EasyOS version 3.0 released

[BarryK]

Read all about it here:

https://bkhome.org/news/202110/easyos-30-released.html

Feedback welcome!

[FeodorF]

I have just clicked on the orange update icon to update from 2.9 to 3.0 . The update went well but there is one issue when I do the md5 hash.

The md5 of the original 3.0-iso is different to the updated 3.0-iso.

For the update I am getting: d5ec48b555e74a844e8e90dc781f2b47
The original one is: 593c9b37e7c58b7046510fcf739a6df9

There is a problem: /home will be created but /files will not, hence I'll lose everything from the old /home folder.

I have updated the German version of EasyOS using an old pre UEFI dual core PC, 4GB RAM and 160GB magnetic hard drive.

missing-files-directory.png (13.21 KiB) Viewed 1729 times

files-points-to-over-here.png (6.84 KiB) Viewed 1726 times

[BarryK]

Oops!
I checked the 'init' script in the initrd. When you do an update, it moves everything from /home to /files, but fails because folder /files does not exist.

I should have tested updating!

I have pulled 3.0 off of ibiblio.org, will upload it again, with a fix for updating. Probably be done about 30 minutes after this post.

There was one thing reported for 2.9, libreoffice not fully translated for 'de'. I forgot about that, will look into it.

[BarryK]

@FeodorF
As you have updated and /mnt/wkg/files is missing, you will have to manually create it, and sub-folders.

Let's see, on my pc have:

/mnt/wkg/files
then folders:
archive downloads grisbi media other personal portable projects shared

in /mnt/wkg/files/media, have folders:
audio images video

[FeodorF]

@BarryK
Thanks Barry. Done. Will continue testing 3.0

ok-done.png (14.65 KiB) Viewed 1673 times

One question - we do have /root/spot and /home/spot. One of them can be taken out. Right?

I just fired up the containerized SeaMonkey browser - history gone (WRONG!). Folder /home is missing over here(WRONG!).

container-problem.png (26.56 KiB) Viewed 1649 times

This-is-missing--thats-it.png (6.02 KiB) Viewed 1527 times

[BarryK]

Ah yes, another hiccup with the change of folders. Yes, you should be able to delete /root/spot

You are booting without a password, so not encountering the issues with encrypted folders.
They caused another bug, a crash at bootup, after updating. I think that one is also fixed, after re-re-uploading 3.0.

Another issue is rollback from 3.0 to a 2.x version. That is going to be broken.

So many problems with the folder name changes!
But, it needed to be done. From now on, hopefully, they will not be changed.

[ndujoe2]

In any event, we appreciate your creativity and long standing desire make your computing ideas useful.

[Flash]

I have an 8 GB USB flash drive that I've installed EasyOS in (using easydd from console in Easypup). When an update to EasyOS comes out, I use easydd to overwrite the old version in the USB flash drive. But if I then mount the USB flash drive (in Easypup), I can't tell which version of EasyOS it contains.

[FeodorF]

@Flash
Hi Flash!

If I get it right you are using an 8 GB stick with an EasyOS installation.
Partition 1 called boot partition the second one working partition.

At the working partition f.e. /sdb2 you will be able to find:
/mnt/sdb2/easyos/releases/easy-3.0 (this is the version you are using)

The highest number shown is the one you are using.

version-number.png (5.09 KiB) Viewed 1547 times

In this example I have updated from EasyOS-2.9 to EasyOS-3.0

updated-three-times-to-EasyOS-2.7.2.png (5.33 KiB) Viewed 1543 times

[oui]

no ISO available?
why?
what is / are the advantage?

using iso's

- you only need "dd"
- can mix divers ISO's frugal in one UNIQUE partition

is the complexity from easyOS really EASY?

[Flash]

@FeodorF, easydd created 2 partitions on the flash drive. Here's what they look like after easydd installs EasyOS 3.0 but before I boot from the flash drive:

EasyOS 3 installation.jpg (45.14 KiB) Viewed 1410 times

:

[FeodorF]

@Flash
Flash,

after using easydd to copy EasyOS onto your USB stick you will have to boot of this stick once to allow EasyOS to populate the working partition (sda2).

After the first boot there will be a single folder (beside lost+found) at sda2 named easyos with four sub folders. This is where EasyOS resides.

sda2-after-the-first-boot.png (6.91 KiB) Viewed 1405 times

Rem.: If you don't want to do an install at this time, than you can identify the EasyOS version by clicking on the syslinux.cfg file. Line number three will tell you the version number (menu title EasyOS 3.0).

[williwaw]

manual frugal install on ssd with 3.0 (third upload?)

added chromium sfs, loaded to main fs and it installed configs and roxapp to /home/chromium....works fine.

Is the "run as its own user" feature intended to be used just for sfs's? If I were to port an app to easy that lived in .session, or even a run a portable or some such that lived in /mnt/sda/../files, is there a way to run it as its own user?

thanks Barry, for your ongoing work with Chromium.

[BologneChe]

Hello to you,

Quick first impression: the update went quickly and smoothly. Installation of Chromium (user) without problem and it is efficient! Sincere thanks for Chromium!

[Flash]

Thanks FeodorF, that solved my problem.

[nevarmaor]

I've been using EasyOS off and on (with FatDog) for a while now (since Quirky 0.8.6?). Read with interest your changes to 3.0. I keep trying out other linuxes (MX, alpine, void, etc) but now I keep coming back.

First, I dd'ed to a USB and booted. Did the setup and it all went smoothly. Set up the chromium sfs (82-7 version) and rebooted to load in main.

Now typing this in chromium so seems to be running fine. I avoid chrome completely so I haven't used chromium much. Loooong time firefox user - I used it back when it was firebird. Heck I used to use Netscape Navigator once upon a time.

One nagging irritation -- you can't install extensions in chromium without logging into Google. At least not from the official Chrome Web Store. Ugh.

Anyway, next step I will try upgrading the EasyOS 2.9 I have on my hd. Lots of accumulated cruft in the Home directory, so we'll see how that goes. It is backed up first . I may end up just starting from scratch on the hd as a pristine install.

I did install the firefox binary in 2.9, it runs great. Probably do the same in 3.0

I've been looking at different ways to expand the available programs. I use some AppImages, and I once had pkgsrc up and running (I use FreeBSD on my desktop). Just read about Homebrew for Linux, looks like my next project.

FYI this is on a Toshiba Satellite laptop -- umm, P55W. It's about 4-5 years old. I bought it 'reconditioned'.

[BarryK]

Is the "run as its own user" feature intended to be used just for sfs's? If I were to port an app to easy that lived in .session, or even a run a portable or some such that lived in /mnt/sda/../files, is there a way to run it as its own user?

In the menu "System -> Login and Security Manager" there is rudimentary frame for selecting app to run non-root.

It needs to be developed into a proper GUI, where you can select an app to run non-root, as its own user. Any app, not just SFSs.

Note, the scripts that handle the non-root stuff are in /usr/local/clients

[BarryK]

Here is a fix for the battery tray applet on laptops:

https://bkhome.org/news/202110/powerapp ... rnels.html

[Airdale]

Sounds like an exciting update.

I haven't done it yet though. I have two questions....

#1 sounds like any personal files in the old home folder disappear? Easy fix for this one.... I can just back them up. Just wanted to be sure I understood the above posts correctly.

#2 I use a lot of Barry's other containerized OS's and usually run a puppy linux or Buster EasyOS to run debian style apps that I haven't figured out how to make work on Dunfell. However, I share files between the container and main OS via home/shared. If that folder structures goes away on the main OS but yet the old containers still have it.... how do you share files?

I didn't want to update to find out if it works because I read above there is trouble with roll back to 2.x versions.

Thanks!

[nevarmaor]

Ran the update on EasyOS 2.9 on my hard drive. Went smoothy and everything seemed fine on reboot.

Tried firefox (I run as spot) and got no sound. I tend to have an hdmi cable running from my laptop to my tv, so sound is typically set to hdmi. I checked the multiple sound app and had to reset to hdmi. Restarted firefox and had sound.

But, on rebooting I had to do this all over again. With 2.9 EasyOS remembered the sound card default. With 3.0 it doesn't.

I also tried changing the default back to PCH (internal) sound and although the multiple sound card app told me it was the default, the sound test still came out the tv. With 2.9 I could switch back and forth no problem.

[BarryK]

I haven't done it yet though. I have two questions....

#1 sounds like any personal files in the old home folder disappear? Easy fix for this one.... I can just back them up. Just wanted to be sure I understood the above posts correctly.

#2 I use a lot of Barry's other containerized OS's and usually run a puppy linux or Buster EasyOS to run debian style apps that I haven't figured out how to make work on Dunfell. However, I share files between the container and main OS via home/shared. If that folder structures goes away on the main OS but yet the old containers still have it.... how do you share files?

I didn't want to update to find out if it works because I read above there is trouble with roll back to 2.x versions.

Thanks!

Good idea to backup /home!
At bootup of 3.0, after updating from 2.9, /home is moved to /files ...I think that is now working.
Rolling back though, to 2.x, is not going to work so well.
And yes, home/shared will still exist in old containers -- currently, that will require a manual fix, change the symlink to files/shared.

[nevarmaor]

Further testing: with HDMI cable unplugged I still get no sound from internal speakers.

# dmesg | grep 'sound'
[ 19.513799] input: HDA Intel PCH Mic as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input18
[ 19.513869] input: HDA Intel PCH Headphone as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input19
[ 22.277324] input: HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=3 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input21
[ 22.277398] input: HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=7 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input22
[ 22.277467] input: HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=8 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input23
[ 22.277533] input: HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=9 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input24
[ 22.277597] input: HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=10 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input25

# dmesg | grep 'ALC233'
[ 19.470618] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC1D0: autoconfig for ALC233: line_outs=1 (0x14/0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0) type:speaker

Where do I go from here?

[williwaw]

I did install the firefox binary in 2.9, it runs great. Probably do the same in 3.0

I've been looking at different ways to expand the available programs. I use some AppImages, and I once had pkgsrc up and running (I use FreeBSD on my desktop). Just read about Homebrew for Linux, looks like my next project.

How did you package Firefox?
perhaps you have seen https://bkhome.org/news/201811/dir2sfs-take-2.html

[nevarmaor]

I didn't package firefox, I folowed the manual install instructions from their website.

Code: Select all

     Download Firefox from the Firefox download page to your home directory.
    Open a Terminal and go to your home directory:

    cd ~

    Extract the contents of the downloaded file:

    tar xjf firefox-*.tar.bz2

    Close Firefox if it's open.
    To start Firefox, run the firefox script in the firefox folder:

    ~/firefox/firefox
    Firefox should now start. You can then create an icon on your desktop to run this command.

    There's no need to keep the installation file:

    rm firefox-*.tar.bz2

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/in ... efox-linux

This installs into the home directory.

To run it I use 'run-as-spot ~/firefox/firefox'

It is a self-contained folder so it probably can be packaged using dir2sfs.

[Stogie]

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/in ... efox-linux

This installs into the home directory.

To run it I use 'run-as-spot ~/firefox/firefox'

It is a self-contained folder so it probably can be packaged using dir2sfs.

This is what I did more than a year ago, although I made the firefox directory /root/spot/firefox instead of putting it in /home. I then did a recursive permissions change to make everything in /root/spot/firefox be owned by user spot (not root). Then I set up a script to run Firefox as user spot using run-as-spot.

I think there was some minor issue with some environment variable not being set right, so I fixed that in the startup script in a few minutes. I can't remember the details because it was a year ago, but it was pretty obvious how to fix it.

It's worked like a dream ever since. Updates (either fully-automatic or inform-when-available-then-click-to-apply) of Firefox and all its extensions, plus extensions' data (uBlock Origin block lists, etc.) all work perfectly with no trouble. Also, it appears that nothing ever goes outside the /root/spot/firefox directory, all changes remain inside it (AFAIK so far). It reminds me of the "PortableApps" repackaging of Firefox under Windows that I used to use.

It's a great, trouble-free and self-contained solution, and IMO better than the package manager or SFS version of Firefox that can't receive periodic automatic updates as they're made available (try it, I did... it doesn't work) and doesn't get manually updated for long periods of time, which is a security risk.
.

[williwaw]

for those that prefer portability with firefox, this may be of interest.
viewtopic.php?p=243#p243
it allows one to configure a single FF portable install for use with any one of multiple frugals.

[Airdale]

I haven't done it yet though. I have two questions....

#1 sounds like any personal files in the old home folder disappear? Easy fix for this one.... I can just back them up. Just wanted to be sure I understood the above posts correctly.

#2 I use a lot of Barry's other containerized OS's and usually run a puppy linux or Buster EasyOS to run debian style apps that I haven't figured out how to make work on Dunfell. However, I share files between the container and main OS via home/shared. If that folder structures goes away on the main OS but yet the old containers still have it.... how do you share files?

I didn't want to update to find out if it works because I read above there is trouble with roll back to 2.x versions.

Thanks!

Good idea to backup /home!
At bootup of 3.0, after updating from 2.9, /home is moved to /files ...I think that is now working.
Rolling back though, to 2.x, is not going to work so well.
And yes, home/shared will still exist in old containers -- currently, that will require a manual fix, change the symlink to files/shared.

Thanks!!

Just updated to 3.0

So far so good. Everything seems ok....

Now in the containerized OS's I have files/shared and home/shared

Where exactly to I need to make this new symlink so I can share files properly with the main OS again?

Appreciate the help.

[BarryK]

Just updated to 3.0

So far so good. Everything seems ok....

Now in the containerized OS's I have files/shared and home/shared

Where exactly to I need to make this new symlink so I can share files properly with the main OS again?

Check this file: /mnt/wkg/containers/<name>/configuration
It needs to have this entry:

EC_ACCESS_FOLDER_PATH='/files/shared'

...make sure that is correct, before starting the container.

/files/shared should be then be correct one.
In the container, put something into /files/shared and it should be available on the main desktop in /files/shared
Then you can delete /home/shared in the container.

[3guesses]

Hi Barry,

Some time ago I was trying to get Linux running on some of my devices, including my Asus T100TA Transformer. EasyOS 2.2.5 installed and ran from T100TA's eMMC to some extent, however I have just been trying to get EasyOS 3.0 installed and running and it won't...

So, I "installed" EasyOS 3.0 on its eMMC by downloading the .img.gz, and repeatedly extracting from it until I got the 0 directory. I then copied the v3.0 easy.sfs, initrd and vmlinuz to a separate directory alongside the EasyOS 2.2.5 directory, edited the existing grub.cfg and manually created an entry for EasyOS 3.0 based on the existing one for EasyOS 2.2.5.

However, when I tried to boot v3.0 it bailed out straight away after the "Finding drives" section, complaining that it couldn't find the boot drive - it couldn't see the eMMC. So I put the initrd from v2.2.5 in the v3.0 directory and referenced that in the grub.cfg stanza. This then provided the requisite eMMC support.

However, then the boot process failed to start X - just had the "Waiting for kernel video drivers to load: 1 2 ... 20" section. Executing "TEST X NOW" in xorgwizard reported "(EE) Fatal server error. No screens found." and "(EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file". So it looks like the kernel in v3.0 doesn't support the T100TA's video adapter. Using the v2.2.5 vmlinuz then got v3.0 to boot.

Have you removed some drivers from initrd and the kernel between v2.2.5 and v3.0? I would really like to get a good Linux installation running on this tablet-cum-notebook!

Cheers,

3g

[nevarmaor]

This installs into the home directory.

I should have been more specific. It installs into the home directory of the user running the script, not the EasyOS "Home" (now files) directory.

In my case I just put it in /root, then run-as-spot from there. On reflection that may cause issues with upgrading the program unless I upgrade as root.