Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

I have not used Linux since the 1980's; so I am a more than a bit rusty. The desktop in question is an older Windows 8 / 10. It has minimal resources (detailed data attached) and no longer runs windows with any speed. I have been running Bionic puppy for about 6 months getting familiar with the format, etc.
I started to migrate to a more permanent version running from the HDD but have run into several problems and need help. Any constructive help is appreciated.
Problems
A. Can’t install new packages like Firefox; LibreOffice.
B. During Full install says “Files Failed to copy”.
C. During installation of new programs the install just dies or says filses can't be copied.
D. Boots from CD but can’t boot from USB stick
1. UEFI is set to USB as 1st boot.
2. UEFI is set to CD as 2nd boot
E. Can’t boot other versions like Mint/Cinnamon.
F. Now (just this week) it has been dropping internet connection, something it has not done before.
Needs
A. I want to be able to use as a standard PC; boot from HDD and run programs similar to windows.
B. Need to be able to use the CD to read/write new CDs.
C. Need make sda2 [the NTFS partition] into an ext4 partition
1. May add to sda3
2. May leave as sda2
D. If I can’t free up the CD then I need to be able to boot to Mint/Cinnamon or another version of Linux.
Information
GPARTED Reads
sda1:350 MB; ext4;Boot Partition
sda2: 464.92 MB; NTFS; Many Frugal Puppies installed; mountpoint=/initrd/mnt/dev_save
This partition os locked because it is used as save. Unable to remove save as the instructions to remove save aren't compatible with Bionic.
sda3: 509.00MB; ext4; Not currently in use; empty
Computer
Manufacturer: Sony Viao
Processor: AMD A6 PRO-7400B R5, 6 Compute Cores 2C+4G
Memory: 3332MB (713MB used)
Machine Type: Low-profile Desktop
Operating System: Puppy Linux [Bionic 8.0 64 bit
User Name: root (root)
Date/Time: Sat 31 Aug 2024 04:11:40 AM EDT
SCSI Disks
ATA ST500DM002-1BD14
hp DVDRAM GTB0N
SanDisk Cruzer Glide

@paladin75

Information
GPARTED Reads
sda1:350 MB; ext4;Boot Partition
sda2: 464.92 MB; NTFS; Many Frugal Puppies installed; mountpoint=/initrd/mnt/dev_save
This partition os locked because it is used as save. Unable to remove save as the instructions to remove save aren't compatible with Bionic.
sda3: 509.00MB; ext4; Not currently in use; empty

Per the above you only have about a 1.3gb hard drive. Doesn't sound correct, run Gparted and upload a screen shot.

wizard

@paladin :-

Um.......yeah. I concur with m'colleague. Something isn't right there, not by a long chalk. I haven't seen hard drives THAT small more or less since the time you say you last used Linux! Round about the time of the IBM PC, in fact.....although your recollection sounds a little out. Linux first "hit the shelves", as it were, when Linus Torvalds released the very first kernel in 1991.....

I'm wondering why the NTFS partition is that small. Doesn't seem right for a former Windows machine.....or is it still in use? You're not using the recovery partition, by any chance? That would explain the small partition size....but then, for a 500 GB drive, around 460 some-odd GB would be about right. Sounds like a typo..!

A screenie of gParted showing the drive would help a LOT.

Mike.

For that spec computer you really need to use a much newer version of Puppy Linux.
The latest versions should work on it.

I suggest you use BookwormPup64 10.0.7
viewtopic.php?t=8690

With it having APT and Synaptic package managers for installing software.
It is much easier to get added software for it.

You really need to read this about adding software:
viewtopic.php?t=1819

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GPARTED Reads
sda1:350 MB; ext4;Boot Partition
sda2: 464.92 MB; NTFS; Many Frugal Puppies installed; mountpoint=/initrd/mnt/dev_save
This partition os locked because it is used as save. Unable to remove save as the instructions to remove save aren't compatible with Bionic.
sda3: 509.00MB; ext4; Not currently in use; empty

I assume by this setup you no longer have windows OS on the computer?
If Windows OS is no longer on the computer.
Using Gparted.
You did do a complete fresh new partition table, partition, and format of it?

If this is a UEFI bios computer.

Your partition setup is wrong.

sda1 needs to be a small 300 MB 1st partition, formatted fat32, flagged boot, esp
This is where the boot loader is installed, with it's files to boot the computer with.
Nothing else goes on this partition but the boot loader.

To the UEFI bios, this is seen as the boot partition, because it is formatted fat32 and flagged boot, esp
It will look on it for the boot loader, that will take over booting process from the UEFI bios.

The rest of the drive partitioned as you like.
But partitions need to be in GB sizes.

A ntfs formatted partition is OK if you want Windows to be able to access it.

Puppy and any Linux OS's work best on a ext 4 format
Puppy frugal installs and their saves work best on this format.

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If you have Puppy already installed on a computer and try to install Mint, Ubuntu, Debian, etc........ Linux OS's
There installer programs will completely install their version of a boot loader and may also delete the Puppy install.

So anytime you are going to have any other Linux OS on the computer and try to dual boot with Puppy also installed.
Puppy frugal install needs to be the last thing installed.
Usually a manual entry in the boot loader config file is needed, to boot Puppy with.

There are some boot loader install programs on this forum, that try to make a boot loader to boot whatever is on the computer.
Use it after all is installed.
Hopefully it will replace the boot loader with one that will boot everything installed.
Grub2config is one:
viewtopic.php?t=3360
.
.

Ditto what others have written. The smallest HDD ST500DM002 drive is 500 GB. https://www.newegg.com/Seagate-Desktop- ... 6822148767

Even though you can't run windows with any speed, I suggest that you follow the instructions here, https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewto ... 522#p40522 and first deploy either Bookworm64 (as bigpup suggested) or F96-CE, https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?t=8392 to a USB-Key and reconfigure your computer to give boot priority to USB-ports first. Running a Puppy from a USB-Key enables you to manage your internal hard-drive without having to worry about locking yourself out of your computer.

Do you know why your can't boot from a USB-Key? Likely reason is that you haven't gone into Bios to change the boot order, or haven't authorized it. You have to have a USB-Key plugged in to do so.

Puppys are not designed to run as "Full Installs". Read these posts: https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?t=5818 and https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewto ... 818#p63818
It's virtually impossible to fix a broken 'Full Install'. A Puppy run from a Linux formatted partition with a SaveFolder gives you all the advantages of a 'Full Install' and none of the disadvantages. Since the only thing which can get broken is the Save, you can backup your Save and later delete a broken Save and switch to your backup.

If the inability to boot from the USB-port is not fixable you run Puppys off a CD/DVD to manage/re-configure your hard-drives. But as you've noted using a Save will lock the partition on which Puppy SAVE is located. The work around is to boot 'pfix=ram'. I haven't used CDs in over a decade. So I don't know if when they are in use you have a boot menu which offers that option. If not, someone can correct me if I'm wrong. But my recollection is that as soon as the CD starts to boot (within 4 seconds) you quickly and repeatedly press the 'Escape' key. The boot-stanza will appear. You can scroll to the end and add/edit pfix=ram.

Alternatively, boot a different Puppy from a CD/DVD. It will not use Bionic's Save.

Not running Bionic ATM. But you may find on its menu (Menu>Multimedia) a CD/DVD burner. IIRC, when used it has an option to 'Leave open' the CD/DVD being burned so that you can write to it/save changes to it.

Ubuntu Bionic Beaver's repositories have been archived. So Puppy Package Manager can no longer access them. That's why I remastered it. See this post, https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewto ... 666#p90666 and the one which follows.

Despite that remaster, I recommend either Bookworm or F-96. I find the only advantage Bionicpup64-Revival has is when Verizon reduces power its wifi is better at picking up weak signals.

About updating firefox & Libreoffice, see the above post and note that BionicPup can use many SFSes, AppImages and Portables. Doing so is preferable to 'installing' applications because the new versions will not over-write the old. You can keep and revert to the 'old' until you are satisfied, and only then delete them.
You'll find many applications in this Section of the Forum, https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewforum.php?f=7. Mikewalsh has published many portables including firefox and libreoffice. See his complete list, https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewto ... 734#p48734

Sorry I have not gotten back but xfinity has been xfinicky this past two weeks and its on and off availability. Thanks for all the help and I will post a screen grab of the gparted asap.
Just for the record I worked wit the first IBM pc and AT in DOS! Didn't really get into linux until late 90's while trying to research an alternative for Solaris on pc's we were using to link to an old HP mainframe.

You have done something wrong for using Puppy Linux.

We just need to exactly figure out what.

Please understand that we only know what you tell us.

specific details will help us understand.

You do what?

You see what?

All our Puppy Linux drones are is use, so we cannot look over your shoulder and see what you see or what you do.

Keep with it and do not give up!

Here is the gparted snap shot that was asked for.
I have taken a look at Bookworm and it really does seem more up to date that Bionic. But of course I have to unravel this SNAFU on the desktop before moving on.
1. I understand that I should have used FAT32 instead of EXT4. SO if I correct that by reformatting to FAT32 will that then allow me or force me to do a full install and correct some of the problems?
2. I agree, it did not look like a right partition to me, but I lack the current knowledge to actually verify that, thanks for the heads up - the scrren shot should help. I had not noticed that there were mixed measurements, GB and MiB mixed together.
Thanks for all the help so far.

@paladin75

Your computer is using UEFI booting so you need to run a newer Puppy, suggest either F96CE_4 or BookwormPup64 10.0.7.

Make a bootable USB of one and then post back to proceed.

Thanks
wizard

I would not try to figure out what you did wrong.

If Puppy Linux is the only operating system that is going to be on the computer.

Why not start over fresh with the drive setup the correct way and a much better install.

You do need to make a boot-able USB drive with a version of Puppy on it. (suggest BookwormPup64 10.0.7)
So you can boot the computer with the USB and have a Puppy version running, use programs in it, to do everything with.

This is how I setup and do installs to any type drive:
https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?t=11171
This was written for installing to a USB drive, but it works for any type drive that only Puppy Linux versions are going to be on it.
Anyplace it says USB stick, just replace with and think it is talking about the drive you are installing to.

I have done it this way for internal Hard Drives, SSD drives, SD cards, Usb drives of any type, etc........

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Puppy is designed to operate and work best as what is called a frugal install.
Frugal is just the name used for it.
It is still the complete Puppy OS installed in a special way.
All the parts of the OS are installed into a folder.
It is able to load all the Puppy OS into memory. (can not do this with a full install)
Many other features with a frugal install.
How Puppy works you can read in info topics on this forum.

Puppy really is not actively supporting a full install or trying to make sure it still works as a full install.

This is something everyone new to Puppy Linux needs to do:
https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?t=7630

The HP Elite Desk that I am working with has an older BIOS and does not support USB boot. So, I had to create a CD and boot from that to get Bookworm 10. But I'm up and running now and in the next few days I'll be installing Bookworm on the system.

And yes, before you post about following instructions, I will be following the install on the forum and the distribution.

I want to thank all who input to help me with this problem. I got some good pointers and I look forward to lots of time on this forum. Hopefully I will get to the point I can help others.

Please understand something.

Any topic you make, it always needs to provide the specific Puppy version complete full name, you are talking about.
The full name of it's ISO file is best.

Bookworm 10 is not good info.

It could be BookwormPup64 10.0.3, 10.0.4, 10.0.7, etc..........
Even BookwormPup32 whatever version of it.

Yes, they are all different.

Really this is what helps us all, by providing what it tells you in this topic:
https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?t=218

Hi paladin75,

I believe this post explains how to configure your computer to boot from a USB-Key, https://support.us.vaio.com/knowledge-b ... sb-memory/. Sorry about its complexity. Note the precaution regarding shutting down completely/ not merely hibernating. Configuring USB-Booting depends on which of the three possible Bioses you have. If you run Menu>System>Pup-Sysinfo one of its panels may identify the version used by your computer.

Once you can boot a Puppy from a USB-Key you can use that Puppy's gparted to restructure your hard-drive to deploy Puppys to a Linux Formatted partition. Or continue to run from a USB-Key as they are much easier to manage than CD/DVDs.

@mikeslr

The HP Elite Desk that I am working with has an older BIOS and does not support USB boot.

The OP has changed hardware, started out with the Sony and UEFI boot, now working on HP Elite Desk.

@paladin75

If you change hardware, you need to start another topic, otherwise both those trying to help and others interested in the solution get lost.

Thanks
wizard

Sorry for the confusion.
I am now working with HP EliteDesk and Bookworm 10 64 bit. I'll move onto the Bookworm forum from here on out.

Thanks for all your help.