Vanilla Dpup will not boot (several versions tried) (solved)

[bigpup]

Computer:
Homebuilt Desktop
UEFI bios with secure boot disabled, set to run in legacy mode, and fast boot disabled.
i7-9700 CPU
32GB RAM
GeForce RTX 2060 Nvidia graphics card

I have tried using several of the latest versions of Vanilla Dpup
V9.2.8, v9.2.13, V9.2.14
Frugal install.

Installed on an external USB hard drive.
Usually identified as /dev/sdb

Using Grub4dos v1.9.3 boot loader to boot them.

All have the same problem booting.

The boot starts as it normally always does.
Get to the point of finding the partition the frugal install is on.
Get message about searching, that goes for about 8 to 10 seconds.
Get error partition cannot be found.
Thus files cannot be found.
Error too great to continue and it stops.

The drive is good and the Grub4dos boot loader menu.lst file is good.
It has other Puppy versions on it that boot with no problems.

This seems to be that the drive is just not getting mounted and seen.

Frugal install of VanillaDpup 9.2.14

FRom probdisk.log:

/dev/nvme0n1|drive| WDBRPG5000ANC-WRSN|465.7G
/dev/sda|drive|ATA SanDisk SDSSDH35|476.9G
/dev/sr0|optical|ASUS DVD RAM GHD1N|1023M

The USB drive is not listed.

From probpart.log:

/dev/nvme0n1p1|vfat|100M
/dev/nvme0n1p2|none|16M
/dev/nvme0n1p3|ntfs|160.6G
/dev/nvme0n1p4|ntfs|560M
/dev/nvme0n1p5|ntfs|500M
/dev/nvme0n1p6|ntfs|303.9G
/dev/sda1|none|15M
/dev/sda2|ntfs|476.9G
/dev/sr0|none|1023M

No /dev/sdb listed.

Here is the Grub4dos menu entry:

title Puppy vanilladpup 9.2.14 (sdb3/vanillapup9.2.14)
find --set-root uuid () 24a14d90-6d75-4276-a6a0-ef026f8d07cf
kernel /vanillapup9.2.14/vmlinuz pdrv=24a14d90-6d75-4276-a6a0-ef026f8d07cf psubdir=/vanillapup9.2.14 pmedia=atahd pfix=fsck
initrd /vanillapup9.2.14/initrd.gz

The frugal install is in a folder named vanillapup9.2.14
(I forgot the D in the name)

Here is the complete log file dump from the failed boot.

bootinit.log

(311 Bytes) Downloaded 70 times

dmesg.txt

(53.26 KiB) Downloaded 80 times

misc.log

(7.01 KiB) Downloaded 74 times

sys.log

(85.83 KiB) Downloaded 74 times

[Wiz57]

In the kernel line of your grub4dos config, try adding a boot delay, something along the lines of :
waitdev=5

This might be long enough to give the kernel time to initialize the external USB drive.
Wiz

[bigpup]

No help.

Even used waitdev=20

but I am not sure that is a usable optional command in Puppy Linux.

I thought that was a Fatdog optional command.

I can add, that other Puppy versions, boot on this drive, with very little delay at the same point, in the boot process, that Vanilla Dpup errors out.

[Wiz57]

Maybe try "pmedia=USB" also...I notice you have it as ATAHD.

[bigpup]

I will try.
But all the other Puppy installs have atahd and boot with no problem.
Be back in a minute with results.

Thanks!

Update:
changing pmedia= no help.
I do not think it has booted to the point that pmedia= is used.

[williwaw]

did you try it without
pdrv=24a14d90-6d75-4276-a6a0-ef026f8d07cf

[bigpup]

That is the uuid of the partition the frugal install is on.

That is suppose to be the absolute best way to identify a partition in the boot loader entry.

Other Puppy installs, on that same partition, work OK, using that UUID in the boot loader entry.

Again, this seems to be an issue with the USB drive, not getting mounted to use.

By the logs I posted earlier.

It seems to only be mounting the internal drives.
Nothing USB.

example from a Puppy version that boots OK:

probedisk
/dev/nvme0n1|drive| WDBRPG5000ANC-WRSN
/dev/sda|drive|ATA SanDisk SDSSDH35
/dev/sdb|usbdrv|Seagate Expansion+
/dev/sdc|usbdrv|Samsung PSSD T7
/dev/sr0|optical|ASUS DVD RAM GHD1N [Rev AS02]

It is seeing all the drives when it is booting.

The /dev/sdb|usbdrv|Seagate Expansion+ drive, is the one Vanilla Dpup and other Puppy versions, are on.

Look at the first post, showing what probedisk shows in Vanilla Dpup, when trying to boot.
Only seeing the internal drives.

[Wiz57]

Perhaps you may need to change the UEFI BIOS to a different boot device order? Try setting boot from USB first,
then internal drives. This, along with the other changes hopefully will get it going.
Wiz

[bigpup]

Good idea, but it is already setup in the UEFI setup boot device order, with this drive as the first device to boot from.
The computer powers up and boots to this drive.

[williwaw]

I opened a topic on the pdrv parameter earlier, as pdrv may have given me issues with vanilla. my assumption at the time was vanilla would act the same as any other pup, but perhaps not.
https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?t=6315
the readme in vanilla does not mention the parameter

The boot starts as it normally always does.
Get to the point of finding the partition the frugal install is on.
Get message about searching, that goes for about 8 to 10 seconds.
Get error partition cannot be found.
Thus files cannot be found.

what is the error you see? IIRC, I saw an error mention pdrv, although maybe different, ie. puppy sfs not found

[Wiz57]

I'm running out of ideas, but a few last things to try...borrow the vmlinuz and zdrv from a working frugal install of another Puppy,
put those in the Vanilla Dpup directory after renaming the ones in there to backup or such, then try booting. The only other thing
I can think of is something in the init isn't loading the USB drive. However, I'm not sure you can just copy the initrd from another
Puppy and drop it in Vanilla Dpup????? May have to extract it first, change referred Pup to Vanilla Dpup in all instances, then
recompress?? dimkr may be able to shed a bit of light.
Wiz

[dimkr]

You can't use zdrv from any Puppy. It must be modified first: you'll need to move /lib/modules to /usr/lib/modules, to make it Debian-compatible.

And you can't take initrd.gz from any other Puppy, because it's likely to be incompatible, especially if it's older or not built with woof-CE as-is.

I suggest that we go one or two steps backwards: what problem are you trying to solve? If it doesn't boot, where does it fail? Do you have any logs to share?

[dimkr]

That is suppose to be the absolute best way to identify a partition in the boot loader entry.

I'm looking in woof-CE, and I don't see support for partition UUIDs in pdrv=, but I could be wrong. Does this pdrv=UUID thing work for you in any other Puppy?

EDIT: I do see some blkid references, but only with UUID. Can you run blkid from the shell, after boot fails? I want to understand if this is UUID or PARTUUID. If the UUID is wrong, this can explain why it doesn't find this parititon.

EDIT 2: have you tried pdrv=24a14d90-6d75-4276-a6a0-ef026f8d07cf:/vanilladpup9.2.14/puppy_vanilladpup_9.2.14.sfs? As far as I see, that's the correct format of pdrv=.

EDIT 3: have you tried pmedia=usbflash? Maybe this drive is slow and needs extra delay.

[mikeslr]

Why are you trying to use 22 year old technology, grub4dos, to boot a modern Puppy from a computer employing UEFI? gyrog worked long and hard to provide a better alternative, FrugalPup-Installer. It's Stickpup module seems appropriate for your objective. Shinobar --who created Puppy's grub4dos version-- published its replacement, grub2config?
I miss grub4dos' ability to make use of a pleasing splash-screen.

splash.png (14.12 KiB) Viewed 1998 times

I don't miss the aggravation.

[LateAdopter]

Why are you trying to use 22 year old technology, grub4dos, to boot a modern Puppy from a computer employing UEFI?

Grub4DOS and Grub4DOS-UEFI are not 22 year old technology. The last commits on both from yaya were two days ago.

I boot using LABEL not UUID because I can make it much shorter and still unique in my systems. I use upper case so that it's easy to distinguish them from other variables.

I have booted several of dimkr's UPUP builds that way using Grub4DOS or Grub4DOS-UEFI and they all work.

[rockedge]

I use 22 year old Grub4Dos often. Why? because I like it.

I am hoping to get Grub2config working in KLV-Airedale. Once KLV can format disks, create partitions and install a bootloader and boot menu KLV will be very useful and easy to install on virtual disk drives in QEMU and VirtualBox.

Also have trouble getting Vanilla Dpup to boot in several cases, especially in USB stick drive/storage.

[mikeslr]

Why are you trying to use 22 year old technology, grub4dos, to boot a modern Puppy from a computer employing UEFI?

Grub4DOS and Grub4DOS-UEFI are not 22 year old technology. The last commits on both from yaya were two days ago.

I boot using LABEL not UUID because I can make it much shorter and still unique in my systems. I use upper case so that it's easy to distinguish them from other variables.

I have booted several of dimkr's UPUP builds that way using Grub4DOS or Grub4DOS-UEFI and they all work.

When was the last commit on github packaged to be easily installed into Puppys? How are the improvements on github available to anyone who doesn't know how to compile?

Open-source isn't open-source when it is only open to the technologically elite.

[bigpup]

I suggest that we go one or two steps backwards: what problem are you trying to solve? If it doesn't boot, where does it fail? Do you have any logs to share?

Look at the first post of this topic.
The logs are there.
The info on where it stops is there too.

[bigpup]

I just saw all these posts on the 2nd page.
Going to start trying some of the ideas.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions and info

With this Vanilla Dpup seeming to be using the latest stuff in Woof-CE.

I kind of look at this as also a test of that stuff too.

I am using Grub4dos Boot Loader, because I can.
The computer is setup to boot using the old legacy style bios operation.

Grub4dos is not having any problem booting the computer, getting a boot menu, and booting the operating system.
When the boot process, gets turned over to VanillaDpup, is when the boot process errors out.

I do use Frugalpup Installer and it's UEFI boot loader. Grub2, and others on another computer that is only setup for normal UEFI booting.

[mikeslr]

I'm sorry, bigpup, but reading technical data isn't my strong suite. Is the boot-loader on the external usb-drive? Have you set your computer's bios to give boot-priority to that drive? I assume it is. But you know what they say about assumptions.

[bigpup]

@mikeslr
Yes to all your questions.

[esos]

title Puppy vanilladpup 9.2.14 (sdb3/vanillapup9.2.14)
find --set-root uuid () 24a14d90-6d75-4276-a6a0-ef026f8d07cf
kernel /vanillapup9.2.14/vmlinuz pdrv=24a14d90-6d75-4276-a6a0-ef026f8d07cf psubdir=/vanillapup9.2.14 pmedia=atahd pfix=fsck
initrd /vanillapup9.2.14/initrd.gz

This is my G4D menu.lst in BIOS-mode (I dont use uuid or label, but it works for me).
I think, you missed pupsfs

title VanillaDpup_928
root (hd0,5)
kernel /vanilladpup/vmlinuz psave=sda6:/vanilladpup/vdpupsave psubdir=/vanilladpup pupsfs=sda6:/vanilladpup/puppy_vanilladpup_9.2.8.sfs pmedia=atahd pfix=fsck
initrd /vanilladpup/initrd.gz

[bigpup]

I assume others are able to get it booting from a frugal install on a USB?
.
.
.
I have tried several different ways to setup the boot loader menu entry.
Has no affect on the problem.

Tried on a different USB drive an install using Frugalpup Installer v38
Setting up it's both boot loader option.
UEFI and a legacy boot loader.

Tried to boot using each one.
Same results.
No boot past looking for drive partition failed.

This issue is all about the drive not getting mounted by boot process of VanillaDpup

I boot the computer and the bios turns over control to the boot loader.
The boot loader starts loading the Vanilla Dpup files.
The first one is the vmlinuz
Get the message that the kernel is starting and loading.
Get message about searching for the partition on the drive.
Get error cannot find partition.

If I am understanding the boot process.
vmlinuz should be finding all the drives on the computer and accessing them.
It is only finding the internal drives.
Not finding the USB drives.

With this supposedly using updated versions of stuff from Woof-CE
I wonder if a bug got into the vmlinuz being used.

I guess I could try changing the kernel to one I know works.
But I am not sure if this can be done OK with Vanilla Dpup.

At the head of this kernel image (vmlinuz) is a routine that does some minimal amount of hardware setup and then decompresses the kernel contained within the kernel image.

That hardware setup should be accessing all the drives, so they can be seen and used.

again other Puppy version on this same drive using the same boot loader boot OK.

Anyone got a download link for VanillaDpup 9.2.6 or older.
I seem to remember it booted OK on this drive with the same boot loader.

[esos]

Sofar I know there is so many G4D versions with different release dates.

The newest G4D version does not mean the best and will work ok.
Maybe try other version, I am sure I dont use G4D v1.9.3

[bigpup]

You can't use zdrv from any Puppy. It must be modified first: you'll need to move /lib/modules to /usr/lib/modules, to make it Debian-compatible.

And you can't take initrd.gz from any other Puppy, because it's likely to be incompatible, especially if it's older or not built with woof-CE as-is.

I guess, just changing to a different kernel, is not that easy.

I am really starting to think this is something with the vmlinuz loading into memory, but not setup access to the USB drives to be controled by the kernel.

[rockedge]

I guess, just changing to a different kernel, is not that easy.

all that needs to be done is once the kernel you want to use is installed, click on the zdrv SFS to mount and open it.

Create a directory called (for example) /zdrv_fossapup64-usr
copy the contents of the mounted zdrv SFS to the new directory /zdrv_fossapup64-usr

Now there is 2 options here
1. if this zdrv SFS will also be used in a Puppy Linux then copy -> /zdrv_fossapup64-usr/lib to /zdrv_fossapup64-usr/usr/lib
or

2. if the zdrv SFS will only be used in Vanilla Dpup then move -> /zdrv_fossapup64-usr/lib to /zdrv_fossapup64-usr/usr/lib

now squash the directory /zdrv_fossapup64-usr creating zdrv_fossapup64-usr.sfs and place it back into it's correct place.

[williwaw]

This issue is all about the drive not getting mounted by boot process of VanillaDpup

vmlinuz should be finding all the drives on the computer and accessing them.
It is only finding the internal drives.
Not finding the USB drives.

is the vmlinuz in question found on the usb?

if you can boot a frugal of vanilla from an internal drive, try eliminating each parameter one at a time and finding the minimum parameters necessary for vanilla, before writing the menu.lst stanza to be used on the USB

vanilla only needs psubdir and pmedia on two different installs here.
my boot loader supports partition labels, which I find easier to utilize than uuid's

limine.cfg

Code: Select all

:Vanilladpup
    COMMENT=
    PROTOCOL=linux
    TEXTMODE=yes
    KERNEL_CMDLINE=psubdir=pups/vanilla pmedia=ataflash
    KERNEL_PATH=fslabel://F1/pups/vanilla/vmlinuz
    MODULE_PATH=fslabel://F1/pups/vanilla/initrd.gz

where F1 is my partition label

[esos]

Just created USB-flashdrive using "Grub4dos bootloader config" from Slacko v8.2.2
1st. partition vfat where G4D v1.9.3 is
2nd. partition EXT4 where vanilladpup928 folder is
All set, booting on PC/Laptop without problem. All partitions show up internal/external drives (SATA/PATA/USB).

[bigpup]

@esos

Thanks for your test.

That does kind of indicate it is something to do with my computer and the vmlinuz not having the needed hardware support.
Probably a needed device driver not enabled.
It could be something in the kernel config setup, when the kernel was compiled.
There are hundreds of different settings in that thing.

I am going to try the kernel change and see if that helps any.

[bigpup]

Bingo!

The kernel was the problem.

I changed the kernel to the one used in Fossapup64 9.5
I used the huge-5.4.53-fossapup64.tar.bz2 kernel package from the http://distro.ibiblio.org/puppylinux/huge_kernels/
Changed the vmlinuz and zdrv.sfs to the one in this kernel package.

Vanilla Dpup booted with no problems using this kernel.
Had no hesitation finding the USB drive or the files on it.

So, this indicates something in the vmlinuz is missing or not correct.

I thank all of you for your help and ideas!!!!!!!

I will not mark this as solved yet.
Want to see if any ideas are offered, about what may be wrong in the vmlinuz or maybe the zdrv