Get APPS with no internet on TC laptop? Load APS on boot from auto-mounted USB?

[grandma]

Now GRUB is working reliably - best tool of the bunch - combined with ISODISK and GRUB and things finally work - no netbootin or live linux, lilo or anything else required - so far.

I have a rather robust method of getting wifi to kick but need it to FIRE on boot 100% of the time - every time.

... then the only thing missing is having TC grab the NTFS tools when it boots.
TC out of the hole can't read NTFS. So once it boots it is stuck. Parameters like HOME= and OPT= do not work (at least not for me yet), because TC can't read the NTFS drive, so if I store any TCZ files under

C:\TC\TCE\OPTIONAL\ntfs_tools.tcz etc.

...TC can't load them - nor could it load any parameter files, back up files - nothing stored on the NTFS partition - its like pushing wet clay uphill to try to get around this.

[jur]

http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php?topic=7120.0

[Juanito]

http://weltweitimnetz.de/files/internetsurfboard_inst.exe (DOS/Windows)

or go to his home page - has all kinds of stuff - source code too - nice interface - can this thing be integrated easily?

The source code looks like it's windows only?

[Juanito]

"Restoring your backup"

It seems to retain most everything -

but

a) Never have gotten desktop background to load without manually dragging it from the hard drive /opt/backgrounds to ramdisk, then running control panel - wallpaper - then it goes away on next boot, even if backup seemed to work with everything else

b) Can't tell if mouse settings are retained

c) noticed Opera becomes a fresh install - causing me to go through all the privacy stuff twice - may be a forum on that somewhere

d) but does appear most of the tcz files are loaded - but not active or run - i.e. tried to quit and backup with Opera running hoping it would automatically be working, haven't figured out how to make bootlocal.sh execute on FIRST boot sitting on a Windows 2000 NTFS system.

I think you're perhaps mixing two things here:

1. extensions stored on permanent storage.

2. a backup made of files in ram, which is itself stored on permanent storage.

It would be good to paste the results of:

Code: [Select]

$ cat /opt/.backup_device
$ cat /opt/.tce_dir
..and, if there is a partition listed in either of the above, let us know how the partition is formated - ntfs, ext2, fat, etc

[Juanito]

Now that I have GRUB working reliably and understand it, and
Now that I know how to get a TCZ or 2 downloaded and installed on boot (almost understand that - but have yet to get a script in /OPT called bootlocal.sh to work)
Now that you and I have a rather robust method of getting wifi to kick (at least for my antenna - though again, I have to go manually out to a terminal and run it - but I really need it to FIRE on boot - 100% of the time - every time - and not sure if onload.lst can accept .SH files - that would be a really neat, clean, easy place for this sort of thing).
And now that I have it booting on an NTFS drive in C:\TC\BOOT C:\TC\TCE etc.

... then the only thing missing is having TC grab the NTFS tools when it boots.

Problem: TC out of the hole can't read NTFS. So once it boots it is stuck. Parameters like HOME= and OPT= do not work (at least not for me yet), because TC can't read the NTFS drive, so if I store any TCZ files under

C:\TC\TCE\OPTIONAL\ntfs_tools.tcz etc.

...TC can't load them - nor could it load any parameter files, back up files - nothing stored on the NTFS partition - its like pushing wet clay uphill to try to get around this.

There's two choices here:
1. remaster tc or recompile bzImage to contain the modules from filesystems-2.6.33.3-tinycore.tcz
2. boot from your existing partition, but use a usb stick formatted ext2 to store your /tce folder and backup

..I'd suggest the second choice would be easier - I can walk you through it if you'd like to give it a try.

[Rich]

The source code looks like it's windows only?

I took a look through the zip file. The make file will not run as is under linux without modification.
The package relies on QtDesigner and Qt4, both of which are in the repository, but QtDesigner
is a 150Mb package so I'm not going to attempt a compile. I did take a quick look through the
source files and did not see any references to Windows APIs.

[grandma]

Thank you Rich - I do like that browser - wish I could compile it and modify so its feature - BUILT IN FLASH - was retained without relying on INSTALLING ADOBE.

[grandma]

 have started making automated install - seems to work well and would have saved me weeks of learning - which most new Linux users will not do. This will allow them to enjoy TC.
 

[Juanito]

HOWEVER - I would like to learn BOTH.

... if ya got the patience.

Let's start with the usb stick approach..

Boot into tinycore, open a terminal window and plug in a usb stick - note that all data on the usb stick will be lost.

In order to discover the drive letter assigned to your usb stick:

Code: [Select]

$ dmesg | tail -20

usb 1-3.4: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 15
scsi11 : usb-storage 1-3.4:1.0
scsi 11:0:0:0: Direct-Access     SanDisk  U3 Cruzer Micro  3.21 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
sd 11:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg4 type 0
sd 11:0:0:0: [sdc] 1994385 512-byte logical blocks: (1.02 GB/973 MiB)
sd 11:0:0:0: [sdc] Write Protect is off
sd 11:0:0:0: [sdc] Mode Sense: 03 00 00 00
sd 11:0:0:0: [sdc] Assuming drive cache: write through
sd 11:0:0:0: [sdc] Assuming drive cache: write through
 sdc: sdc1
sd 11:0:0:0: [sdc] Assuming drive cache: write through
sd 11:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI removable disk..so in this example, the usb stick is assigned as sdc and it has one partition, sdc1

Next reformat the usb stick - remember to substitute the driver letter you found above:

Code: [Select]

$ sudo fdisk /dev/sdc

Command (m for help): d [delete a partition]
Selected partition 1

Command (m for help):  n [add a new partition]
Command action
   e   extended
   p   primary partition (1-4)
p
Partition number (1-4): 1
First cylinder (1-1021, default 1): Using default value 1
Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (1-1021, default 1021): Using default value 1021

Command (m for help): t [change a partition's system id]
Selected partition 1
Hex code (type L to list codes): 83 [ext2]

Command (m for help): p [print the partition table]

Disk /dev/sdc: 1021 MB, 1021125120 bytes
32 heads, 61 sectors/track, 1021 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 1952 * 512 = 999424 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks  Id System
/dev/sdc1               1        1021      996465+ 83 Linux

Command (m for help): w [write table to disk and exit]
The partition table has been altered!

Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table..in the example above, I had only one partition to delete, you might have more, but the method is the same.

Now write an ext2 filesystem to the newly formatted usb stick:

Code: [Select]

$ sudo mke2fs /dev/sdc1
mke2fs 1.41.11 (14-Mar-2010)
Filesystem label=
OS type: Linux
Block size=4096 (log=2)
Fragment size=4096 (log=2)
Stride=0 blocks, Stripe width=0 blocks
62336 inodes, 249116 blocks
12455 blocks (5.00%) reserved for the super user
First data block=0
Maximum filesystem blocks=255852544
8 block groups
32768 blocks per group, 32768 fragments per group
7792 inodes per group
Superblock backups stored on blocks:
        32768, 98304, 163840, 229376

Writing inode tables: done                            
Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information: done

This filesystem will be automatically checked every 37 mounts or
180 days, whichever comes first.  Use tune2fs -c or -i to override.
Now create the folders you'll use later:

Code: [Select]

$ sudo mount /dev/sdc1
$ sudo mkdir -p /mnt/sdc1/tce/optional
$ sudo chown -R tc:staff /mnt/sdc1/tce
Determine the uuid of your usb stick:

Code: [Select]

$ blkid -s UUID /dev/sdc1
/dev/sdc1: UUID="644f6b22-33a5-4034-8846-4ca18fa64c11"
Now you need to add the following to the grub menu.lst file on your hd boot, subtituting the uuid you found in the step above:

Code: [Select]

waitusb=10:UUID=644f6b22-33a5-4034-8846-4ca18fa64c11 tce=UUID=644f6b22-33a5-4034-8846-4ca18fa64c11..the first code tells tinycore to wait 10 seconds for a usb stick to be identified or until it detects a usb device with uuid=644f6b22-33a5-4034-8846-4ca18fa64c11, whichever comes first. The second code tells tinycore that the /tce folder is on usb device uuid=644f6b22-33a5-4034-8846-4ca18fa64c11

Now you need to reboot with the usb stick plugged in. Tinycore should discover your usb stick and use the drive letter associated with uuid=644f6b22-33a5-4034-8846-4ca18fa64c11.

You can discover which drive letter is used with:

Code: [Select]

$ cat /opt/.backup_device
$ cat /opt/.tce_dir
By default, tc will put your backup (mydata.tgz) in the /tce folder

[grandma]

RESULTS: (I will edit this so it remains under the instructions)

1. New Svolli Grub Menu.lst for a TC install on C: NTFS drive, I had replaced the menu.lst that I had been using to boot to TC on DOS G: drive with Svolli's menu.lst so G: TC was no longer available. I copied/pasted the menu.sav lines into the Svolli menu.lst, rebooted and was able to get to G: - the TC install we had used to get wifi working - boot worked.

2. Upon entering G: (hda2 - the TC install on a Fat32) no mouse. Rebooted, went to Windows and deleted G:/tce/mydata file, looked at onboot.lst - I had loaded that up - removed everything but wifi utilities. Rebooted and had plain stock screen again and a mouse.

3. I had removed the other USB drive, so only had sda1

4. Ran fdisk /dev/sda1

5. Deleted the partion - fine

6. New partition - fine

7. Type was Windows (had formatted as Fat32) - set to 83 - fine

8. Wrote it but bombed - "invalid argument"

9. Rebooted - looked at it again - showed as type Linux

10. Attempt to format appeared to work.

11. Attempt to mount bombed - invalid argument.

12. Retried - same results.

Will try again and see what I am doing wrong.

am running RC2 version - perhaps I should roll back?

[Juanito]

am running RC2 version - perhaps I should roll back?

There's no difference in fdisk between tc-3.5 and tc-3.6rc.

If your re-try doesn't work, you could always try the usb install of tc-3.6rc3 or 4 - this will also make an ext2 formatted usb stick.

[grandma]

bootloca.sh in /opt folder doesn't seem to run wifi utils
script I put in optional folder - right on top of tools has some issue - not sure - will check later
manually ran script at term - able to get antenna lit first time (go team)
posting with OPERA in TC now

flist -l shows usb drive that I just partitioned as Windows again although I set it to 83 and it showed as Linux before boot



will attempt first download in Opera - going to repository for v4

[Juanito]

flist -l shows usb drive that I just partitioned as Windows again although I set it to 83 and it showed as Linux before boot

Does your usb stick have a manual (hardware) write protect?

Could you cut and  paste the output of "sudo fdisk -l" with the usb stick plugged in

[grandma]

dumped opera - kept trying to save passwords and always went to http://www.tcz - bombed
reloaded firefox
here is sudo fdisk


Disk /dev/hda: 30.0 GB, 30005821440 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 3648 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks  Id System
/dev/hda1   *           1        1717    13791771   7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2            1718        2239     4192965   c Win95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/hda3            2240        3648    11317792+  f Win95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hda5            2240        2278      313236  82 Linux swap
/dev/hda6            2279        3648    11004493+ 83 Linux

Disk /dev/loop0: 1 MB, 1224704 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 0 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Disk /dev/loop0 doesn't contain a valid partition table
Note: sector size is 4096 (not 512)

Disk /dev/ramzswap0: 65 MB, 65253376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 0 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 4096 = 65802240 bytes

Disk /dev/ramzswap0 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/sda: 1030 MB, 1030750208 bytes
16 heads, 32 sectors/track, 3932 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 512 * 512 = 262144 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks  Id System
/dev/sda1   *           1        3932     1006576   b Win95 FAT32

Disk /dev/sdb: 16.0 GB, 16001269760 bytes
72 heads, 8 sectors/track, 54257 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 576 * 512 = 294912 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks  Id System
/dev/sdb1   *          15       54258    15622208   c Win95 FAT32 (LBA)

Disk /dev/loop10: 0 MB, 135168 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 0 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Disk /dev/loop10 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/loop20: 2 MB, 2093056 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 0 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Disk /dev/loop20 doesn't contain a valid partition table

---------------------------------------------
p.s. btw - do we have a FLASH related TCZ
I went back to the German browser gent - couldn't find a Linux version

p.s.s. up till 6am on ntfs - am dropping @ 10:30p - will look for solution on "invalid argument" - also read new kernel is showing ideX as sdaX - hot shot laptop I have won't clear partitions - has 1 drive but shows 4 drives -tried deleting - resetting to Linux - says it does but same error on W rite - "invalid argument"

[Juanito]

/dev/hda6            2279        3648    11004493+ 83 Linux

You could use this partition to contain your /tce folder and backup using the boot code tce=hda6

If you look in the scripting section of these forums, the is a script to download flash and make an extension of it.