Puppy Linux - Boot Problem

[risk_reversal]

Wonder if anyone can help please.

I have Puppy Linux (4.2 ish) installed on my laptop. I dual boot with XP. All was working great until earlier on. I subsequently tried to help a friend by attempting to access his 'new' webspace.

I used gFTP (ithink). Basically, I put in the paramaters in the FTP client and Puppy froze. I had to do a hard shutdown (hold power button for 5 secs).

Upon reboot the grub loader screen came up, all fine to there and I selected Puppy. The Puppy boot sequence starts normally and suddenly halts as per screenshot.

No problems booting into XP.

Can anyone help me to recover

Any help much appreciated

Cheers

[123456]

What file format are the partitions? NTFS, FAT32, etc.

[risk_reversal]

What file format are the partitions? NTFS, FAT32, etc.

XP is NTFS, Linux is ext3

After some hunting on the net I have made some progress following this thread or at least the 2nd post in the thread below.

http://208.109.22.214/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=28078&sid=9f0367eb7543ace193a24e12fa7cb64f

I typed in xwin at the # where the boot sequence halted and got the window manager (didn't even know it existed). I tried to select Xorg mode but was denied.

I eventually selected Xvesa mode and my Puppy partition has now booted to the desktop.

HOWEVER, I am now stuck in Xvesa 640x480. So my problem now is that I would like to revert to Xorg as before 1024x768

I have gone to

Menu>Set Up>Xorg Video Wizard

but I am cluless as to what to do next.

Does anyone know how to proceed from here

Any info much appreciated

Cheers

[Sylvander]

1. I'm no expert on this type of problem, but do have some experience that may be of assistance.

2. "I typed in xwin at the # where the boot sequence halted and got the window manager"
I think you should instead have entered the command:
# xorgwizard
This may allow you to [use Xorg and] specify the display settings.
If you are then only taken to a command prompt instead of into the desktop...
Enter the command:
# xwin

3. "I am now stuck in Xvesa 640x480....I would like to revert to Xorg as before 1024x768"
When working within the Puppy...
Hit "Ctrl+Alt+backspace" to drop to a command prompt, and enter the command:
# xorgwizard
[plus the other = xwin if necessary] as in 2 above.

[risk_reversal]

Sylvander said:
I think you should instead have entered the command:
# xorgwizard
Well after I typed initially xwin, I had the option to select either xorg or xvesa. I tried selecting xorg but after a few secs, it gave an error message (tried doing it twice).

I subsequently tried xvesa and it accepted it and when rebooted the resolution was 640x480.

I have since accessed xorg wizard and selected the first option. The wizard seemed to work and reset the resolution to 1024x768.

I rebooted the system and the boot process did not stop this time but continued as per normal and the desktop resolution was correct.

So at least that is one problem solved.

I think I need to perhaps start a new thread because now I am getting a e2fsck error and I have no idea at all how to proceed.

Thanks for the added info Sylvander.

Cheers

[Sylvander]

Some questions:

1. Am I right in thinking:
(a) This Puppy is a full install?
(b) The partition has an ext2 file_system?
(c) Is it the only "thing" on the partition?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Because you powered-off the PC whilst running the Puppy...
You have probably corrupted the partition_file_system of the partition holding the Puppy.
You need to scan & fix that.
Best way is to boot a "live" Puppy Cd [either without->(probably best) or with a pupsave file in use], and use GParted to "check" the partition.

3. Because your Puppy is a full install to a partition...
(a) You aught to have made a folder/file backup of the contents of the partition holding the [good/working] Puppy.
I normally do this using a 2nd Puppy, and either or both Xfe and snap2.
Once you fix the partition_file_system, you would just restore the partition contents if necessary.

(b) It's better to use ext3 file_system, because that is easily recovered [it makes auto-backups, and auto-restores the file_system I believe].

(c) How to make a Puppy auto-check the file system at each Startup. (http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showpost.php?p=438013&postcount=170)
This only applies to a full install.
When I used this, it worked "just as it says on the tin".

[Sylvander]

This in response to seeing your post #5, after I made post #6.

1. "I am getting a e2fsck error and I have no idea at all how to proceed"
(a) I believe the partition [file_system] "check" by GParted will fix that.

(b) You should use a 2nd Puppy...
e.g. A "live" CD with or without pupsave.
As mentioned in post #6 response 2.

2. Oops, should have suggested this instead of 3c above:
Make a conventional Puppy installation to an internal HDD partition recover from improper shut-downs. [Loss of power or switch off] (http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showpost.php?p=438158&postcount=172)
This makes the Puppy scan ONLY IF there is an improper shut down.

Notice that these goodies are in my Puppy Linux thread.

[risk_reversal]

Let me answer some questions.

Puppy ext3, it was a full install (not frugal). Partitons on the HD are 1. XP, 2. Puppy & 3. Extended Partition

When I booted into the Puppy partition and ran GParted it said

"check filesystem on /dev/sda2 for errors and if possible fix them"
shows error

e2fsck -f -y -v /dev/sda2
/dev/sda2 is mounted

e2fsck 1.4.2 (12-Jul-2007)
e2fsck: cannot continue

I then tried to boot the system with a Puppy Live cd (puppy pfix=ram) and ran GParted on the Linux partition.

The scan said the partition was fine. So I rebooted into the Puppy partition and ran GParted again and got the same error message.

I read the thread to which you linked

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=350829#350829

and I must be more stupid than I think because I could not figure out what to do.

:confused:

[Sylvander]

1.
"I booted into the Puppy partition"
And...
"/dev/sda2 is mounted"
And...
"e2fsck: cannot continue"
Gparted is unable to scan/fix a MOUNTED partition...
That's why I said to use a 2nd Puppy to do the work.

2. "I then tried to boot the system with a Puppy Live cd (puppy pfix=ram) and ran GParted on the Linux partition."
This is the way to do it.

3. "The scan said the partition was fine."
I think GParted doesn't report errors found; it just goes ahead and fixes things, and reports the job done.

4. "So I rebooted into the Puppy partition and ran GParted again and got the same error message."
(a) Do you mean GParted reporting that it is unable to scan a mounted partition?
That's only to be expected.

(b) The ext3 filesystem of the Puppy partition has probably been repaired by GParted.
Any signs of problems?
Or all now looking good?

4. "I must be more stupid than I think because I could not figure out what to do"
You are not alone...
A quick read of that thread reminds me...
I tried to do the necessary myself, and couldn't get it to work...
So SilverPuppy supplied me with a set of files [for 4.1.2 & 4.3.1, but NOT 4.2] he'd modified for me.
People who know how to do stuff with Linux find this kind of thing easy to do.
We poor Linux noobs must just do the best we can, eh?

[risk_reversal]

Perhaps I should make myself clearer

1. Booted into the Puppy Partition ie the one installed on the 2nd partition of the HD a full install.

2. Having booted from 1 above, I went to GParted and ran a check on it. The error message was as per my reply in #8. I did not get e2fsck cannot continue message.

3. I then booted with a Puppy Live CD with (Puppy pfix=ram) and ran GParted on the Puppy Linux partition referred to in point 2 and all was ok.

4. I then booted back into the Puppy partition on the HD ran GParted and got same error mesage.

Now after much reading as well as your useful comments, it appears that scanning a mounted partition is a no no.

So I am even more confused now and more so in that I cannot even seem to fathom out if running e2fsck is the same as running the scan option in GParted.

Or is running e2fsck a manual command done from a command prompt?

Apologies again for being so silly.

Cheers

[Sylvander]

1. "is running e2fsck a manual command done from a command prompt?"
Yes, except:
(a) IF I wanted to run [such as] that command directly...
I'd normally enter the command in a terminal window, and...

(b) Since it's not possible to run that particular command to act upon a MOUNTED partition_file_system...
I would use a Puppy that doesn't mount that partition_file_system...
i.e. Some other Puppy, or...
The "live" optical disk [CD?] for the same Puppy, but [only if necessary] using the command puppy pfix=ram to make it ignore any pupsave files.
ONLY necessary if there are any existing, and would be found by the Puppy.
e.g. Wouldn't be found if on a Flash Drive that wasn't connected...
Or on an external HDD that wasn't powered on.

(c) As you may have noticed, the "GParted->check" automatically uses the appropriate program for the partition_file_system it is being asked to scan [e2fsck in this case].

2. "Apologies again for being so silly"
Ah, I see you live in the UK...
We Brits are naturally inclined to apologise, even when there is no justification or need.
I see nothing "silly", or any need for apology. :)

[Paul Komski]

e2fsck is indeed a console command (http://linux.die.net/man/8/fsck.ext3) and is the same as running fsck with a .ex2 or .ex3 switch.

Since you will corrupt a mounted partition by running e2fsck (fsck.exX) on it GParted kindly wont let you check and repair a file system that is curently mounted.

Nor can you unmount the home directory/device from within Puppy or by logging-out to a command prompt.

It's possible that there is a reboot switch or other way of running e2fsck on the relevant device/partition on a reboot (and which is completely analagous to running chkdsk c: /f in windows) but I don't know about it. Thus running e2fsck from the console of a live CD or from a GParted check running from ouside the installation should both achieve the same end. Using the console does however offer more optional switches.

BTW - I regularly get the original screenshot after a bad shutdown of a full hard drive installation of Puppy and either a simple reboot or running xwin at the prompt seem to always sort it out.

PS I'm not a Brit but I am sorry for duplicating much of what Sylvander has recently just posted.

[risk_reversal]

Many thanks to you both for your replies.

Ok let me just get the following clear.

If I boot from a Puppy Live CD (Puppy pfix=ram). I can then check a partition either by running GParted (on umounted partition) or opening a terminal window (equally partition must not be mounted) and running the 2efsck command.

Question

Is running GParted effectively the same as running the e2fsck command from a terminal window?

eg If I open a terminal window and type e2fsck -f -v /dev/partition name is that the same thing (ie same scan) as running GParted on that partition. If I am making myself clear.

Paul Komski said:
BTW - I regularly get the original screenshot after a bad shutdown of a full hard drive installation of Puppy and either a simple reboot or running xwin at the prompt seem to always sort it out.

In my case, the xwin command only woirked up to a point in as much as I could not then select xorg but only xvesa, even after a second reboot. I had to boot to the Puppy partition and then select the xorg wizard which changed the screen resolution back to how it was before 1024x768.

Many thanks for your kind help

[Paul Komski]

If I open a terminal window and type e2fsck -f -v /dev/partition name is that the same thing (ie same scan) as running GParted on that partition.I don't know the specific switch(es) that GParted uses but I imagine that rather than forcing (-f) a scan it would be logical for it to use the (-p) automatic repair and report option.

as I could not then select xorg but only xvesaSometimes there is also an "ignore" option to make no specific choice at all - but in the heel of the hunt there are ways to reconfigure X just as you have discovered.

[risk_reversal]

Many thanks Paul Komski & Sylvander.

I have run e2fsck from a terminal window (with relevant switches and correct partition lettering) via a Puppy Live cd and all seems ok.

After I finish my current project, I will get back onto the learning curve with Puppy and try to become more proficient.

Good Luck