Trying to get Puppy Linux on Inspiron 6000 laptop

[progrockfrog]

I have tried several approaches. I am using Linux Mint and when I use the USB Image Writer, it doesn't work. I get a Booting find /menu.lst /boot/grub/menu.lst /grub/menu.lst error message.

I then tried using Ventoy following steps at https://itsfoss.com/use-ventoy/

FAT32, NTFS, and EXT4 did not show an .iso file. exFAT did show the .iso file, but then I got an Error 15.

Searching for a solution, I came across this thread https://oldforum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?t=72564

The issue of case sensitivity came up, and I am not sure how that applies in my case or even theirs. Any ideas? If the solution is I need to add or move "vmlinuz" somewhere, where would it go?

[progrockfrog]

I tried the exFAT again, and got a little further. Now it is in some debug stage. It wants to save debug info, but I am not clear on where it should go. I have tried sdb1 and 2, and sda1. Is there a way to know which one to select instead of trying each one? I thought the sdb1 would go to the USB stick, but I can't find it on the USB.

[progrockfrog]

I found the temp folder and have the files. I think the pertinent one is bootinit.log. I am trying to do this without Windows, but I guess I will try Rufus and if that doesn't work the pendrive installer in Windows.

0: PMEDIA=usbhd PDRV= PSUBDIR= pfix=fsck,fsckp
/ventoy/mnt/iso/zdrv_dpupbw32_23.12.sfs
ls: /ventoy/mnt/squashfs/lib/modules/6.1.124/kernel/drivers/md/dm-mod.ko*: No such file or directory
insmod: can't insert '/ventoy/mnt/squashfs/usr/lib/modules/6.1.124/kernel/drivers/md/dm-mod.ko': unknown symbol in module or invalid parameter
/proc/misc: No entry for device-mapper found
Is device-mapper driver missing from kernel?
Failure to communicate with kernel device-mapper driver.
Command failed
BusyBox v1.28.1 (2018-02-15 14:34:02 CET) multi-call binary.

Usage: mknod [-m MODE] NAME TYPE MAJOR MINOR

Create a special file (block, character, or pipe)

-m MODE Creation mode (default a=rw)
TYPE:
b Block device
c or u Character device
p Named pipe (MAJOR and MINOR are ignored)
cp: can't stat '/dev/mapper/ventoy': No such file or directory
1: PDRV= P_BP_ID= P_BP_FN=
2: LOOK_PUP=yes LOOK_SAVE= PMEDIA=usbhd
3: PSUBDIR= P_BP_FN= P_DEF_FN=puppy_dpupbw32_23.12.sfs
HAVE_PARTS='ventoy|iso9660'
TRY_PARTS='ventoy|iso9660'
4: ONE_PART=ventoy
ventoy: not a valid block device
ventoy: not a valid block device
ventoy on /mnt/pdrv as mount failed.
2: USBDRVS=sdb| -> sdb
3: PSUBDIR= P_BP_FN= P_DEF_FN=puppy_dpupbw32_23.12.sfs
HAVE_PARTS='ventoy|iso9660'
param='sdb'
TRY_PARTS='
ventoy|iso9660'
4: ONE_PART=ventoy
ventoy: not a valid block device
ventoy: not a valid block device
ventoy on /mnt/pdrv as mount failed.
2: USBDRVS=sdb| -> sdb
3: PSUBDIR= P_BP_FN= P_DEF_FN=puppy_dpupbw32_23.12.sfs
HAVE_PARTS='ventoy|iso9660'
param='sdb'
TRY_PARTS='
ventoy|iso9660'
4: ONE_PART=ventoy
ventoy: not a valid block device
ventoy: not a valid block device
ventoy on /mnt/pdrv as mount failed.
2: USBDRVS=sdb| -> sdb
3: PSUBDIR= P_BP_FN= P_DEF_FN=puppy_dpupbw32_23.12.sfs
HAVE_PARTS='ventoy|iso9660'
param='sdb'
TRY_PARTS='
ventoy|iso9660'
4: ONE_PART=ventoy
ventoy: not a valid block device
ventoy: not a valid block device
ventoy on /mnt/pdrv as mount failed.
2: USBDRVS=sdb| -> sdb
3: PSUBDIR= P_BP_FN= P_DEF_FN=puppy_dpupbw32_23.12.sfs
HAVE_PARTS='ventoy|iso9660'
param='sdb'
TRY_PARTS='
ventoy|iso9660'
4: ONE_PART=ventoy
ventoy: not a valid block device
ventoy: not a valid block device
ventoy on /mnt/pdrv as mount failed.
2: USBDRVS=sdb| -> sdb
3: PSUBDIR= P_BP_FN= P_DEF_FN=puppy_dpupbw32_23.12.sfs
HAVE_PARTS='ventoy|iso9660'
param='sdb'
TRY_PARTS='
ventoy|iso9660'
4: ONE_PART=ventoy
ventoy: not a valid block device
ventoy: not a valid block device
ventoy on /mnt/pdrv as mount failed.
6: ONE_PART=ventoy ONE_TRY_FN= PDRV=

[Wiz57]

Hmm, a Dell Inspiron 6000...how much RAM does this one have? When they first started them they only had like 512 MB. That may be problematic, but irregardless. I have ZERO experience with Ventoy, though one or two forum members use it. I would recommend using unetbootin or maybe Rufus in Windows to create the bootable USB thumb drive. From what you have posted it appears Ventoy is scrambling the bootloader files in regards to pdrv, psubdir, etc. pdrv MUST refer to the physical drive Puppy is installed to. psubdir MUST refer to the actual directory (folder) that contains the Puppy files. I've had pretty good luck using unetbootin to create bootable USB drives, and with Rufus I had better luck with an older version than the latest.
Since you seem to already have the ISO file downloaded, let's start over with unetbootin...open uneetbootin,
follow the directions to choose the iso to "install" from the file picker in unetbootin, bypassing the download iso stuff. Choose to format the drive if needed, make bootable, etc. then let unetbootin do its thing. When finished,
try booting with this USB drive...may need to set your BIOS to allow USB boot, and set preferences to which device to attempt boot from first, etc.
Report back here with issues.

[wizard]

@progrockfrog

Looks like the 6000 has a Pentium M cpu. It is 32bit, so you can only run 32bit Pups. Suggest you start with Bionic32.

Read this for making USB: viewtopic.php?t=5192

Read this for editing grub menu for Pentium M: viewtopic.php?t=12935

wizard

[Chelsea80]

@progrockfrog

@wizard suggestion of Bionic32 is a good call -

However, I think the modesty of @wizard has got in the way here -

@wizard developed Friendly-Bionic32 v1.1 -

As you can see from my signature I use both and have done so for about 3 years now -

I, as a user of both, can recommend them -

[williwaw]

many here cannot advise about installers from other projects, but if you have trouble with the tools supplied with bookwormpup, gyrog can make improvements if needed.
viewtopic.php?p=142614#p142614

also, you might take a look at
viewtopic.php?p=142715#p142715
if you havent seen it already.

[progrockfrog]

The pendrive installer also used Ventoy with the same results, but Rufus did work. I have two problems now. After installing, I rebooted and I get this grub2 message. And it might be because I tried FAT16 instead of 32. Please confirm and I will try later, but there is also a second problem.

The second problem is I accidentally installed Bookworm Pup on the wrong partition, but it is still showing there are files on the partition. Below you will see:

Sda1 10.18 GB Windows Xp
Sda4 10.45 GB This is where I installed Bookworm Pup a second time.
Sda5 14.14 GB This had an old Ubuntu, but there could be ~5gb or so files still on that partition. Since there is yellow in that partition, and sda4 doesn't fill up as much with yellow I think the files are still there. They just aren't showing when I click on the sda5 folder. What can I do?

[williwaw]

as far as getting a good bookwormpup install, download frugalpup to a working linux and try one of the stickpups to make a dedicated-to-bookwormpup USB. Having such on hand for repairs creating other types of installs is convient. If you follow the documentation for frugalpup at http://www.fishprogs.software/puppy/fru ... index.html
and still have problems, please inform what steps were taken and more precisely what you were trying to accomplish and when the program failed.

TBH, it is a little hard to follow your workflow from what you have posted.

[progrockfrog]

as far as getting a good bookwormpup install, download frugalpup to a working linux and try one of the stickpups to make a dedicated-to-bookwormpup USB. Having such on hand for repairs creating other types of installs is convient. If you follow the documentation for frugalpup at http://www.fishprogs.software/puppy/fru ... index.html
and still have problems, please inform what steps were taken and more precisely what you were trying to accomplish and when the program failed.

TBH, it is a little hard to follow your workflow from what you have posted.

Frugal pup is already on the Bookworm .iso file. The crucial thing now is, can I get my files on the sda5 back even though the bookworm installation USB can't show them? Look at the partition picture I posted, can I get that yellow part back? Let's start there.

Next, will be addressing the grub2 error. I actually get this from different USBs with other linux distros, so it might just be something I need to change in the BIOS.

[d-pupp]

@progrockfrog I am confused. Are you are trying to get a usb to boot with puppy or your hard drive?

[progrockfrog]

@progrockfrog I am confused. Are you are trying to get a usb to boot with puppy or your hard drive?

At this point, I have bookworm loading from an installation USB made from RUFUS in Windows. I could NOT get Ventoy to work in Linux Mint. That is not my concern now. My concern as I have stated in the past two posts, ---->I CAN'T SEE FILES IN SDA5<------

The picture of the partitions show 3 OS sections (I am thinking maybe you guys are only getting text, but I posted a picture of the partitions). If you can't see the picture please let me know. There is also an issue with it now throwing up a grub error message. I also posted a picture of that in the same post. Again, if you are not seeing the pictures, please let me know.

I found a way to get out of the grub2 part, by using these two youtube videos,

This then led to another grub page with just the word grub. I then went back into the bookworm installation USB, and I cleared out sda3 which was the FAT16. I am now going to try again and make it FAT32 and while I am at it, I might as well redo the sda4 puppy installation. However, I still think I won't be able to see the yellow files in sda5. But it looks like they are there.

That is what I am trying to get.

[williwaw]

Frugal pup is already on the Bookworm .iso file. The crucial thing now is, can I get my files on the sda5 back even though the bookworm installation USB can't show them? Look at the partition picture I posted, can I get that yellow part back? Let's start there.

Next, will be addressing the grub2 error......

adding a bookworm frugal does not neccesarily mean you have lost your ubuntu files
lets fix this before moving on to the grub issues

we can see the screenshot of gparted. we cannot see any screenshot of anything showing the files (if that is what you are saying you also posted)

when booted into bookwormpup you should see an icon in the lower left for sda5
clicking on it should mount the partition and bring up a rox (file manager) window.
can you post a screenshot of the rox window that opens?

if you are booting from a different OS, and cannot see files on the partition, you probally need to mount that partition first.

[progrockfrog]

This is what I see when I open the folder. I also saw in gparted there is a data recovery option. It is now scanning it. I assume it will take some time to finish.

[progrockfrog]

The data recovery option in gparted didn't find anything, but I got photorec going and it is picking up files. It has found 7000 files so far but it is 1/30 done. Will probably take over 2 hours to finish by the looks of it.

[progrockfrog]

Well, that ran into a problem.

I think what I have to do is repartition sda1 and sda4, meaning join them. Recovering files apparently means the files are moved to free space? They don't just go back to where they were? It said there wasn't enough space.

Another concern is the fan went on and CPU usage shot up to 100%. I might take a break from this and see if I can lessen the load. Maybe I can select picture only files or something. I don't need the Linux System files.

[williwaw]

dont see anything puppy related in that partition. maybe in sda4?
BTW
take a shot
viewtopic.php?t=7295&hilit=tas

is a nice utility for screenshots of windows if it is not already in bookworm
check the ppm or just download and click

not sure which bootloader you are having issues with. If you are trying to boot a puppy from ubuntu's bootloader, you will need a stanza to add to it.
if you are wanting to put a new bootloader on the internal disk, thats a different consideration. if so what other OS are you wishing to keep operational on the disk?

[progrockfrog]

dont see anything puppy related in that partition. maybe in sda4?
BTW
take a shot
viewtopic.php?t=7295&hilit=tas

is a nice utility for screenshots of windows if it is not already in bookworm
check the ppm or just download and click

not sure which bootloader you are having issues with. If you are trying to boot a puppy from ubuntu's bootloader, you will need a stanza to add to it.
if you are wanting to put a new bootloader on the internal disk, thats a different consideration. if so what other OS are you wishing to keep operational on the disk?

You are assuming I am connected to the internet. I am relaying information on another computer, so I have to use a camera. The sda5 partition does have puppy linux stuff.

I am going to take a break from this and think about it. I need to maybe see if PhotoRec can recover only image files. I am afraid I may have recovered some files over others that haven't been recovered.

[progrockfrog]

"if so what other OS are you wishing to keep operational on the disk?"

After I recover the files, I am more than happy reformatting the whole hard drive. I was going to keep the xp for nostalgia, but at this point if erasing the entire hard drive and installing a Puppy Linux distro works, I will do that.

[williwaw]

/home/spot is on the filsystem you are booted with. Your USB I thought.
there is nothing wrong with using using bookworm from the usb longterm. puppy is designed for that.

a puppy install to disk does not require a wipe, but with windows, ubuntu, ventoy and more on the boot partiton, there will be stuff to be sorted out another day

[progrockfrog]

/home/spot is on the filsystem you are booted with. Your USB I thought.
there is nothing wrong with using using bookworm from the usb longterm. puppy is designed for that.

a puppy install to disk does not require a wipe, but with windows, ubuntu, ventoy and more on the boot partiton, there will be stuff to be sorted out another day

Yea, that's probably true. But, right now it is not booting and has grub errors. The consensus I see with the Ubuntu/Linux Mint people is to reformat completely and not worry about dual boot. Case in point, https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=280616

I think Benedetto has wise words.

[progrockfrog]

Ok, guys and gals. We're getting there. How do I include this "/vmlinuz" into the mix and get it operating?

[williwaw]

as there will be stuff to be sorted out, to get any kind of relevant anwser, you will have to.....

1 .explain what you did to make the install

2. post a screenshot of rox in the top level of the boot partition

3. post the contents of grub.cfg and the location of where you found it.

4. run blkid in a terminal and post what is returned

[progrockfrog]

2. post a screenshot of rox in the top level of the boot partition

Ok, how do I do that? What is "rox" and how do I reach this rox to solve my problems?

[williwaw]

when booted into bookwormpup you should see an icon in the lower left for sda5
clicking on it should mount the partition and bring up a rox (file manager) window.
can you post a screenshot of the rox window that opens?

same except boot partition

[progrockfrog]

If Yoda speaks, Luke will listen.

[progrockfrog]

Ok, I am in the lower left now, with my trusty sda5. I see no rox thingamajiggy.

[williwaw]

rox is the file manager, the only window open in your screen shot.
the boot partition should be one of the two others sda3 maybe ?
btw
when posting the contents of grub.cfg, once you post it into the reply editor, it will help if you select it and click on [</>] (the code display icon) in the editor menu bar. this will keep the formatting correct.

[progrockfrog]

Well, that was clear as mud.

[williwaw]

when posting the contents of grub.cfg, once you post it into the reply editor, it will help if you select it and click on [</>] (the code display icon) in the editor menu bar. this will keep the formatting correct.

open grub.cfg in the text editor, select the text with crtl a, copy the selection with ctrl c. paste (not post, sorry) in the editor window with ctrl v. select what you just pasted with the mouse and click the code display icon