[edit SUGGESTION] Change install.html to inode 256

[aus9]

EDIT

POST LEFT as is.....see post below for changed subject thanks

Hi

Pre-amble

I am aware of Robert's post that there may be changes in the promotion of TC as per
http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php?topic=5753.msg31415#msg31415

I am aware....that I am still thinking ....like most TC newbies of hard drive installs.....I did not even think I was thinking it was turnkey but forgive me if I resemble that remark.

2) Trivia on currnt TC grub-legacy
AFAIK, its a patched grub that uses inode 128 by default.

AFAIK most newbies would not consider testing for it?

Code: [Select]

sudo tune2fs -l /dev/sda2 | grep -i 'inode size'
Inode size:  128

3) This means for persistent users....who do not want to adopt any other grub*, they appear limited to splashimage support.

Code: [Select]

grep "splashimage" /mnt/sda2/boot/grub/stage2
splashimage
splashimage FILE

4) This allows persistent users if they care to, to use or mod their own splashimage.

My old links to Luis R. Rodriguez are stale but my old howto still exists here...post 1...not any post below that!
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linuxquestions-org-member-success-stories-23/grub-howto-and-troubleshooter-237511/

This "convert" or "identify" command needs tcz ImageMagick

Code: [Select]

identify 3d.jpeg
3d.jpeg JPEG 741x549 741x549+0+0 8-bit DirectClass 216KB 0.000u 0:00.000

convert 3d.jpeg  -resize 640x480 -colors 14 -depth 16 -normalize -verbose 3d.xpm

identify 3d.xpm
3d.xpm XPM 640x474 640x474+0+0 16-bit PseudoClass 14c 306KB 0.020u 0:00.020

hmm too much aussie beer, can't remember how to use force but don't care its only trivia.

-------------------------------------------------------

Suggestion (or 2)

Suggestion (A)
Change to a default of inode 256 for new partition creations.

Change to a grub-legacy to support inode 256

Suggestion (b)
Partition defaults to inode 256

Change to gfxmenu (a tcz) file not yet in repositories.

If gfxmenu adopted it could mean TC users could mod their grub menus to somethink like this
http://sidux.com/index.php?module=Wikula&tag=Gfxmenu

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Possible long term benefits and negatives from a biased TC newbie

1) inode 256 is the default for most distros

2) requires a warning for upgraders.....they can't just extract the bzImage and tinycore.gz and rename and append to existing menu.lst but need to rebuild partition from scratch.

3) Changes needed to both partition tool and grub.....or partition tool and a new grub
--means extra work for TC developers

--------------------------------
ok end of suggestion

I am bending over for virtual spanking now....(joke)

Ask me no quesitons and I will tell you no lies!

[curaga]

- there is little to no advantage for the user with 256-byte inodes and ext2/3 (others use it? when has that ever been a good reason for anything)
- ext4 is what takes advantage of it. TC 3.x mke2fs will default to 256-byte inodes
- our grub has supported those since the first version. It works fine on ext4 w/ 256-byte inodes.

Re gfxmenu, yeah it would be prettier, but other than that no pros. You're welcome to submit a gfxboot flavor of grub (grub-0.97-gfxboot?), if you wish. The current extlinux/syslinux already feature nice menus, if those are needed.
(though, current extlinux doesn't work with ext4 IIRC)

2) requires a warning for upgraders.....they can't just extract the bzImage and tinycore.gz and rename and append to existing menu.lst but need to rebuild partition from scratch.

Why? It's not an either-or situation. Our grub works with both sizes, no need to change partitions.

[aus9]

hi

thanks for the quick reply

2) hmm ok will do some preliminary tests.....FWIW I thought grub-gfxmenu(boot) needed inode 256

I could be wrong?

damn no sparks felt this end.

[aus9]

hi

curaga thanks for the heads up.

Not to show disrespect or anything.....but I build a test install using inode 256 in VirtualBox.....and of course it works
(grins sheepishly)

I have now changed the subject to suggest the Installation page
http://tinycorelinux.com/install.html

be modified slightly so TC newbies, includes me, (grins) to make inode 256 their default hard drive install.

2) I used this command but there may be smarter ways of doing it.

Code: [Select]

sudo mkfs.ext3 -j -I 256 /dev/hda1
where j stands for journal
I is caps for Inode
Naturally change /dev/hda1 to whatever you see when you run

fdisk -l

3) If that suggestion works......maybe we can throw in

Code: [Select]

tune2fs -l /dev/hda1 | grep -i 'inode size'
Inode size:   256
And advise the TC newbie that the result should be above...256 and not 128.

submitted in the hope it might be useful.

yes I know I have hijacked my own thread due to my failure to test grub-legacy worked for inode 256.

PS I did not need sudo to run tune2fs or use caps on inode size.
PS2 If I used
sudo mkfs.ext3 -v -j -I 256 /dev/hda1
the resultant output does show inode size but its lost in the extra outputs.

regards

gordy

[aus9]

hi (Edit)

Now I have hijacked my own thread for another, transparent reason.

I am a grub2 fanboy.

I am hoping to submit a grub2.tcz....when I have built and tested it.

But I need (yes selfish me) the users to be on inode 256.

Apart from ext4, taking advantage of inode 256, as mentioned by curage......grub2 can handle partition types

acorn
amiga
apple
GPT
msdos (our PC)
sun

--------

It can handle normal bios and coreboot

I have only msdos style partiton table and can not verify the claims above....but can see these modules in grub2 files

regards

gordy

[curaga]

I'll add a note about that, but it won't be the default.