PocketHandyBox (Debian 12 "Bookworm" with NVIDIA drivers OOTB)

[Clarity]

Thanks @gumanzoy
I hope this does not offend you as you progress: This is really, really minor; upon pristine same the window opens asking you if they want to save the session. The buttons say "Quit'" & "Yes". This is really minor but some new users 'might' think quit means to quit the shutdown and return to the desktop. Would a "No" be better than quit?

I am assuming you 'may' be writing/rewriting some scripts for 2025 as Wayland has reached stability with worldwide improvements continuing.

Other than the couple things I report, all seems 'great'!

Continuing to follow along and will share any other finding that may be helpful.

Although the tests thus far are for v3 on bare-metal when booting the ISO file from BOTH Ventoy and SG2D without boot issues, I will test booting the ISO file in a QEMU VM, soon, to report successes, as well.

[Clarity]

@gumanzoy , your recommendation to use the other boot-menu option works on this bare-metal platform. Result

Code: Select all

root@live:/mnt/sda3# ./Check-Driver.sh 
	Kernel driver in use: nvidia
	Kernel modules: nvidia
root@live:/mnt/sda3# uname -a
Linux live 5.10.0-32-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 5.10.223-1 (2024-08-10) x86_64 GNU/Linux

Question

• Is your nvidia adapter connected HDMI? If so, what did you do to get audio

[Clarity]

@gumanzoy, @fredx181, @mistfire, @jamesbond, @wiak, @Sofiya and ANY other forum distro builders

This post is my finding that MIGHT be helpful to you in your builds and in helping.

This is brought to my attention as I have several PCs that have varied video adapters. On one of my test PCs I am faced with a problem which leads to both confusion and hours spent in trying to get to the bottom when using either forum distros OR forum instructions in activating the adapter with the setup steps for some very good reasons.

Although after much trial and error, I WAS able to finally get the card going in couple forum distro cases, I found a couple Linux distros which are 'key' in helping to guide me, the user, to solution.

Using the several Linux distros in Live mode booting their ISO files as I do for ALL forum distros, several of the distros possess the ability to not only alert the user of the problem in using the adapter, but the distros boot process guides to tell the user what is needed to resolve the adapter loading.

The following in their boot time message. (This is presented from the Tuxedo's KDE linux distro)

Code: Select all

[ 162.307228] NURM: The NVIDIA Quadro FX 4800 GPU installed in this system is
[162.307228] NURM: supported through the NVIDIA 340.xx Legacy drivers. Please
[162.307228] NURM: visit http://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html for more 
[162.307228] NURM: information. The 560.35.03 NVIDIA driver will ignore
[ 162.307228] NURM: this GPU. Continuing probe...

This info is presented to one manner used by distros which possess the ability to auto-discover and auto-load a nvidia adapter should you want an example that could reduce forum support in any of your upcoming distros.

This merely info that might be helpful, as an example, as you go forward this year.

[gumanzoy]

Is your nvidia adapter connected HDMI? If so, what did you do to get audio

Hi.

I already answered this in the previous topic.

I boot my PC with GTX 1070, edit .asoundrc as sound-card-selector suggests, then unmute all S/PDIF in alsamixer
And then i have sound on my DP monitor and my HDMI TV.
As usual i not use it. Use my soundcard and analog speakers.

@Clarity

I check sound DP/HDMI is working.

I will modify or re-write sound-card-selector to make settings applied immediately when card selected.

---

Tuxedo's KDE linux distro

About NVIDIA Quadro FX 4800, Wayland and fresh Linux distros - NVIDIA 340.xx Legacy drivers - Being Totally unsupported.
For this card you need 2020 year or older distro with 5.10 or older kernel (and with Xorg).
I make support for this in PocketHandyBox. But it is exclusion. Debian drop support of nvidia-graphics-drivers-legacy-340xx in release 11 - bullseye.

I think Tuxedo not support it too. For make sure - show me uname -a, /etc/apt/sources.list and content of all files in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/

UPD: info about legacy nvidia gpu driver support
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/drivers/unix/
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/drivers/unix/legacy-gpu/

Note: 390.157 and 340.108 drivers needs patches to build with current linux kernels. Original .run files will not work.

[Clarity]

I am going to be changing this nvidia card, hopefully today. It wont be a new card, rather just one that is younger than this card.

Will resume testing after the change.

[Clarity]

I was not able to get the exchanged video adapter, so that effort will have to wait until next week.

I booted a fresh ISO file via a rebuilt updated Ventoy USB. For a test, I reformated for NTFS partition #1. created a boot-isos folder and populated it with 15 ISO files. On the Persistence system drive, I removed old changes files from the Sessions folder.

Booted Ventoy v1.1.05, launched phb_test_x64_12_25_0004_vtgrub2 ISO to a pristine desktop taking the 2nd nvidia boot-menu option. Opened SPM to add missing admin tools I use for viewing and reporting.

Update pristine v0004.jpg (40.82 KiB) Viewed 2472 times

Screenshot_2025-03-07_05-16-34.png (356.99 KiB) Viewed 2468 times

Use the following commands for nvidia, to determined adapter driver in use

Code: Select all

root@live:~# nvidia-smi 
Fri Mar  7 02:48:32 2025       
+------------------------------------------------------+                       
| NVIDIA-SMI 340.108    Driver Version: 340.108        |                       
|-------------------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| GPU  Name        Persistence-M| Bus-Id        Disp.A | Volatile Uncorr. ECC |
| Fan  Temp  Perf  Pwr:Usage/Cap|         Memory-Usage | GPU-Util  Compute M. |
|===============================+======================+======================|
|   0  Quadro FX 4800      Off  | 0000:03:00.0     N/A |                  N/A |
| 35%   47C   P12    N/A /  N/A |    143MiB /  1535MiB |     N/A      Default |
+-------------------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
                                                                               
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Compute processes:                                               GPU Memory |
|  GPU       PID  Process name                                     Usage      |
|=============================================================================|
|    0            Not Supported                                               |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
root@live:~# lspci -k | grep -A 3 -E "(VGA|3D)"
03:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GT200GL [Quadro FX 4800] (rev a1)
	Subsystem: NVIDIA Corporation GT200GL [Quadro FX 4800]
	Kernel driver in use: nvidia
	Kernel modules: nvidia

Update pristine v0004-2.jpg (60.95 KiB) Viewed 2472 times

[Clarity]

The lspci command, I show above, list the video driver and kernel module in use for the nvidia adapter. I wonder if FASTFETCH could come with those items shown when the fastfetch command is run? Maybe OOTB in the terminal of this distro as it continues to evolve.

[gumanzoy]

I am going to be changing this nvidia card, hopefully today. It wont be a new card, rather just one that is younger than this card.

I will keep NVIDIA 340.xx Legacy drivers in PocketHandyBox

And i will not add Wayland to PocketHandyBox in near future.

[Clarity]

Thanks @gumanzoy

At least, thus far, you have done an example in the DOGs to show how to present an OOTB experience for nvidia adapter users. Your offering, though different, is similar to multiple driver offering in the OOTB distro from @666philb in his FossaPUP64, years ago. Your approach is an OOTB solution via the boot-menu, while his was a 2 step solution requiring to, 1st, go to the desktop to run an app and then to reboot to get the functionality. I view the OOTB solution, thus far, best.

Thanks for the help and guidance you and @fredx181 have given.

[Clarity]

Is your nvidia adapter connected HDMI? If so, what did you do to get audio

Hi.

I already answered this in the previous topic.

I boot my PC with GTX 1070, edit .asoundrc as sound-card-selector suggests, then unmute all S/PDIF in alsamixer
And then i have sound on my DP monitor and my HDMI TV.
As usual i not use it. Use my soundcard and analog speakers.

Screenshot_2025-03-07_06-30-49.png (40.58 KiB) Viewed 2451 times

I will modify or re-write sound-card-selector to make settings applied immediately when card selected.

,,, show me uname -a, /etc/apt/sources.list and content of all files in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/

[/quote]

Code: Select all

root@live:~# uname -a
Linux live 5.10.0-32-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 5.10.223-1 (2024-08-10) x86_64 GNU/Linux
root@live:~# 

/etc/apt/sources.list does not exist.

Code: Select all

root@live:~# tree
bash: tree: command not found
root@live:~# ls /etc/apt/sources.list.d/
debian.sources  doglinux.list              phb-bookworm.list
devuan.sources  obs-garloff-ddrescue.list
root@live:~# 

[gumanzoy]

Screenshot_2025-03-07_06-30-49.png

NVIDIA Quadro FX 4800 ?

It have HDMI connection? Maybe it not have built-in sound card. Try to check in Windows.

---

I think Tuxedo not support it too. For make sure - show me uname -a, /etc/apt/sources.list and content of all files in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/

It is about Tuxedo. Not about PocketHandyBox

[Clarity]

It have HDMI connection? Maybe it not have built-in sound card. Try to check in Windows. ...

Will do next time Windows is started.

... It is about Tuxedo. Not about PocketHandyBox

Sorry. Thanks for the quick follow-up

[Clarity]

Not sure which forum member would consider this idea. There is NO BUG. Yet it is info to benefit those using the DOGs, this panel might be improved to show the actual "changes" parm versus the example.

Screenshot_2025-03-07_06-44-17.jpg (11.73 KiB) Viewed 2435 times

.
AGAIN this is not a bug as the shutdown management works!!! Intent is to be helpful.

But, I think some would benefit and could eliminate any user requesting aid when they misunderstand.

NO URGENCY on this idea!!!

[gumanzoy]

winpasswd (GUI for chntpw)
tool for resetting Windows (2000/XP/Vista/7/8/10/11) users passwords

Code on GitHub /usr/local/bin/winpasswd

[Clarity]

Hello @gumanzoy

Today, on a different PC which has a different nvidia adapter, I launched this current v0004 ISO file to a pristine desktop.

I immediately open synaptic and added the following admin tools after it was allowed to upgrade: Hardinfo2, tealdeer, Fastfetch, btop, geany, mtpaint.

NOW, whenever I use the keyboard to type anything, it is using greek/russian characters instead of the OOTB english characterset.

I am not sure if this is a system bug or a synaptic bug.

Can anyone confirm?

Hardinfo2 driver report.jpg (125.42 KiB) Viewed 1910 times

[Clarity]

I repeated the testing, starting as before by launching from Ventoy. At desktop, this time, I opened an editor to check the characters after each phase of synaptic's changes. No issues when each step is done one at a time followed immediately with a check for character change in th editor. Thus started with an 'update' and apply, then a character check; next btop + apply, then character check again ... and so on.

No characterset changes either in editor or in a terminal.

Not sure what to make of what happened, in the prior pristine boot with a synaptic upgrade and admin apps added BEFORE doing the "apply" where all was done at once. Synaptic seems to be operating as one would expect; that is it applied the updates, first, then proceeded with all app changes. But when complete the desktop characterset changed from English to Cyrillic in all apps where the keyboard entry was needed.

Oh well I dont feel qualified enough to point the finger at synaptic or which app causes the initial test's characterset change in the desktop???

@gumanzoy I used the 'copy2ram' 6.10 kernel at boot as you can see.

[gumanzoy]

NOW, whenever I use the keyboard to type anything, it is using greek/russian characters instead of the OOTB english characterset.

Hi

I think you press Ctrl+Shift. To switch back to US layout - press Ctrl+Shift again.

All my builds contains same /etc/default/keyboard

Code: Select all

# KEYBOARD CONFIGURATION FILE

# Consult the keyboard(5) manual page.

XKBMODEL="pc105"
XKBLAYOUT="us,ru"
XKBVARIANT=","
XKBOPTIONS="grp:ctrl_shift_toggle,grp_led:scroll"

BACKSPACE="guess"

Run "Set keyboard layout" from menu to change settings.

[Clarity]

Thanks!

... I think you press Ctrl+Shift. To switch back to US layout - press Ctrl+Shift again. ...

I will be on the lookout why this phenom could have been imposed by some inadvertent keyboard-action.

Will report if I have more similar events.

[Clarity]

Understanding that Chrome menu entry is not to be used, can someone share how to add-change from Duck search to another search engine in the shipped version of Chromium?

Thanks

[gumanzoy]

Understanding that Chrome menu entry is not to be used, can someone share how to add-change from Duck search to another search engine in the shipped version of Chromium?

Thanks

Edit /etc/chromium/master_preferences remove this

Code: Select all

  "search_provider_overrides": [{
     "enabled": true,
     "encoding": "UTF-8",
     "favicon_url": "https://duckduckgo.com/favicon.ico",
     "new_tab_url": "https://duckduckgo.com/chrome_newtab",
     "id": 2,
     "keyword": "duckduckgo.com",
     "name": "DuckDuckGo",
     "search_url": "https://duckduckgo.com/?q={searchTerms}",
     "suggest_url": "https://duckduckgo.com/ac/?q={searchTerms}&type=list"
  }],

Then run chromium

If profile already created, remove it rm -rf /home/puppy/.config/chromium/
Then run chromium

[gumanzoy]

@fredx181

I include my version of porteusbootscripts to
github.com/PocketHandyBox/phb-base/tree/main/bookworm/rootcopy

• init.d/snapexit /etc/init.d/snapexit
  - Merge 'snapexit' and 'sfsunload' init.d scripts. I will add unit for systemd later.

• systemd snapexit.service /etc/systemd/system/snapexit.service
  - Unit for systemd (EDIT: Added)

• logout-yad /usr/local/bin/logout-yad
  - Choice to save session or not in case of shutdown/reboot

• makepfile /usr/local/bin/makepfile
  - For changes.dat creation (fixes for GTK3 version of yad)

• save2flash /usr/local/bin/save2flash
  - Save changes in the middle of a session, or at shutdown (gtkdialog replaced by yad)

• sfsunload /usr/local/bin/sfsunload
  - Unload manually activated sfs modules and remove leftover symlinks (the only one copy of this code )

• snap-ex /usr/local/bin/snap-ex
  - Save changes on exit when shutdown from console (remove unneeded sleep's)

• snapmergepuppy /usr/local/bin/snapmergepuppy
  - Do rsync for changes=EXIT: / (unmodified)

• /usr/share/polkit-1/actions/org.bootscripts.policy
  - To run 'logout-yad' and 'save2flash' from puppy guest user with pkexec without ask password.

Yet it is info to benefit those using the DOGs, this panel might be improved to show the actual "changes" parm versus the example.Screenshot_2025-03-07_06-44-17.jpg.
Intent is to be helpful.

But, I think some would benefit and could eliminate any user requesting aid when they misunderstand.

Fixed. Will be included into the next test .iso.

makepfile

Screenshot_2025-03-17_23-40-13.webp (5.67 KiB) Viewed 1764 times

makepfile

Screenshot_2025-03-17_23-15-36.webp (5.65 KiB) Viewed 1764 times

EDIT:

But with new version need to fix button icons and captions in many scripts.

Fixed. If run without changes= shows Create savefile button run makepfile if pressed.

logout-yad

Screenshot_logout-yad.webp (4.68 KiB) Viewed 1687 times

[gumanzoy]

@fredx181

I add unit for systemd - snapexit.service

And fix snap-ex script. Now it works with dialog as expected.

Commit cfe9a99

I do build with systemd - it is works.
Both sfsunload and snap-ex scripts executed as expected.
But snap-ex ignore user answer without dialog package - save session anyway.

EDIT: Re-write snap-ex and update save2flash scripts

Commit bf3b384

EDIT2: Update sfsunload script
Re-write for 'dash' shell and suppress 'find' and 'umount' error outputs

Commit 97218a8

[gumanzoy]

v0005 Pre release version .iso:
github.com/PocketHandyBox/pocket-handybox/releases

md5sum:
6682252f3a4097bc9089e0a180856fc4 phb_test_x64_12_25_0005_vtgrub2.iso

• User puppy renamed to guest (can be defined at build time bookworm-xfce.conf GUESTUSER=)

• yad and gtkdialog updated to gtk3 versions.

• Xdialog and gtkdialog-splash removed.

• porteusbootscripts updated.

• cryptsetup removed, LUKS encrypted changes.dat not supported anymore.

• run-as-user script updated.

• chromium-134.0.6998.117.squashfs module updated.

• sound-card-selector replaced by alsaselect

• Added webp-pixbuf-loader package - support of .webp images in xfce4-screenshooter and gpicview

• Added winpasswd (GUI for chntpw) tool for resetting Windows (2000/XP/Vista/7/8/10/11) users passwords.

• Added ddrescue-loop script https://github.com/gumanzoy/ddrescue-loop

• In xfce4-whiskermenu removed Module Tools category, some apps added to Favorites.

[gumanzoy]

@fredx181

Hi

I thinking about switch to fresh gtk3 version of yad https://github.com/v1cont/yad/releases
I already build deb's yad_14.1-1_amd64.deb yad_14.1-1_i386.deb with --with-gtk=gtk3 --enable-standalone --disable-icon-browser

Yes, fine of course for your project if you make yad GTK3 having priority (if I understood well).
For now I'm hesitating about that because it will break some functionality (not only button display) for the existing yad based scripts in the doglinux repo. (same story, btw, about gtkdialog built with GTK3).

I think i will try this https://github.com/minios-linux/debian/ ... /gtkdialog
It is debianized https://github.com/puppylinux-woof-CE/gtkdialog

Done

yad and gtkdialog updated to gtk3 versions.
Xdialog and gtkdialog-splash removed.

---

@Clarity

I cannot seem to find the steps to move the audio from the PC's internal speaker to the TV over HDMI. HELP!

Hi

Regarding HDMI audio: In alsamixer, check that the SPDIF control is UNmuted. Also test the other HDMI device numbers. It's often higher than 3.

Yes. Thanks. UNmute is important!
I boot my PC with GTX 1070, edit .asoundrc as sound-card-selector suggests, then unmute all S/PDIF in alsamixer
And then i have sound on my DP monitor and my HDMI TV.

sound-card-selector replaced by alsaselect

I will modify or re-write sound-card-selector to make settings applied immediately when card selected.

Done

Not need to unmute S/PDIF in alsamixer and edit .asoundrc anymore (i hope, needs testing with different hardware).
Just press button and speaker-test run automatically. Listen have sounds or not, and if not - press another button.

---

@dancytron

Hi

The only comment is the yellow on gray dialog box when it was saving the changes as I logged off was hard to read because of the color choice.

It is from DogLinux porteusbootscripts package.
I will edit it, and remove gtkdialog-splash later.

Done

porteusbootscripts updated.

[gumanzoy]

@fredx181

Hi

Where can i find chpupsocket sources?
I tried to search on Google but I couldn't find it.

Here: http://www.smokey01.com/saintless/sourc ... ket.tar.gz

Probably smokey01 goes offline sooner or later, so attaching here too:
chpupsocket.tar.gz
edit: the binary included is 32-bit btw.

Thanks

I look at source code it just change owner for /tmp/pup_volume_monitor_socket

I replace it with new script
GitHub Commit 17fa1b2

/usr/local/sbin/chpupsocket

Code: Select all

#!/bin/dash

which pup-volume-monitor > /dev/null || exit 0

until pgrep -f pup-volume-monitor > /dev/null ; do sleep 1 ; done

until test -S /tmp/pup_volume_monitor_socket ; do sleep 1 ; done

chgrp plugdev /tmp/pup_volume_monitor_socket
chmod g+w /tmp/pup_volume_monitor_socket

exit 0

Run once time at boot from /etc/rc.local

Code: Select all

[ -x /usr/local/sbin/chpupsocket ] && ( /usr/local/sbin/chpupsocket & )

---

Also Disable DogLinux repository
GitHub Commit 6478b53

---

Added tigervncserver 1.15.0
GitHub Commit ef4074d

/usr/local/bin/tigervncserver-startup

Code: Select all

#!/bin/dash

pgrep -f x0tigervncserver > /dev/null && exit

[ -f ~/.config/tigervnc/passwd ] && exec x0tigervncserver -rfbauth ~/.config/tigervnc/passwd

VNCPASS="`egrep -o ' vnc=[^ ]+' /proc/cmdline | cut -d= -f2`"

if [ -n "$VNCPASS" ]; then
echo "$VNCPASS" | vncpasswd -f > /tmp/.vncbootpasswd
exec x0tigervncserver -rfbauth /tmp/.vncbootpasswd
fi

grep -q vnc /proc/cmdline && exec x0tigervncserver -SecurityTypes None,TLSNone

To get remote access to PC with PocketHandyBox
There 3 options to run:

• Use vncpasswd to create /root/.config/tigervnc/passwd

• Run with cheatcode vnc=password

• Run with cheatcode vnc to connect without password

This will be enabled in next v0006 phb_test .iso

[gumanzoy]

GiHub Commit e0d1bd9

Added XKBLAYOUT= LOCALE= KEEPLOCALES= options to build .conf

Now possible to set XKBLAYOUT= and LOCALE= at build time.
KEEPLOCALES= list of translations and translated man pages to keep, space separated.
When set, it also modify /etc/dpkg/dpkg.cfg.d/usr_share_locale_man
To keep selected locales and man pages when user install .deb packages at runtime.

Code: Select all

XKBLAYOUT="us,ru"
XKBVARIANT=","

#LOCALE="ru_RU.UTF-8"
#KEEPLOCALES="ru"
#KEEPLOCALES="de de_DE es es_ES fr fr_FR it pt pt_BR pt_PT ru"
#KEEPLOCALES="cs de de_DE es es_ES fr fr_FR hu it nb nl pl pl_PL pt pt_BR pt_PT ro ru sv tr uk"

Commented out by default.
Can be used for custom builds.

Later i will add modules with some locales. Each contains
/etc/default/locale
/etc/default/keyboard
/etc/dpkg/dpkg.cfg.d/usr_share_locale_man
/usr/lib/chromium/locales/xx-XX.pak
/usr/share/locale/XX
/usr/share/man/XX

[gumanzoy]

GitHub Commit af4f3d6

Add initrd1.xz creation tool to phb-base

Add busybox-static deb package re-build with enabled: blkid eject lspci
busybox-static_1.37.0-4phb_amd64.deb busybox-static_1.37.0-4phb_i386.deb

Add script /usr/local/sbin/mkinitrd
Modified to create folders and copy busybox binary from /usr/bin/

Code: Select all

mkdir -p $INITRAMFS/{bin,dev,etc/udhcpc,lib,lib/modules,m,mnt}
mkdir -p $INITRAMFS/memory/{changes,copy2ram,images}
mkdir -p $INITRAMFS/{proc,run,sys,tmp,union,usr,var/log}
#ln -s bin $INITRAMFS/sbin
cp -a `which busybox` $INITRAMFS/bin
cp -a /etc/udhcpc/default.script $INITRAMFS/etc/udhcpc/
cp -ra /opt/initramfs/* $INITRAMFS
ln -s linuxrc $INITRAMFS/init

busybox --list | grep -v init | grep -v linuxrc | while read TOOL; do
[ -e $INITRAMFS/bin/$TOOL ] || ln -s busybox $INITRAMFS/bin/$TOOL
done

Add folder /opt/initramfs/
cleanup (removed, not used) fatal finit linuxrc modlist

Boot from ntfs filesystem support temporary disabled. I will use ntfs3/ntfs kernel modules instead of ntfs-3g binary. EDIT: Done

[gumanzoy]

Support for kernel ntfs/ntfs3 in initrd

GitHub Commit 60a094f

Screenshot_ntfs.webp (7.22 KiB) Viewed 120 times

Kernel 5.10.234 re-builded with CONFIG_NTFS_FS=m (old, RO access only)
Will be added into next v0006 phb_test .iso

Changes (with ntfs) currently not tested. Maybe this option can work after do some more modifications to linuxrc.
PocketHandyBox 64bit Kernel 5.10 Copy2RAM changes=EXIT:/phb/changes.dat

[Clarity]

Hello @fredx181 and @gumanzoy. Thanks for all the EXCELLENT work you have done.

Debian 12 moved on to GRUB2 v2.12. This GRUB2 release supports boot-use of NTFS compressed partitions.

Any chance the work you are doing would embrace this upgrade for Debian v12s going forward?

[Clarity]

In reviewing distrowatch's Debian page, I am most likely and 'probably' wrong about what version GRUB2 is shipping in debian v12. I had only tested Trixie.