Damn Small Linux - Not!

Missouri Ridgerunner · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 1 Location: St. Louis, MO

Just a suggestion for when you get around to doing an embedded DSL-N is figure a way for the user to select the screen resolution that will be used. 800x600 is not always the most useful. 1024x768 would be good too. This would be good for regular DSL-Embedded as well.

roberts · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Posts: 320 Location: OC CA USA

dsl-embedded has been provided only as a convience.
You can run dsl-n iso with any qemu that you might have available.
I have only tested it by using the -cdrom option of Qemu v0.8.
The default as with the iso is 1024x768.

The 800x600 that you mention is only because of the default backup that I had provided. It seems to me that Qemu is moving beyond the sandbox with the newer versions and I don't know if it will be necessary to continue to provide a sandbox solution. Also since dsl-n is so much larger than dsl that I am at capacity to test much on my old 256MB 700Mhz Windows machine.

desnotes · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 5 Location: Tampa, FL

Robert,

Can you provide some direction on the steps you take when creating the embedded version of DSL? This is an area in which I will continue to pursue and although DSL - N is larger than 50MB I think it has big potential in running on a USB with Qemu.

I have tried to build pieces needed to run from the qemu -kernel but can't quite get there. Does the kernel file need to be built differently than for the ISO and what is different in the minirt.gz file?

thanks,

desNotes

roberts · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Posts: 320 Location: OC CA USA

Hi desnotes,

Thanks for being so helpful with the Qemu embedded stuff.

I do not do anything special for the embedded version.
It is the same KNOPPIX image file and same linux and miniroot
My release scripts simply copy these files from the release iso to a Qemu directory where all the other Qemu related files are and then I zip it.

As you can imagine, I have my hands full at the moment.
Together with an old and small Windows machine for testing.

If you are encounting a problem with just copying the aforementioned files.
It would be very helpful if you can follow the Qemu support site for a possible solution and post it here.

Thanks,
Robert

desnotes · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 5 Location: Tampa, FL

When I assembled the files for an embedded version of DSL-N and booted, I received the following error message:

Kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!

I am able to run DSL-N on QEMU directly from the iso. When going through the Autoconfiguring during boot up, it cycles much slower than with the 2.4 kernel. It also takes a full minute to start going through the boot process. Here is a note for using cheat codes...add nofirewire as the 2.6 kernel now checks for it.

Once it is up and running, it runs quicker and with less CPU load most of the time. Firefox starts up faster on DSL - N than DSL...not sure if that is due to the 2.6 kernel or other features.

I haven't had a lot of time to check it out yet due to work but so far I think it has great potential. As John said in one of his posts, this distro would be great for a college student. It has a number of non-techy user apps.

Great job Robert & John!

desNotes

PS I will investigate why I am getting the kernel panic error. Probably something I did when attempting to put the files together.

tuxedo · Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Posts: 16 Location: paris - france

i'm running dsl-n through qemu (with the cdrom option), and got the same global impression:
the mydsl apps (tested firefox, opera, gimp, xchat) install quickly and seem to run without messing up to much with ressources. it has to be tested more thoroughly, but my first impression is a good one, the new dsl with the 2.6 kernel seems to work well with virtual machines.

thanks for this release

ryptyde · Joined: 23 Apr 2006 Posts: 2 Location: Michigan-USA

First off THANKS for all the work put into the DSL's. I was surprised to see a "bigger sibling" and just recently d'loaded it. I have a recent intall of CentOS 4.3 which is a Red Hat Enterprise 4 clone and a new install of VMware-Player.

I have been itching to try out my latest Linux/vmware distro-combo and DSL-N.a2 was the first.I haven't put it through very many tests yet but was thrilled to see it boot up in the virtual machine. Took a couple of screenshots and caught the boot-splash and thought some might be interested in seeing it.

I also ran the "dsl-2.3-vmx.zip" with out a hitch so far.

Way Cool DSL Crew!

[url=http://www.onlinephotographers.com/gallery/albums/Pixels-Galore/DSL_N_a2.jpg][img]http://www.onlinephotographers.com/gallery/albums/Pixels-Galore/DSL_N_a2.thumb.jpg[/img][/url]

tlchost · Joined: 02 May 2006 Posts: 2

[quote="desnotes"]When I assembled the files for an embedded version of DSL-N and booted, I received the following error message:
[/quote]

Can you tell me exactly what you're doing...

which files where?

I have a batch file from the dsl embedded version
START qemu\qemu.exe -L qemu/ -enable-audio -localtime -kernel linux24 -initrd minirt24.gz -hda KNOPPIX/knoppix -hdb qemu/harddisk -append "qemu sb=0x220,5,1,1 frugal quiet modules=hdb"

But I don't see any linux26 file

Linux, DSL-N and QEMU are all new to me...so I am really confused.

thanks

desnotes · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 5 Location: Tampa, FL

If you look in the isolinux directory there is a file called 'linux' ...that would be the linux26 file in the embedded version.

As I said I could not get it to boot from the kernel but that was a few revisions ago so I will try it on RC1 soon. It will boot if you boot using the iso as CDROM.

Do get information on Qemu, check this link [url]http://fabrice.bellard.free.fr/qemu/[/url]

tlchost · Joined: 02 May 2006 Posts: 2

[quote="desnotes"]If you look in the isolinux directory there is a file called 'linux' ...that would be the linux26 file in the embedded version.

As I said I could not get it to boot from the kernel but that was a few revisions ago so I will try it on RC1 soon. It will boot if you boot using the iso as CDROM.
[/quote]

Thanks...I renamed the file and also the .gz...but no luck...now it complains about a time source.

I am using a motorola USB wireless...and it's strictly windows...and the embedded dsl was the only Linuz I could find that worked and allowed ne to "see" the internet using the Motorola.

Guess I'll wait til someone can tell me how they got it to work.

Thanks for the information, tho.

Thom

roberts · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Posts: 320 Location: OC CA USA

I didn't make any other download images because we were in alpha mode.
Too many changes on going.
I also think there are still issues (Qemu related?) to trying to run -kernel.
No problem running DSL-N Qemu with the -cdrom option.