Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

Windows died on an old computer we use to just stream online radio, so I decided to give a portable Linux a try.
Puppy looked good, so I downloaded the latest version (FossaPup64-9.5.iso). I used Rufus to put the ISO on an old USB flash drive.
I put the flash drive in the old computer and it finds the drive and tries to boot it.

I get past the screen where I can choose lots of different options, there's a bunch of startup-like text and then I get this error:
---[ end Kernel panic - not syncing: IO-APIC + timer doesn't work! Boot with apic=debug and send a report. Then try booting with the 'noapic' option. ]---

Where and how do I add these options to the boot sequence?

At the boot options screen I tried hitting 'e' to edit the first selection, then 'o' to add a line, then just typed noapic. That didn't work.

I also tried doing the same thing at the screen before the one with all the options, but that didn't work either. I feel like I'm missing something pretty obvious, but I can't figure it out.

Computer specs:
Dell Dimension (from 2006 or so)
Processor: AMD Sempron 3400+
Memory: 1 gb DDR2
Graphics/network/audio: integrated on motherboard

Shouldn't the noapic be added to the linux line instead of adding a new line to the stanza?

Taken from the fossa64 topic "approx minimum System Requirements: 2007 era 64bit core2duo cpu & 2gb ram". This may be your problem, I just used Rufus to create a fossa64 usb and it did boot on a machine that meets the min requirements. Even if you could get it to boot it would be slooooow.

Try dpup stretch 7.5 or bionicpup32. I have dpup running on a amd sempron mobile 3300, 768mb ram, which is close to what you have.

wizard

Although rufus under Windows has been my go-to for creating bootable-puppys on a USB-Key*, I kind of recall someone previously posting about problems with fossapup64 via rufus.
But before we get too far into the weeds:
"we use to just stream online radio...Dell Dimension (from 2006 or so)."

I have to wonder if you get beyond the 'won't boot' problem you're not going to run into the 'fossapup doesn't have the drivers for my old hardware' problems.

Bionicpup64, viewtopic.php?t=99 may be a better system for your computer.

-=-=-=-=-
* rufus creates a 'READ-ONLY' USB-Key. You can't save changes, customizations, settings, or installed applications into it. You can, however, use that USB-Puppy to Save such to a SaveFile/Folder on a hard-drive; or its tools to create a Puppy on a different USB-Key which is READ-WRITE.

fossapup64 is a 64bit os to run on 64bit computers.
is yr target machine 64bit?

the quote is from the developer of fossapup,
at the end of his intro, first entry at:

board index>mainline distributions>
mainline puppy linux distros>fossapup64:

''approx minimum System Requsiremfoents: 2007 era 64bit core2duo cpu & 2gb ram''

there are older puppys which will work for your setup,
i think. i've been pleased with precise pup 571, using
a modern browser: pale moon. precise pup gives you time
and place to insert boot options.

hope this helps, mm

On second thought, I agree with wizard and mmmrr. A 64-bit operating system may just be too resource demanding.
Link to
Bionicpup 32-bit here: viewtopic.php?p=550#p550
dpup-stretch here: viewtopic.php?p=1506#p1506
precise-lite: https://oldforum.puppylinux.com/viewtop ... 8#p1024458

I began running Puppy from Windows formatted USB flash drives and recommend it for Linux beginners.

If you really have a 64-bit machine: https://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-mult ... #YUMI-UEFI

If you have a 32-bit machine like it seems: https://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal ... -as-1-2-3/

( This is about the computer you're booting, not the computer you're installing from. )

Thank you all for the helpful comments!

I tried a couple of the recommended distros (bionicpup and stretch) and both give me the same error I was getting with FossaPup.

I would like to try "booting with the 'noapic' option" but I don't know how to do that. Is that something I need to specify when I make the image on the flash drive, or can I add that sometime during the boot sequence, or do I have to edit something in the .iso before I even make the flash drive? Sorry, I'm not just new to Puppy but to Linux in general (never used it before), so I'm not really sure where to start.

Try validating your bootable usb by booting it on another computer. This will give you a known good point of reference.

wizard

There should be a boot menu you can edit in a basic text editor.

Try acpi=off.

A full entry looks like this:

title XenialPup 7.5 (32-bit) (sdb1/xenialpup-7.5-uefi)
  kernel /xenialpup-7.5-uefi/vmlinuz    psubdir=/xenialpup-7.5-uefi pfix=fsck pmedia=usbflash acpi=off
  initrd /xenialpup-7.5-uefi/initrd.gz

I added the entry to the end of the 2nd line.

If needed for your specific machine, wizard's advice makes sense too. Other machines won't require it off.

JASpup is correct. It's just a matter of adding acpi=off to the end of the 'kernel' line of the bootloader's argument. But there's a couple of 'got-yahs' you might encounter. So please tell us whether you have another computer you can work with.

The first 'got-yah' is that Linux is case sensitive and Windows is notorious in that its text editors (re)write everything in Upper case: e.g. acpi=off becomes ACPI=OFF; indeed, the entire boot menu will be written in Upper case. So you can't make edits under windows.

The example JASpup gave is of a boot-menu listing when grub4dos is the boot-loader. Most other boot-loaders start the 'kernel' line with the word linux instead.

I don't currently have a USB-Puppy created using rufus. I think rufus uses syslinux to start the boot-process but that merely calls grub.cfg within a folder named grub within a folder named boot: boot>grub>grub.cfg*.

So, if you have another computer which will boot your Puppy-on-the-USB, you can do that; then running that Puppy [or any Linux OS] edit boot>grub>grub.cfg to ADD ANOTHER menu entry using a Linux text editor. You'll find a launcher to a text editor on your desktop &/or on its Start-Menu in either the Documents or Utilities Sub-Menu. Just go to the end of any menu listing designated by the } character, press return a couple of times to create some space, highlight an entire listing, select copy, paste it into the space you've created, edit the title to indicate NOACPI, and add acpi=off to the end of the kernel/linux line. Don't forget to save the changes. Then try it on your problem computer.

If you don't have another computer to work with what you'll have to do is interrupt the boot process in order to include the acpi=off argument for this occasion only. As I've only had to do something similar once a couple of years ago and my memory is notoriously flaky, hopefully someone else will chime in and correct, or confirm, the following.
I think to interrupt the boot process you repeatedly press the ESC key, starting as soon as the boot process starts. Or maybe its the e key to go into 'editor' mode. Or maybe ESC, then e. Once your in editor mode your screen will already be showing the kernel/linux line. Scroll to the end, type acpi=off and press return.
Once you've booted into Puppy, don't forget to make the necessary changes to the boot argument so that you won't have to always use the 'one time' procedure.

--=-=-
If rufus uses isolinux as boot loader rather than ultimately grub2, you have to add an 'append' line to the boot menu. But I don't have a clear enough memory to hazard a guess about that.

The information on where to add the command is good info to follow.

However the needed command may well be just:

noapic

At the end of the kernel or linux line of the boot loader menu entry.

When you boot and see the boot menu, with options for booting Fossapup64 9.5 or any other Puppy Linux version, you try to boot.
The first entry will be highlighted.
There is a short time period you can select something else.
Select another entry to stop the auto activation of highlighted entry.
now you have time to read.

At the bottom should have information on how to enter edit screen.
Maybe press e key, escape key, etc.......
When you get to the edit screen.
The info on what key to press to edit should be provided at bottom of screen.
(Depends on the boot loader, what key does what)

Example edit:
You want to re-select the first boot menu entry (highlighting it) as entry to work on.
Let's say press e key opens the edit screen.
Now you are looking at the actual command lines of the menu entry.
Arrow down to the kernel or linux line of the commands, so that line is highlighted.
Press e key to select that line to edit.
Arrow move to the end of the line.
Add a space and put the command noapic
press enter to make the change stick to the command line.
Now back to showing all of the command lines for the entry.
Press b key to boot that entry as you now have it.

At bottom of edit screen, it will tell you what to press, to boot the complete boot menu entry, as you now have it.

This is only changed for this one boot.

To not have to do this at each boot.

To make the change always there in the boot menu entry.
You have to open the boot menu config file, in a text editor program, and edit it.
The boot menu config file is usually one of these or similar:
grub.cfg
syslinux.cfg
menu.lst
etc........

Thank you all for the extremely helpful info!

I ended up using a combination of things to finally get up and running:
1) I am now using dpup-stretch
2) used the Pendrivelinux program for bootable USB creation (instead of Rufus)
3) added the noapic option in the correct location at the end of the line, instead of on a separate line like I had been trying

Now everything is working as expected. Thanks again for all your help!

I had just posted somewhere else but I see you have had a fix...and Dpup is a winner for those specs.

But I will add this link for others who might have issues..

viewtopic.php?p=38835#p38835

Also there are some newer Slimjets that will work for internet.
Personally I prefer the >> Puppy Pet installer.

slimjet-31.0.2.0-i686.pet

Though it seems to have been upgraded.
Maybe contact OscarTalks who uploaded the ones I use.

memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=1092

Chris.

Ventoy is also mentioned for those interested.

Ventoy is also mentioned.
Another Multi-Boot App

viewtopic.php?p=38369#p38369

Chris.

@oneirophon

If you want to use a 64bit puppy you might consider upgrading your cpu. If your Dell is a Dimension C521 you could put in a Athlon X2 5400+ which would almost triple your speed. You might have to upgrade the bios too, check if you have BIOS version 1.1.11. Ebay is listing the 5400+ for $8-$9 US.

wizard