I broke Bionic Pup 8.0 with a Dpup Stretch install [SOLVED]

[Sky Aisling]

Machine: Dell Inspiron N7010 (no hard drive)
Distro: bionicpup6480uefi on a 32gb USB flash drive formatted as sda1 and sda2 and set as ext4, frugal install.
Sda1 holds the save-file and the distro. Sda2 holds private files.

Bionicpup64 has been running fine for years now once the kinks got worked out.
So, the weather is cold and dark and wet. All my house work is done so, I decided I wanted to add Stretch Dpup 7.5 to the flash drive and change my system to Dpup Stretch. I've always preferred Dpup.

The procedure as I best remember it: (Bear with me, it's been a while since I've had to think about booting issues and all that)
I backed up bionicpup64 files.
I took the Dpup .iso files from https://www.wikka.puppylinux.com/PuppyDpupStretch for 'recent' hardware.
Kernel options
• k4.9.149-i686-pae for recent hardware
stretch-7.5-uefi-k4.9.149.iso (10-Jan-2019)
http://smokey01.com/radky/Woof/stretch- ... .9.149.iso
md5: f0e1be0bb0920f46a291e34b8de35671

The download of .iso went fine except the md5 hash marks didn't match when 'hashed'.
I found the download in tmp. I moved +tmp+mozilla_root0+stretch-7.5-uefi-k.4.9.149.iso to a temporary scratch flash drive and to home.

When I explored the .iso, the dialogue box asked if I wanted to mount the sfs or install. I opted to run the distro once using SFS-on-the-fly.
I took the .iso out of root and used the .iso image from the scratch drive.
I placed +tmp+mozilla_root0+stretch-7.5-uefi-k.4.9.149.iso into sda1 per the on-the-fly instructions.
I rebooted.
Bionicpup64 went through the normal loading menu until a dialogue box came up with these choices:
Xorg Wizard
Done
set video driver
set color
new xorg.conf.
I chose 'done'
The screen went black and hung with a non-moving cursor in the upper left corner of the screen.
The only way to escape was to cold cut the machine.
I re-ran in RAM mode.
The second try had an extra line in the loading menu. That line says: 'Loading extra SFS fixing menu'.
I deleted +tmp+mozilla_root0+stretch-7.5-uefi-k.4.9.149.iso from sda1 and SFS-on-the-fly. The 'Loading extra SFS' message still appears.
The system continues to hang with the black screen and non-moving cursor in upper left corner.

Normally I'd send a bunch of screen shots. Perhaps in the next post I can do that. I'm using an old backup machine to send this. I'll re-program the RAM version to send emails with screen shots. Dinner first.
So, I hope I have given you enough accurate verbage to help solve the issue for starters.
Obviously, something in the boot procedure is out-of-wack.

Am I wrong in thinking I can have two distros on one drive?
How do I get back to Bionicpup64? It's still on sda1.
Perhaps this Dell Inspiron is less than 'recent'?

Thank you advance.

I know, I know, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

Sky

[Sky Aisling]

I rebooted the RAM version and 'saved' a save-file.
Here are the original contents of sda1 before I attempted to apply the Dpup stretch .iso to the drive.

sda1-b.png (42.35 KiB) Viewed 778 times

sda1-a.png (38.27 KiB) Viewed 778 times

[Sky Aisling]

Hello dogcat,
I've recieved a notice that you posted a response to my post. It is not showing up on the thread. ?

"You are receiving this notification because you are watching the topic "I
broke Bionic Pup 8.0 with a Dpup Stretch install" at "Puppy Linux
Discussion Forum". This topic has received a reply by dogcat since your
last visit. No more notifications will be sent until you visit the topic."

Can you resend?

Sky

[amethyst]

1. Make a sub directory for Stretch like you have with Bionic and copy the files in the iso to that sub directory.
2. Add an entry for Stretch to your menu.lst file. Basically just copy the existing entry for Bionic and make the changes for Stretch. Attach a copy of your menu.lst here if you can't get it to work.

Your existing Bionic save file is probably messed up now, boot without it (shouldn't affect the booting of Stretch).

[one]

[...]
I took the Dpup .iso files from https://www.wikka.puppylinux.com/PuppyDpupStretch for 'recent' hardware.
Kernel options
• k4.9.149-i686-pae for recent hardware
stretch-7.5-uefi-k4.9.149.iso (10-Jan-2019)
http://smokey01.com/radky/Woof/stretch- ... .9.149.iso
md5: f0e1be0bb0920f46a291e34b8de35671

The download of .iso went fine except the md5 hash marks didn't match when 'hashed'.
I found the download in tmp. I moved +tmp+mozilla_root0+stretch-7.5-uefi-k.4.9.149.iso to a temporary scratch flash drive and to home.

When I explored the .iso, the dialogue box asked if I wanted to mount the sfs or install. I opted to run the distro once using SFS-on-the-fly.
I took the .iso out of root and used the .iso image from the scratch drive.

So you have a bad download - it doesn't make sense to proceed anyway.
Download the iso again until the md5sums match.

Then follow @amethyst's advice.

PS: you cannot run the iso with "sfs-load-on-the fly".

peace

[bigpup]

SFS-load-on-the-fly was never designed to do what it seemed to try to do with the ISO.
It is not a Puppy version installing program.

You seem to have discovered a big dangerous bug in this program.

SFS-load-on-the-fly is suppose to only work to load or unload SFS packaged programs into the operating layered filesystem.

[Sky Aisling]

Thank you, amethyst, one, bigpup

Here's a brief update on where the software issue stands this morning.
I ran bionicpup64 in RAM mode.
I made a few changes such as - changed background, setup internet connection, set up webmail, downloaded Firefox.
I exited and did a save-file. I had not made a save-file on previous sessions of running in RAM.
In sda1 is the saved save-file from when bionicpup64 was running without issue.
In sda1 is the new save-file created from the lastest RAM file session.

Results:
The old save-file would not boot.
The new save-file from the RAM session booted normally.
I now have a working bionicpup64 sans the years of customizing.
At least I have sort of a functioning distro. I am writing from it now.
I now have to remember the neat trick that Mike Walsh and bigpup taught me years ago.
That is how to place Mozilla and other cache making apps into folders in sda1 in order to keep the caches from growing out of hand and slowing the save process to a crawl.
The structure for this trick is still in sda1, but, the links aren't. I'm hoping I kept some notes on this nifty procedure. I was able to keep my root size to about 5mbs.

I note that the pmedia parameter in isolinux.cfg = cd (append pmedia=cd).
Bionicpup64 runs from an external flash drive. There is no HDD in this machine. I checked the boot sequence in the BIOS.
The USB device is listed first, the CD is listed second so I moved it to the bottom of the list. No difference...

So, here's the plan...
I put bionicpup54 back together as best I can.
Then I'll make a separate flash drive with only Dpup Stretch on it using a new download of Dpup.
I'm out of flash drives and it's the weekend. Our computer store will open on Monday. I'll get some new drives then.
Unless, I can find some in the bottom of a drawer somewhere here in the house.
So, I might go dark for a while... Later... Aha! found some new flash drives! Pays to always buy an extra or two, eh what?

What I don't understand is why the old save-file I backed up from the good running bionicpup64 won't boot?
I copied the save file to a scratch flash drive before I did any of the other procedures that brought system down.

WHERE is the best place to download the most recent Dpup Stretch .iso?

Thank you again,

Sky

PS - it's been so many years now, I've forgotten how to do the @member thingy to let you know I've referenced you. ?

[amethyst]

@Sky Aisling
With regards to your old Bionic save file which has problems, try this:
Boot without the old save file > left-click the old save fie to mount it > proceed to the /etc/rc.d folder of the old the save file > open the BOOTCONFIG file and delete any entries relating to the Bionic sfs file and save the changes > Unmount the old save file and reboot with the old save file.

Download link for Stretch:
http://www.smokey01.com/radky/Woof/stre ... .19.56.iso

[Sky Aisling]

Thanks everyone,
I have bionicpup64 all cleaned up and presentable again. I decided to start from stratch. Bionicpup64 is running well as of tonight.
Thank you for the Dpup Stretch .iso location. Got the download finished too, all except getting the printer to connect. HP drivers of course...
Sky