no default or UI configuration directive found?

[mofosyne]

Just starting to use tinycore for a thin client (64mb ram, half ghz cpu), I tried to install tinycore into the hdd. However after I thought I got it installed, this is what it showed on reboot.

SYSLINUX 4.01 0x4c3de821 EDD Copyright (C) 1994-2010 H. Peter Anvin et al
No DEFAULT or UI configuration directive found
boot:_

I was not aware that I was suppose to type any kind of boot code in tc-install. I chose frugal install into 'hda', with ext4 as the file system. I kept the bootcode entry box empty. I was aiming to have this install have persistence, but cannot find the settings to do so.

[curaga]

Looks like the syslinux config file was not copied over. Please post more info, such as

- does the hd have enough space
- version of TC

[mofosyne]

the hdd has 32mb (its a flash Disk On Module), I'll eventually will insert a CF card instead later on.

As for version of TC, its version 4, I just found you guys a few days ago.

Anyhow, I tried using muticore, however I found that plus mode doesn't load. I think its to do with the lack of ram that my thin client suffers from, unfortunately the ram cannot be upgraded. (I might get a better one eventually, but for now I would really love to create an ssh box on this thin client, I got it for dirt cheap)

[mofosyne]

oh and btw I had no luck installing it into a usb drive from tinycore (I got tiny core to work via lili liveOS maker though, however since its fat32, it requires input to work (and has no persistence, will it support persistence on fat32 eventually?) )

[curaga]

Could not reproduce. TC 4.1, install tc-install, ext4 whole disk to a 32mb disk, worked and booted fine.

[mofosyne]

0.o  well did you have less than say 54mb of ram?

[mofosyne]

Well is there any recommendation for successfully installing tinycore into thin clients that has such low specs?

This is what the seller said of it:

HP/COMPAQ T5000 Series T5300 Workstation/Thin Client
Transmeta Crusoe TM5600 533 MHz
Installed RAM 64 MB (8mb is taken by cpu, and another 2mb by video I think)
Flash Memory 32 MB
Network Card 10/100 Network
Video output resolution 1600x1200 16bit supported

[curaga]

That could be it, Qemu defaults to 128mb ram. Let me test whether it would run out of ram in that case.

Note that if your ram prevents you from using the installer, but your system can still run TC (is above minimum requirements), you can use the manual install. It's linked from the top of the install page.

[curaga]

My test completed, but it went dangerously close to OOM (tested with 56mb ram). I suppose you'll need to do a manual install then.

[mofosyne]

do you mean this link? http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/install.html

[mofosyne]

Basically I could run the installer only if I type "tc" on boot (muticore) and manually add tc-install from app local browser. When using "plus"(multicore) , it starts crashing when it tries to load up other stuff besides tc-install.

I did the above method of going "tc" and attempting to manually install it that way, however I had no luck. Thinking that it was some stuff missing besides tc-install, I attempted to run "plus" on boot, and encountered this problem.

Esentally the problem boils down to "tc-install" going through the process as outlined in http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/install.html , but not showing the results for either "4gb usb drive" or "32mb ssd Disk On Module". Could tc-install be choking up on 54mb, even when manually added at "tc" boot mode?

[mofosyne]

Oh and btw, despite this massive headache that my thinclient is giving me (that's what you get for experimenting with ultra old stuff), thanks you very much for your help so far in making tiny core. Besides the installing problem, it seems to have the most potential out of all the distro i seen so far for this old geezer. (Though I wonder why fat32 is not supported, as "linux live usb creator" could only do fat32. it would be nice if we didn't have to press enter along the way. )

[mofosyne]

Okay, this took longer than I though. But I managed somehow. Thanks for this link http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/install_manual.html

Btw if I followed the link's instruction exactly, would this setup be persistent? Or do I have to make a few more modifications?

Also one of the major headache I found with tinycore is the keyboard. It seems to not recognize many keys from my keyboard, e.g. "backspace" turns into "[", and "enter" turns into "enter"+"/" . that's just not cool D:

Once i solve that problem, the next thing I would possibly want to know, is how to install an "ssh server", so I can practice remote administration from it. (I could do with improving my linux console skills perhaps).

Aside from the above points. I'm pretty happy so far. (tc-install could do with some improvements for low spec system. why syslinux, why not grub?)

[curaga]

Yeah, that's the page I was referring to. Yes, following it gives you a persistent tce dir + backup.

For the keyboard, see kmaps.tcz and for SSH see dropbear.


We certainly support fat32, but only tce + backup. Persistent home/opt require a linux fs. Please read the intro docs and/or the wiki if you want to know the differences.

(tc-install could do with some improvements for low spec system. why syslinux, why not grub?)

Not much lower can a GUI installer go. 54mb is only barely above the minimum requirements for TC itself.

[mofosyne]

For your kmap suggestion. I installed it just then, but still the keyboard problem remains. I even added "kmap=us" to the grub bootcode under menu.lst

I'm also giving openssh a try, its not working at the moment, but I'm sure its a setting problem. How does dropbear compare to it anyway, some form post said openssh is better than dropbear.

----
Optional readings about my experience after successfully installing tiny core via the manual method:

Manual install method worked for me, however it was quite an involved process. At least for me.

I would love to have a console based installer that is aimed specifically at installing to hdd.

My experience with TC-Install is that it doesn't work for usb or hdd installs. One of my guesses is that the GUI takes too much memory. For install, would it be possible to have a semi-gui in console for tc-install? (kinda like how there is kind of a gui in "bios setting screen".), and perhaps be able to access it from the start menu?

However a part of me also thinks that the problem is not quite with the tc-install GUI (as it loaded for me, on manual loading of that app), but rather with the internal installation process of tc-install, though I cannot comment on it as I don't know how it compares to manual install. Maybe a auto script version of the manual install in console would be workable?