TinyCore Boots to a DOS Prompt

[coreplayer2]

...
I cannot get it to boot to a GUI, no matter what option I select, though.  It goes through a couple of loading screens and then ends up at a DOS prompt lookalike that starts with "tc@box".  What is/are the next steps?  I can't find anything in the book.

After some investigating and an update to the Wiki i discovered an issue with the CorePlus*.ISO's boot config file which won't allow most options to boot to a desktop.   
The TinyCore-current and Tinycore-9.0.ISO's  work fine.

Try the attached corrected boot config file for USB drives with any CorePlus*.ISO installed.  The filename maybe different, the same file on your USB/boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg  or USB/boot/extlinux/extlinux.cfg or something else, but don't be concerned about that just change the name of the corrected file to match and replace the existing file. 

Then reboot and all should be good

[Juanito]

I should be able to take a look at the CorePlus iso in 3-4 days time

[mikezuccaburg]

Hey guys,

So I did the following:

 - Replaced every "cde" text in boot/isolinux/isolinux.cfg with "waitusb=5".  I still had the same problem of booting to that DOSalike after selecting a version of TinyCore.

 - Tried "dd" instead of core2usb.  It returns that isolinux.bin is missing or corrupt and to insert a boot disk.

 - Mounted the .iso with a virtual drive in Linux.  No installation GUI popped up.

If anyone has any ideas (that won't damage my hardware or wipe out my primary OS) I'm willing to try them!  Thanks again to all who have posted.

[mikezuccaburg]

...
I cannot get it to boot to a GUI, no matter what option I select, though.  It goes through a couple of loading screens and then ends up at a DOS prompt lookalike that starts with "tc@box".  What is/are the next steps?  I can't find anything in the book.

After some investigating and an update to the Wiki i discovered an issue with the CorePlus*.ISO's boot config file which won't allow most options to boot to a desktop.   
The TinyCore-current and Tinycore-9.0.ISO's  work fine.

Try the attached corrected boot config file for USB drives with any CorePlus*.ISO installed.  The filename maybe different, the same file on your USB/boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg  or USB/boot/extlinux/extlinux.cfg or something else, but don't be concerned about that just change the name of the corrected file to match and replace the existing file. 

Then reboot and all should be good

Hey Coreplayer2, for some reason the forum didn't update for me so I didn't see this post.  I will give this a shot as well.  Thanks

UPDATE:  I think the Linux USB writing app made it read-only.  It doesn't appear when inserted and won't allow me to edit the files.  I am going to do a long format of this drive with Lubuntu's disk utility and try again in the morning.

[mikezuccaburg]

...
I cannot get it to boot to a GUI, no matter what option I select, though.  It goes through a couple of loading screens and then ends up at a DOS prompt lookalike that starts with "tc@box".  What is/are the next steps?  I can't find anything in the book.

After some investigating and an update to the Wiki i discovered an issue with the CorePlus*.ISO's boot config file which won't allow most options to boot to a desktop.   
The TinyCore-current and Tinycore-9.0.ISO's  work fine.

Try the attached corrected boot config file for USB drives with any CorePlus*.ISO installed.  The filename maybe different, the same file on your USB/boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg  or USB/boot/extlinux/extlinux.cfg or something else, but don't be concerned about that just change the name of the corrected file to match and replace the existing file. 

Then reboot and all should be good

Coreplayer2, progress of a sort.  The BIOS now does not recognize that a flash drive is inserted, though when I go into Lubuntu I can access it just fine.

I just tried a different USB stick in the same USB port and it was able to boot another OS, so I think we can rule out the BIOS and hardware.  I think the stick with TinyCore on it is fine too, though I can install it on to another one if you think that'd help.

[coreplayer2]

Hello mikezuccaburg

What is your PS make and Model?
What is the Host Operating System?

I read in an earlier post that you were able to use "core2usb"  which is a Windows program and I'm amazed you were able to succeed with this, but there are so many other options available to you to resolve this issue..

[mikezuccaburg]

Hello mikezuccaburg

What is your PS make and Model?
What is the Host Operating System?

I read in an earlier post that you were able to use "core2usb"  which is a Windows program and I'm amazed you were able to succeed with this, but there are so many other options available to you to resolve this issue..

I have a couple of different computers.  I am trying to use TinyCore in particular on an old HP Stream with 2 gigs of ram (non-upgradeable) but I have tried to boot it on various machines.  I have Lubuntu, Mint, Fedora, Windows 7, and an outdated Mac OS to work with as well.

I have tried core2usb, the "dd" terminal entry someone else mentioned, Unetbootin (from Linux), and all have failed.  Apparently TinyCore is supposed to have its own installer but I can't get it to launch it when I mount the ISO to a virtual drive.  What else should I try?

[Juanito]

Unless mounting the iso to a virtual drive allows you to run tinycore, tc-install will not work. If mounting the iso allows you to run tinycore, then running tc-install from the cli will give you an error message that should indicate why it isn't working.

If you can burn the CorePlus iso to cd/dvd you can boot from that and use tc-install.

Since you can run other flavours of linux, you could use them to install tinycore as explained here:

http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,19364.msg119228.html#msg119228

or here:

http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,20939.msg130829.html#msg130829

[coreplayer2]

I have tried core2usb, the "dd" terminal entry someone else mentioned, Unetbootin (from Linux), and all have failed.  Apparently TinyCore is supposed to have its own installer but I can't get it to launch it when I mount the ISO to a virtual drive.  What else should I try?

OK, try This Wiki step by step guide "Option 2"  http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:install_usb_stepbystep?&#option_2

The above StepByStep guide is intended for Windows users who have a notebook without a CD/DVD drive, Option 2 is the easiest and safest
Please use the TinyCore-current.ISO for this attempt

[Misalf]

Apparently TinyCore is supposed to have its own installer [...]

I think it's quite easy to get TinyCore on a USB stick by DIY from a Linux PC if you know how little is actually to do.

I think those guides should have you covered for that. Or read the tc-install script.

Basically, format the drive (if needed) -> install bootloader (if needed) -> copy TinyCore files ... (when you know where to...) -> edit boot loader config file (can be iffy as TC stuff might seem strange *).
Edit *: at first

[coreplayer2]

Apparently TinyCore is supposed to have its own installer [...]

I think it's quite easy to get TinyCore on a USB stick by DIY from a Linux PC if you know how little is actually to do.

I think those guides should have you covered for that. Or read the tc-install script.

I agree, am working on it..  but a Linux method is no easier than from Windows (10) IMO and remember the step by step guide was initially aimed at windows users who have no means to boot aN ISO burned CD  which is becoming more and more frequent these days



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Misalf]

Even as a former (and occasional) Windows user (I'm not bashing here) I always preferred to do TinyCore stuff from Linux rather than Windows. Not because of any "reasons" but because you don't need extra tools to get working and you get to know how TinyCore is structured. Meaning doing it from Linux, while or if available, might be less involved. Still, I feel like Hacker-Man after creating a bootable USB stick by running a few (tut carefully read) commands and will use them later kinda knowing what they mean; Not a point and click adventure.

[coreplayer2]

I always preferred to do TinyCore stuff from Linux rather than Windows.

On this point I agree entirely

Not because of any "reasons" but because you don't need extra tools to get working and you get to know how TinyCore is structured. Meaning doing it from Linux, while or if available, might be less involved. Still, I feel like Hacker-Man after creating a bootable USB stick by running a few (tut carefully read) commands and will use them later kinda knowing what they mean; Not a point and click adventure.

you’re killing me..  [emoji850]
I really don’t really want to go there..
[emoji12]


There are Linux based guided already, though I can imagine a step by step guide might ending  up equally as long as the windows S-B-S Option 1  - Expanded guide!!
 
Besides, other than a few file name and boot config edits the Wiki step by step option 2  is mostly point and click using Rufus.
When updating the wiki I was concerned that windows may have trouble mounting the ISO, boy was I wrong!!  Again point and click and the iso was mounted and accessible in the blink of an eye

Mounting an ISO might be more troublesome in early windows however...  but I’m sure there’s a command for that if I could just remember..

 
Core2usb would potentially be the easiest method, unfortunately it hasn’t been useful for the last 4-5 years..  it can’t find a suitable USB drive if you offered it up one a plate, garnished and all the trimmings..  not a priority I guess! too bad.




It just hurts me to see so many folks have such difficulty with this easy task.







Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Juanito]

I should be able to take a look at the CorePlus iso in 3-4 days time

The CorePlus iso file isolinux.cfg was corrupted - the iso has been reposted

[mikezuccaburg]

SUCCESS!  I got TinyCore running with the instructions here:

http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:install_usb_stepbystep?&#option_2

With a caveat:  Although renaming the directory from "cde" to "tce" was necessary, steps 5 and 6 were totally unnecessary, with the exception of renaming each "cde" in the config file to "waitusb=5".  Admins and/or devs take note:  This guide needs to be updated.  Many of the options mentioned under Rufus do not exist anymore either (presumably this was written for a previous version of the software). 

One more question:  Can you use Google Chrome with TinyCore?  I found Firefox but not Chrome.  I prefer Chrome just because it has all my bookmarks and Firefox tends to scramble them when I attempt an import.  If I can run LibreOffice and Chrome on TinyCore, it'll be like Christmas.

This distribution should really be more popular!  For those of us who use Linux because it takes up fewer resources, it's pretty much the best thing out there, since Damn Small seemingly does not have WiFi capability and has been discontinued.