Is my TC boot time correct ?

[Kivlov]

Hello

I try TC for few days, with an old thin client which can't connect anymore to our Windows 2008 R2 server via RDP (RDP client version too old and no update from Neoware possible). the thin client is a Neoware CA2 (E100 early), 800Mhz cpu and 128mb ram. I can boot on USB drive, so I installed TC (4.7.7 12mb) on a little 256mb USB stick (with core2usb).

it works great... but it takes several seconds to boot : from the syslinux boot screen, more than 2 minutes are necessary to load the desktop (for example, about 1min25sec to load /boot/core.gz).

is that normal ? when I tried Damn Small Linux, it was really really faster. I searched how to "boost" boot time, but I didn't find anything to help. any idea ?

thank you !
Kivlov

[curaga]

If your device boots using USB 1, it will be slow. Install to the internal drive for the best speed.

[Kivlov]

I can't install it on the internal flash chip (or I missed something).

maybe it's USB 1, but why Damn Small Linux load very fast and not Tiny Core (which is lighter) ?

[curaga]

The DSL initrd is ~400kb IIRC. Ours is ~6mb.

The different bootloader might also affect things.

[Rich]

Hi Kivlov
According to this:
http://www.parkytowers.me.uk/thin/neoware/CA2/
you have USB1.1 which is slow. How big is your backup file? Run:

Code: [Select]

filetool.sh -dto find out. A large backup file will cause slow boot times.

[Kivlov]

Total backup size : 0.01 MB (7412 bytes)

ok for the initrd, I didn't remember loading 6mb with USB 1 was so long...

do you know if there is any solution to install TC on the flash "DiskOnModule" ?

[pioj]

Do you have other ways to boot the computer? (sdcards, CF, etc..)

You should be able to install a bootloader to your DiskOnModule (I understand it is P.ATA/IDE type) by simply boot from another linux distro ,ie ubuntu, and then install GRUB or SYSLINUX targetting on /sda (or wherever the D.O.M is located)

[genec]

Tried launching the installer from the GUI?  This will need the CorePlus ISO or downloading several extensions.

What does TC see the DoM as?  a hard disk as hda/sda hopefully?  If it emulates just a regular-ish disk, you should be able to install with ease.  I'd recommend leaving the CHS geometry as-is as I've seen issues changing geometry.  If it already has a SYSLINUX-compatible file system, you may even be able to just install to it.

[Kivlov]

that's the problem : in BIOS, nothing appears as IDE master or slave. the hardware exists and the system boot on DoM perfectly, but I don't know why with TC loaded via USB stick, only sda1 appears... and this is the USB stick. I don't see anything else

[Rich]

Hi Kivlov
Post the result of:

Code: [Select]

fdisk -l

[Kivlov]

only 1 line :

Device : /dev/sda1
Boot : *
Start : 1
End : 976
Blocks : 249840
Id : b
System : Win95 FAT32

[Rich]

Hi Kivlov
Use the Apps utility and install   mtd-3.0.21-tinycore.tcz. Then reboot and see if the drive shows up.

[Kivlov]

no other drive with this app

[Rich]

Hi Kivlov
Have you tried  dmesg  to see if it provides any clues?

[Kivlov]

I didn't try before. here is the pastebin : dmesg. I don't see anything related to the DoM