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Noob with Asus netbook
Posted: 13 Aug 2020, 04:49
by Peter Linu
Hiyall,
I have tried numerous Puppy-related 'light' OSs on my Asus netbook (upgraded to (2Gb RAM). I have not found any as simple-to-use as Linux Mint 20 Xfce that is currently installed. Problem is, it's very sluggish. My needs are incredibly simple: Access music files from a desktop shortcut and play them in the Porteus' music player....that's it!
I want to try Porteus. Can I (a) create and run it on a separate partition (b) Use it from a USB 3.0 stick?
Noob with Asus netbook
Posted: 13 Aug 2020, 05:54
by Ed_P
Hello Peter.
a. Yes
b. Yes
a+ Depending on the directory structure of the Mint 20 system you might be able to install Porteus to the same partition. The key to either approach is making the netbook multibootable.
Noob with Asus netbook
Posted: 13 Aug 2020, 11:34
by Peter Linu
Approximately what size should the Porteus partition be?
Noob with Asus netbook
Posted: 13 Aug 2020, 22:56
by Peter Linu
Should it be ext4,3 or 2?
Noob with Asus netbook
Posted: 13 Aug 2020, 23:15
by Ed_P
I'd recommend 2 GB for the system partition. I've never used ext* partitions. On my USB drive I use FAT32 and on my hard drive with it's NTFS partitions I boot ISOs.
For saving files, like pictures and music and etc, I would save them on a different partition.
Noob with Asus netbook
Posted: 13 Aug 2020, 23:30
by Peter Linu
Thanx for that. More or less what i assumed. Surprised however about running in FAT32 and not ext.
Noob with Asus netbook
Posted: 14 Aug 2020, 04:34
by ncmprhnsbl
if you're talking a hard drive partition, ext2/3/4 is fine, especially if you want to use a changes folder.
Ed favours fat32 for usbs to minimize writing..
myself, i favour ext2, for the same reason(no journalling)with the added bonus of POSIX, allowing proper use of the rootcopy facility if wanted.. .. though, i suppose if using a changes folder, it might become fragmented over time?
Noob with Asus netbook
Posted: 14 Aug 2020, 06:00
by Ed_P
ncmprhnsbl wrote: ↑14 Aug 2020, 04:34
Ed favours fat32 for usbs to minimize writing..
Actually because it's a format acceptable to all OSs and now days with EFI requirements.
Noob with Asus netbook
Posted: 14 Aug 2020, 21:42
by ncmprhnsbl
Ed_P wrote: ↑14 Aug 2020, 06:00
Actually because it's a format acceptable to all OSs and now days with EFI requirements.
ah, yeah, that too, i forgot...
Noob with Asus netbook
Posted: 17 Aug 2020, 06:53
by Peter Linu
Hiyall,
I spent a fair bit of time on Saturday trying to load Porteus 32 bit without success. On Sunday I brought it to a friend who is an IT pro, who does everything in terminal commands. He couldn't install it either. He mentioned that there is a further step not shown in the install. He kept the Asus there and said he will install it during the week. I am fed up dealing with half-baked IT. If this forum can't be of more assistance, I am going back to Mint.
Noob with Asus netbook
Posted: 19 Aug 2020, 03:13
by Peter Linu
How embarrassing! It didn't load because the USB stick is crook.
My main OS is Mint19.3 Xfce 32 bit. I have created a separate partition for Porteus but not installed yet. Will I be able to use grub to choose which OS to load?
Noob with Asus netbook
Posted: 19 Aug 2020, 06:14
by Ed_P
Peter Linu wrote: ↑19 Aug 2020, 03:13
How embarrassing! It didn't load because the USB stick is crook.
"crook"?
Peter Linu wrote: ↑19 Aug 2020, 03:13
I have created a separate partition for Porteus but not installed yet. Will I be able to use grub to choose which OS to load?
Sure. Grub, grub2 and grub4dos should all be able to handle it.
Something like this should work.
Code: Select all
menuentry "Porteus" {
search -f /porteus/porteus-v4.0-i586.cfg --set=root
linux /boot/syslinux/vmlinuz
initrd /boot/syslinux/initrd.xz
}
Noob with Asus netbook
Posted: 19 Aug 2020, 07:08
by Peter Linu
before or after I install Porteus?
Noob with Asus netbook
Posted: 19 Aug 2020, 07:23
by Peter Linu
Apologies. 'crook' = dingo = didn't go = broken. Australian lingo.
Noob with Asus netbook
Posted: 19 Aug 2020, 16:34
by Ed_P
Peter Linu wrote: ↑19 Aug 2020, 07:08
before or after I install Porteus?
Whenever you want. The change will be added after the grub code you have to boot Mint so if Porteus is installed the new menu will work, if it's not it won't and you will use your Mint menu entry instead.
Maybe this menu code will help you.
Code: Select all
menuentry "Porteus" {
set bootdrv=$root
search -f /porteus/porteus-v4.0-i586.cfg --set=root
if [ $root != $bootdrv ]; then
linux /boot/syslinux/vmlinuz
initrd /boot/syslinux/initrd.xz
else
echo "----------------------------------------"
echo Porteus drive NOT found.
echo
sleep -v -i 10
fi
set root=$bootdrv
}
BTW This code is for grub2, grub4dos and grub code may be slightly different.
And thank you for the "crook" explanation. I've never heard it before.