EasyOS Kirkstone-series version 4.101 (RC for 5.0)

[BarryK]

February 23, 2023: Version 4.101

Announcement, notes and d/l link:
https://bkhome.org/news/202302/easyos-k ... or-50.html

Forum feedback in this thread starts on page 4:
viewtopic.php?p=82278#p82278

February 19, 2023: Version 4.99
Yay, here it is!

I have been posting about the Kirkstone-series on my blog since early December 2022, building the anticipation.

Release notes:

https://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64 ... -notes.htm

Here is the desktop on a 1024x768 monitor, the smallest supported size:

kirkstone-desktop2.png (302.25 KiB) Viewed 4094 times

The two biggest news items are, firstly all packages compiled in the Kirkstone release of OpenEmbedded, so updated package versions right through. Secondly, non-English support builtin, no longer have langpack PETs nor separate per-language builds.

If you are fluent in a particular language, there is an invitation to contribute translations, see this forum post:

viewtopic.php?t=8070

If at bootup you choose, say, Bulgarian language, on the desktop you will find some apps, such as Chromium and LibreOffice, do have the Bulgarian UI, but most other apps, menu entries, etc., don't. That's where help is most welcome.

Regarding bugs, annoyances, issues:

1. Limine bootloader menu still has "EasyOS Dunfell bootup" text.
2. The "update" icon is broken for non-English.
3. In MoManager, after translating a file, there is "Please wait, scanning files..." which is an annoying delay. I intend to speed that up.
4. You cannot "update" from a Dunfell installation.

Regarding point-4, updating from Dunfell can be done manually, however for testing of this RC better to have a clean slate so there is no crud from the previous version that might cause issues.

Download link:

https://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64 ... 2023/4.99/

If you are a newbie to EasyOS and need help how to write the drive .img file to a USB-stick, read here:

https://easyos.org/install/how-to-write ... drive.html

And if you want to know if Easy will run on an old computer, the answer is yes. I have just tested on my Compaq Presario, with 2GB RAM -- runs great. Must have a x86_64 CPU.

[bugnaw333]

Thanks Barry!

[Caramel]

Quick test.

The translation in french is not so good than before.
Words or phrases are no more translated at the start (before the launch of the desktop)
In the menu, the names of sections are all translated, but only few names of applications are.
Rox-Filer is not translated at all

The installation of Firefox was perfect.

I'll test more later

[BologneChe]

@Caramel

I noticed the same thing after a quick test.

[williwaw]

boots fine, and preliminary tests looks good.
is Bringing back run GTK apps in the initrd January 23, 2023 included in this build?

IMG00070-20230219-1020.jpg (163.13 KiB) Viewed 3577 times

thanks for all your ongoing development

[BarryK]

@williwaw
Here is the code in the init script:

Code: Select all

    #ask language code...
    EXIT='bad'
    if [ -e /dev/fb0 ];then
     mount_tnew #aufs temporary mount easy.sfs
     cp -f tnew/root/.packages/build-choices build-choices #20230210 used in /sbin/ask-language
     chroot tnew /bin/busybox ash -c "/startx ask-country-x"
     touch tnew/RETASKCOUNTRY
     if grep -q '^EXIT="OK"' tnew/RETASKCOUNTRY; then
      KEYMAP="$(grep '^COMBO_KEYBOARD.*' tnew/RETASKCOUNTRY | cut -f 2 -d '"' | cut -f 1 -d ' ')" #ex: de
      BASELANG="$(grep '^COMBO_LOCALE.*' tnew/RETASKCOUNTRY | cut -f 2 -d '"' | cut -f 1 -d ' ')" #ex: de_DE
      BASELANG="${BASELANG/@*/}" #@euro chopped.
      QLANG="${BASELANG/_*/}"
      EXIT='OK'
     fi
     #umount temporary easy.sfs
     sync
     umount tnew/dev/pts
     umount tnew/proc
     umount tnew/dev
     umount tnew
     umount tro
    fi
    if [ "$EXIT" != "OK" ];then #fallback...
     /sbin/ask-language #currently using dialog so don't need /dev/fb0
     QLANG="$(cat /qlang)"
    fi
    echo -n "$QLANG" > /mnt/${WKG_DEV}/${WKG_DIR}.qlang

Folder tnew is an aufs layer on top of easy.sfs, so tnew/root/.packages/build-choices exists and is copied to /
But it looks like the mount_tnew operation is failing in your case.

ask-country-x is the gtk app, but as that has not run, it falls down to run ask-language which is a cli app, but that fails because build-choices it missing.

Why would mount_tnew fail? It shouldn't fail, unless easy.sfs is corrupted.
Check the md5sum of the downloaded image file, then write it again to a usb-stick.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Regarding incomplete fr translations, I'll look into it.
Hmmm, I already see a cause... /usr/share/locale.in/fr/LC_MESSAGES has ROX-Filer.mo
which is the wrong place, it was supposed to have been moved to /usr/share/locale during the build.
Will get onto that.

/usr/share/locale.in has translations for uninstalled packages.
The 3buildeasydistro script in woofQ moves translations from locale.in to locale for packages that are in the build.
Which I thought was working, but obviously not. Hmmm, I see lots of other .mo files that also should have been moved.

If you look in /usr/share/locale, you will see that lots of .mo in there, but somehow some got missed out.

[BarryK]

Note that the youtube downloader doesn't work. Blog post:

https://bkhome.org/news/202302/youtube- ... roken.html

[BarryK]

This is what you should be seeing at the very first bootup:

initrd-gui1.jpg (28.24 KiB) Viewed 3482 times

Immediately after making the choice, all text displayed while in the initrd will be translated.

[williwaw]

I double checked the md5sum and created another frugal on the internal disk with the same results

downloading another .img to a stick and will try on a desktop and a third frugal on the laptop if md5sum is not all it's supposed to be.

BTW, I wish to modify the 10 second time out at boot time for choosing rollback. can you tell me where I might find the line in ~/initrd-expanded?

[Tessel]

Will the devx and kernel SFS be available in version 5?

[BarryK]

I double checked the md5sum and created another frugal on the internal disk with the same results

downloading another .img to a stick and will try on a desktop and a third frugal on the laptop if md5sum is not all it's supposed to be.

BTW, I wish to modify the 10 second time out at boot time for choosing rollback. can you tell me where I might find the line in ~/initrd-expanded?

I'm wondering if the problem is with the usb-stick. I only use Sandisk Ultra or Extreme, that are fairly fast.
I tested 4.99 on a Sandisk Ultra on 3 different computers, including my old Compaq Presario, and got the gtk ask-locale window.

Maybe there is a timing problem with mounting easy.sfs on the aufs layer, with a slower usb-stick.
Let's see, I've got an old 8GB Lexar stick, very slow, will try that.

[esmourguit]

Bonjour à toutes et tous

@ Barry Kauler
New installation on USB stick without problem.
Choice of fr language and fr keyboard without problem.
Everything seems to work perfectly

Problems with French translations:
For ROX-Filer, the localization file /usr/local/apps/ROX-Filer/Messages/en/LC-MESSAGES/ROX-Filer.mo is missing.
The /usr/share/locale/en/LC-MESSAGES folder is not complete.
Translations of .desktop files in the /usr/share/applications folder are not complete.

I was unable to perform vobcopy's machine translation: "Bing does not support the specified language(s)".

I will send you the missing files and new translations in a few hours.

Regards,

[BarryK]

Bonjour à toutes et tous

@ Barry Kauler
New installation on USB stick without problem.
Choice of fr language and fr keyboard without problem.
Everything seems to work perfectly

Problems with French translations:
For ROX-Filer, the localization file /usr/local/apps/ROX-Filer/Messages/en/LC-MESSAGES/ROX-Filer.mo is missing.
The /usr/share/locale/en/LC-MESSAGES folder is not complete.
Translations of .desktop files in the /usr/share/applications folder are not complete.

I was unable to perform vobcopy's machine translation: "Bing does not support the specified language(s)".

I will send you the missing files and new translations in a few hours.

Regards,

@esmourguit
ROX-Filer.mo is there, in /usr/share/locale.in/fr/LC_MESSAGES
I posted about that earlier. The woofQ build system was supposed to move it and others to /usr/share/locale
I will fix that.

I think the same problem is happening with /usr/share/applications.in and /usr/share/applications

That's my fault, didn't check properly. I'll post a new version 4.100 in a couple of days.

[BarryK]

I double checked the md5sum and created another frugal on the internal disk with the same results

downloading another .img to a stick and will try on a desktop and a third frugal on the laptop if md5sum is not all it's supposed to be.

BTW, I wish to modify the 10 second time out at boot time for choosing rollback. can you tell me where I might find the line in ~/initrd-expanded?

I'm wondering if the problem is with the usb-stick. I only use Sandisk Ultra or Extreme, that are fairly fast.
I tested 4.99 on a Sandisk Ultra on 3 different computers, including my old Compaq Presario, and got the gtk ask-locale window.

Maybe there is a timing problem with mounting easy.sfs on the aufs layer, with a slower usb-stick.
Let's see, I've got an old 8GB Lexar stick, very slow, will try that.

I tested with a Lexar 8GB usb2 stick, easydd writes at 8.0GB/sec, no problem, works OK.
Tested with an old Verbatim STORE N Go 16GB usb2 stick, writes at only 4.2MB/s, also works.

Looking at the code in the init script in the initrd, I see what your problem is; there is no /dev/fb0

No framebuffer device!

Very strange, the kernel should have created /dev/fb0 automatically.

So, what is your video card?

Also, are you booting up on a computer with UEFI firmware or legacy-BIOS?

EDIT:
Yes, kindly answer those two questions.
But a quick fix for you, as you don't have /dev/fb0, when you open up 'initrd', copy file 'build-choices' into it.
Then when you do a first-bootup, you won't get that error message that /build-choices is missing,
and you should get the CLI fallback that asks for locale.

File 'build-choices' is in /root/.packages in easy.sfs, but for your convenience I have attached it, with false .gz

[BarryK]

BTW, I wish to modify the 10 second time out at boot time for choosing rollback. can you tell me where I might find the line in ~/initrd-expanded?

That is line 344 in the 'init' script in the initrd.

[BologneChe]

This is what you should be seeing at the very first bootup:

initrd-gui1.jpg

Immediately after making the choice, all text displayed while in the initrd will be translated.

My laptop's touchpad was not functional at this stage. I had to use the touchscreen...

[BarryK]

I have fixed the problem of the missing 'build-choices' file in the initrd:

https://bkhome.org/news/202302/missing- ... nitrd.html

[BarryK]

This is what you should be seeing at the very first bootup:

initrd-gui1.jpg

Immediately after making the choice, all text displayed while in the initrd will be translated.

My laptop's touchpad was not functional at this stage. I had to use the touchscreen...

Actually, the ask-locale-and-keyboard gui can be negotiated with the keyboard, but it is not intuitive.

I was worried that some testers might report the pointing device not working.
If cannot fix that, I might have to give up on the gtk gui, just use the cli app to ask locale and keyboard.
...that just uses the keyboard, in particular the up and down arrows, tab and enter keys -- which might also be a problem with different keyboard layouts.

[BologneChe]

@BarryK
In my humble opinion, the GTK GUI interface is not really necessary at this stage. The usual interface works very well and understandable from my side. But on this last point, it's a personal taste.

[Great_Milenko]

So beautiful, fascinating

[williwaw]

I double checked the md5sum and created another frugal on the internal disk with the same results

downloading another .img to a stick and will try on a desktop and a third frugal on the laptop if md5sum is not all it's supposed to be.

BTW, I wish to modify the 10 second time out at boot time for choosing rollback. can you tell me where I might find the line in ~/initrd-expanded?

I'm wondering if the problem is with the usb-stick. I only use Sandisk Ultra or Extreme, that are fairly fast.
I tested 4.99 on a Sandisk Ultra on 3 different computers, including my old Compaq Presario, and got the gtk ask-locale window.

Maybe there is a timing problem with mounting easy.sfs on the aufs layer, with a slower usb-stick.
Let's see, I've got an old 8GB Lexar stick, very slow, will try that.

I tested with a Lexar 8GB usb2 stick, easydd writes at 8.0GB/sec, no problem, works OK.
Tested with an old Verbatim STORE N Go 16GB usb2 stick, writes at only 4.2MB/s, also works.

I am extracting the files from the .img and creating a frugal install on an internal sandisk ssd. the read speed as reported at the beginning of boot is 27 (lower is better)

Looking at the code in the init script in the initrd, I see what your problem is; there is no /dev/fb0

No framebuffer device!

Very strange, the kernel should have created /dev/fb0 automatically.

/dev/fb0 exists. if the framebuffer device creation is indicated by the reduction of text size before the desktop comes up, the this happens shortly after I make my choice for rollback or wait ten seconds

So, what is your video card?

VGA compatible controller NVIDIA Corporation GT216M [GeForce GT 240M] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])

Also, are you booting up on a computer with UEFI firmware or legacy-BIOS?

this laptop is an older dell alienware m15 which boots with Limine I cannot recall if Icreated a mbr or not. Is there a way the limine can report its configuration? I believe the laptop is capable of UEFI.

EDIT:
Yes, kindly answer those two questions.
But a quick fix for you, as you don't have /dev/fb0, when you open up 'initrd', copy file 'build-choices' into it.
Then when you do a first-bootup, you won't get that error message that /build-choices is missing,
and you should get the CLI fallback that asks for locale.

I can add the build choices. what is the easiest way to fool the install back into a firstboot? delete or rename .session? from the runnung session? hmm maybe reboot into a different frugal to renane or delete?

File 'build-choices' is in /root/.packages in easy.sfs, but for your convenience I have attached it, with false .gz

I have fixed the problem of the missing 'build-choices' file in the initrd:

https://bkhome.org/news/202302/missing- ... nitrd.html

Without /dev/fb0, Xorg server is unable to run, hence the gtk app that asks for locale and keyboard-layout is unable to run. In that case, there is fallback to /sbin/ask-language, which is a CLI app.

However, as williwaw found, /sbin/ask-language failed, as it wants /build-choices which is missing. I have fixed this, see commit:

I am not sure it failed, I typed 44 for english as usual but perhaps its the default anyway? should I test with a different language selection firstboot?

[BarryK]

williwaw,
/dev/fb0 will exist after initrd has finished and the kernel gpu driver has loaded.
But it is pretty certain that you do not have /dev/fb0 when the initrd is running.

If /sys/firmware/efi exists then you have booted with UEFI.
Regardless of whether the computer is capable of UEFI boot or not, if you chose legacy-BIOS bootup then that folder won't exist.

With the fix of inserting 'build-choices' into initrd and then at first bootup, in your case there is no /dev/fb0 so Xorg will be unable to run and the fallback will be to run /sbin/ask-language, which uses 'dialog', photo here:

https://bkhome.org/news/202301/first-bo ... nitrd.html

Nvidia card, yeah, that's what I was expecting you to report.

In UEFI mode my understanding is that it is pretty certain /dev/fb0 will exist when running the initrd, but potentially not so for legacy-BIOS bootup.

[williwaw]

williwaw,
/dev/fb0 will exist after initrd has finished and the kernel gpu driver has loaded.
But it is pretty certain that you do not have /dev/fb0 when the initrd is running. OK

If /sys/firmware/efi exists then you have booted with UEFI.
/sys/firmware has only acpi dmi amd memmap
Regardless of whether the computer is capable of UEFI boot or not, if you chose legacy-BIOS bootup then that folder won't exist.

With the fix of inserting 'build-choices' into initrd and then at first bootup, in your case there is no /dev/fb0 so Xorg will be unable to run and the fallback will be to run /sbin/ask-language, which uses 'dialog', photo here:

https://bkhome.org/news/202301/first-bo ... nitrd.html

the dialog appears when build-choices is put into initrd-expanded, but it displays in a different font from the pic you posted at bkhome. When selecting english, all procededs nicely. (44 for keyboard, no PW) to a working desktop
when spanish or german is selected in the dialog, the boot procedes with the text translated ok, but after the copy of easy.sfs is made, both languages then have a kermel panic
this was duplicated 4 times
going back to english on the next test works ok.
for each test, I booted int a different easy install and deleted all except the vmlimz and initrd (with build choices), and then copied in an easy.sfs to recreate the frugal install

Nvidia card, yeah, that's what I was expecting you to report.

In UEFI mode my understanding is that it is pretty certain /dev/fb0 will exist when running the initrd, but potentially not so for legacy-BIOS bootup.

[BarryK]

Just about fixed the missing fr translations:

https://bkhome.org/news/202302/fix-for- ... ation.html

[LHESTIA]

Good morning,
Thumbs up for easyos kirkstone. Everything works perfectly. I would simply like to point out a problem encountered since the dunfell series 4 versions. It is no longer possible to go back to an earlier version. The snapshot is created fine but easyos does not keep the desktop as it was. Up to dunfell version 3, downgrading was smooth, including user-modified icons.
Best regards and many thanks for your work.

[don570]

I could run my WINE package in Kirkstone

and ptm timer worked

Wacom graphics tablet worked!!

Uextract didn't make right click links to app
but I can probably fix it if I read through JakeSFR code.

_______________________________________________________________

I discovered what is wrong with Blender SFS.
I looked at system preferences and "None' is automatically selected by blender in reference to graphics acceleration.
I couldn't switch to 'CUDA' for graphics acceleration. This is no surprise since it requires a special graphics driver for nvidia.
Blender can still be launched as an app but it has its features restricted. For instance in EEVEE rendering the subdivision modifier
won't work , but it does work in CYCLES rendering.
_____________________________________________________________

[BarryK]

Just to let everyone know, I think that I have fixed all the reported issues, and expect 4.100 very soon.

[BarryK]

I can add the build choices. what is the easiest way to fool the install back into a firstboot? delete or rename .session? from the runnung session? hmm maybe reboot into a different frugal to renane or delete?

To go back to a first-boot situation, you need those three files vmlinuz, initrd and easy.sfs in the folder and everything else deleted.

easy.sfs will have got moved into sfs/easyos/oe/kirkstone and named easy_4.99_amd64.sfs
Move it (don't copy, as that can take awhile, move is instantaneous) to where vmlinuz and initrd are, then rename it back to easy.sfs

In Rox, right-click and choose to show hidden files.
Then delete everything except those three files.

Note, I found why you got that kernel panic. In the init script, I had this:

Code: Select all

${QLANG^^}

What that ^^ means is capitalize all letters in QLANG, so:

Code: Select all

# QLANG=fr
# echo "${QLANG^^}"
FR

That is supposed to be a standard feature of shell interpreters, however I discovered busybox ash doesn't support it, gives a "bad substitution" error. Bash does support it.

So I had to do this:

Code: Select all

echo -n $QLANG | tr '[a-z]' '[A-Z]'

[krasnh]

Note that the youtube downloader doesn't work. Blog post:

Most users have switched to yt-dlp for a long time. Configs and settings are the same.
Youtube-dl has been frozen since Dec 16, 2021.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp

yt-dlp is a youtube-dl fork based on the now inactive youtube-dlc. The main focus of this project is adding new features and patches while also keeping up to date with the original project

Merged with youtube-dl v2021.12.17+ commit/2dd6c6e (exceptions) and youtube-dlc v2020.11.11-3+ commit/f9401f2: You get all the features and patches of youtube-dlc in addition to the latest youtube-dl

[BarryK]

Wacom graphics tablet worked!!

That's good news.
I didn't know what was causing it to become broken.
Kirkstone has most package versions updated, and a later kernel (still on the 5.15.x kernels), so something has put things right again.