Tiny Core Linux
Tiny Core Base => CorePlus => Topic started by: Mike7 on February 08, 2014, 12:00:45 AM
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Hi, All.
I'm starting a new thread because I had to break off from the previous one. I finally have a breather from non-computer issues and hope to make some headway with my TCL installation, with a little help from the kind and generous people in this forum.
My current situation is this:
- I used my Puppy Linux pendrive to dd the CorePlus-5.1 iso to a FAT32-formatted 1g pendrive.
- I was told here in the forum to re-install to another pendrive using the CorePlus Installer app, so first I formatted an empty 8g pendrive with two ext2 partitions, one primary bootable 3g partition and the other a non-booting primary 5g partition.
- After booting the 1g pendrive with the CorePlus iso on it, I ran the Installer app and installed to the 3g partition on the 8g pendrive. I had some problems with this (see below).
- I am able to boot the 8g pendrive, and the wi-fi app on wbar connects okay to a nearby wi-fi (unprotected).
- Because there was no file manager in the installation (contrary to what it says in the online installation guide), I ran the Apps app and downloaded and installed fluff.tcz. I don't know if I did this correctly because I don't understand the choices in the Apps app, but fluff works and even put an icon on wbar.
- Using fluff, I spent a couple of days roaming around and now have a general idea of the TCL file system and where certain things are kept, although I must admit that I find the file system rather confusing (I'm sure it all has a purpose).
That's as far as I got. I don't want to go any further because I'm not sure I installed Core properly. So that's the first thing I need help with. I've read "Core Concepts" and the installation guides several times, and they just aren't much help. Sorry, but it's the truth. The info in them is written for someone who already knows how Core works. Anyone else can't understand it. At least I couldn't. And since it's about installation it makes even less sense, because if you haven't installed Core yet then you obviously don't know how it works. Ditto for the images and video of the Installer procedure.
I don't say these unpleasant things from any enjoyment of being downbeat, please believe me. Far from it. But maybe the truth will bring some positive change. People like me who are new to TCL need real help, not confusing info that only people who already use TCL can understand. Again, I apologize for having to say this.
On to my specific installation problems, which in great part have to do with the Installer.
After typing in the path to core.gz, the Installer gave me three options: Frugal, USB-HDD, and USB-ZIP. None of these is an obvious choice for installing to a pendrive: I don't really know what the Frugal installation of Core is like, and I'm not installing to either a usb hard drive or a usb zip drive. (If USB-ZIP means a Zip drive that connects to a usb socket, then USB-HDD means a hard drive that connects to a usb socket. If, on the other hand, USB-HDD is intended to mean a usb pendrive or a hard drive, then it should say USB,HDD or USB/HDD, not USB-HDD, which is confusing.)
However, in my case it turned out that I had no choice. I was forced to choose Frugal because the only other reasonable choice, USB-HDD, doesn't permit selecting a partition, and I was installing to a partition, not the "Whole Disk". (Can anyone tell me why the Installer won't permit installing to a partition on a pendrive or a hard drive if you choose USB-HDD?)
Onward. After ticking "Frugal" and "Existing Partition" and selecting sdc1, I went to the next page, the formatting page. I chose "No Formatting, Use Existing" since I had already formatted my pendrive partitions ext2. Was I right to do this? Maybe.
The next page of the Installer, the Boot Options page, is particularly frustrating for someone like me who has never used Core and is installing it for the first time. Options like tce=, restore=, home=, opt=, local=, mydata=, and safebackup are meaningless to such a person. And if they can all be added or removed later, as I suspect is the case, why doesn't it just say so on this page of the Installer so we can skip it and get on with the installation process, without having to double-guess a list of confusing boot options? Again, I am not making criticisms because I like to be critical but because these are real problems with using the Installer for the first time.
In any case, I slugged in a few of the boot codes (like tce=sdb1, home=sdb1, and restore=sdb1) without knowing what I was doing, just for the heck of it.
On the next page of the Installer I checked "Wireless Support" and "Firmware" because I knew I would need these. I also checked "Non-US keyboard support" because sometimes I write in Spanish or French.
Finally, I clicked to proceed and got some kind of installation.
What next? Should I do it over again, if some kind person here in the forum will explain to me what I did wrong in the Installer and how to do it right? OTOH, should I keep the installation and try to modify it and use it, as I've already started to do by installing fluff? Or should I abandon CorePlus, as some have told me to do, and try to install Core and just the wi-fi extension and its dependencies?
If you think my installation is okay, what do I need to do to get it to work right? For example, I don't understand the difference between On-demand and Optional. Or how to use the Backup choices at shutdown. Or how to use the various choices when downloading extensions (even though I already downloaded one and it seems to work). I'd also like to know the purpose of the // folder (apparently a level below /root). And if there's any reason why I can't put my own files in the /tce/ folder, which is automatically saved, rather than go through a backup procedure when I shut down or set up some other kind of persistence. I know all these questions have been answered many times, but I can't make sense of what I've found to read about them.
In order to provide more information on my installation to someone willing to help me, I've taken a look in the pendrive where I installed Core, using Puppy. The Puppy desktop shows drive partitions sdc1 and sdc2, formatted ext2, with sdc1 as the boot partition (all OK there).
The sdc1 partition has four items in it:
- lost+found folder.
- tce folder.
- 3527-byte mydatabk.tgz file.
- 3527-byte mydata.tgz file.
The tce folder contains:
- "boot" folder containing extlinux, core.gz, and vmlinuz.
- empty "ondemand" folder.
- "optional" folder containing 174 files (tcz's, dep's, and checksums).
- empty file named "firstrun".
- file named "onboot.list" containing 79 lines (tcz's and checksums).
- empty file named "xwbar.lst".
- 3075-byte mydatabk.tgz file.
- 3524-byte mydata.tgz file.
- broken symlink to /tmp/tce.
Does this all look right? (Duplication of the mydatabk.tgz and mydata.tgz files on different levels and of different sizes? All the apps in the "optional" folder and an empty "ondemand" folder? "xwbar.lst" empty? etc.)
I am hoping, of course, that this installation is okay and that I can work with it. But I will re-install if you knowledgable people here in the forum tell me to do so.
Cheers, and thanks in advance for your help.
Mike
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Your install is fine. I would recommend you remove the extra bootcodes you added (tce=sdb1 etc) from extlinux.conf, as the installer added a tce= bootcode with the proper UUID.
The timing is good though, as just now we released the core book:
http://tinycorelinux.net/book.html
Please see if it explains the concepts any better.
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Hi, curaga.
Thank you very much for taking the trouble to read my post (I know it was unusually long) and for replying.
Your install is fine.
You made my day. :)
I would recommend you remove the extra bootcodes you added (tce=sdb1 etc) from extlinux.conf, as the installer added a tce= bootcode with the proper UUID.
Okay, but should I remove all the codes I put in via the Installer (home=sdb1, restore=sdb1, opt=sdb1, etc.), or one copy of all duplicated codes?
The timing is good though, as just now we released the core book. . . Please see if it explains the concepts any better.
Will do. The timing could not have been better. ;)
After reading the book, I'll post any unanswered questions.
Cheers!
Mike
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Hi Mike7
Okay, but should I remove all the codes I put in via the Installer (home=sdb1, restore=sdb1, opt=sdb1, etc.), or one copy of all duplicated codes?
Post the results of the command showbootcodes and someone will advise you on recommended changes.
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Hi, Rich, curaga, and all-
Here's the output from the showbootcodes command:
tc@box:~$ showbootcodes
initrd=/tce/boot/core.gz quiet tce=sdc1 restore=sdc1 home=sdc1opt=sdc1
safebackup noswap waitusb=5:UUID="6065ad4c-d216-48bb-a7c1-c538c02a42ed"
tce=UUID="6065ad4c-d216-48bb-a7c1-c538c02a42ed" BOOT_IMAGE=/tce/boot/vmlinuz
Help in removing unnecessary bootcodes (as well as adding ones that should be there and aren't) will be much appreciated.
Here are a just a very few more things I'd like to resolve ASAP, if someone can give me a quick fix:
- What should I do about the (apparently) duplicated mydata.tgz and mydatabk.tgz files? (see my first post, above).
- One of the messages I see when I boot the TCL pendrive is "Incorrect device indicated for /home/. . .ignoring persistent home request" (or something like that). How do I fix this?
- The TCL editor won't let me save a file to my hard drive. It returns the message "Read-only file system". Is there any way to change this (aside from creating an ext2 partition on the hard drive) so I can save files to it?
Anyway, If I can get the boot codes straightened out, that will be a big help.
Cheers!
Mike
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Until someone pipes in with a better strategy, I'd fix the boot codes with
KERNEL /tce/boot/vmlinuz
APPEND initrd=/tce/boot/core.gz loglevel=3 waitusb=5:UUID="6065ad4c-d216-48bb-a7c1-c538c02a42ed" tce=UUID="6065ad4c-d216-48bb-a7c1-c538c02a42ed" home=UUID="6065ad4c-d216-48bb-a7c1-c538c02a42ed"
though if it were me, I'd start over with the same installer. create a new partition using the whole USB available disk space and with ext2 formatting. Use the same boot codes as above until you feel the need to add more, like opt with same format as above. be sure the UUID matches the correct USB then you should be good (note: the APPEND is all one line)
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Don't use home= until you understand what changes you have to make to the system for it to work properly.
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Hi, coreplayer2, gerald_clark, curaga, and all.
Now I am even more confused. <grin>
Is APPEND a replace command? I'm not used to the terminal, but if this command appends instead of replacing, the boot codes will be even more messed up, won't they? Wouldn't it be safer and simpler to use curaga's method, editing extlinux.conf?
However, starting over with a fresh installation sounds like a good strategy to me, since I have hardly added anything yet to the installation. However, in order to do this I need to know exactly how to use the Installer app, which, as I said in my original post, is not obvious. (All the questions in that post still apply, not just the ones about which if any boot codes should be put onto that page of the Installer.)
If I do a re-install, why do I need to re-partition the pendrive into a single partition? I thought my decision to create a 3g boot partition and a 5g personal-data/backup partition was a good idea. Is it better to have a single 8g partition? Why?
If I re-install onto a single-partitoned pendrive using the Installer app, I'll have to choose between Frugal and USB-HDD (I will no longer need Frugal's option to install to a partition). Which should I choose? What's the difference? (I should go and read the book, right? But after a year of frustration I'm losing patience.)
BTW, can someone tell me if the installation from Windows using core2usb.exe is different in any way from the Installer app installation? If core2usb makes a good installation, without the pitfalls of the Installer app, I could go back to Windows and do that. But before doing so, I want to know how the installation core2usb.exe makes is different.
Now, gee, guys, I know I'm being a bore with all this newbie stuff, but after all I have been paying some dues. I mean, how many newbies are willing to pin down the problems with the Installer app so it can be improved? Or figure out that the first thing to do is download and install Fluff after a CorePlus installation? I think I'm doing pretty good.
So be nice and answer my questions, okay? :)
Cheers.
Mike
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http://tinycorelinux.net/book.html
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The book is great, Gerald, but it doesn't answer these questions and it won't get me out of my current difficulties. Sorry about that.
I think my questions are good ones and worth answering. I wouldn't bother people with frivolous questions.
Mike
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Is APPEND a replace command? I'm not used to the terminal, but if this command appends instead of replacing, the boot codes will be even more messed up, won't they? Wouldn't it be safer and simpler to use curaga's method, editing extlinux.conf?
Curaga and coreplayer2 are saying the same thing - edit extlinux.conf to look exactly like the text coreplayer2 proposed: KERNEL /tce/boot/vmlinuz
APPEND initrd=/tce/boot/core.gz loglevel=3 waitusb=10:UUID="6065ad4c-d216-48bb-a7c1-c538c02a42ed" tce=UUID="6065ad4c-d216-48bb-a7c1-c538c02a42ed"
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Thanks, Juanito. I thought they were terminal commands <oops!>.
Do you agree with Gerald, that I should remove the home= code from coreplayer2's append line?
And since you are being so helpful, Juanito, could you answer some of my other questions? I really don't think that just changing the boot codes is going to fix the installation. Maybe I'm wrong about that, but it seems to me that some files and directories got misplaced due to the boot code mistakes, and these files and directories are being re-created when I re-boot. The best solution is probably to start over again.
I'm hoping that coreplayer2 will be willing to work with me on using the Installer app, or answering my question about the core2usb.exe installation. Got my fingers crossed.
If not, I will probably just give up for now and read The Book carefully.
Cheers.
Mike
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I hadn't spotted the "home" boot code was still there - yes, remove it (edited out below) and it is probably a good idea to set the "waitusb" boot code to 10 to make absolutely sure and delete the mydata.tgz and mydatabk.tgz files.
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maybe watching this official install video will help, play the video a couple of times until all the steps are clear. Then reproduce the steps exactly as directed.
http://tinycorelinux.net/videos/installer.html (http://tinycorelinux.net/videos/installer.html)
You'll note that only the waitusb boot code is used (and is likely the only boot code which is necessary)
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Juanito-
Which mydata.tgz and mydatabk.tgz files should I delete? There are now two of each. :(
M.
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All of them - this will allow you to start again from a totally clean, known state.
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coreplayer2-
I've watched that video many times. It's more confusing than helpful. Because there's no sound, you can't tell what the person is doing. And none of the choices made in it are obvious ones.
With what I now believe to be true, I agree that the only necessary and recommendable boot codes are probably waitusb and tce=sxx, which are already added by default. The Installer shouldn't even have that boot code page. It's confusing and can lead to installation errors, like in my case.
After all, what's needed for a CorePlus installation? The requisite CorePlus files, a bootloader, an mbr, and waitusb. Anything else? It could all be automated.
For example, what's the point in having a CorePlus version of TCL if you're not going to install wireless and firmware? There's no need for any Installer selection there.
Choose between Frugal and USB-HDD? I did a frugal install (for the partition feature), and it worked. In the video, the USB-HDD is chosen for a pendrive, so that apparently works too. Why have any choice at all, then?
And all the other choices can be (and probably should be) made later, once there's an installation.
I'll bet that if someone thought it through, they could re-write the Installer so that it was totally automatic. That's what a person installing TCL for the first time needs, not a lot of confusing choices.
Don't you agree?
Mike
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Juanito-
Okay, I'll delete all four compressed data files and edit extlinux.conf with your revision of coreplayer2's code.
What about the duplicate tce directories? Will the unnecessary one be eliminated by the extlinux.conf edit?
M.
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Don't you agree?
Mike
I wished I could, honestly not on any point sorry
For example, for almost as long as we've been able to boot a USB drive, there has been greater support for USB-HDD. Most BIOS provide support for USB-HDD geometry detection.
Maybe I'm showing my age?
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And if they can all be added or removed later, as I suspect is the case, why doesn't it just say so on this page of the Installer so we can skip it and get on with the installation process, without having to double-guess a list of confusing boot options?
Added such a label. Hopefully that makes the page a bit clearer.
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What about the duplicate tce directories? Will the unnecessary one be eliminated by the extlinux.conf edit?
Once you've rebooted, we can check if there are still two and delete one of them if required.
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coreplayer2-
for almost as long as we've been able to boot a USB drive, there has been greater support for USB-HDD. Most BIOS provide support for USB-HDD geometry detection.
According to curaga my Frugal install was okay, and it boots correctly. (My eeePC is from 2008, and it will boot anything plugged into a USB or flash drive socket.) So why have to choose between Frugal and USB-HDD? Does the USB-HDD choice do something to the installation or the boot process that Frugal doesn't? I don't see it. (Although the Frugal option to install to a partition makes sense to me.)
Regarding the Installer page with the choices of Wireless, Firmware, Remastering, and Foreign-Language keyboard Support, some of these are intrinsic to CorePlus and others may be wanted later. So why not just install them all? Any unused ones can be uninstalled.
Wasn't the whole point to CorePlus to include in the installation some things that are commonly wanted, so that they needn't be downloaded and installed separately? So why have a page where you have to choose them? It seems to me to defeat the purpose of CorePlus, as well as make things unnecessarily complicated for a newbie installation.
Maybe I'm showing my age?
Nah. . . I'm 70, how old are you?
Mike
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curaga-
Added such a label. Hopefully that makes the page a bit clearer.
It will make it clearer. But why not just leave in the default boot codes (waitusb= and tce=UUID...) and eliminate the page entirely?
Newbies like me using the Installer app (who else is going to use it?) haven't the experience yet to make any other boot code choices. Look what happened to me. Wouldn't it be better to leave them for later?
Mike
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Juanito-
Once you've rebooted, we can check if there are still two and delete one of them if required.
Okay, I'll make the agreed changes, reboot, and report back. May take a day or two, as I'm having back problems and can't sit at the computer for a while.
Mike
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The installer isn't just for beginners that have not read the documentation.
It is intended to install Core, providing those methods and options that may be needed during installation.
Many of those boot options are best defined during installation, as adding them later requires more than just changing the boot codes.
The default boot codes should work in most cases, but others may be required and should not be disallowed just because you don't know what they mean.
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Gerald-
Many of those boot options are best defined during installation, as adding them later requires more than just changing the boot codes.
What boot codes besides waitusb= and tce= should be added in the Installer?
Mike
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The ones you know you need.
Since you don't know that you need any, none.
When I install there are specific options I know I need, so I include them.
Remember, Core is not an install and run distribution. It is a tool kit.
Craftsmen need good tools. Would you tell your carpenter that he should not have a screwdriver in his tool kit because a hammer and nails are easier for a beginner?
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Gerald-
Okay, I think I understand a little better now. And thanks for explaining.
Still, isn't the Installer app really for beginners? I thought that experienced users didn't install CorePlus in any case. Maybe I had it all wrong.
Mike
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Juanito, Coreplayer2, and all-
I made the changes you suggested. Here's what I did:
- Deleted all mydata.gz and mydatabk.gz files.
- Edited extlinux.conf as suggested.
- Shut down allowing default "Safe" backup.
- Re-booted; then:
tc@box:~$ showbootcodes
initrd=/tce/boot/core.gz loglevel=3 waitusb=10:UUID="6065ad4c-d216-48bb-a7c1-c538c02a42ed" tce=UUID="6065ad4c-d216-48bb-a7c1-c538c02a42ed" BOOT_IMAGE=/tce/boot/vmlinuz
So the boot codes are now as suggested.
I also found the following:
- New mydata.gz file in /mnt/sdb1/tce/
- New mydata.gz file in /etc/sysconfig/tcedir/
- An empty directory /mnt/sdb1/tce/tce/
- An empty directory /etc/sysconfig/tcedir/tce/
When I shut down again, the backup default was "Backup", and I went with that. But I really don't understand how the backup choices at shutdown work.
As a possibly helpful diagnostic tool I ran tree.tcz, which I had previously downloaded from the app respository, and printed the output to a file. However, the file is 1.4m (7439 directories, 30017 files) and the attachment limit here is 192k. So I cut it down to essentials and am attaching that here (trying to, anyway). Maybe one of you experienced guys can check it out and see if it looks okay.
Cheers.
Mike
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You need to shut down and reboot without a backup so that a clean, known state is reached.
Could you try deleting the mydata files again and rebooting without backup? Note that you can also achieve this by entering "norestore" at the boot prompt.
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Read the book http://tinycorelinux.net/book.html
It explains the backup options.
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Hi, Juanito.
You need to shut down and reboot without a backup so that a clean, known state is reached.
What will get lost if I do that? Will I lose my configurations and my documents?
Note that you can also achieve this by entering "norestore" at the boot prompt.
I don't think there is a no restore choice on the screen I get when I boot. It just has choices about copying the OS to RAM, and such. But there is a backup choice when I shutdown: None, Safe, and Backup. Should I choose None?
Mike
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If you have not saved your documents to permanent storage they will be lost. As a safety measure, you could copy the mydata* files to permanent storage and delete them from their current location.
For the purposes of getting things sorted out, it would be better to choose the backup choice "none".
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Hi Mike7
- New mydata.gz file in /mnt/sdb1/tce/
- New mydata.gz file in /etc/sysconfig/tcedir/
Those are both physically the same file. /etc/sysconfig/tcedir/ is a link to /mnt/sdb1/tce/
- An empty directory /mnt/sdb1/tce/tce/
- An empty directory /etc/sysconfig/tcedir/tce/
Those are both the same directory.
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Hi, Rich.
Thanks. I thought that /etc/sysconfig/tcedir/ was probably a reflection of tce/ in /mnt/sdb1/, but I wasn't sure.
But should the tce/ directory in /mnt/sdb1/tce/ be empty, or be there at all? In other words, what the heck is an empty /mnt/sdb1/tce/tce/ directory doing there?
M.
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It will be empty if you have not installed any extensions, nor done a backup.
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Hi, juanito.
If you have not saved your documents to permanent storage they will be lost.
I've been saving them to a folder I created in the tce directory. Perhaps I shouldn't do that, but it works. (Maybe it messes up some config files, but so far everything seems okay.)
As a safety measure, you could copy the mydata* files to permanent storage and delete them from their current location.
I can see saving a copy to another disk outside core as a safe backup, but why would I want to delete them from core?
For the purposes of getting things sorted out, it would be better to choose the backup choice "none".
You may be right about that, but I just went with whatever the shutdown dialogue gave me as a default. I figured it knew best. Now what can I do? I've already done one "Safe" backup and one "Backup" backup. <grin>
This is becoming like a Chinese puzzle.
For the purposes of clarity, I suppose I could, as you say, delete the mydata.gz file again and shut down with "None" in the shutdown dialogue. I just don't really want to lose the extensions I've downloaded.
The alternative is re-installing from scratch. But it seems like giving up.
Mike
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Hi, Gerald.
It will be empty if you have not installed any extensions, nor done a backup.
Ah, but you see I have done both those things. :)
I may be all wrong, but I suspect that this /mnt/sdb1/tce/tce/ directory shouldn't be there at all and that it's just the result of having put tce=sdb1 into the Installer when the Installer creates the tce directory automatically anyway.
I don't know what my personal solution to this is, but to keep it from happening to anyone else how about removing tce =xxx from the list of boot code options in the Installer?
M.
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Post the output of "showbootcodes".
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Post the output of "showbootcodes".
That's tricky, because I would have to switch to TCL to get them, and then switch back to Puppy to post them. (I have to use Puppy Linux to communicate with the forum because I don't yet have a web browser in TCL.)
But since I haven't changed any boot codes (not intentionally, anyhow), they should still be the same as when I edited extlinux.conf (see Feb. 15th posts):
tc@box:~$ showbootcodes
initrd=/tce/boot/core.gz loglevel=3 waitusb=10:UUID="6065ad4c-d216-48bb-a7c1-c538c02a42ed" tce=UUID="6065ad4c-d216-48bb-a7c1-c538c02a42ed" BOOT_IMAGE=/tce/boot/vmlinuz
Those are the boot codes that juanito and coreplayer2 advised me to put into extlinux.conf.
Note that tce=sdb1 was removed, yet there is a suspicious-looking empty directory /mnt/sdb1/tce/tce/ that /etc/sysconfig/tcedir/tce/ has created.
M.
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I can see saving a copy to another disk outside core as a safe backup, but why would I want to delete them from core?
Because, due to the fact you had both a back-up and persistent home and opt set, the backup is probably messed up.
For the purposes of clarity, I suppose I could, as you say, delete the mydata.gz file again and shut down with "None" in the shutdown dialogue. I just don't really want to lose the extensions I've downloaded.
Extensions should be on persistent storage and not in your backup
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Curaga-
I directed two posts (#s 37 & 39 above) to Gerald Clark that I think maybe should have been addressed to you as well.
As you can see from this series of posts, adding tce=xxx to the boot codes in the Installer app is not only redundant (we all agree about that, right?) but seems to have messed up part of the filesystem, creating a weird empty /mnt/sdb1/tce/tce/ directory, if nothing worse. (Or am I wrong and /mnt/sdb1/tce/tce/ really is supposed to be there?)
Since you were reasonable enough to add an explanatory label to that page of the Installer, how about also removing tce=xxx from the list of possible add-in boot codes so that no one makes the same mistake I did?
Cheers!
Mike
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No, it is not redundant. The tce directory can be on a drive other than the boot drive, or on a different partition.
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In any case, I slugged in a few of the boot codes (like tce=sdb1, home=sdb1, and restore=sdb1) without knowing what I was doing, just for the heck of it.
You know, perhaps we could have avoided a lot of problems by letting the installer use it's defaults? I think I said before, I'd start over
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Gerald-
No, it is not redundant. The tce directory can be on a drive other than the boot drive, or on a different partition.
But the Installer automatically puts tce=UUID=xxx into extlinux.conf, doesn't it? Does adding a tce=yyy boot code override the xxx UUID? If so, how do you explain that the Installer created a tce directory inside the tce directory (/mnt/sdb1/tce/tce/)?
M.
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Hi, coreplayer2.
You know, perhaps we could have avoided a lot of problems by letting the installer use it's defaults?
Hopefully the label curaga is going to put on that Installer page, warning people like me who don't know what they're doing not to put in any boot codes, will prevent this mess in the future. :)
I think I said before, I'd start over.
That's the easy way out. It's no fun.
M.
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juanito-
due to the fact you had both a back-up and persistent home and opt set, the backup is probably messed up.
I don't mind deleting mydata.gz again and doing a re-boot with no backup if you really think it will help. But don't forget that I removed those home and opt boot codes from extlinux.conf before shutting down the first time. So those codes weren't active when I re-booted and then shut down with a backup.
Extensions should be on persistent storage and not in your backup.
I forgot. :D Okay, I'll boot up TCL again, delete mydata.gz, and shut down with no backup. Then I'll re-boot and see if the mess disappears.
M.
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Well, you can't keep blaming the tools.. the mess is self-induced IMHO Why not start over then install a web browser and start learning how core works?
It's no fun watching you not get it right
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boot codes have so many uses, while the defaults will work adequately for most systems. Just to show how wildly different they can be here are the bootcodes from this evening's machine as an example.
tc@box:~$ showbootcodes
initrd=/tce/boot/rootfs-520.gz,/tce/boot/modules-3813.gz loglevel=3 noswap lst=onboot32xorg.lst mydata=mydata32xorg tce=sda1 opt=sda1 home=sda1 desktop=hackedbox blacklist=bcma,ssb,b43,rtl8192cu,iwlwifi BOOT_IMAGE=/tce/boot/vmlinuz-3813
My advise is accept the defaults and adjust later only if needed
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Hi, coreplayer2.
Sorry I took so long in replying, but I have health issues that distract me.
My advise is accept the defaults and adjust later., . . Why not start over then install a web browser and start learning how core works?
I think that's good advice. I'd like to re-install using the default boot codes. However, there's an unresolved issue for me with the Installer: only "Frugal" allows installing to a partition, but the documentation says to use USB-HDD for a pendrive. This is a predicament for me as I am trying to keep my 8GB pendrive in two partitions so I can save and backup files outside the TCL partition.
So, what should I do when re-installing, choose Frugal (to partition 1), or re-format the pendrive as a single partition and choose USB-HDD?
Mike
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It's your choice.
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Hi, Gerald.
It's your choice.
I'm afraid that's really not much help. I can't make a choice if I don't know what the differences and consequences are.
Also, like I said, the documentation says to use USB-HDD for pendrives. Why? Does that mean a frugal install to a partition is the wrong thing to do for some reason?
People in the forum have told me to do a fresh installation, but if I don't get a little help using the Installer app I won't be able to.
After all the time invested, I hate to give up and Install using core2usb.exe.
Cheers.
Mike
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Ok so I grabbed a spare 16GB USB stick of my bench, then fixed it up just the way you want it.
I created partitions, (first) FAT32 | (second) EXT2
Using coreplus installer, installed core + X/gui to sda2 and voila! booted right up
knowing that pictures speak a thousand words
If required, create partitions on USB drive using gparted & e2fsprogs (downloaded and installed to the currently booted coreplus filesystem just for the task)
1. delete previous partition(s)
2. create partition table > from Device menu, select "Create Partition Table" (Note the warnings, eg; be sure you have the correct drive selected)
3. create partitions as required
(https://db.tt/jLrNL8eW)
TC-Install selecting sda2 (second partition previously formatted with ext2) with these options
(https://db.tt/aO7HNXtc)
nothing more than this (no extra boot codes, only x/gui applications for a desktop),
continue using forward arrows then finally the "Proceed" button to complete
(https://db.tt/z4GSn6fN)
Unnecessary but to show the partitions with completed install,
I opened gparted once more then selected the USB thumb drive to verify desired results
(https://db.tt/cbW7hG09)
To the best of my knowledge I did not make any other install selections. Also the above operation took 15 minutes tops (actually took longer to post the screenshots).
Note we have a FAT partition available to transfer doc's etc. etc. Additionally, with a FAT partition created first on the removable drive, Windows will not complain about the ext2 partition every time you plug in the drive
reboot, then select your USB thumb drive from the BIOS boot menu.
ok here is the finished product, installed to USB drive complete with tce directory which booted up without issue
(https://db.tt/095xc9IK)
good luck
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A couple of interesting links
Frugal install of tinycore to USB devices is described in the wiki, here
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:install_usb (http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:install_usb)
Also see Core concepts for explanation of "Frugal" install
http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/concepts.html (http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/concepts.html)
Hope that helps
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Hi, coreplayer2.
Some of these questions are being resolved in our personal messages, but I'm still unclear about whether (and why) I need a FAT32 partition. Maybe just so I can read Windows files placed there while booted into the pendrive? (But can TCL read Windows-formatted files?)
Also, note that the images did not appear in your post above (or is there a problem with my browser?).
Here's a query: When partitioning a pendrive, should the partition table be created before or after the partitions? (I see in your steps that you created it before making the partitions.)
Cheers.
Mike
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Hi Mike7
A FAT32 partition is only required if you need to be able to transfer files to/from a Windows machine with the pendrive.
The images are there, it's probably your browser.
In gparted, you can tell it what partitions you want to define first. It doesn't actually do anything until you click the apply button.
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Hi, coreplayer2.
Here's a query: When partitioning a pendrive, should the partition table be created before or after the partitions? (I see in your steps that you created it before making the partitions.)
On an empty drive, create the partition table then create partitions as desired.
note: if your drive already has partitions you would like to keep, then don't create a new partition table
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I'm planning to re-use my 2-partition 8GB pendrive for the new installation. I suppose I could simply reformat each of the partitions (both ext2) and leave the partition table alone?
OTOH, I'm not certain that reformatting the two partitions separately will leave things exactly as they were when I originally created the partitions. It might be best to really start from scratch by reformatting the whole pendrive in FAT32 and then recreating the two ext2 partitions. If I did that, would I need to make a new partition table first?
Sorry if these questions sound silly or arcane, but my knowledge of partitions, formatting, partition tables, and using Gparted is rather limited.
Mike
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Just quit talking about it and do it.
Try it several different ways and see which suits your needs.
It's not our job to make all your decisions for you.
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Hi, coreplayer2.
....but I'm still unclear about whether (and why) I need a FAT32 partition.
Mike
(https://db.tt/0M3TPnKi)
This is one reason, a non Windows recognizable file system on a connected drive will result in this massage with "Format drive" highlighted. potentially disastrous should you hit Enter..
Unless you have files to transfer, a FAT partition seems a waste of space. I normally go with one partition on such small USB thumb drives.
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The windows ext2/3/4 drivers have been stable for years now - there's really no need to make a fat partition.
When the drivers are installed, you don't get the message offering to format your drive.
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Hi, Gerald.
Just quit talking about it and do it.
Try it several different ways and see which suits your needs.
It's not our job to make all your decisions for you.
It would be best to just ignore your rude remarks, painful as they are, but in the spirit of comraderie may I offer the suggestion that you seek the causes of your anger in yourself? That will be the only way to cure it and be more light-hearted.
Cheers.
Mike
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Hi, coreplayer2.
Unless you have files to transfer, a FAT partition seems a waste of space.
Okay, now I see the problem. With my Puppeee Linux installation, I can transfer files to and from the HDD (while I'm in Puppeee) just by mounting the HDD; but maybe that's because Puppeee was installed onto a FAT-formatted pendrive (from Windows). I guess it won't be the same with the ext2 filesystem of TCL. (Don't worry, I definitely won't try to read the TCL pendrive from Windows <grin>.)
I normally go with one partition on such small USB thumb drives.
8gb isn't so small, although I suppose that after downloading tcz's I'll have taken up about half of it. The only reason I thought having two partitions might be a good idea was in order to have one for safety in case I crash the whole TCL partition.
Here's a question that's been floating around in my brain for a while: If I were to install TCL from Windows using core2usb.exe, would I still have to do a second installation using the Installer app, just like I had to do when I first installed the TCL iso onto a pendrive? What this question boils down to is, does core2usb.exe do a real installation just like the Installer app? (I'm assuming you've used core2usb.exe or know how it works. Otherwise, just ignore.)
Cheers.
Mike
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I am not angry.
You have been talking about installing for weeks now.
If you ever want to get over this hurdle, you need to get off your butt and actually do it.
I am just trying to get you to quit agonizing about the best way to format you disk and do a few installs so you can actually learn something.
It only takes a couple of minutes, and if you are not happy with it do it over.
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Gerald-
I want my next installation to be a good one that I can stay with. That means, for one thing, setting up the pendrive properly. What's the point of installing again, onto a pendrive that's set up wrong, and then having to repeat the process all over again?
Forethought seems to me to be what's indicated here, and for that I need all the information I can get.
I'm anxious to start using TCL. I'm not anxious to use it and then have to wipe it out again.
Mike
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This is a great thread for a beginner to read. ;D