Required dependencies for SD readers?

[houndstooth]

Testing: my desktop SD card reader works in both 64 Fossa & Bionic.

Is it easy enough to add SD reader compatibility to Xenial?

Being a system resource hound I would use Bionic (lighter than Fossa) except it's less stable than Fossa & Xenial.

[Fossil]

@houndstooth

Is it easy enough to add SD reader compatibility to Xenial?

I'm using Xenial (32-bit, 4.9.56 kernel) in a desktop, and never had a problem with a simple external USB mounted SD or microcard reader. At the moment there are two separate readers used at different times for various camera's; a jsrux and a ugreen (this is not a recommendation, just what I'm using!) and both function without additional software of any kind. More complex card readers may, or may not, prove more demanding. Question: is this for photography or such-like, or do you propose booting a working desktop from a SD card?

[houndstooth]

Question: is this for photography or such-like, or do you propose booting a working desktop from a SD card?

Fundamentally it's for less moving parts & heat, sacrificing speed for price (vs. SSD or USB for example).

I have yet to learn if this machine supports SD booting. If it does, that will happen.

Tanget: I gave up a buggy phone recently w/media on it by simply moving its internal SD to a new device. That's a another motive.

Xenial change kernel Quickpet

Xenial-change-kernel-Quickpet.png (26.32 KiB) Viewed 492 times

I am thinking kernel swap, natural as the os liason between hardware & software though for advanced users (not I said the fly).

Xenialpup64

Code: Select all

Kernel Release: 4.9.58

Code: Select all

Huge_Kernel 

More testing I tried a different machine, 32-bit Xenial:

Code: Select all

Kernel Release: 4.4.95

SD reader is supported.

[bigpup]

Have you tried to boot Xenialpup from an SD card install?

If yes and it did not boot.

You know for sure computer can boot from an SD card.

Probably changing the kernel is what you need.

[houndstooth]

Probably changing the kernel is what you need.

Can you point how to find a kernel that will work & what pitfalls to look out for? (eg, losing existing functionality)

Can I use Mainline Fossa kernel?

Booting isn't a goal, but I like SD better than USB-flash for Linux data storage & if booting works I'll do it.

The old 32 machine does not support SD booting in BIOS. 64 I have not checked. I know each distribution is independent. I tried it to see if the problem is Xenial.

I don't know why anyone changes a kernel, but this could be my test.

[houndstooth]

More testing: I wrote the SD reader is supported on a 32 bit machine.

It's also supported on the 64 machine booting a 32 distro.

If there are opinions firmware or kernel I would wonder what you think, to the extent I can understand it.

[bigpup]

Have you tried to boot Xenialpup from an SD card install?
Yes or no?

If no, you need to first try it.

If yes.
What did it do?

[houndstooth]

Have you tried to boot Xenialpup from an SD card install?

@bigpup this is a little confusing.

If Xenial32 & Fossa64 both support SD & Xenial64 does not, & UEFI supports SD booting, would Xenial64 boot?

What's the logic of even trying?

I want to boot SD generally, but it's a low priority.

[bigpup]

Are you saying booting and running the computer with Xenialpup64 7.5.

It cannot see a SD card when inserted in the SD card drive?

[houndstooth]

Are you saying booting and running the computer with Xenialpup64 7.5.

It cannot see a SD card when inserted in the SD card drive?

Correct

Exceptionally (other distros work)

[bigpup]

What format is the partition on the SD card?

I have seen SD cards not being detected, because the format is not supported in the Puppy version.

I assume the SD card has been partitioned and formatted.

So, let's kill that idea, by making sure it is using a well supported format.
ntfs, fat, ext, should be detected.

[houndstooth]

I have one of those 64 compatible 32-bit machines & am realizing the odd experience of mutual compatibility, i.e., 32 boots 64 & vice-versa.

It's not critical that ONE os can't recognize my SD, but it seems useful to Puppyworld that we know the reason why.

[bigpup]

If you would answer my questions, maybe we can figure it out.

We only know what you tell us.

[houndstooth]

Maximum compatibility FAT32

[houndstooth]

Tinkering on another project I noticed the adapter 64 Xenialpup is not supporting:

Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTS5129 Card Reader Controller

[bigpup]

Again in Xenialpup64 7.5, you need to change the kernel to a newer one.

This is how:
viewtopic.php?t=317

The kernel has the driver to interface the operating system with the hardware.

changing to a newer kernel is easier than, tracking down what driver is needed, compiling, and installing it into the operating system.

If Fossapup64 9.5 can see and access the SD card drive.

Change the kernel to the one in Fossapup64 9.5
https://distro.ibiblio.org/puppylinux/h ... 64.tar.bz2

[houndstooth]

Your post reads hopeful. Would you do that before/instead of swapping firmware?

The main 64pup creator writes we can use Tahrpup's firmware in Fossa. Is it ridiculous to use Fossapup's firmware (fdrv) for Xenial, because I have no idea the implications?

Which is easier? Advantages/disadvantages we can expect?

I boot other distros, but I am kind of married to Xenial for familiarity & functionality.

Again in Xenialpup64 7.5, you need to change the kernel to a newer one.

This is how:
viewtopic.php?t=317

The kernel has the driver to interface the operating system with the hardware.

changing to a newer kernel is easier than, tracking down what driver is needed, compiling, and installing it into the operating system.

If Fossapup64 9.5 can see and access the SD card drive.

Change the kernel to the one in Fossapup64 9.5
https://distro.ibiblio.org/puppylinux/h ... 64.tar.bz2

[bigpup]

Firmware can be used in any Puppy version.
Basically think of it as needed information about the specific hardware.
Firmware is basically features and ability info for hardware, that the operating system uses.

Is it ridiculous to use Fossapup's firmware (fdrv) for Xenial,

No, if it has the firmware you need.
The firmware package (fdrv.sfs) is usually all the firmware that was available, when the package was put together.
If you have a very new piece of hardware.
Not a very good chance, it's needed firmware will be in a fdrv sfs from Puppy version, that was put together, before this hardware even existed.

What firmware is in the fdrv sfs is up to the person that made the fdrv sfs.

The hardware driver is the software that runs the hardware.
Drivers are kernel specific. If the driver is not in the kernel.
It has to be compiled for that specific kernel and then installed into the operating systems file system, to the location where kernel drivers are stored.

Most drivers are already in the kernel ,as long as the hardware existed when the kernel was compiled.
But kernels are compiled by someone.
They choose to have or not have whatever in the kernel compile.

you cannot say something will not work until you try it.

[houndstooth]

That seems too technically specific to goof around.

If you look at the distro .sfs below, the main Fossa .sfs is < 100M. I would guess the much larger Xenial .sfs without fdrv include firmware.

I suppose what I am asking for is a compiled version of the SD card reader driver for the Xenial kernel, more of a coder task.

Otherwise there's the Fossa kernel for Xenial if I wouldn't lose compatibility.

stock 64Xenialpup:
240M main .sfs
075M zdrv
315M

my 64Xenialpup remaster:
286M puppy_xenialpup64_7.5.sfs
026M zdrv_xenialpup64_7.5.sfs
312M total

stock 64Fossapup:
229M adrv_fossapup64_9.5.sfs
40M fdrv_fossapup64_9.5.sfs
97M puppy_fossapup64_9.5.sfs
27M zdrv_fossapup64_9.5.sfs
391M total

Firmware can be used in any Puppy version.
Basically think of it as needed information about the specific hardware.
Firmware is basically features and ability info for hardware, that the operating system uses.

Is it ridiculous to use Fossapup's firmware (fdrv) for Xenial,

No, if it has the firmware you need.
The firmware package (fdrv.sfs) is usually all the firmware that was available, when the package was put together.
If you have a very new piece of hardware.
Not a very good chance, it's needed firmware will be in a fdrv sfs from Puppy version, that was put together, before this hardware even existed.

What firmware is in the fdrv sfs is up to the person that made the fdrv sfs.

The hardware driver is the software that runs the hardware.
Drivers are kernel specific. If the driver is not in the kernel.
It has to be compiled for that specific kernel and then installed into the operating systems file system, to the location where kernel drivers are stored.

Most drivers are already in the kernel ,as long as the hardware existed when the kernel was compiled.
But kernels are compiled by someone.
They choose to have or not have whatever in the kernel compile.

you cannot say something will not work until you try it.

[bigpup]

Sorry, I kind of talked only about the fdrv.

In changing a kernel you need to change the vmlinuz and zdrv sfs.
Those two files makeup the full Linux kernel install.

Fdrv adds firmware that may or may not be needed.
Maybe updated firmware from when the zdrv was produced.

That seems too technically specific to goof around.

No different than doing a remaster.

my 64Xenialpup remaster:

Looking at the difference in size of the stock Xenialpup64 zdrv and the remaster zdrv.

That may be your problem.

Something is missing in the cut down zdrv.

What is the zdrv sfs?
zdrv...sfs:
This contains kernel modules(device drivers), and firmware files matching the kernel in vmlinuz.
Without this file, Puppy will usually still boot, but some devices will either not work or not work properly.

[houndstooth]

That seems too technically specific to goof around.

No different than doing a remaster.

After choosing comprehensible options, the remaster process is fairly automated, meaning, I had no direct control of the shrunk zdrv.

Remasters boot with most of our changes but will miss fine details, perhaps fixed in newer releases. Remastering is an important os function.

my 64Xenialpup remaster:

Looking at the difference in size of the stock Xenialpup64 zdrv and the remaster zdrv.

That may be your problem.

Something is missing in the cut down zdrv.

Test: I am in stock 64Xenial now with no SD reader support.

What is the zdrv sfs?
zdrv...sfs:
This contains kernel modules(device drivers), and firmware files matching the kernel in vmlinuz.
Without this file, Puppy will usually still boot, but some devices will either not work or not work properly.

A kernel swap is such a fundamental change that I would have to consider why it would be preferable to adapting to a newer distribution as designed.