DSL 4410 in qemu

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[lucmars]

A  DSL frugal install  on a VM, that runs well.

First, the getting start page doesn't mention that cfdisk should be run as root.

Second, Qemu doesn't seem to like Lilo but rather like Grub, though the installation of the later is not straightforward.

Third, I'am used with the frugal install à la Puppy, that is to say: create a folder (in a Linux partition), put the right stuff in it from an iso, then, tweak the bootloader's menu;list.  Can one do the same with Dsl ?

Now, I will give a go to Dsl-n

[CNK]

(first) Well you know now. Experience is sometimes assumed in such documents.

(second) That's pretty subjective. GRUB is generally more flexible, and there's much more information about it in the DSL Wiki than for Lilo.

(third) Yep (http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/frugal_install.html).

[lucmars]

(third) Yep (http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/frugal_install.html).

Thanks.

I've tried a frugal-install manually on my hard drive :

That boots until the scan for usb, firewire device and then "Sorry, I can't find Knoppix filesystem..." (seems to search it on an external storage).
At least, I got a tiny shell.

Note that this is the frugal-install of  DSL-N RC,  I should rather try with the current DSL, no ?

Moreover I use Grub4dos instead of Grub or Lilo,, but it does its job apparently.

Just for the information, here below a Grub4dos setting for a frugal-install like Puppy with Dsl-n

Code:

title dsln frugal in sda2 dir dsln
  find --set-root --ignore-floppies /dsln/minirt.gz
  kernel /dsln/linux pmedia=atahd psubdir=dsln
  initrd /dsln/minirt.gz

[CNK]

I haven't used GRUB4DOS, so I'm not aware of its syntax. Also, I've never intalled DSL-N, so the following advice relates mainly to DSL. However it appears to me that you need to put the "root=" command on the kernel line. Furthermore, your commands "pmedia" and "psubdir" are not in the list of startup "cheatcodes" (http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/cheat_codes.html).

Currently the error indicates that DSL can't find the partition from which you want it to run. I sugest the following kernel line:

Code:

kernel /boot/isolinux/linux root=/dev/sda2 frugal

Note that this will run DSL in the root directory of sda2, not inside the dsln directory.

Also, I recommend you look at the cheatcodes page for more additions you may want to make to the kernel line.

[lucmars]

Thanks for your answer CNK

I know a little bit about cheat-codes and among them I've noticed the "root=" or at least the "knoppix_dir", thought, I don"t know what Grub4dos can really do. May be it can 't go further than the bootstrap (aka the vm linux and the initrd).

I will try with the Dsl(n)'s stuff at the root of the partition (maybe it doesn"t like to be enclosed in a directory)

Personally I'am not tied to Grub4dos but the Puppys' frugal install are accomodated with (that don't work with Grub,, maybe with Grub2) so, if I find the right settings the Puppiers will be able to enjoy DSL(n) like an other frugal-install.

Beside that, Dsl-n may do not like my hardware : the boot is very verbose before it reaches the DSL's logo, is that usual ?

[CNK]

The GRUB4DOS Wiki isn't working for me, so I can't look up the documentation. However as long as it supports the "kernel" command (which it should), it should work.

The commands that come after the kernel file path (in your case "/boot/isolinux/linux") are not for GRUB, but the kernel. GRUB simply passes them on to the kernel after it has been loaded. That's why they vary between distros.

The error you get is because the DSL kernel can't work out which directory to find all the other operating system files, the "root" command in the kernel line tells the kernel where these files are.

Also, I forgot that if you have a SATA HDD, you'll need to add the command "sata" to the kernel line as well. If you have an IDE (PATA) HDD, or a SATA HDD running in IDE compatibility mode, you should be aware that unlike many distros with more modern kernels (eg. Puppy), DSL names IDE HDDs in "hdx" format. eg. If an IDE HDD is recognised as "sda2" in Puppy, it would be "hda2" for DSL. However if it was SATA, USB or SCSI, it would be recognised in both distros as "sda2".

Best to keep DSL on the in the root directory of a partition. Here (http://damnsmalllinux.org/forums/index.php?topic=422.0) is a similar discussion from a while ago.

Yes the DSL startup is usually pretty verbose. I consider it more interesting.


Thanks for the break from endless wedding dresses :)