BookwormPup64 Repository (and other) Problems -SOLVED

[tigerflag]

Hi All,

I've been using BionicPup since it came out and am quite happy with it for my older machine. Never had problems downloading packages. But I recently bought a new mini-pc that requires a newer kernel so I installed BookwormPup64 10.0.8 (x86_64) on a thumbdrive, hoping to install it. Running it through its paces I'm encountering numerous problems. For starters I'm getting repeated error messages when trying to use Synaptic to download programs:
"Could not upgrade system! Fix broken packages first." (Happens when I try to d/l LibreOffice)
"Unable to correct problems. You have held broken packages." (I saw a thread about held packages but it was over my head)
"Unable to correct dependencies."
"Cannot read vendor list."

I don't know what to do with all that.

I managed to download Tor but don't know how to start it or get it into the menu. I see it in /tmp/tor-browser/ and /run/tor/ but have no idea how to get it working.

Conky seems crippled. In BionicPup it showed up in the Desktop menu and had a lot of style options. Here it's not in the menu and has just one style. It's in /root/Startup/

I can't d/l LibreOffice in Synaptic and don't understand how to get it working from an AppImage.

I've been failing to make this work all day. Should I make separate threads for all these?

Thanks

[mikewalsh]

@tigerflag :-

I'm quite sure many of those running BWP64 as their regular, 'daily driver' will be able to help you sort this stuff out in a jiffy. However; we DO have a 'portable apps' eco-system for Puppy, too.......inspired by the original Windows PortableApps.

Take a look here:-

The complete list of Puppy Portable Apps!

.....and see if any of these will do what you want. The thread is a listing of all the portable applications I've assembled, put together & packaged for Puppy over the last few years, and contains links to every single app in the list.

Each individual thread should have instructions on how to deploy the portable app in question, along with how to move them around - they'll run from literally anywhere in the system, and even better if you keep them completely outside of Puppy - and how to add/remove a Menu entry if one is required.

See how you get on with 'em. Most of them should work fine; I run BWP64 myself, along with a mixture of other Pups both old and new.......I kitted my own BWP64 out with nearly all portables, and it's running quite happily.

Mike.

[tigerflag]

Thanks, Mike. I appreciate your help. Unfortunately I don't even understand the instructions for doing what you suggested. On the page where you explain how to use the portables you said "Then; just swap it over with the existing one. That's all there is to it." but I don't know what "swap it over" means. I've got the AppImage and the portable both downloaded to /opt/. Changed the name of the AppImage. Extracted the portable. And they're both sitting there. I haven't got the faintest clue what to do next.

But strangely enough the AppImage is working. Go figure!

[bigpup]

Welcome to Linux software!

In my install of BookwormPup64 10.0.8

Using Synaptic package manager

Clicked on reload button top left of main window to get the repository info current.

Did a search for libreoffice.

In the listed result, clicked on the one just named libreoffice and selected mark for installation.

Some other dependency files were identified and I selected to mark them.

Now they are showing green highlighted in the list of packages.

Clicked on apply.

Got the errors you reported.

So, I went back to the single item libreoffice in the list and selected to unmark it.

Kept all the other ones still selected to install.

Clicked on apply.

And all the ones marked for install did install.

I now have Libreoffice different parts showing in the main menu.
Like Writer, calc, Draw, etc.......

So it seems the Libreoffice complete package is not correctly available in the repository.

But you can install each specific program, that makes up the complete Libreoffice package of programs.

Welcome to Linux software!

[bigpup]

For tor are you talking about the tor browser or what?

One thing about Synaptic package manager and the apt package manager.

They will have listed all the individual parts of a complete program package as individual items.

Usually, a listed item that is just the name of the program, that when marked to install, will also identify all the different parts, to also install.

Looking at just tor in the list.

That is not the tor browser.

Really, for Puppy Linux, best to get the Browsers offered in the Additional Software ->Browsers section of this forum.

Also, there is a specific topic for software that works in BookwormPup64
viewtopic.php?t=9637

[bigpup]

Synaptic and Apt package manager is still getting software from a Debian Linux repository of software for Debian 12.

So it is never going to be 100% perfect that all will work in BookwormPup64.
A lot of it will with no issues.
But some will not, because the repository does not provide all that is needed for working in BookwormPup64.

That is why the forum has Additional Software section.
With software packages better compiled for Puppy Linux.

[tigerflag]

I managed to download the Tor Browser but it doesn't show up in the menu and I can't figure out how to get it to run. I see it in /tmp/tor-browser/ and /run/tor/ but have no idea how to get it working. Synaptic was buggy with almost everything I tried to download from the repositories.

If I'm going to have to configure everything rather than having it "just work," is there a way I could just keep BionicPup and update the kernel to the latest version? I need kernel 6.1.x or newer for the realtek drivers.

[mikeslr]

I remastered BionicPup64 just before Ubuntu archived Bionic Beaver's applications, https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewto ... 666#p90666. There's a report that someone had a problem with the Kernel I included; and I, myself, have since updated the kernel on the one I frequently use. My wifi is flaky and Bionicpup64 often succeeds where newer Puppys fail. But the included kernel, 2.6.9-64oz, did work on my systems or I would not have used it.

You can find other/newer kernels here, https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewforum.php?f=65. As you peruse the offerings keep in mind that the kernels which BionicPup64 can use are NOT 'user-merged'.

You'll also find other remasters in the Remaster SubForum, https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewforum.php?f=119. Don't hesitate to ask if you need instructions on how to swap kernels.

However, BookwormPup64 is a really good Puppy and you should be able to get most applications, and especially Tor-browser to work. I'll boot into mine and see what's going on. Be back later.

I'm back. Synaptic's search offers a couple of applications when the term 'tor' is entered. I think the one you want is "torbrowser-launcher". Among its description is the following:
"...When you first launch Tor Browser Launcher, it will download TBB from
https://www.torproject.org/ and extract it to ~/.local/share/torbrowser,
and then execute it."

Nope, got message that I had to 'fix' broken packages first. Selected 'fix broken packages' from menu and got notice that 'broken packages' have been held. Bookworm is a 'snapshot' configured not to update somethings which would break others. The configuration can be over-written at your own risk. Better work around is to just download Tor from its own website. Tor is a modified firefox. Unless something has changed, what you download is actually a 'portable'. See this post, viewtopic.php?p=18121&sid=19fb5c4c71bf1 ... e6c#p18121

Have to break 'for breakfast' now.

[tigerflag]

I remastered BionicPup64 just before Ubuntu archived Bionic Beaver's applications, https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewto ... 666#p90666. There's a report that someone had a problem with the Kernel I included; and I, myself, have since updated the kernel on the one I frequently use. My wifi is flaky and Bionicpup64 often succeeds where newer Puppys fail. But the included kernel, 2.6.9-64oz, did work on my systems or I would not have used it.

You can find other/newer kernels here, https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewforum.php?f=65. As you peruse the offerings keep in mind that the kernels which BionicPup64 can use are NOT 'user-merged'.

You'll also find other remasters in the Remaster SubForum, https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewforum.php?f=119. Don't hesitate to ask if you need instructions on how to swap kernels.

However, BookwormPup64 is a really good Puppy and you should be able to get most applications, and especially Tor-browser to work. I'll boot into mine and see what's going on. Be back later.

I'm back. Synaptic's search offers a couple of applications when the term 'tor' is entered. I think the one you want is "torbrowser-launcher". Among its description is the following:
"...When you first launch Tor Browser Launcher, it will download TBB from
https://www.torproject.org/ and extract it to ~/.local/share/torbrowser,
and then execute it."

Nope, got message that I had to 'fix' broken packages first. Selected 'fix broken packages' from menu and got notice that 'broken packages' have been held. Bookworm is a 'snapshot' configured not to update somethings which would break others. The configuration can be over-written at your own risk. Better work around is to just download Tor from its own website. Tor is a modified firefox. Unless something has changed, what you download is actually a 'portable'. See this post, viewtopic.php?p=18121&sid=19fb5c4c71bf1 ... e6c#p18121

Have to break 'for breakfast' now.

Thanks so much but it's too hard for me. I'm sure that BookwormPup's a terrific distro for advanced users who have the ability to do all those steps and make it work but I need a distro like BionicPup that works right out of the box. It's still perfect for my old HP tower and IBM Thinkpad. The Quickpet tool in Bionic let me install browsers with a simple click; I had assumed it would be in BookwormPup, too. For my new mini-pc I'm gonna have to go a different route. Maybe back to PCLOS, which I haven't used since finding BionicPup in 2019.

Thanks to everyone for your help. I appreciate it.

[tigerflag]

I remastered BionicPup64 just before Ubuntu archived Bionic Beaver's applications, https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewto ... 666#p90666. There's a report that someone had a problem with the Kernel I included; and I, myself, have since updated the kernel on the one I frequently use. My wifi is flaky and Bionicpup64 often succeeds where newer Puppys fail. But the included kernel, 2.6.9-64oz, did work on my systems or I would not have used it.

You can find other/newer kernels here, https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewforum.php?f=65. As you peruse the offerings keep in mind that the kernels which BionicPup64 can use are NOT 'user-merged'.

You'll also find other remasters in the Remaster SubForum, https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewforum.php?f=119. Don't hesitate to ask if you need instructions on how to swap kernels.

However, BookwormPup64 is a really good Puppy and you should be able to get most applications, and especially Tor-browser to work. I'll boot into mine and see what's going on. Be back later.

I'm back. Synaptic's search offers a couple of applications when the term 'tor' is entered. I think the one you want is "torbrowser-launcher". Among its description is the following:
"...When you first launch Tor Browser Launcher, it will download TBB from
https://www.torproject.org/ and extract it to ~/.local/share/torbrowser,
and then execute it."

Nope, got message that I had to 'fix' broken packages first. Selected 'fix broken packages' from menu and got notice that 'broken packages' have been held. Bookworm is a 'snapshot' configured not to update somethings which would break others. The configuration can be over-written at your own risk. Better work around is to just download Tor from its own website. Tor is a modified firefox. Unless something has changed, what you download is actually a 'portable'. See this post, viewtopic.php?p=18121&sid=19fb5c4c71bf1 ... e6c#p18121

Have to break 'for breakfast' now.

Thanks so much but it's too hard for me. I'm sure that BookwormPup's a terrific distro for advanced users who have the ability to do all those steps and make it work but I need a distro like BionicPup that works right out of the box. It's still perfect for my old HP tower and IBM Thinkpad. The Quickpet tool in Bionic let me install browsers with a simple click; I had assumed it would be in BookwormPup, too. For my new mini-pc I'm gonna have to go a different route. Maybe back to PCLOS, which I haven't used since finding BionicPup in 2019.

Thanks to everyone for your help. I appreciate it.

PS- if y'all ever try to make a Puppy for absolute beginners and want someone to test it for "beginner friendliness," I'm your woman.

[mikewalsh]

@tigerflag :-

Uh.....right. OK. So.....

What would work perfectly for you would be something like the following:-

1. Download a .pet.
2. Click on the .pet to install a software selector.....with a Menu entry.
3. Click this new Menu entry.....and get a selector with buttons to click for different items of software.
4. Make your selection, and click on the appropriate button.
5. The item downloads, and automatically installs.....giving you another new Menu entry.
6. Click on this newest Menu entry.....and the item launches.

Yes??

So; you need everything to be point-and-click. No terminal instructions. No messing about with things. Nothing awkward at ALL. Everything must be ultra simple, as easy to understand as possible, and totally straight-forward.....or else it's beyond you.

Don't take this the wrong way, but would I be right in assuming that you cut your computing teeth in M$ Windoze? I also have to assume that you classify yourself, not as a "geek", but as simply a 'user', yes?

(Actually, you're in good company here. I too dislike Synaptic. I couldn't wait to leave it behind when I first switched to Puppy a decade ago. It was awkward, anything but straight-forward, and not at ALL 'intuitive' to use.....yet everybody on this side of the fence absolutely raves about it. TBH, nothing's changed in the last 10 years.....but you have to understand, it's SO far beyond what we had before with the Puppy Package Manager - which hasn't worked properly for years - that to many long-term Puppy users it's the best thing since sliced bread was invented!)

Mike.

[tigerflag]

@tigerflag :-

Uh.....right. OK. So.....

What would work perfectly for you would be something like the following:-

1. Download a .pet.
2. Click on the .pet to install a software selector.....with a Menu entry.
3. Click this new Menu entry.....and get a selector with buttons to click for different items of software.
4. Make your selection, and click on the appropriate button.
5. The item downloads, and automatically installs.....giving you another new Menu entry.
6. Click on this newest Menu entry.....and the item launches.

Yes??

So; you need everything to be point-and-click. No terminal instructions. No messing about with things. Nothing awkward at ALL. Everything must be ultra simple, as easy to understand as possible, and totally straight-forward.....or else it's beyond you.

Don't take this the wrong way, but would I be right in assuming that you cut your computing teeth in M$ Windoze? I also have to assume that you classify yourself, not as a "geek", but as simply a 'user', yes?

(Actually, you're in good company here. I too dislike Synaptic. I couldn't wait to leave it behind when I first switched to Puppy a decade ago. It was awkward, anything but straight-forward, and not at ALL 'intuitive' to use.....yet everybody on this side of the fence absolutely raves about it. TBH, nothing's changed in the last 10 years.....but you have to understand, it's SO far beyond what we had before with the Puppy Package Manager - which hasn't worked properly for years - that to many long-term Puppy users it's the best thing since sliced bread was invented!)

Mike.

Actually you'd be wrong in your assumption but I understand why you'd think that way. While my first O/S was Win98 I've been using Linux distros exclusively since 2002, and BionicPup since 2019. I ran my homebased business on a Linux box. I dislike closed-source and HATE Windoze. It's slimy!

The first distro I got to work was Mandrake. I used it for years then switched to PCLOS when it forked. Used PCLOS until the horribly bloated, ridiculously complex KDE4 with Plasma broke my sound.

I've built a lot of PCs and bounced around distros trying to learn. Hardware's easy. People said Slackware would teach me Linux. I managed to install Slackware 8 from CDs and enjoyed it for a few years. I liked how crisp and clean it felt but couldn't get the hang of tarballs. Never did learn commandline more complicated than "startx".

I have a near-genius IQ and a severe learning disorder. I have difficulty remembering what I've learned and applying it to new situations. Problems processing symbolic representations and abstractions. For example, when playing cribbage I can count the pegholes at a glance but adding up the symbolic numerals on the cards to make 15 is much more difficult, and it never gets easier with practice.

So while I can follow a commandline "recipe" it falls apart the moment something unexpected happens; then I don't know what to do.

Most instructions in linux are somewhat incomplete. They'll say things like "download the package and then start it up" but there's usually a bunch of steps omitted that are assumed the reader knows how to do.

Even your suggestion above (which sounds intriguing!)... I'm confused. Download what .pet? Download it to where? To an existing system? To a new system? Is it an .iso? I either have to watch someone do it with all the steps or have instructions written in excruciating detail, or I won't understand. For a free distro maintained by volunteers I wouldn't expect anyone to do that for me.

BionicPup is very much a beginner's distro once you get past the installation. The QuickPet tool for installing useful packages is brilliant! The repositories function without a hitch. I need that.

With BookwormPup, it seems like Puppy has become a distro for experienced users like you guys, not beginners and simple "users." It's not for 66 year-old learning-disordered grandmothers who just want a reliable system that works out of the box. That doesn't use systemd.

Please don't take this as a criticism, but a critique.

[vtpup]

Reading these last couple of posts I had to cringe a little, but mainly in sympathy. I knew the word .pet would cause confusion. Nobody who isn't already familiar with puppy linux's past would know that a .pet is the extension for a traditional program file in Puppys. (Well there were before that .pups, but we'll ignore that for now)

@tigerflag, what Mike was saying was that he imagined you'd like to have a Puppy installer program that gave you choices for installing applications. Using this installer, you would click on an application choice, and it would simply install the program, and also put up a menu entry for it. Simple!

Well yes, wouldn't we all! And in fact Quickpet was an attempt to do that, as you already knew.

The big problem:

Back when Puppy Linux ran only a limited number of puppy programs specifically compiled for it, life was simple. But limited. We envied bigger distributions, like Ubuntu and Debian, which had thousands of available programs, instead of out meager hundred or so. So the idea was hatched to use their programs in Puppies actually built (compiled) out of their foundational programs, and able to take advantage of their application repositories. So Puppys built out of Ubuntu, and Debian were created (Upup and Dpup). But that's when the problems started.

Unfortunately using Puppy with an "alien" repository doesn't always work out well, because in the case of the Ubuntu OS, for instance, there are a lot of assumptions about the way the Ubuntu operating system works, and what files it already has onboard. These form an environment in which Ubuntu applications work.

The environment in a Puppy OS, even one built to use Ubuntu's repositories, is very different. So many programs don't work In an Ubuntu-Puppy out of the box. Many do, but some don't. Also, to use these repositories, a Puppy program installer had to be built that knows what to download, and where to put it in Puppy. The Puppy Package Manager (PPM) did a reasonable job of this, with no guarantee however that the downloaded and installed programs actually will work.

As an alternative to all of this, Mike Walsh has been packaging "portable" programs that you download and stick somewhere on your hard drive, and then activate. These are fairly OS agnostic. They don't care what the Puppy or dog OS is (well to a great extent). They contain what they need to run internally. They do put up a menu entry, and generally run out of the box. They are tested on Puppies (unlike Ubuntu or Debian applications in the repositories).

If I may say briefly how they work because I feel the instructions can seem daunting to a new user.....

You down load one.

You put it in the top directory of the drive you are using for your puppy linux (we usually call that /mnt/home).

You click on that file.

Inside it are a few little utilities. One makes a menu entry. One removes a menu entry. And one launches your program. That's all you need to install it.

To install the program so it works, click on the "Menu-Add" utility. It sets you up with a menu entry in Puppy.

After that, you can either launch the program directly while you're there by clicking on "Launch" -or-

Go back to your desktop, click on the puppy menu, and find your newly added application there. Click to launch, as usual.

Your puppy portable program is installed, and easily accessed in the usual way --- from the puppy menu.

If you ever want to remove this program, go back into the portable you put in /mnt/home and click "Menu-Remove" This does exactly what it says.

Hope this helps, rather than confuses......

ps. @mikewalsh ....thinking about all this, it might be less confusing for newcomers to rename "Menu-Add to "Install" and "Menu-Remove" to "Uninstall". Then you wouldn't have to explain what to do. People would know intuitively.

[tigerflag]

Reading these last couple of posts I had to cringe a little, but mainly in sympathy. I knew the word .pet would cause confusion. Nobody who isn't already familiar with puppy linux's past would know that a .pet is the extension for a traditional program file in Puppys. (Well there were before that .pups, but we'll ignore that for now)

@tigerflag, what Mike was saying was that he imagined you'd like to have a Puppy installer program that gave you choices for installing applications. Using this installer, you would click on an application choice, and it would simply install the program, and also put up a menu entry for it. Simple!

Well yes, wouldn't we all! And in fact Quickpet was an attempt to do that, as you already knew.

The big problem:

Back when Puppy Linux ran only a limited number of puppy programs specifically compiled for it, life was simple. But limited. We envied bigger distributions, like Ubuntu and Debian, which had thousands of available programs, instead of out meager hundred or so. So the idea was hatched to use their programs in Puppies actually built (compiled) out of their foundational programs, and able to take advantage of their repositories. So Puppys built out of Ubuntu, and Debian were created (Upup and Dpup). But that's when the problems started.

Unfortunately using Puppy with an "alien" repository doesn't always work out well, because in the case of the Ubuntu OS, for instance, there are a lot of assumptions about the way the operating system works, and what files it already has onboard. These form an environment in which Ubuntu programs work.

The environment in a Puppy OS, even one built to use Ubuntu's repositories, is very different. So many programs don't work In an Ubuntu-Puppy out of the box. Many do, but some don't. Also, to use these repositories, a Puppy program installer had to be built that knows what to download, and where to put it in Puppy. The Puppy Package Manager (PPM) did a reasonable job of this, with no guarantee however that the downloaded and installed programs actually will work.

Mike has been packaging portable programs that you download and stick somewhere, and then activate. These are fairly OS agnostic. They don't care what the Puppy or dog OS is (well to a great extent) They contain what they need to run internally. They do put up a menu entry, and generally run out of the box. They are tested on puppies (unlike Ubuntu or Debian programs in repositories).

If I may say briefly how they work because I feel the instructions can seem daunting to a new user.....

You down load one.

You put it in the top directory of the drive you are using for your puppy linux (we usually call that /mnt/home).

You click on that file.

Inside it are a few little utilities. One makes a menu entry. One removes a menu entry. And one launches your program. That's all you need to install it.

To install the program so it works, click on the "Menu-Add" utility. It sets you up with a menu entry in Puppy.

After that, you can either launch the program directly while you're there by clicking on "Launch" -or-

Go back to your desktop, click on the puppy menu, and find your newly added application there. Click to launch, as usual.

Your puppy portable program is installed, and easily accessed in the usual way --- from the puppy menu.

If you ever want to remove this program, go back into the portable you put in /mnt/home and click "Menu-Remove" This does exactly what it says.

Hope this helps, rather than confuses......

ps. Mike....thinking about all this, it might be less confusing for newcomers to rename "Menu-Add to "Install" and "Menu-Remove" to "Uninstall". Then you wouldn't have to explain what to do. People would know intuitively.

Thanks for explaining the evolution of puppy packaging and repositories. It sounds really complicated. The .pet idea sounds interesting and I think I understand your instructions. Where would I find them?

Meanwhile, I MUST get a distro onto this new mini-pc to see if it all works before the return period expires. A friend burned the BookwormPup iso onto a USB stick but it doesn't boot. Says "Bad shim signature. You must load the kernel first."

I don't know how to use ISOmaster to try again. The instructions are again, too miminal. sigh. It's always SOMETHING. Honestly, if I didn't despise micro$oft so much, my life would be a lot easier.

[vtpup]

@tigerflag I think you mean portables not .pets? .pets were always installed by the Puppy Package Manager.

Mike Walsh's portables are found here : viewtopic.php?t=5104

Moving back to your problem testing a puppy flavor on a newer computer -- I had that problem, which was largely solved by running F96-CE rev 4.

See if you can run that.... It's still similar enough to Bionic to seem familiar, but has newer kernel and drivers/firmware.

[tigerflag]

@tigerflag I think you mean portables not .pets? .pets were always installed by the Puppy Package Manager.

Mike Walsh's portables are found here : viewtopic.php?t=5104

Moving back to your problem testing a puppy flavor on a newer computer -- I had that problem, which was largely solved by running F96-CE rev 4.

See if you can run that.... It's still similar enough to Bionic to seem familiar, but has newer kernel and drivers/firmware.

Ah yes, the portables.

Regarding F96-CE the problem is I don't know how to get an .iso onto a usb stick and make it bootable . I download an .iso. Tell isomaster to make a new one. Copy the download into isomaster, then what? It seems to make a duplicate. Is that right? Will it boot like that? I read that whether it boots or not depends on if the computer's BIOS is UEFI or Legacy. That I'm supposed to go in and fool with files? I'm supposed to check the MD5sum but don't know how... can you see how I get overwhelmed?

[vtpup]

Easiest way:

For USB stick installation, see if your desktop will run whatever flavor pup/dog you want temporarily, then write the stick for that OS from Menu>Setup>StickPup (or F2SticPpup).

Looks like you have a dvd drive on the HP 600, so just burn the new OS to a DVD, and then reboot and run from that, temporarily in the desktop. then to the stickpup thing from that temporary OS.

[tigerflag]

Easiest way:

For USB stick installation, see if your desktop will run whatever flavor pup/dog you want temporarily, then write the stick for that OS from Menu>Setup>StickPup (or F2SticPpup).

I'll try, altho I don't know how to see if my desktop will something it temporarily. Where do I find a download of F96-CE? Do I need to format or partition the usb stick in any way?

EDIT: I found the download page.

[vtpup]

F-96 - CE Here:

https://f96.puppylinux.com/

[vtpup]

You can Use Puppy's Pburn in Bionic in your HP Desk to make a DVD of F96-CE, then reboot.

[tigerflag]

I downloaded F96CE-4 as a zip file. tried to get PupStick to put in on a USB flashdrive. Got error message:

"frugalpup-dobootpart: No Puppy frugal installs found in "/mnt/sdb1/F96".

I also tried it with an .iso of PCLinuxOS and it said the same thing. I figured it needed a Puppy, but it didn't like the Puppy either.

EDIT: wait a minute! It looks like it wrote F96 CE 4 to the USB stick after all!

[vtpup]

As I said, the easiest thing (and probably most familiar) is to make a DVD, first. Not a USB stick.

I'm guessing that the way you originally installed Bionic on your desktop was via a DVD of Bionic.

I'm just suggesting that you make a similar DVD of F96 - CE, and then reboot with that in the DVD drive. That should start your Desktop up in F96.

Important:

You need an ISO file , not a ZIP to do anything.

So if you have a zip, first unzip it, which will create the ISO file.

Then do the above with the ISO file.

Once you successfully boot F96-CE on your desktop, you will THEN make the USB stick file to use on your mini. Got that?

[vtpup]

This is the exact address of the F96-CE ISO file:

https://mega.nz/folder/j0JQ2RaZ#Uiw3eA8 ... e/f9wCWTAb

There is no ZIP file. (.zip)

[vtpup]

And in stickpup, choose iso, NOT zip as the source of the puppy.

[tigerflag]

And in stickpup, choose iso, NOT zip as the source of the puppy.

Will do, thanks. I'm brain-fried and going to bed. I've spent 2 days on this and absolutely nothing has gone right, except for the kindness and patience you and everyone else here has shown me.

[vtpup]

one final note for tomorrow. If a properly burned StickPup thumbdrive doesn't start your mini up, try F2StickPup. They burn different types of boot methods, and some computers like one better than the other. Both of those are available in F96-CE rev4 under Menu>Setup.

I think it all would work best from your desktop temporarily running F96-CE rev4 itself.

To get that happening, you can burn a DVD disk in your HP Desktop, then reboot it with the DVD aboard. It should start up in F96 CE then.

Once that's running do the stick burn with either StickPup, or F2StickPup, and then try those in the mini. Actually you could also test those by trying to boot the desktop with them (without the DVD aboard)

If those sticks don't work there may be a BIOS setting in the mini that is interfering. That is correctable, but you do want to have a proper stick burned before assuming the problem is somewhere else.

Be sure you are using the .iso linked earlier in this thread, and also that in the stickpup dialog you chose "iso" NOT "zip"

[dimkr]

For starters I'm getting repeated error messages when trying to use Synaptic to download programs:
"Could not upgrade system! Fix broken packages first." (Happens when I try to d/l LibreOffice)
"Unable to correct problems. You have held broken packages." (I saw a thread about held packages but it was over my head)

Open a terminal and run apt-mark unhold `apt-mark showhold`. This will give apt complete freedom to upgrade and remove packages. Once you do this, you'll be able to install packages that require dependencies to be updated.

You'll need to be careful because the way Puppy is built (which involves modification of Debian packages) makes this dangerous.

[bigpup]

This topic will tell you how to use a program pet package to install a program:
viewtopic.php?t=1819

It will also tell you what section of this forum to find pet packages.

For BookwormPup64 there is this topic of programs installed and tested on it:
viewtopic.php?t=9637

[stevie pup]

Most instructions in linux are somewhat incomplete. They'll say things like "download the package and then start it up" but there's usually a bunch of steps omitted that are assumed the reader knows how to do.

I either have to watch someone do it with all the steps or have instructions written in excruciating detail, or I won't understand.

Couldn't agree more. Let's say it takes 7 steps to perform a task, then I need to know what each of the 7 steps are, in detail. It's no good telling me step 1 and step 5, then assuming I know the rest, because the chances are I don't.

I spend so much time scratching my head I'm surprised I haven't worn a groove in it.

[tigerflag]

one final note for tomorrow. If a properly burned StickPup thumbdrive doesn't start your mini up, try F2StickPup. They burn different types of boot methods, and some computers like one better than the other. Both of those are available in F96-CE rev4 under Menu>Setup.

I think it all would work best from your desktop temporarily running F96-CE rev4 itself.

To get that happening, you can burn a DVD disk in your HP Desktop, then reboot it with the DVD aboard. It should start up in F96 CE then.

Once that's running do the stick burn with either StickPup, or F2StickPup, and then try those in the mini. Actually you could also test those by trying to boot the desktop with them (without the DVD aboard)

If those sticks don't work there may be a BIOS setting in the mini that is interfering. That is correctable, but you do want to have a proper stick burned before assuming the problem is somewhere else.

Be sure you are using the .iso linked earlier in this thread, and also that in the stickpup dialog you chose "iso" NOT "zip"

Again, thank you! I am saving these instructions. As per my usual, the PCLOS iso I made doesn't boot on anything.