Help to install Macpup 550?


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Thread: Help to install Macpup 550?

  1. #1
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    Help to install Macpup 550?

    Hello All!

    New here....I'm trying to install Macpup 550 onto an older Packard bell Easynote E3100 from a burned ISO CD. I can install this same burned disk on my Desktop and another older Toshiba laptop just perfectly fine Live CD or Full install........

    When I put the same disc in the PB Easynote E3100 it boots from CD right to a GRUB Prompt...... And I'm failing short on understanding or knowing which is the right prompt command to enter to get the full install or Live CD to run....

    One note: I can install Ubuntu And Kubuntu just fine Live CD or full install no problem on the PB Easynote...

    I really would like to Run Macpup as it seems to be a lighter OS for a older laptop......


    Any advice would be awesome, as I'm sure there is an easy answer!


    Uphevel2

  2. #2
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    Not too sure if this gets what you want.

    Macpup 550 uses legacy Grub version 0.97. I have downloaded the iso to show the following.

    legacy Grub boots a system using a configuraion file called menu.lst stored inside the subdirectory /boot/grub. This file is listed below
    Code:
    default 0
    timeout 20
    gfxmenu (cd)/boot/grub/message
    color cyan/blue white/blue
    
    title Macpup 550 
    kernel (cd)/vmlinuz root=/dev/ram0 pmedia=idecd 
    initrd (cd)/initrd.gz 
    
    title Macpup 550 - RAM
    kernel (cd)/vmlinuz root=/dev/ram0 pfix=ram pmedia=idecd
    initrd (cd)/initrd.gz
    To boot the CD "manually" you just type at the Grub prompt the following
    Code:
    kernel (cd)/vmlinuz root=/dev/ram0 pmedia=idecd 
    initrd (cd)/initrd.gz 
    boot
    or alternatively just
    Code:
    configfile (cd)/boot/grub/menu.lst
    The standard legacy Grub may not support CD device name but the version in Puppy might have been doctored to do that. If you can boot up the system there might be something Puppy kernel doesn't like about the PC.

    Itried my CD on two different PC. One dropped me to a Grub prompt and refused to accept the (cd) reference. Another older PC boots up normally without any complaint.
    Last edited by saikee; 11-05-2013 at 03:59 PM.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
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  3. #3
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    Here is another method which is "bomb proof". It involves using a USB jump drive. The steps are

    (1) Put the Macpup 550 on a pc that has an operating system, either a MS Windows or a Linux. Then put a jump drive to the same PC.

    (2) The operating system should mount the CD automatically and you will be able to read its contents. So copy the entire CD content to the USB jump drive.

    (3) Take the CD and USB jump drive back to the PC that reports a Grub prompt. Boot up the CD to the same Grub promp.

    (4) Find out the disk number for the USB jump drive. This you can do by issuing the geometry command in a Grub prompt by
    Code:
    geometry (hd0)
    geometry (hd1)
    geometry (hd2)
    geometry (hd3)
    The disk that is a USB jump drive will have a single partition of type b signifying it is a Fat32 filing system that only a USB drive would still use. MS Windows only permits a USB jump drive to have one partition so the Macpup 550 is in the 1st partition of that disk, say it is (hd1,0) which is the 1st partition of 2nd hardisk. Legacy Grub counts everything from zero.

    (5) Now display the content of the menu.lst by command
    Code:
    cat (hd1,0)/boot/grub/menu.lst
    which contains the commands you need to type except by replacing "cd" with the partition and disk number as follow (I assume it is (hd1,0) so adjust it to your case).

    (6)
    Code:
    kernel (hd1,0)/vmlinuz root=/dev/ram0 pmedia=idecd 
    initrd (hd1,0)/initrd.gz 
    boot
    This was how I managed to boot up the PC that drops to a Grub prompt whenever I feed the Macpup CD to it. In my case the USB drive was the 4th disk so it was (hd3,0). I now have it installed and operational in one of my ssd.
    Last edited by saikee; 11-05-2013 at 06:57 PM.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  4. #4
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    Hi Saikee,
    That's awesome.....! I will give these options a go! To be fair I have tried the first option when the email notice came through.... and it gave me a error 23 parsing numbers or something....? so it looks as though Grub is possibly dumping the cd and not recognizing the (cd) command... So it looks like the BOMB PROOF option left...

    Hope it works.....Will post update!

    Thanks

    Uphevel

  5. #5
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    The Update.....

    The "bomp proof" option is not working as it can't seem to read the jump drive.... when I use the command geometry (hd0) all way to the number 5 it throws back no drive error or something......

    I have an older puppy Linux distro that loads just find, it's not Macpup though.... it does not seem to use grub and this version loads to the laptop no worries....however I can't seem to get the WLan to configure on that distro as it can't find a driver (I would presume) Is there any way that I could just some how plant or create a boot option/files to the Hard drive for Macpup so the it will load?? Kubuntu is still loading and running fine, however when I fully install Kubuntu it runs slower on the laptop as it doesn't run in ram I would guess....?

    I like the Macpup as it runs totally in ram and there for makes the laptop more bearable to use.....


    Any Help or suggestions would be great??


    Thanks

  6. #6
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    Let's solve one problem at a time.

    Your jump drive boots sucessfully if you can run the "goemetry" command from Grub. "Geometry (hd0)" command is to show up the partition information of hard disk No. 0.

    The idea is to test each drive to see which one has just one partition of type b because only a jump drive has one partition formatted in Fat32 or Type b.

    Once identify this drive you use the given Grub instruction to boot Macpup up manually.

    You can copy Macpup into a hard disk partition and use an installed Grub, say from Kubuntu, to boot up Macpup. However newer Kubuntu is likely to be factory fitted with Grub2 and you need a different set of instructions. If you fail to fire up Macpup with the bomb proof method, which I used successfully, and want to use Grub from Kubuntu you need to tell us which version of Grub you are using and which partition has you copied Macpup to.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  7. #7
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    Fair play...one problem at a time...
    I booted the the laptop with the macpup 550 cd... at the Grub prompt I entered geometry (hd0)
    it returned something C/H/S with two partitions, this was without a USB jump drive installed.
    I inserted the USB jump drive and rebooted to the same Grub prompt and entered the same geometry (hd0) it returned the same info.... I persume this is the hard drive. I continued with geometry (hd1) this returned ERROR 21 selected does not exist, I continued with (hd2) and so on right upto 6 these all returned the same error....

    I'm puzzled

    Thanks!

  8. #8
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    It is possible when Grub is loaded into memory it will acquire a copy of the Bios information. At that stage you have not yet inserted the USB device so to Grub the PC has only one hard disk (hd0).

    I am unsure of your current version of Grub is capable of detecting devices later after it is already in the memory but i do remember older versions of Grub1 can't do it. In most versions of Grub its version number is displayed once Grub is loaded. Grub1 is those with number less than 1 (0.9x) whereas Grub2 will be larger than 1 (1.xx). It is possible the later versions Grub2 may has a ability to rescan the Bios continuously so as to be aware of newer devices introduced after Grub is up and running. Grub2 is much larger than Grub1.

    Could you insert the USB device before loading the Macpup CD? This then eliminates this possibility of Grub unable to detect USB devices inserted after it is in memory.

    Grub1 has ceased to be maintained for probably over 10 to 15 years now as its maintainers declared putting their effort into Grub2. Both Grub1 and Grub2 can be doctored by the distros to suit their own needs but Puppy is supposed to run everything barebone and so its version of Grub will not be one all singing and dancing type. After all Grub is just a very small program. However you can get a lot out of it if you follow the rules or understand its behaviour.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  9. #9
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    Hi,

    When I first attempted this I put the USB jump drive in first and then started the laptop up momentarily to get the disc bay open and then rebooted the laptop with the USB Drive inserted and Macpup in the CD tray loading to the Grub prompt.. If I gather what your saying correctly, the Legacy Grub version that Macpup is using is not capable of detecting the USB JD.....Correct? If so, what are the other options.....?
    The Kubuntu that is installed on the Laptop now uses Grub2 , I know this because I had windows installed on the partition when I first started. Since trying to get Macpup to run I have wiped the drive and re installed the Kubuntu and now it loads right to Macpup...... I don't seem to have or see the option to select a command prompt as I'm presented with a GUI. I did try the same instructions "Bomb Proof" with the Grub used by Kubuntu selecting the Command Prompt.... But if I also understand what your saying correctly it would then require different commands to work correct?

    You are being very helpful!
    Thanks in advance!

  10. #10
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    Legacy Grub can detect the USB drive if it is present at the time Grub is loaded.

    My point above is after Grub is in memory the legacy version does not have the intelligence to re-scan the Bios to update the number of disks detected. So please insert the USB drive first before (and not afterward) you boot the Macpup CD.

    When you see a Grub2 screen you can drop into a Grub prompt by hitting the "c" key (If I remember it correctly). In a Grub2 prompt you can boot up the Macpup.

    You can ask Grub2 prompt to show the disk devices by this command
    Code:
     ls -l
    Grub2 counts the disk from zero but partition from 1. So if your USB was (hd1,0) in Legacy Grub it will be (hd0,1) in Grub2. Say this is your USB partition with Macpup inside you should be able to fire it up using Kubuntu's Grub2 in Grub2 prompt by commands (red bits are special to Grub2)

    Code:
    linux  (hd1,1)/vmlinuz root=/dev/ram0 pmedia=idecd 
    initrd (hd1,1)/initrd.gz 
    boot
    Lastly a Linux user can run Legacy Grub in any terminal after a Linux is operational but this facility is not available with Grub2. The only way to use Grub2 in a terminal is before booting up Kubuntu. Grub is a boot loader so the correct way to use Grub is before an operating system has been booted. Once a Linux is booted and operational its kernel will protect the system from changing or booting at all cost as you should expect it to do.
    Last edited by saikee; 11-21-2013 at 10:16 AM.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
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    4
    I was looking for the help with Macpup this same version , I got the correct answer with steps here only. thank you JustLinux

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