Discussion, talk and tips
https://forum.puppylinux.com/
Whenever I try to create a Puppy frugal install on NTFS using the FrugalPup tool, I get an "unknown filesystem" error from GRUB when attempting to boot it. I've tried on FossaPup64, UPupFF+D, and UPupJJ+D but get the same error every time. How do I fix this?
Hi tred,
Please describe what you are doing in greater detail. What computer, specs please? Does it have Windows installed? Does it currently boot using the UEFI mechanism? By "create a Puppy frugal install" do you mean by using Frugalpup-Installer sometimes referred to as just frugalpup, or some other boot-loader-creator? perhaps Menu>Setup>Puppy Installer?
If I read the following instructions regarding frugalpup-installer here correctly, http://www.fishprogs.software/puppy/fru ... index.html all the different mechanisms provided by it require that the boot-loader be written to a partition formatted as fat32. Hence the error you get:
'DiskPup and FrugalPup require an install partition and a boot partition to be available, before they can be used....
Boot partition:
The bootloader, "Grub2" (approximately 10MiB), is installed in this small bootable "fat32" partition.'
As you've specified an ntfs formatted partition --correct me if I'm wrong-- that suggests you are trying to dual-boot Puppys from a hard-drive on which Windows is still present; and place the boot-loader on the partition where Windows located its boot-loader. Only Windows places a boot-loader on an ntfs partition.
You have a couple of choices. The easiest is to install LICK into your Windows OS and run it. Links to LICK and information about it can be found here, https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?p=1587#p1587.
Not wanting to over-write Windows boot-loader, what I sometimes do is reconfigure a computer's boot-sequence so that priority is assigned to USB-Keys (before hard-drives). I then use a dedicated USB-Key to hold the boot-loader. The USB-Key is usually plugged in so that its boot-loader offers the choice of Puppys (including those located on the hard-drive). Unplugged, Windows boots via its untouched boot-loader.
Another choice is to reformat the hard-drive's boot-partition to Fat32 and use either Frugalpup-installer or grub2config. I've never used Frugalpup-installer in that situation. I've always used grub2config and never experienced grub2config failing to provide a boot-menu offering Windows, any and all Puppys and all other Linux operating systems on hard-drives. But see the warning on grub2config's download link, viewtopic.php?t=3360 regarding "When you clean install Ubuntu Linux and/or derivatives on a legacy BIOS PC". That, of course, is not your situation.
But as I wrote, LICK is probably your easiest, safest option. Lick writes what essentially is a version of grub2 to the boot-partition. Once installed, you can manually edit the grub.cfg file (menu) to add other Puppys as choices to boot up.
You need to use Gparted program and setup partitions on the USB.
You need to first make a small 300MB first partition on the USB formatted fat32 and flag it boot.
The rest of the USB can be formatted anything you want to, but so you can make a Puppy save folder and not a save file.
Partition and format the rest of drive in to a partition formatted ext 2. 3. or 4.
End up with 2 partitions.
1st one small 300MB formatted fat32.
2nd partition whatever format you want to use.
When you use Frugalpup Installer.
Do the frugal install to the 2nd partition.
Install the boot loader on the 1st partition.
Choose to install both type boot loaders.
Not knowing exactly what firmware is on the computer. If it has UEFI.
you may need to open the computers UEFI setup.
Disable secure boot and or enable legacy boot or CSM.
Some require this to be able to boot from a USB.
This gives you the easiest boot from a USB.
If you keep secure boot enabled.
It will need to install the Puppy security key on the computer, before it will boot.
Frugalpup installer will provide what is needed to do that, if you installed the UEFI boot loader on the USB.
but it is a process to get it done correctly.
Have to read directions given and follow them correctly.
Fossapup64 9.5 has a small bug in booting from a USB.
If there is any other USB drives also plugged in, it will not boot correctly.
So only have the USB with Fossapup64 95 on it plugged in, when you try to boot from it.
mikeslr wrote: ↑Thu Jul 13, 2023 11:37 pmHi tred,
Please describe what you are doing in greater detail. What computer, specs please? Does it have Windows installed? Does it currently boot using the UEFI mechanism? By "create a Puppy frugal install" do you mean by using Frugalpup-Installer sometimes referred to as just frugalpup, or some other boot-loader-creator? perhaps Menu>Setup>Puppy Installer?
If I read the following instructions regarding frugalpup-installer here correctly, http://www.fishprogs.software/puppy/fru ... index.html all the different mechanisms provided by it require that the boot-loader be written to a partition formatted as fat32. Hence the error you get:
'DiskPup and FrugalPup require an install partition and a boot partition to be available, before they can be used....
Boot partition:
The bootloader, "Grub2" (approximately 10MiB), is installed in this small bootable "fat32" partition.'As you've specified an ntfs formatted partition --correct me if I'm wrong-- that suggests you are trying to dual-boot Puppys from a hard-drive on which Windows is still present; and place the boot-loader on the partition where Windows located its boot-loader. Only Windows places a boot-loader on an ntfs partition.
You have a couple of choices. The easiest is to install LICK into your Windows OS and run it. Links to LICK and information about it can be found here, https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?p=1587#p1587.
Not wanting to over-write Windows boot-loader, what I sometimes do is reconfigure a computer's boot-sequence so that priority is assigned to USB-Keys (before hard-drives). I then use a dedicated USB-Key to hold the boot-loader. The USB-Key is usually plugged in so that its boot-loader offers the choice of Puppys (including those located on the hard-drive). Unplugged, Windows boots via its untouched boot-loader.
Another choice is to reformat the hard-drive's boot-partition to Fat32 and use either Frugalpup-installer or grub2config. I've never used Frugalpup-installer in that situation. I've always used grub2config and never experienced grub2config failing to provide a boot-menu offering Windows, any and all Puppys and all other Linux operating systems on hard-drives. But see the warning on grub2config's download link, viewtopic.php?t=3360 regarding "When you clean install Ubuntu Linux and/or derivatives on a legacy BIOS PC". That, of course, is not your situation.
But as I wrote, LICK is probably your easiest, safest option. Lick writes what essentially is a version of grub2 to the boot-partition. Once installed, you can manually edit the grub.cfg file (menu) to add other Puppys as choices to boot up.
The PC is 32-bit, uses BIOS, and has Windows 7 on the hard disk. I'm trying to set up Puppy on a 64GB USB with a 100MiB FAT32 boot partition at the end and an NTFS main partition taking up the empty space. I am using the FrugalPup "Puppy" and "Boot" options. Even if I try making the partition 400MiB and install Puppy and GRUB on the same partition, I still get the same error.
tredI9100 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 15, 2023 8:22 am[...]
The PC is 32-bit, uses BIOS, and has Windows 7 on the hard disk. I'm trying to set up Puppy on a 64GB USB with a 100MiB FAT32 boot partition at the end and an NTFS main partition taking up the empty space. I am using the FrugalPup "Puppy" and "Boot" options. Even if I try making the partition 400MiB and install Puppy and GRUB on the same partition, I still get the same error.
Hi @tredI9100,
make the FAT32 boot partition the first partition on the stick. Set the "boot/esp" flag with gparted. Install bootloader on this FAT32 partition ...
peace
@tredI9100 :-
IF that is indeed a 32-bit computer, then you wouldn't be able to run a 64-bit OS of any type on there. Without going into too much detail, a 32-bit OS will run on a 64-bit CPU due to the prescence of 32-bit registers. The reverse, unfortunately, is NOT true; a 32-bit CPU doesn't possess 64-bit registers, so the process stumbles at the first hurdle.
However; at the time Windows 7 was being offered, most computers were at that point coming with 64-bit CPUs as standard, although it was still Microsoft's policy to always pre-install the 32-bit version of their current OS.....in the interests of maximum compatibility.
I'm guessing you actually have a 64-bit machine, but because of Microsoft were assuming it was 32-bit...
(*shrug*)
-------------------------------------
I concur with @mikeslr ; he has a lot of experience in booting Puppy alongside Windows. In your case, LICK might indeed be the simplest option.....run Puppy from within Windows itself, if you wish to keep the latter. I'm afraid this kind of topic has a horrible tendency to generate its own confusion, because there are several different methods for achieving the desired result.....and invariably, you will get several different replies, with everyone recommending their own preferred procedure. And of course, as a newbie, you won't have the experience to know what's what, or indeed, which is best..! 
Failing that, you can always trust @bigpup 's advice. It's usually good, and I've never yet known him to intentionally lead anyone astray.
Mike. 
The computer is an Eee PC 1005HA, which originally shipped with XP and a 32-bit Atom CPU. Before finding that out, I tried booting Fatdog64 on it and was told my CPU is unsupported.
I'm currently trying to set up a bootable USB with UPupJJ+D, but when I try booting it I simply see the message "error: unknown filesystem." from GRUB, even if I set the boot flag on the partition.
Still need to setup the USB partitions as we have told you.
It is always what they do not tell you.
Now that we know this is a eeepc and using an Atom CPU.
There was some Puppy versions developed just for these computers and some Puppy versions that would work.
Xenialpup7.5 the 32bit version has been reported to work.
Wifi was an issue with fix reported here:
https://oldforum.puppylinux.com/viewtop ... 77#p976524
There is this one specifically for an Asus Eee PC, but it may work for you:
https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?t=4704
There is info in this topic:
https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?t=7929
Atomic Pup was developed specifically for Atom CPU's
https://oldforum.puppylinux.com/viewtop ... 60#p943460
finding the iso to still be able to download it, is a little bit of a hunt.
Found this one:
https://archive.org/details/AtomicPupXIX
Writing before the cobwebs have cleared from my mind so I may have missed something.
As T'other Mike wrote "at the time Windows 7 was being offered, most computers were at that point coming with 64-bit CPUs as standard, although it was still Microsoft's policy to always pre-install the 32-bit version of their current OS.....in the interests of maximum compatibility.
I'm guessing you actually have a 64-bit machine, but because of Microsoft were assuming it was 32-bit…"
If you have such computer, it will run 64bit Operating systems. T’other Mike explains it here, https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic. ... 9b0#p85797, However, to do so you have for edit the boot menu.
Both frugalpup-installer and LICK use the grub2 bootloader, although LICK doesn't use that name. What you'll find a ‘cfg’ file –I think named grub.cfg even by LICK-- was written to the boot-partition. It's a text file you can open and edit with a text editor. You'll find a line which starts with the word "linux". Wizard’s follow-up post on the above thread provides an example of the edited line, albeit when grub4dos was used as boot-loader for bionic32, https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic. ... 9b0#p85963
kernel /bionic32/vmlinuz psubdir=/bionic32 pmedia=atahd pfix=fsck forcepae acpi=off
With grub2, the example would have read:
linux /bionic32/vmlinuz psubdir=/bionic32 pmedia=atahd pfix=fsck forcepae acpi=off
and when booting fossapup64 from a USB-Key something like
linux /fossapup/vmlinuz psubdir=/fossapup pmedia=usbflash pfix=fsck forcepae acpi=off
The important point being that the line includes the argument forcepae separated by spaces. The other arguments your bootloader wrote are probably correct.
If I understand your last post BOTH the boot-loader and the Puppy, itself, are going to be on the USB-Key. If so, there's no reason to format any partition as NTFS. Puppys run best from a Linux Formatted partition: that enables you to create a SaveFolder on that partition rather than a SaveFile. A SaveFile is a block of space on the partition formatted as Linux. It has a fixed size. When you run out of room you can resize it which requires a reboot. It can't be made smaller. A SaveFolder can only be on a Linux formatted partition. But it has no fixed size. It will grow as you put stuff into it, if necessary to all available space on its partition. An shrink if you remove stuff.
So follow bigpup's advice: 1st partition Fat32, 2nd partition Linux Ext3.