dell demension L933r stalled installation with 3.1 and too dark with 2.11.1

[gerald_clark]

That should have been "tce-load -i /mnt/sda1/firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore.tgz"

Put the file in your persistent tce/optional directory.
Then use AppsAudit to add it to the onboot list.
You can then load it with:
"tce-load -i firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore"

It should load automatically on reboot.

[ejames82]

hi gerald_clark,

i see, do the command without
 
pkg

well, i'll give it a shot.   
thanks again.

[ejames82]

gerald_clark,

well, i did this command:

tce-load -i /mnt/sda1/firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore.tgz

and the terminal replied:  OK   
but you advise this:
"Put the file in your persistent tce/optional directory."
to make that happen, shouldn't the command been this?:

tce-load -i /mnt/sda1/firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore.tgz tce/optional

thanks again.

 

[gerald_clark]

I don't know where you get these odd ideas of how to use tce-load.

[tinypoodle]

tce-load -i /mnt/sda1/tce/optional/firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore.tgz

after you first move extension to that path 

 

[curaga]

Using Xorg would probably fix the dark display.

[ejames82]

gerald_clark,

i thought a command was supposed to go like this:
<action><source><destination>

i made an effort to find literature about tce-load, an was unable to find any that was specific. i did a forum search for info as well.


tinypoodle,

would this work (command-line is all i have available to me, there's no GUI available)?
cp /mnt/sda1/firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore.tgz /mnt/sda1/tce/optional/firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore.tgz
then this, of course (you recommend):
tce-load -i /mnt/sda1/tce/optional/firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore.tgz


curaga,

it worked, but only offered 800x600 resolution.  i pushed f2 to enter boot options and it was the highest resolution offered. 
i'm not complaining, i'll gladly settle for this.  i don't know yet whether this resolution will cause any problems.  i read somewhere in the documentation somewhere the "possibility" of "trying" to get 1024x786, but some other documentation also said that those options were all that my hardware would allow.  i'll look more into it, but it was a good suggestion.



thanks for the replies.

[tinypoodle]

would this work (command-line is all i have available to me, there's no GUI available)?
cp /mnt/sda1/firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore.tgz /mnt/sda1/tce/optional/firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore.tgz
then this, of course (you recommend):
tce-load -i /mnt/sda1/tce/optional/firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore.tgz

Yes. But you might prefer 'mv' (move) instead of 'cp' (copy)

[ejames82]

tinypoodle,

this is funny.   

first, if you go back and look at the posts, you'll notice that somehow (probably my fault) the file got changed/mistaken for a tgz instead of a tcz (this is supposed to always be a 'tcz' file, is that correct?)

anyway i made a directory /mnt/sda1/tce/optional, was able to move the file from:
cp /mnt/sda1/firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore.tcz /mnt/sda1/tce/optional/firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore.tcz
no error messages from terminal.  then did the command:
 tce-load -i /mnt/sda1/tce/optional/firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore.tcz
the terminal said 'OK'

i click on appbrowser>connect 'connection error'

1. am i supposed to reboot?  but if i did, wouldn't that nullify the tce-load, and therefore, still not work?
2. is there any way to verify whether the tce-load went where it's supposed to go?  maybe there's still something i need to do.


anyway, even though this is not working, this is great.
thanks tinypoodle

[ejames82]

tinypoodle,

haha, it works.   

i clicked control panel>network>dhcp and was able to use appbrowser.  downloaded arora browser and did a little surfing.

it seems like i should have done more in the control panel>network window than just clicking on dhcp, like putting in my or my providers IP, but everything greyed out.
and it works.

you did it again.  thanks tinypoodle
and thanks to everybody else who replied

[maro]

ejames82: If an extension is in the correct '.../tce/optional' directory you could just use 'tce-load -i EXT' instead of 'tce-load -i /full/path/to/EXT.tcz' (or in your case: tce-load -i firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore). Now to find out what TC (or MC) has identified as your '.../tce' directory you just use cat /opt/.tce_dir (which should be '/mnt/sda1/tce' in your case).

There are two commands I tend to use to find out what extensions are installed: ls /usr/local/tce.installed or ls /tmp/tcloop

WRT to supported screen resolutions: In my experience the confless 'Xorg' setup always errs on the side of caution and often does not go beyond the 800x600 resolution. One would have to provide a customised '/etc/X11/xorg.conf' to overcome this.

I personally find Xvesa to be in most cases completely sufficient, and it is able to support a range of resolutions. To find out more you might want to boot for once with boot code 'vga=ask', (and hit 'Enter' when asked). You will then be presented with a list of VESA (and VGA) modes, which should give you an idea what would be supported by your graphics adaptor. Note down those that appeal to you (e.g. '1280x1024x16'), then reboot and use this mode as paramter of the 'xvesa' boot code (e.g. 'xvesa=1280x1024x16'). If you have the 'Xorg-7.5.tcz' extension installed you better add the boot code 'base' to avoid loading that extension (and all others) as it would "take over" from Xvesa. With these boot codes you should be able to start the default X server (i.e. Xvesa) in the specific mode, instead of the default '1024x768x32'. If that should work to your satisfaction, you could "loose" the 'Xorg-7.5.tcz' extension (for which one could use 'appsaudit', but since I'm not using this tools myself I'm not the proper person to provide instructions).

[tinypoodle]

first, if you go back and look at the posts, you'll notice that somehow (probably my fault) the file got changed/mistaken for a tgz instead of a tcz (this is supposed to always be a 'tcz' file, is that correct?)

I never even noticed that - just using "copy&paste" - and therefore reproducing the naming error.    

[ejames82]

maro,

"If an extension is in the correct '.../tce/optional' directory you could just use 'tce-load -i EXT' instead of 'tce-load -i /full/path/to/EXT.tcz'"
that helps me right away for a couple of reasons:
1. i'm still having to run the command every time i boot up.  i need the extension to tce-load with persistence.
2. i need to mount the flash drive before i run the command.


"Now to find out what TC (or MC) has identified as your '.../tce' directory you just use cat /opt/.tce_dir (which should be '/mnt/sda1/tce' in your case)."
actually, at the time, sda (the flash drive) was a better choice than the hard drive (hda), because i was booting from the live disk.  i installed tinycore today to hard drive so i can now use /mnt/hda1/tce/optional.


"There are two commands I tend to use to find out what extensions are installed: ls /usr/local/tce.installed or ls /tmp/tcloop"
the answers are the same, but the colors differ. 


"I personally find Xvesa to be in most cases completely sufficient"
the xfe file manager was the only 'inconvenience' caused by it so far (the resolution being 800x600).  the window is so big that the X to close is off the screen.  there is also a file>quit available.  not a problem.
i'm pleasantly surprised to see that i can use the tinycore forum without a scrollbar at the bottom.


"To find out more you might want to boot for once with boot code 'vga=ask', (and hit 'Enter' when asked). You will then be presented with a list of VESA (and VGA) modes, which should give you an idea what would be supported by your graphics adaptor. Note down those that appeal to you (e.g. '1280x1024x16'), then reboot and use this mode as paramter of the 'xvesa' boot code (e.g. 'xvesa=1280x1024x16'). If you have the 'Xorg-7.5.tcz' extension installed you better add the boot code 'base' to avoid loading that extension (and all others) as it would "take over" from Xvesa. With these boot codes you should be able to start the default X server (i.e. Xvesa) in the specific mode, instead of the default '1024x768x32'. If that should work to your satisfaction, you could "loose" the 'Xorg-7.5.tcz' extension (for which one could use 'appsaudit', but since I'm not using this tools myself I'm not the proper person to provide instructions)."
since i installed tinycore to the hard drive, i no longer get the screen where the chance to press f2 or f3 to select "boot options".  now that i've installed to hard drive, how do i access "boot options"?
once i get the connectivity/firmware extension issue out of the way, i'm going to try all that you suggest in this paragraph.  why not?!  there's no data at risk, and i've got very little time invested.  by far, there's more to gain here than to lose.

thanks, maro, for the boatload of info.


tinypoodle,

it looks like everybody was on a ""copy and paste" ROLL"   

[maro]

ejames82: The boot codes I've mentioned are to be specified via the boot loader, so that it can pass it on to the kernel.

Now, the CD-ROM version of TC uses 'isolinux' as boot loader and it pauses (for 30 seconds) and shows the now familiar 'boot: prompt. That is the time when you would add the boot codes (or would press F2 or F3 to get some help with that). All this is driven by the configuration file '/boot/isolinux/isolinux.cfg' on the CD-ROM.

IIRC the 'usbinstall' script would install 'syslinux' or 'extlinux' as boot loader onto the USB drive. Those are "siblings" of 'isolinux' and the config file should be either 'syslinux.cfg' (and to be found in the root directory of the device), or 'extlinux.conf' (which should be in '/boot/extlinux' on the device).

Either of those files should contain a line like 'APPEND initrd=....' to which all additional boot codes would have to be appended. You could also specify them during the execution of 'usbinstall' when asked for "boot options".

I assume that when you installed TC on your hard disk you were following the installation instructions. In which case you would have installed GRUB as boot loader. During this process you would have edited it's configuration file (i.e. '/boot/grub/menu.lst' on the hard disk). As mentioned in those instructions all additional boot codes should be appended to the 'kernel' line.

[ejames82]

maro,

"The boot codes I've mentioned are to be specified via the boot loader, so that it can pass it on to the kernel"
i'm not sure how that is done.  i've included one of the boot screens in a screenshot.
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/3698/oct3a005.jpg
if i press e during this screen, do i get launched into the boot loader/kernel that you mention in that statement?  i've been in that mode before and there are two options there, kernel and initrd.
since installing to hard drive, f2 is useless to me.  it has no effect after the bios/post screens.

"the CD-ROM version of TC uses 'isolinux' as boot loader and it pauses (for 30 seconds) and shows the now familiar 'boot: prompt. That is the time when you would add the boot codes (or would press F2 or F3 to get some help with that). All this is driven by the configuration file '/boot/isolinux/isolinux.cfg' on the CD-ROM.

IIRC the 'usbinstall' script would install 'syslinux' or 'extlinux' as boot loader onto the USB drive. Those are "siblings" of 'isolinux' and the config file should be either 'syslinux.cfg' (and to be found in the root directory of the device), or 'extlinux.conf' (which should be in '/boot/extlinux' on the device)."
   
so what changes i make hinges on the installation i do.  if i install by cd, i modify '/boot/isolinux/isolinux.cfg', if i install by flash drive, i modify 'syslinux.cfg'or 'extlinux.conf' 

"Either of those files should contain a line like 'APPEND initrd=....' to which all additional boot codes would have to be appended. You could also specify them during the execution of 'usbinstall' when asked for "boot options"."
what specifically to look for when i'm in there.

"I assume that when you installed TC on your hard disk you were following the installation instructions. In which case you would have installed GRUB as boot loader. During this process you would have edited it's configuration file (i.e. '/boot/grub/menu.lst' on the hard disk). As mentioned in those instructions all additional boot codes should be appended to the 'kernel' line."
well, actually, yes and no.  i read it outloud and recorded it on cassette tape.  that way i can watch what i'm typing and verify it's correct.  but yes, i recall there being info about the kernel in the menu.lst.  the modification would go on that line.
i've installed tinycore and xp on several dual-boots so i'm somewhat familiar with the menu.lst file.  for the dual-boot all i changed is the timeout from 10 to -1 so it waits for me to choose an OS.
you know, it sounds like alot to me right now, but after i've done it properly and it works, i'll get in a routine where it's like clockwork.

as soon as i tie up a few loose ends, i an going to try your "vga=ask" suggestion.  i hope you keep an eye on the thread. 
thanks for the very informative post.