastised. (I hope you're not said Poodle!)

For the record: (will save you some typing)
* rename the link blkid in /sbin to blkid-NO
* unpack the attached in /sbin
* make a link from blkid-2.23 to blkid.
Done.

The attached blkid utility is a ready-made binary from archlinux, upx'd.
Version number -- of the utils-linux series it's from -- is 2.23. You may
wish to compile your own from the latest utils-linux-2.24 for your next
re-mastering / woofing of slacko.

Problem solved, as far as I'm concerned. TWYL.

Have a great day! (Which it is, isn't?)

musher0

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Voilà ! BFN.

musher0

[musher0]

(Was initially in the first post. Brought here in an effort to re-organize
things.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Edit Nov. 24, 2013
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello all!

I'm awaiting 01micko's diagnosis of my latest test and will edit this intro
further when it comes in.

But I think it is safe to say that:
* this problem is more likely to exist if you launch your Puppy through
__ grub4dos or similar, from a folder you have nested it in.

* the cause (has been validated) is incorrect recognition of an
__ external eSATA drive by Puppy's busybox blkid utility. If the
__ busybox utility is replaced with the full one, the problem goes away.
(Edit, Nov. 27, 2013)

* Edit, Nov. 25, 2013. On the subject of the language or locale being a
__ factor in this bug: a recent report from someone using a dual EN/PL
__ keyboard setting has come in, suggesting that locale has no effect.

* At the time of this writing, there are four known solutions at the newbie
__ level if you experience this bug:

0) (Point zero)
Before booting the new Puppy, if you don't already have a special folder
for this new Puppy, create one on your disk, with the name of said new
Puppy. Write this name down, and also the name of the partition (/mnt/
sda2, for example). You'll be working half-blind and under stress for the
next few minutes, so this note will be helpful if your memory gets short.

1) Create a pupsave file beforehand in said folder, as per instructions
listed here:
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... ost#737783
The new Puppy will pick it up correctly at 1st boot. Do some minimal
configuration changes. Exit and reboot with the same pupsave file to
validate. If things are ok, you're done. Congratulations!

If things are not ok... read on.

2) Burn the Puppy ISO to CD, and boot from this CD. Type Code:
puppy pfix=ram


at the initial prompt. Once inside Puppy, edit your configurations minimally
and reboot. Folllow the prompts to create a pupsave file. When asked
about the place where to put it, type in the name of the folder you jotted
down earlier. Once done, remove your CD, and reboot through the
grub interface to validate.

If the desktop looks fine and things are ok, you're done. Again,
congratulations!

If things are not ok... read on.

3) Boot your Puppy from the grub interface or the CD, it does not matter.
Do some minimal configuration changes. But instead of exiting directly,
open a console, type Code:
shutdownconfig


and follow the prompts. Once the process is finished, close the console.
Check in the Puppy-derivative folder to see if you now have a pupsave
file. You should.

Now exit normally. You will be asked the same questions again. Give the
appropriate answers and/or choices (same as before) until you come to
the end of the process. This time, though, the process will have saved
your configurations in the pupsave file and then kick you out! Reboot
with same pupsave file to validate. If things are ok, you're done.
Congratulations!

If things are still not ok... read on.

4) Boot your new Puppy through the grub interface. Use the replacement
solution mentioned below at
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... ost#739203.
(This a manual copy process. Double-check yourself. You will be replacing
the existing rc.shutdownconfig in folder /etc with one from an older derivative of Puppy.)
Ask to exit and follow the prompts. This is a non-recommended solution,
but if it works... hush -- and use it.

If things are still not ok... try another breed of Puppy?

I guess that's it for now.

Have a pleasant day or evening!

musher0

[musher0]

Edits: Nov. 26, 2013; Nov. 30, 2013.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello, everyone.

The work-arounds described above may still be needed for earlier Puppies,
but I believe that I have finally found a system solution. Please read
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... ost#739666.
Hopefully, the developers will incorporate it in the coming Puppies.

Enjoy!

musher0

[musher0]

(Re-edited Nov. 30, 2013 in an effort to re-organize the subject.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bug is still present in slacko-5.6.3_alpha. Sorry for the false joy, folks!
Please use one of the work-arounds above if you have this bug, or the
attached script. It will create a 384 Mb pupsave for a number of Puppies,
not only for slacko Puppies.

As usual, once unpacked, make the script executable before running.

Later, should you need to enlarge that file, go in a console, type

Code: Select all

echo 393000 > pupsaveresize.txt

and hit < Return >. Then, reboot with the same Puppy. Upon reboot, the
Puppy will add 384M (in human-understandable numbers) to your already
existing pupsave file. You may repeat this simple process every time your
pupsave file gets nearly full.

BFN.

musher0

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Edit, Nov. 30, 2013.
I leave this attachment here for historical purposes, but please use the
new, more precise one, located below at
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... ost#740648
Thanks.

[Karl Godt]

echo "Let's begin."
echo
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/sda1 >/dev/null 2>&1
cd /mnt/sda1
echo "Here are the names of some common Puppies:"
echo

WOW ! /dev/null for trouble shooting. Very informative. Thanks. Common in Puppyland .

[L18L]

...
echo "Here are the names of some common Puppies:"
...

WOW ! /dev/null for trouble shooting. Very informative. Thanks. Common in Puppyland .

...and here is the full list: Puppy Derivatives

[musher0]

Thank you, gentlemen. Your feedback is appreciated.

@Karl:
Check for (open) sda1 partition is now done at the start in an if...else
structure.

@L18N
"some" changed to "recent".

• Your URL points to a thread on derivatives -- also of Puppy clubs. It's
  useful, but this script would need a full list of the "pupsave" file names,
  if it exists, not of the actual Puppies.
  
  It might be very long, so no other edit is envisioned on this sub-subject; I
  leave it to the user, to be careful.

Again, thank you both for your input.

Best regards.

musher0
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Edit, Nov. 30, 2013.
To the user: I've left this attachment for historical purposes, but please use the new, more precise one, located below. Thanks.

[musher0]

@L18N
This additional edit presents the list of recent pupsave filenames with
some checking within a case...esac structure. Thanks for the unlikely
"inspiration" !

BFN.

musher0
~~~~~~~~~~
To the user:
Attachment left here for historical purposes. Please use version 4 below. Thanks.

[L18L]

...Thanks for the unlikely
"inspiration" !

Maybe another inspiration:

ls: cannot access /mnt/sda1: No such file or directory
Please mount partition /mnt/sda1 and restart the script.
If you are on a diskless station, burn your Puppy on
DVD and use it in multi-session mode; this script is of
no use to you.
#

Really, of no use for me but hopefully for others.