KLV-Airedale-rc17 kernel 6.1.29 and Expanded Firmware

[rockedge]

KLV-Airedale-rc17 is completely updated and sporting the Void Linux kernel 6.1.29_1 and needs some testing before release.

rc17 is equipped with the 01fdrv_upup_22.04.sfs borrowed from the KLU-jam-XFCEbase-1.0.iso and is 77 mb compared to the 01firmware SFS in rc16

Download here

The addition of the larger collection of firmware should cover more older hardware and well as the newest.

[geo_c]

I was just about content using RC-13 for the rest of my life, but now the promise of more hardware compatibility is tempting me to update.

I'll probably test with a fresh install first, but should I decide to drop the new system files under my collected upper_changes (quite extensive at this point) I'm thinking it shouldn't break anything. No guarantees I understand, but from what I remember most RC version improvement since 13 were in the boot capability department.

[rockedge]

@geo_c Just rename the 01firmware that is there in rc13 and remove the "01" then copy in the firmware SFS from rc17.

Reboot and the expanded firmware should be available. This firmware from KLU-jammy is not well tested yet in KLV-Airedale or KLV-Spectr but should be smooth.

If any problems please report and revert back to the firmware SFS from rc16

[geo_c]

If any problems please report and revert back to the firmware SFS from rc16

Will definitely get to that, but maybe not this weekend, as I'm out of town.

Quick question about iso mounting in the KLVs. Thunar mounts iso files, and I can copy and paste from them, but then when I unmount I have to look for the mount point, and I'm trying to remember what I needed to do, I think run umount in a terminal.

At any rate, I find I'm left with the empty mount point directory which then needs to be manually deleted.

Am I missing something obvious?

[fredx181]

Tested rc-17 and I'm having the same problem when trying to change screen resolution as I had in Debian Bookworm with newest kernel viewtopic.php?p=90093#p90093 , total freeze happens.
Could possibly be fixed with some changes in the "Tomas M" code for generating the initrd and adding module to be loaded: i915 nouveau and radeon in the init script.
EDIT: I think, but not really sure if the "Tomas M" code is used for generating the initrd.gz for KLV, if it is, I might be able to help fixing this.
EDIT2: nouveau and radeon doesn't seem like a good idea (viewtopic.php?p=90102#p90102), so only load i915 from the initrd.

[rockedge]

@fredx181 good report! I believe that the Thomas M code is being used but a look back is needed how modified it is in integration.

Your help is always deeply appreciated Fred.

Did rc16's kernel also crash X during screen res changes?

Do you need the initrd build scripts?

[fredx181]

@fredx181 good report! I believe that the Thomas M code is being used but a look back is needed how modified it is in integration.

Your help is always deeply appreciated Fred.

Did rc16's kernel also crash X during screen res changes?

Do you need the initrd build scripts?

No, it didn't crash with rc-16, should really have to do with the newest kernel in rc-17
What I did for Bookworm is adding one line to the "copy_including_deps ...." part in the Tomas M code :
copy_including_deps /$LMK/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/i915
And add in the init script at the modprobe .... part : i915
But.. I may stand corrected ... (see in bookworm thread)

[fredx181]

No, it didn't crash with rc-16, should really have to do with the newest kernel in rc-17

Correction: It was rc-15 that I didn't have the crash when changing resolution, with rc-16 (with kernel 6.1.25) the same crash happens as with rc-17.

[wiak]

@fredx181 good report! I believe that the Thomas M code is being used but a look back is needed how modified it is in integration.

Your help is always deeply appreciated Fred.

Did rc16's kernel also crash X during screen res changes?

Do you need the initrd build scripts?

No, it didn't crash with rc-16, should really have to do with the newest kernel in rc-17
What I did for Bookworm is adding one line to the "copy_including_deps ...." part in the Tomas M code :
copy_including_deps /$LMK/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/i915
And add in the init script at the modprobe .... part : i915
But.. I may stand corrected ... (see in bookworm thread)

Adding in i915 as a module for the initrd (via that copy_including_deps code) is fine to do of course and putting i915 as a modprobe in the initrd loop code.
However, depends if just really a workaround for a temporary flakey kernel version and if loading i915 module causes other problems. Does it not need firmware too?
I don't have time myself to look into any of this just now though, sorry.

[wiak]

What I can easily do at the moment is create a second version of the FR trim modueles Tomas M variant build script to include i915 module in the trimmed modules.
Temporarily you can then use the existing w_addmodules mechanism (i cant check exact name cos on android phone) on grub kernel line to force inclusion of the modprobe i915 thereafter. Once established what works, I can later modify FR initrd accordingly unless just temporary kernel version issue

EDIT: However, I don't actually see why the initrd should be including graphics driver modules at all. It's only purpose should be related to filesystems such that the root filesystem layers are correctly found and the runit started up. As far as I see it any root filesystem module loading thereafter (and resolution fixing) should be then getting done after the switch_root so a matter for user configuration surely? It is udev that should be sorting out final module loading and that should be arranged within the root filesystem, not the earlier initrd stage??? May be some module needs blacklisted, but again thats root filesystem config matter - shouldn't be initrd. An initrd shouldn't be doing after-booting userland configurations in my opinion, or am I missing something? Hence I don't actually like including modules such as i915 in the initrd; I just don't think it such modules should be involved at that stage.

[fredx181]

Adding in i915 as a module for the initrd (via that copy_including_deps code) is fine to do of course and putting i915 as a modprobe in the initrd loop code.
However, depends if just really a workaround for a temporary flakey kernel version and if loading i915 module causes other problems. Does it not need firmware too?

It's with 2 kernel versions in a row now (on rc-16 and on rc-17).
In fact the firmware (or better, the new kernel combined with the i915 firmware) is the problem.
When I delete glk_dmc_ver1_04.bin from firmware/i915 (and reboot) there's no crash when setting resolution.

But about adding i915 to be loaded from the initrd, I don't have enough knowledge to say if that may cause other troubles or not, so I'd say just leave it as is.
And besides that, my 2022 ASUS laptop may be an exception (not having such problems with my old HP laptop with intel graphics).

[Gnimmelf]

tried this via stickpup and unetbootin on a usb.
both failed? screen on pc (lenovo ideapad 3 laptop) goes to black and says "you need to load kernel first" or something like that....
doesnt hapen on F96-ce, bookworm etc?

anybody got a clue why thats happening? (im not that skilled... )

kindly Gnimmelf

[fredx181]

In fact the firmware (or better, the new kernel combined with the i915 firmware) is the problem.

More about this, see discussion in the DD Bookworm thread, fix suggested by @gumanzoy works : Try to boot with i915.enable_dc=0 viewtopic.php?p=90186#p90186

[Gnimmelf]

In fact the firmware (or better, the new kernel combined with the i915 firmware) is the problem.

More about this, see discussion in the DD Bookworm thread, fix suggested by @gumanzoy works : Try to boot with i915.enable_dc=0 viewtopic.php?p=90186#p90186

not shure how to do that - think i will have to waith for a fix.

[fredx181]

In fact the firmware (or better, the new kernel combined with the i915 firmware) is the problem.

More about this, see discussion in the DD Bookworm thread, fix suggested by @gumanzoy works : Try to boot with i915.enable_dc=0 viewtopic.php?p=90186#p90186

not shure how to do that - think i will have to waith for a fix.

Sorry @Gnimmelf the post from me came right after your question, but about a completely different subject (discussed earlier here), so just ignore, someone else may reply to you hopefully !

[rockedge]

What do the boot stanza 's look like?

Explain in more detail about the set up you are working with .

[wiak]

tried this via stickpup and unetbootin on a usb.
both failed? screen on pc (lenovo ideapad 3 laptop) goes to black and says "you need to load kernel first" or something like that....
doesnt hapen on F96-ce, bookworm etc?

anybody got a clue why thats happening? (im not that skilled... )

kindly Gnimmelf

Since I have never used stickpup nor (I think) unetbootin as a boot manager methodology I cannot guess what issues you are having.
It isn't necessary for yourself to be skilled (in the sense of creating a working installation); rather, if you need to use say stickpup/unetbootin you would definitely need to provide exact details of how you made that install: config files involved if you know them, error messages on booting.

You have supplied one message (which was maybe the only actual message) "you need to load kernel first"...
That boot message indicates that the boot manager involved (whatever stickpup/unetbootin) uses, could not find the file named vmlinuz on the media you have it stored in. But why it can't find it requires more information before anyone can possibly provide the solution. What we can say is that KLV-Airedale is certainly bootable... You just haven't installed your boot manager in a way that works...

Clarity would perhaps advise you to try getting a Ventoy usb stick to boot since that is an alternative known working way of running KL distros. However, I am absolutely sure any boot manager mechanism can be made to work, but step by step details of how you tried to use that boot mechanism (and any other info involved) are essential or it is impossible to tell you what went wrong. Booting a distro is not rocket science but all aspects of it must be done perfectly or the result is 'failed boot' and to fix failed boot requires lots of details not just the fact that on failure the screen went black and said 'you need to load kernel first'. The kernel IS linux so the boot manager has to find and load it or, of course, the result is 'wasn't found'... which is not enough information to fix anything.

[Gnimmelf]

Black screen after blue bootloaderscreen says:

"error: not a directory
error: you need to load the kernel first"

it happens both with grub2 and grub4

If i just use unetbootin - it just passes by to F96-ce installed on my harddisk.
doesnt do that with other distroes installed on usb F96-ce and fossapup, jammypup etc

what else besides unetbootin or stickpup could/should i use?

kindly Gnimmelf

[wiak]

it happens both with grub2 and grub4
...

Like I said, you need to supply additonal information concerning either your grub2 or your grub4dos attempt. In particular, grub2 reads a config file called grub.cfg. We would need you to post the contents of that to the forum so we could see what is wrong with that. If instead, you are using grub4dos method underneath, the config file you should post here is the related one for grub4dos called "menu.lst". That's basically what rockedge was asking you to post here.

[Gnimmelf]

ok - stickpup says "no frugalpup" in directory.

via unetbootin clicking on usb after install provides 2 grub.cfg files one on first click says:

#
set default=0
set timeout=5

set menu_color_normal='yellow/blue'
set menu_color_highlight='black/cyan'

if [ $grub_platform = 'efi' ]; then
loadfont /boot/grub/fonts/DejaVuSansMono18.pf2
set gfxmode=auto
terminal_output gfxterm
fi
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
and one in "boot" folder "grub" saying:

set distname=KLV-Airedale
set revision=rc17
set savepart=Persistence
set savedir=Sessions
set bootlabel=Ventoy

insmod part_acorn
insmod part_amiga
insmod part_apple
insmod part_bsd
insmod part_dfly
insmod part_dvh
insmod part_gpt
insmod part_msdos
insmod part_plan
insmod part_sun
insmod part_sunpc

loadfont /boot/grub/font.pf2
set gfxmode=800x600
set gfxpayload=keep

insmod efi_gop
insmod efi_uga

insmod all_video
insmod video_bochs
insmod video_cirrus
insmod gfxterm
insmod png
insmod jpeg
terminal_output gfxterm

insmod ext2
insmod f2fs
insmod ntfs
insmod exfat

insmod loopback
insmod iso9660
insmod udf

background_image /boot/splash.png
set timeout=10

loadfont /boot/grub/font.pf2

color_normal=cyan/black
#menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
menu_color_highlight=yellow/red
menu_color_normal=light-gray/black

# First five entries usefully work with Ventoy

menuentry "${distname}-${revision} (${bootlabel} RAM0 no persistence)" {
linux /vmlinuz w_bootfrom=/${distname}-${revision}.iso w_changes=RAM0 net.ifnames=0
initrd /initrd.gz
}

menuentry "${distname}-${revision} (${bootlabel} RAM2 save on demand to ${savepart}_${savedir})" {
linux /vmlinuz w_bootfrom=/${distname}-${revision}.iso w_changes=LABEL=${savepart}=/${savedir}/${distname}-${revision} w_changes1=RAM2 net.ifnames=0
initrd /initrd.gz
}

menuentry "${distname}-${revision} (${bootlabel} direct saves to ${savepart}_${savedir})" {
linux /vmlinuz w_bootfrom=/${distname}-${revision}.iso w_changes=LABEL=${savepart}=/${savedir}/${distname}-${revision} net.ifnames=0
initrd /initrd.gz
}

menuentry "${distname}-${revision} (${bootlabel} RAM2 save on demand to ${bootlabel}_${savedir})" {
linux /vmlinuz w_bootfrom=/${distname}-${revision}.iso w_changes=LABEL=${bootlabel}=/${savedir}/${distname}-${revision} w_changes1=RAM2 net.ifnames=0
initrd /initrd.gz
}

menuentry "${distname}-${revision} (${bootlabel} direct saves to ${bootlabel}_${savedir})" {
linux /vmlinuz w_bootfrom=/${distname}-${revision}.iso w_changes=LABEL=${bootlabel}=/${savedir}/${distname}-${revision} net.ifnames=0
initrd /initrd.gz
}

menuentry "Shutdown" {
halt
}

menuentry "Reboot" {
reboot
}

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

does it make any sence?

kindly Gnimmelf

[wiak]

does it make any sence?

kindly Gnimmelf

Makes sense kind of, but that is the grub.conf provided in the iso itself, which is specially intended for use by Ventoy boot mechanism. I don't know anything about unetbootin, but it certainly won't work if it relies on that internal-to-iso grub.cfg that is intended only for a Ventoy booting system...

I also don't know about stickpup, but I imagine that is designed only for booting a Puppy Linux distro, not a KL distro.

So, to successfully boot KLV you would need a normal grub2 or grub4dos booting usb stick and an appropriate grub.cfg or menu.lst file, which we could then help you with, but first you need either that grub2 or grub4dos method booting normally (maybe stickpup will produce such a usb?? and then we could tell you how to add appropriate KLV stanza for that - you'd need to say get a normal Puppy Linux booting with stickpup, and then we could tell you how to add in KLV assuming stickpup boots using either grub2 or grub4dos). Unetbootin using that Ventoy stanza is simply never going to work by the look of it.

Unfortunately I have no time to experiment these days so won't be trying stickpup to see how it works, but maybe someone like rockedge could help you with that since he also uses normal Puppy Linux a lot, which I don't.

[Gnimmelf]

how should one go about installing KLV-Airedale-rc17 kernel 6.1.29 the right way? could you point mr to at "how to"?

kindly Gnimmelf

[Clarity]

Hi @Gnimmelf

It you are willing, I can give you access to an image file that contains vRC17. It is Ventoy as @wiak indicates. You just boot it. NO NEED TO INSTALL or extract from vRC17's ISO file. No need to modify boot stanza as the KL's have a good strategy already in place for user boot needs, built-in. You just boot it.

To go from the file I provide to USB does NOT require unetbotn nor extraction no fiddling at all.

Your only step after download is to run a dd command in a Linux terminal t o write the file to a USB. Afterwhich, you boot it. to destkop.

Lastly, you can use the USB forever, afterwards, merely adding forum ISO files of your choice and booting them at your choice. Thus, you never need to ever re-create the USB as it will be your vehicle for booting forum ISO files in the future

If this interest you, send me a PM.

P.S. This forum community of users are well aware in use of Ventoy USB. And can help should you have any question at any time should you ever need.

[mikewalsh]

@Clarity :-

You really ought to know by now that we do NOT conduct help/support stuff via PM, mate. You either do so publicly, in the forum, or you refrain from doing so at all.

You've been a part of this community under different names for long enough to know this sort of practice is frowned upon. And not only THIS forum, but every other forum across the internet. It's one of the major "unspoken" rules, because it defeats the entire point of having a forum in the first place if the answer/solution can't benefit everybody.

You try to help a lot of people, one way or another. Don't go & spoil things.

Mike.

[Clarity]

@Clarity :-

Y...

Wow MIke, Wrong side of the bed again?

Yes, I know that helping someone privately can be annoying, particularly to you. But the idea is to help get a user going so that he can continue on with his work.

AND, it will reduce his/her efforts in the future to get a forum distro to desktop with none of the efforts that traditionally cause problems for users and membership have to rush to their aid in support of these traditional problems. Thus, it becomes a win-win for everyone.

You and some others on the forum have problem with some suggestions that some of members, including myself, make.

The very fact that I offer to get someone going, different than how you WANT it done, shows the contempt you sometimes display.

Lastly, I and this user will share all that is done if you want to be kept in the loop. No problem as all is done to help.

You have a problem where you continue to exercise things PUBLICLY for your ego. Get off of it.

I understand you point and you already know how I will help them. The very fact you exercise your authority this way indicates who you are. Sometimes its good, and then sometimes ....

And for Pete's sake, get off this constant NAME that you continue to throw around in your efforts to discredit. I've explained it to you publicly and I have said so, privately. So be on your way, please.

Your attempts here, once again, is to discredit any way you can.

When he, this user, is working, I'm sure he'll get back to you. For me to you, I will do it PRIVATELY to you on this matter, via PM.

P.S. I will do the same to help you IF YOU DESIRE.

[mikewalsh]

@Clarity :-

Once again, you try to turn a simple clarification of the rules into a "personal attack". As if you think that doing so is clever, and "scores points", somehow.

I'm just pointing out that you're doing something that would be frowned upon in ANY forum.....in a polite way, of course. But Oh, No; 'Clarity' can't take criticism of any kind AT ALL. Get off your soapbox, mate. You're the one displaying contempt for what few simple rules we have here, by constantly arguing about them......and trying to turn it into a vendetta.

Anybody else would take the explanation with good grace. But not you. It's beneath you, isn't it?

And answer me this, if you can. Where on earth did you get the idea that staff/member interactions should be kept private, via PM? That would nicely sweep misdemeanours under the carpet, wouldn't it....and keep everything 'quiet', so nobody would find out about them.

If I think somebody is 'flouting the rules', & thumbing their noses at those of us who try to keep things running smoothly, I WILL "tell them off" publicly. The community should be aware of what they're doing, and that we will NOT tolerate "one rule for Clarity, and another rule for everybody else".

I've said my piece. I'm outta here, 'cos I'm getting bored with your asinine attempts to 'smear' the good names of those who are responsible for the day-to-day running of the Forum, and try to keep it functioning properly for everybody.

Mike.

[mikewalsh]

@rockedge :-

To get back to the subject of this thread, I just want to say that rc17 is functioning very nicely here. My Nvidia card seems quite content with the supplied 'nouveau' driver, and everything is behaving very sweetly.

Surely, we must be getting close to 'final, stable release'.....yes? To me, KLV has been stable for long enough already, though I applaud the extra 'polishing' that's been going on with recent releases. It just keeps getting better & better!

Kudos to all involved. Nice one, guys!

Mike.

[wiak]

how should one go about installing KLV-Airedale-rc17 kernel 6.1.29 the right way? could you point mr to at "how to"?

kindly Gnimmelf

Not a matter of right way or wrong way.

Main thing is to find way to do it.

I'd say too options to try:

1. Take Clarity's suggestion and make a Ventoy bootable usb stick with BOOTISOS folder in ext4 formatted partition having LABEL "Ventoy". Clarity can guide you on that or maybe even provide you with pre-made image for writing to blank usb stick. That's certainly an easy and reliable first approach that KL distros were designed to work well with.

2. Alternatively, get any version of Puppy Linux booting somehow via say frugalpup install utility (an install utility that fossapup certainly includes). Once you've successfully understood and used frugalpup installer (with forum help in Puppy area) we can tell you how to simply add the extra grub2 grub.cfg stanza for booting KLV from same media. For first installing a normal Pup using frugalpup I guess someone on following thread can help you. Moderator bigpup maybe? viewtopic.php?p=1588#p1588

[Gnimmelf]

im runing F96-ce installed as frugall with grub2 - so its from here i need assistance. will try utility - and see if can figure it out on my own.

Thanks

kindly Gnimmelf

PS - please be kind freinds! we all have the same goal (puppy linux) no need to quarrel with each other
often opposite opinions can result in better perspective - if they meet in trying to understand each other

[fredx181]

im runing F96-ce installed as frugall with grub2 - so its from here i need assistance. will try utility - and see if can figure it out on my own.

Here's how I would do, the manual way (I personally never use a program like unetbootin or ventoy etc...), if you have a working grub2 bootloader already installed (assumed you have for booting F96-ce) :
(in theory you can add 1000 frugal installs this way )

Where your F96-ce is installed, you can add KLV-Airedale install on the same partition, if you do that :
(or if you install KLV-Airedale on another partition, use the UUID from that, see below (edit: preferable is a ext partition e.g. ext4 formatted))
- Create a folder named, lets say: AIREDALE on that partition (btw, can be any name as long as it matches with the name in the stanza)
- Extract or mount the KLV ISO and copy all the files inside to the just created folder AIREDALE
- Find the grub.cfg that contains your stanza for to boot F96-ce
- Run blkid from terminal to find (and copy) the UUID of the partition where the AIREDALE folder is located, for me e.g. sda2 output something like this:
/dev/sda2: UUID="34b10665-11c5-493c-9bff-f4f1e7db86f2" TYPE="ext4" PARTUUID="e2712bd7-a7ce-4c23-ab57-9628ca956a52"
- Add a stanza for KLV-Airedale in grub.cfg (use text-editor):

Code: Select all

menuentry "KLV-Airedale-17 in AIREDALE  - changes normal mode" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 34b10665-11c5-493c-9bff-f4f1e7db86f2
	linux /AIREDALE/vmlinuz w_bootfrom=UUID=34b10665-11c5-493c-9bff-f4f1e7db86f2=/AIREDALE w_changes=UUID=34b10665-11c5-493c-9bff-f4f1e7db86f2=/AIREDALE net.ifnames=0  
	initrd /AIREDALE/initrd.gz
}

- Now the large strings (UUID) needs to be replaced with the output from blkid what it is for you (so change every 34b10665-11c5-493c-9bff-f4f1e7db86f2 )
- Save grub.cfg
Hope this helps to get you on track. (edit: more can be said, e.g. you can also use LABEL rather than UUID , instead of "normal" changes mode the "save on exit" mode if preferred).