WeeDogIt - to test/use other distros as frugal installs

[wiak]

weedogit, being part of FirstRib developments is being renamed firstribit (which basically means to make a distro's rootfilesystem a firstrib rootfilesystem for use with FirstRib initrd in a frugal isntall) and last release can currently be found after logging in to Firstrib forum at https://firstrib.rockedge.org

Code: Select all

# ./weedogit.sh 

Make a WeeDogged frugal install using WDL skeleton initrd
Choose a distro to WeeDogIt

1 vanilladpup64 (weedogged - using WDL initrd, not frugalify)
2 PopOS64
3 EndeavourOS XFCE
4 manjaro-xfce
5 manjaro-kde
6 manjaro-gnome
7 MakuluLinux-Shift-x64-Ubuntu
8 MX-21_X64 XFCE
9 MX-21_X64 XFCE ahs
10 MX-21_X64 KDE
11 MX-21_X64 fluxbox
12 MX-21_386 fluxbox
13 Zorin Lite XFCE
14 NeonKDE
15 GarudaSway
16 KLV-Airedale64 (KLV official; no weedogging per se required)
q quit (more choices may come in later release)
Enter distro choice (i.e. 1, 2, 3 ...etc or q for quit): 

This script provides an alternative to using the likes of Ventoy to test out the likes of these distros. No not direct from ISO, but creates the typical kind of frugal install to own subdirectory that most here are used to. Find weedogit.sh here: viewtopic.php?p=50074#p50074

Note that I have only myself had time to test (and fix) the installation for items 1,2, and 3 above. My favourite is suddenly EndeavourOS XFCE - great distro (uses Arch Linux pacman, which also is my favourite repos and underlying system and Wiki...); as I say, in main weedogit post, because of that WDL_Arch64 is probably now DEAD, despite me continuing to use it at home for personal dedicated business circumstances (EndeavourOS is simply too good;I move with the flow - well, on older machines maybe WDL_Arch still useful since uses only Openbox/tint2). Hope 1, and 2 also still work (haven't re-tested them since getting EndeavourOS with WDL initrd frugal install to work. Wow, ManjaKDE is pretty fancy - I'm a bit scared of it to be honest - not what I'm used to, but I suspect if you get used to plasma it becomes addictive (I'm a bit simplistic when it comes to desktops...) - its fast enough on this machine (sorry can't remember the model offhand - something like HP Elitebook G1 Folio or something like that - fair amount of RAM - maybe 8GB - certainly not my usual dev machine, which is 4GB core2duo from 2008).

If people use this, and find it useful, I may eventually fix all entries (assuming some don't work - please give feedback if you want that remedied) and add more. I'll make the post sticky for now, but if no interest then I'll release it from that (sticky) situation in a week or two.

Currently trying a WDL ManjaroKDE build to see if it works (and because I want to try Plasma and also do use a number of KDE apps already in WDL_Arch64) - build still running at the moment (downloading the iso).

EDIT: Hmmm... had coffee whilst waiting, then forgot it was still installing. Just remembered and took at look - got some very weird pop up error windows re loop not mounting correctly or something - must have managed though since whole build was there and correct! Just booted it and now playing with Manjaro KDE (Plasma) for the first time in my life - it perfectly fast/responsive enough (not as fast as EndeavourOS XFCE admittedly) - but this particular machine I borrowed to build on is reasonably powerful (though far from latest hardware laptop). So yeah, Manjaro KDE builds fine. Maybe I'll get round to trying one of the MX Linux builds tomorrow - I was surprised my Manjaro script worked out-of-the-box - more likely to be some errors to fix, but that was good - you never know how lucky I'll be with MXlinux (or not). If I say no more, it means I didn't get round to trying... best you do if you want to. I really recommend EndeavourOS XFCE in preference though... I always recommend Arch Linux distros generally (those or Void Linux - nothing wrong with Debian/Ubuntu based at all - but I got bored and Arch up-to-date packages just win it for me - Void repos smaller, though really perfectly big enough, but similarly up-to-date usually though).

Code: Select all

menuentry "WDL_manjaKDE" {
  insmod ext2
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set  78683fe5-0323-4030-9ddd-39464a8fbf80
  linux /WDL_manjaKDE/vmlinuz w_bootfrom=UUID=78683fe5-0323-4030-9ddd-39464a8fbf80=/WDL_manjaKDE
  initrd /WDL_manjaKDE/initrd.gz
}

Save persistence to hard drive /mnt/sda2/WDL_manjaKDE/upper_changes

If I wanted it to just be in RAM (at /mnt/layers/RAM/upper_changes) I'd use grub linux kernel line argument w_changes=RAM2
So, all same frugal install modes/capabilities as in KLV-Airedale so most related utility apps there would also work with this (as probably would the 10gtkdialogGTK3_filemount.sfs addon).

All that stuff in the layout.png image below are all downloaded/configured automatically (everything... including iso download, the sfs file extraction from the iso and its filename numbering, and the rest, including fetching the WDL initrd.gz and configuring it) by weedogit.sh script. All user has to do is edit their grub configuration (as shown) to boot that. On my system /mnt/sda2 turns out to have uuid 78683fe5-0323-4030-9ddd-39464a8fbf80 (blkid command reveals that - you need to use your own system uuid of course).

wiak

[TerryH]

Not sure which thread I should have posted this to, so please move if incorrect.
I first downloaded the weedogit script and successfully created a Weedog Endeavour. Very nice and polished. I see why you like it.
@wiak Excellent job! Thank you.

I then manually created a weedogged installation of...

[wiak]

Not sure which thread I should have posted this to, so please move if incorrect.
I first downloaded the weedogit script and successfully created a Weedog Endeavour. Very nice and polished. I see why you like it.
@wiak Excellent job! Thank you.

I then manually created a weedogged installation of...

Thanks TerryH, I'll add PCLinuxOS to the next weedogit.sh release once I get round to that. Good thing (for my use anyway) about the script is that it becomes easy to change the download urls (when they inevitably change over time) whilst documenting the installation procedure in scripted form.

I think this is indeed the best thread for documenting successes installing these Other Distros despite being via WDL initrd frugal install control.

The weedogit.sh script method can be used for forum distros too of course, and is part of WeeDog section offerings in terms of where the script can be downloaded so I also read all and any feedback there.

If feedback is specific to the KL variant to vanilladpup64 of course (i.e. using WDL initrd along with a 'fix/modify it' 09puppy_use_initrd addon layer instead of official vanilladpup64 with frugalify) I check that too since KL_vdpup64 thread can include documentation and tips on how to use the new addon facilities and utility scripts from associated KLV-Airedale thread. All in all, weedogit.sh is quite a general purpose flexible solution for several scenarios (hence the relevant different possible threads related to it). Most all portable sfs addon apps tricks and contributed utility apps from KLV-Airedale thread will also work with these weedogit.sh "Other Distros" frugal installs because they all use that WDL initrd.gz at their heart to control their boot and overlayfs layering save persistence functionality and more. So whilst these frugal installs are absolutely official root filesystem installs, with all the upstream facilities provided by the iso, they are additionally enhanced by all the flexible frugal install facilities WDL initrd provides (including that very useful sfs portable addon support). As I do with the WDL_vdpup64 install (using 09puppy_use_initrd addon) you can also modify the underlying root filesystem of any of these weedogged distros, and thus their operation (effectively creating a fork of the underlying original) by using an uncompressed numbered directory with user-dev modifications above the lower-numbered main official rootfilesystem (so can overwrite as small or large parts of the underlying official root filesystem as you wish, which is a powerful facility).

Code: Select all

menuentry "WDL_endeavOS" {
  insmod ext2
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set  78683fe5-0323-4030-9ddd-39464a8fbf80
  linux /WDL_endeavXFCE/vmlinuz w_bootfrom=UUID=78683fe5-0323-4030-9ddd-39464a8fbf80=/WDL_endeavXFCE
  initrd /WDL_endeavXFCE/initrd.gz
}

[peebee]

So big (1.9GB) for so few built-in apps.... but WeeDogIt worked just fine
.

Screenshot_2022-02-18_13-44-43.png (300.45 KiB) Viewed 3569 times

[wiak]

I then manually created a weedogged installation of...

@TerryH I haven't had time to download the PCLinuxOS KDE iso and check what the sfs files used are. Could you kindly attach an image of the files you ended up with in your PCLinuxOS bootfrom directory? That information would help me adapt weedogit.sh to include it.

I have downloaded the XFCE version but it is not booting on my machine for some reason. If I can't get PCLinuxOS to boot I'll still upload the script containing that as a new entry in the hope that a solution will be identified. i can't see anything wrong with the result of the weedogit.sh initial try, but the kernel start up isn't typical and it then hangs after correctly identifying bootfrom partition and and the layer number of the sfs rootfilesystem (I have is as live.sfsg which weedogit.sh renames to 08live.sfs).

In the PCLinuxOS XFCE iso I have, the kernel/modules are version 5.15.13-pclos1 - my computer seems to have an issue with that one. Could you check what your PCLinuxOS provides?
i.e. use:

Code: Select all

uname -a

and also if you could please check in your root filesystem /lib/modules location.

wiak

[TerryH]

I then manually created a weedogged installation of...

@TerryH I haven't had time to download the PCLinuxOS KDE iso and check what the sfs files used are. Could you kindly attach an image of the files you ended up with in your PCLinuxOS bootfrom directory? That information would help me adapt weedogit.sh to include it.

I have downloaded the XFCE version but it is not booting on my machine for some reason. If I can't get PCLinuxOS to boot I'll still upload the script containing that as a new entry in the hope that a solution will be identified. i can't see anything wrong with the result of the weedogit.sh initial try, but the kernel start up isn't typical and it then hangs after correctly identifying bootfrom partition and and the layer number of the sfs rootfilesystem (I have is as live.sfsg which weedogit.sh renames to 08live.sfs).

In the PCLinuxOS XFCE iso I have, the kernel/modules are version 5.15.13-pclos1 - my computer seems to have an issue with that one. Could you check what your PCLinuxOS provides?
i.e. use:

Code: Select all

uname -a

and also if you could please check in your root filesystem /lib/modules location.

wiak

I didn´t use a standard PCLinuxOS release. Back in January Texstar and some other devs had a play around creating some devuan spins( KDE and XFCE), the releases are pure devuan using the devuan repos. The images are no longer available. I also have a microSD card install of PCLinuxOS KDE Darkstar (barebones ~1.6GB sfs), which I used their LiveUSB tool to create a while ago. The main full KDE release is big ~3.0 GB, Mate and XFCE releases are a bit smaller . They use /lib/modules for the kernel modules.

This is from my weedogged install:

Code: Select all

devuan@devuan-virtualbox:~$ uname -a
Linux devuan-virtualbox 5.15.0-2-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 5.15.5-2 (2021-12-18) x86_64 GNU/Linux

Edit: I attempted to make another frugal install using the livecd.sfs from the liveUSB copied and manually weedogged the initrd. The boot hangs (I left it for 20+ minutes) at the stage where the upper working directory is defined. So maybe I got lucky by choosing the devuan image I used.

[wiak]

Edit: I attempted to make another frugal install using the livecd.sfs from the liveUSB copied and manually weedogged the initrd. The boot hangs (I left it for 20+ minutes) at the stage where the upper working directory is defined. So maybe I got lucky by choosing the devuan image I used.

Ah, that's what happened for me with the other (XFCE) version of PCLinuxOS I tried (manually) yesterday after same happening when I tried a build via new entry in weedogit.sh script (all seems to go well with WDL initrd finding the all the layers but then, when switch_root should occur, the boot for that one just hangs). Yes, I had taken account of the fact that PCLinuxOS provides its kernel modules via /lib/modules rather than /usr/lib/modules.

That's a pity. I don't think it is anything to do with WeeDog initrd in a direct sense - if it successfully manages a switch_root to the PCLinuxOS then must be something special needed for PCLinuxOS boot that its own initrd must provide when booting into full install - perhaps I can find what that is and include a fix, but that may be difficult to determine. It's interesting that that alternative spin on PCLinuxOS, which you have, successfully boots but not PCLinuxOS itself. For now, I'll have to remove its entry from the updated weedogit.sh I was working on. If anyone does manage a manual official PCLinuxOS via WDL initrd method (per Fredx181 previous howto for Manjaro: viewtopic.php?p=36144#p36144) please let me know what extra you needed to do and then I can put that extra detail into weedogit.sh script for a PCLinuxOS entry.

[wiak]

So, I'll be uploading the latest revision of weedogit.sh later this evening. Now has 17 distros in its menu.

NOTE THE WARNING WITH GARUDA... I'm currently posting from Garuda SWAY (i.e. using Wayland; full Wayland, not just Xwayland; I think... Anyway, it is weird... I have no idea how to control 'Sway'). It is very interesting, BUT BE CAREFUL when it boots to CANCEL out of the INSTALLER that seems to start by default BEFORE partitioning any of your drives. DON'T BLAME ME IF YOU PARTITION ANYTHING!!! DON'T unless you REALLY WANT TO ERASE ALL YOUR DISKS..

It is not dangerous if you avoid that...

Anyway, I've already posted my DISCLAIMER that you use weedogit.sh AT YOUR OWN RISK (though works fine for me).

In any case, weedogit.sh is just a builder of frugal install subdirectories; I cannot take any responsibility of the results, and particularly not of using any of the underlying distros, which all do 'their own things'...

wiak

EDIT: still have two of the isos to download prior to new release of weedogit.sh. Unfortunatley most 'Other Distros' are a couple or more GB to download and I only have very slow copper rural ADSL broadband at the moment so the download speed in often only a couple of hundred kbits per second... However, I have fast fibre due to be installed roughly one month from now and then such development work will become pretty easy. Well... except that my dev laptop rarely has more than a couple of GB free on its internal hard drive...

[wiak]

Taking longer than I meant. Still downloading isos (2 to do).

I weedogged zorin-16 lite, and it booted fine to a user password screen. But, no idea of user password that might work (suspect normal initrd of zorin sets on first boot somehow)..

No problemo... I booted my other system, and looked inside my newly created WDL_zorinlXFCE directory. Previous boot attempt had created upper_changes folder per usual and in there was the file etc/passwd

So all I did was edited the existing root user entry of that:

Code: Select all

root:x:0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash

and deleted that x.

Next time I booted no password was then used for user root

and once at desktop I opened a terminal and simply made new root password with:

Code: Select all

passwd root

So didn't need to uncompress the 08filesystem.sfs and chroot into it in order to reset the password, above was enough (thank goodness)... oh the wonders of upper_changes tricks...

Probably not be for another day till I upload this new weedogit.sh since will take a while to complete the addition of these further two new distros I'm currently downloading.
Zorin is very pretty (good to study the look) - I'm getting spoilt for choice and becoming confused.

[backi]

Hi Wiak!

Don`t know if this is the appropriate Place.

Just want to report my Experience :
Did some Tests with Manjaro Xfce and Manjaro KDE.
After updating (Software) could not boot to Desktop .
Boot Process stuck at "Reached target Graphical Interface" .

Mx-KDE did not let me login.

Nevertheless.......(Although i have no single Clue how it works ....i am just a simple End-User).......... i (intuitively) find this whole WeeDog Thing rather ingenious.

This Kind of " frugal Install" Technology a la Puppy Linux and "The Dogs" (saving on Demand---running in Ram...etc....instead of "Full Install") should be applied and available to all Mainstream Linux Distros by Default.-----as an alternative common Standard.
One can call it "revolutionary"........although it has already been used before in the Past (Knoppix---Dream Linux.... just to name this two).
Way better than any "Full Install".

This WeeDog Project could be an ingenious Step towards this Direction.....in my naive Opinion........if it would be more recognized.
It needs more public Attention.
It expands the whole Debian/Ubuntu Dog Project/Idea.

But seems it is a Hell Lot of Work.......for a single or only a few Persons/Developers.
Much Respect Wiak.

Best Wishes!

[Geek3579]

I had trouble booting into MX-XFCE, and the following solution might work for other MX variants.

At first, I could only boot into root user, using the other option login with ID/PASSWORD as root/root. The suggested user demo/demo login did not work.

Running as root limited usage a bit, as certain apps including the Package Manager only ran under a user login other than root, even though it required root permission to run!

So I added a new user the only way I could, in the terminal: sudo adduser <newusername> which created a new user with password which worked well, allowing me to run VLC and MX-Package Manager.

[wiak]

I had trouble booting into MX-XFCE, and the following solution might work for other MX variants.

At first, I could only boot into root user, using the other option login with ID/PASSWORD as root/root. The suggested user demo/demo login did not work.

Running as root limited usage a bit, as certain apps including the Package Manager only ran under a user login other than root, even though it required root permission to run!

So I added a new user the only way I could, in the terminal: sudo adduser <newusername> which created a new user with password which worked well, allowing me to run VLC and MX-Package Manager.

Yes, that idea is one way to create the non-root user, so thanks for bringing that issue up. Alternatively, at the same time as creating the new user, usually, you could additionally try adding them to sudo group, as well as giving them a home directory and bash shell with the following command(s) instead - maybe adduser command in MX is set up to do such extras by default though I would have doubted it (I wouldn't know since I've yet to try installing MX):

Code: Select all

useradd -m -G sudo -s /bin/bash weedog # amd makes weedog member of group sudo
printf "weedog\nweedog" | passwd weedog >/dev/null 2>&1 # Quietly set default weedog passwd to "weedog" or make it the username/password you want
# or simply do: passwd weedog and set the password manually
usermod -G wheel # adds weedog (or what you choose) to group wheel if it exists

Bigger problem is with distros like zorin-16-liteXFCE and neonKDE, which don't even allow root/root as login password (and none I tried worked), so need to find a way round that (no default way to loginat all). I have documented a simple hack to break into Zorin, but neonKDE is much more secure and stops that hack working. However, I have another 'trick' that works for neonKDE root filesystem too (and probably any such no-login-provided distro, which I will document soon. Alas, neonKDE is a real pain in that it does not allow root user to login to X desktop anyway (even when you have root password). ZorinXFCE is fine with logging in to desktop as root though (and MX too from what you tell me, which is great).

[wiak]

I remain a bit 'behind' with the almost ready next release of weedogit.sh

Reason being what I mention in my immediately above post concerning no login user/password combination being accepted by neonKDE (though boots fine). As I said, my upper_changes /etc/passwd hack that works for same situation for ZorinXFCE simply doesn't work with neon (which doesn't allow root login to desktop anyway even when you do manage to set root password... sigh...).

So I have a nifty solution that I will incorporate into weedogit.sh as a function to be used when required. The trick is to make a temp overlayfs with the main root filesystem and upper_changes and chroot into the merge result of that. @rockedge will basically understand what I am talking about here since he has often changed WeeDog root filesystem password by using wd mount_chroot script, but that only works with uncompressed root filesystem; the 'trick' I use in new weedogit.sh uses overlayfs to mount the read-only sfs rootfilesystem and overlay it with read/writable upper_changes (the passwd changes all end up recorded in the upper_changes save persistence file for use on reboot). The idea works perfectly to fix that login issue for those distros that make life difficult in that way... This overlay function in the new weedogit.sh script will also illustrate how to use same idea for various merge/remastering utilities or for other bulk changes to the underlying root filesystem that might be useful later and in the KL world since also works with, for example, KLV-Airedale.

per backi's comments: as I've also indicated previously all the functionality and modes and therefore most overlay-related frugal install utility apps of KLV-Airedale will also work with all these weedogit.sh produced distro installations, so should be very powerful combination overall.

Hopefully upload the related new weedogit.sh script tomorrow or soon thereafter

[wiak]

NEW VERSION 22Feb2022 handles frugal install of 16 distros and sets passwords (via upper_changes folder) for some of the ones that need that (with root/root and weedog/weedog as passwords when relevant).
NOTE: neonKDE does not allow root user to login to desktop (though can sudo to root okay now); Zorin-16-lite XFCE does allows root user login to desktop (nice distro).

For the sort of thing weedogit.sh can do, see here: viewtopic.php?t=5206&p=50075#p50075
and here: viewtopic.php?p=49926#p49926
For Download, fetch the weedogit.sh script from usual place, here: viewtopic.php?p=50074#p50074

A lot of changes been made to the script (some relatively complex ones to do with fixing some distro initial password situations) so very possible for bugs to creep in via my too rapid alterations... Let me know if all goes well and when not please post details. I intend to include a few more optional distros later/soonish, but depends on when I next have some time available.

It is always good to hear how this utility is working. I'm scared there might be a deluge of users if the upstream distros find out about this facility - hoping none of them complain, but I don't modify their actual distro, I just provide a different way of using them via WeeDog frugal install overlayfs facilities, that adds a lot of power... Best result will be if it attracts some new members to the forum (!!!) since that will tempt them to also try other distro offering here, such as KLV, DebianDogs, EasyOS, FatDog, and Puppy itself.

Some might feel that making it easy to try 'Other Distros' via frugal install to own directory might attract members here away from Kennel distros, but I think we all already try 'Other Distros' sometimes so might as well use this mechanism to at least encourage new members to join this forum and contribute to the discussions and feedback. Personally I think all distros learn from each other and best is to be very open and not consider distro use or development as some kind of competition involving fear, secrecy, and protectionism. Open source projects and activities work best when they are open, inviting, collaborative, and as all-inclusive (in ease of understanding and simplicity) as possible IMO.

Using weedogit.sh is simplicity itself, and the script is pretty simple too (despite illustrating some not so simple commandlines involved in creating frugal install distro component parts). Fact is, the script was hacked together quickly from various long howtos so each new distro added is simply another similar chunk added onto the end... I like it better that way, and I encourage those so interested to read the script to basically see how it works.

[wiak]

Daft and time-consuming experiment today. The one distro I doubted could be WeeDogged was tinycorelinux - it just works so differently. However, in a fit of madness I gave it a shot to see if WeeDog could rule the distro world. It can...

Okay, so tc-load won't work after being weedogged but could add more TCL apps by simply downloading the tcz apps and renaming tham as numbered sfs files. WDL initrd allows up to 99 numbered sfs addons as it stands, which is how this is possible. Admittedly, I did need to hack a few TCL core root filesystem scripts (mainly just /etc/init.d/tc-config) to get this to work - wasn't exactly trivial and took me ages...

Using KLV-Airedale vmlinuz and 00modules.sfs to boot it; This TCL uses X framebuffer. Unfortunately the screen resoltuion was a bit high so txt a bit tiny, but could be fixed.

But no I won't be including this in weedogit.sh; I just wanted to prove to myself it could be done.

Does provide the usual WDL initrd save persistence and RAM0, RAM1, and RAM2 w_changes mechanisms of course, so 10gtkdialog_filemnt sfs would work, as would many of the new KLV-Airedale utility apps related to upper_changes merging and rollbacks and so on. But honestly was just a quick hack that needs more work (and won't get it from me).

[rockedge]

@wiak TinyCoreLinux ??!! That's so insane it's cool.

Now mad scientist inspired I am going to try the "pseudo full install" method with a weedogit EndeavorOS

[wiak]

@wiak TinyCoreLinux ??!! That's so insane it's cool.

Now mad scientist inspired I am going to try the "pseudo full install" method with a weedogit EndeavorOS

And of course, this excellent new save2flash package produced by fredx181 for KLV-Airedale will equally be usable by all weedogit-ized versions of distros such as EndeavourOS, MXLinux, Zorin, and so on, too:

viewtopic.php?p=50707#p50707

[wiak]

NEW VERSION of weedogit.sh
This is just an announcement for users of 'Other Distros'. Main discussion of weedogit.sh script itself, and all development work is in its WeeDog forum section posts:

For changes and some special configuration details involved see: viewtopic.php?p=51179#p51179

For DOWNLOAD see: viewtopic.php?p=50074#p50074

weedogit.sh handles frugal install of 19 distros and sets passwords (via upper_changes folder) for some of the ones that need that (with root/root and weedog/weedog as passwords when relevant).

Have I really moved into the future (on my laptop the date of this post seems like being 01March at the moment!). My goodness, the power of weedogit!!!
Aagh... I was concentrating so intensely I didn't notice time flying - it is now 1 March here... February is so short.

[peebee]

Anybody tried Zorin OS - asks for a login username & password - non of the "obvious" seem to work.......

[backi]

Hi @peebee :
Did not try Zorin but there was the same Problem with Bodhi Linux (weedoged).
@wiak gave the Advice to remove (modify it from outside another running System )

upper_changes/etc/passwd

first line:
root0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash

remove the x and save .

then It will look:
root::0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash

Possibly do it also with the passwd- Script.
Save and start with (weedogged) Zorin .
Asked for the (root) Password ------type in "root".

Worked for (weedogged) Bodhi Linux
Maybe works for Zorin too.

[peebee]

Thanks @backi that fixed it.....

[wiak]

Anybody tried Zorin OS - asks for a login username & password - non of the "obvious" seem to work.......

As far as I recall root indeed didn't have a password by default (not sure what went wrong there), but user weedog has password weedog and has sudo wheel rights so can thereafter set password for root. Same goes for several of the weedogit distros. If you ever delete upper_changes in order to get WDL Zorin back to pristine state you need to reset the passwords - I provided a simple script to do that for the case of Zorin here: viewtopic.php?p=55151#p55151

By the way, WDL IntelClearLinux does seem very fast - Intel obviously has an advantage of knowing its own processors very well...