Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

superseded - is in kernel archive

5.16.3 downloaded yesterday can be used, thank you very much!

5.16.3 What's wrong? Is there any problem using it? I downloaded it yesterday and it works

@debianfan - both deleted kernels work, but have significant bugs. One of the security ones is:

A failing usercopy of the fence_rep object will lead to a stale entry in
the file descriptor table as put_unused_fd() won't release it. This
enables userland to refer to a dangling 'file' object through that still
valid file descriptor, leading to all kinds of use-after-free
exploitation scenarios.

We only find that out in the notes for the next kernel version. When they release updates within
2 days (5.15.18 & 5.16.4 released today), it often means big problems were waiting to pounce.

Oz, I had tried your kernel yesterday afternoon (right after I'd posted about problems with LICK and change_kernels), because I cannot get sound or wifi going on my Lenovo laptop with Realtek. Realtek is a major hurdle to overcome in Linux - I'm guessing that's why you're doing this. Here are my results.

1) The two kernel files work okay, but the sound and wifi don't. Okay, you expect that.
2) When I add in your fdrv, booting freezes at "loading modules".

I used LICK with Fossa. I used your concise and well written instructions on how to manually replace the kernel.

Do you think a generic Linux kernel will work? A year ago, I did get Porteus going with Realtek only when I put in a 5.12 kernel. I've been going days now trying to get first Tiny Core to work and now Fossa.

@BobW - this is probably a combo of drivers and firmware missing.
I haven't had my fdrv cause a lockup before - weird.
I am more confident with my 5.15.12 kernel, due to issues with some kernels after 5.15.16.
I suggest the following:
1. Try my 5.15.12 kernel with fossapup's original fdrv.
2. Assuming it runs, in a terminal/console run: dmesg | grep irmware
and post any output here. That will list any missing firmware.
3. For the onboard wifi, in a terminal/console run: lcpci -nn | grep etwork
and post any output here. That will list your wifi model.

hi @ozsouth ,

old firmware doesn't always work on newer kernels and the freezing is probably outdated graphic card firmware nvidia/amd/intel (nvidia is particularly fussy)
for instance 5.15 won't boot on this desktop (nvidia card) with fossa firmware but 5.4 does.

just updating the graphics firmware may fix the problem but you should probably update all firmware.
https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?t=2302

@666philb - Once Bob said his Realtek kit needed >5.4, I thought 5.15.12 might be worth trying.
My 5.7.12 was a relatively trouble free kernel & it or my 5.10.66 are my next suggestions if the above fails.
(both are in the Kernel Archive - links near top of this subforum).

Oz, I still remember the model from a year ago when I'd spent a lot of time wrangling with this problem, in Porteus. It's 8821CE. There was talk in various places that Realtek was long refusing to provide a driver. So some guy on Github wrote one independently. Finally, somebody on the Porteus forum had a 5.12 kernel, and that worked fine for me as regarding Realtek wifi and sound.

I don't know how this applies: https://www.realtek.com/en/component/zo ... e-software

As for the test, I am severely distracted because my laptop now has a UEFI booting problem. Maybe something with having used LICK. Maybe not. Probably will take hours to sort it.

@BobW - I have a laptop with rtl8821ce, so have made drivers for several kernels. See:
http://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.p ... 232#p35232

ozsouth wrote: ↑Wed Mar 09, 2022 10:22 pm

@BobW - I have a laptop with rtl8821ce, so have made drivers for several kernels. See:
http://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.p ... 232#p35232

@ozsouth

OZZZZ !!!!!!! You are the hero of the month! I had just tried your 5.15.12 but that was no joy. Then I switched back into Windows and saw this comment of yours. THANK YOU! I was almost about to give up on Puppy after struggling over several days with VirtualBox and then Fossa via LICK. Endless restarts with little progress, what a drudge.

But here I am writing from inside Fossa with Palemoon, thanks to your wifi driver.

This is downright fun now. I might even someday do some coding to help the Puppy project. As you might know, Pale Moon lets you write to the file structure and so forth with javascript extensions. It's not locked down as with the WebExtensions API used in Chromium and Firefox.

Yep, this is fun now.

666philb wrote: ↑Wed Mar 09, 2022 7:44 am

the freezing is probably outdated graphic card firmware nvidia/amd/intel

Just for the record, I had no problems with my AMD Radeon graphics when using the stock Fossa, or with any of the other kernels I'd tried. But when using VirtualBox, the aspect ratio was wrong with the builtin svga.

Phil, it seems you are the creator of Fossa?

Modular build means you can swap out the kernel, applications & firmware in seconds
Want a minimal bare bones puppy? Easy just remove a single file and reboot.

That sounds remarkably good. Bravo.