Hi forum,
Tried all the posted ideas here.............nothing works.
Rich, i tried your command and got back
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/tmp/tce
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i don't have any persistence .....or the tce forced to a real permanent memory store
i tried all the recommended bootcodes , ........nothing works
i tried the free SCRIPT about resolutions..........it does not work....it can't find "Xrandr" so throws an error..........is that script for 32 bit TCL?
i would have hoped this screen size issue could have been simply solved in moments.......... but no.
...... perhaps i must go away from 64 bit TCL to 32 bit.........it may be that 64 bit has had it's graphical initialisation and default method and drivers changed from what 32 bit defaults to and what WORKS right..........64 bit graphics doesn't work for many brands of "certain aged hardware" by default....
It's a 64 bit machine and cpu.
C
Perhaps the creator of the 64 bit TCL is not able to support this screen size issue.....?
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Ai reply to the screen issue below............it' *** significantly **** more clear than anything in this OP and found in 20 seconds.
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Why has Tinycore 64 bit booted with GAPS at the edges of my screen on a HP compaq 6910p?
The gaps around the edges of your Tiny Core screen on the HP Compaq 6910p are almost certainly caused by the default Xvesa video driver not using your laptop's native widescreen resolution.
🖥️ The Root Cause: Resolution Mismatch
The HP Compaq 6910p typically has a native resolution of 1280x800 or 1440x900 (a 16:10 widescreen aspect ratio). However, the default Tiny Core Xvesa driver is often limited to a maximum of 1024x768 (a 4:3 aspect ratio).
When a 4:3 image is displayed on a 16:10 screen, you get black bars or gaps on the sides because the aspect ratios don't match. The system is essentially "letterboxing" the desktop to fit the smaller resolution.
🛠️ How to Fix It
You have two main options to resolve this, both of which involve moving away from the limited Xvesa driver.
Option 1: Install Xorg (Recommended)
This is the most reliable fix. Xorg is a more advanced display server that can load specific drivers for your laptop's Intel graphics chip, allowing it to use the native widescreen resolution automatically.
Use the Tiny Core Apps browser to install Xorg-7.7.tcz (or the latest version).
It is also a good idea to install the Intel-specific driver: xf86-video-intel.tcz.
Reboot. Xorg should now detect your screen correctly and fill the display.
Option 2: Force a VESA Framebuffer Mode
If you prefer to avoid Xorg, you can try forcing the console and Xvesa to use a widescreen resolution using a boot code.
Edit your bootloader configuration file (e.g., extlinux.conf or syslinux.cfg).
Find the APPEND line and add a vga= code for a widescreen resolution. For example, to request 1280x800 at 16-bit color, you would add vga=794.
Save the file and reboot.
Given the age of the HP 6910p, installing Xorg is the cleaner and more permanent solution, as it is designed to handle the specific quirks of laptop displays.
How can i fix it if i don't have any persistance and the TCE directory is not remembered over reboots?
Found 20 web pages
You can't fix this from within the running Tiny Core session because the system is running entirely in RAM and has no memory of your previous choices. The key is to fix it before you boot, by editing the bootloader configuration file on your pen drive from another computer.
🔧 The Fix: Edit the Bootloader Config
The bootloader is what reads the boot codes and decides where your tce directory is. You need to add a tce= boot code pointing to your pen drive.
1. Find the Configuration File
Plug the pen drive into a working computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux). Look for a file named syslinux.cfg or extlinux.conf (usually in a boot or syslinux folder, or the root directory).
2. Add the tce= Boot Code
Open the file in a text editor. Find the line that starts with APPEND or append. At the end of that line, add a space and then the tce= code.
The best approach is to use the UUID of your pen drive's partition. This is more reliable than /dev/sdX names, which can change. The syntax is:
tce=UUID="your-actual-uuid-here"
For example, your APPEND line might look like this:
APPEND initrd=/boot/core.gz quiet waitusb=5 tce=UUID="F0BC-3CAF"
If you can't find the UUID, you can try a simple label-based code, like tce=LABEL=PENDRIVE (replace PENDRIVE with the drive's label) .
3. Save and Boot
Save the file, safely eject the drive, and boot your HP laptop from it. Tiny Core should now find the tce directory on the pen drive and automatically load Xorg and any other extensions you've saved there .
💡 Why This Works
Tiny Core is designed to run from RAM, so by default it forgets everything on shutdown . The tce= boot code is the instruction that tells it where to look for and store permanent files, including your installed extensions and the backup of your personal settings . Once this code is in the bootloader config, the system will remember the location automatically every time.
🛠️ If You Already Have Extensions Installed
If you previously installed Xorg and saved it, the fix above will make Tiny Core load it on the next boot. If you never successfully saved the extension, you'll need to boot with the new tce= code, install Xorg again, and then it will be saved to the pen drive.
Let me know if you need help finding the UUID on your specific system
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