"432" on Gecko: Update

Puppy "4.3.2" customised for Gecko

Ok, I have uploaded the working Puppy "4.3.2" (unofficial release version) files:

http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/puppylinux/gecko-edubook-laptop/

Explanation how to install:

http://puppylinux.com/baby-laptops/gecko-install.htm

Some extra notes

1. I recommend adding "loglevel=3" to the kernel commandline in 'menu.lst'.
2. Dual booting with FreeDOS is great if you want to be able to update the Flash BIOS. Someone might be interested in going through the steps and produce a image file for a 4GB SD card.
3. I do not have a driver for the USB wifi adapter supplied by Norhetec. I substituted another, that uses the 'rt73usb' driver -- but that has some stability issues.
4. The space provided for the internal USB wifi adapter is small and you may have to strip the casing off the adapter.

Back-burner

I am now placing the Gecko onto the "back-burner" (as they say), doing other stuff. I have got one of the units setup okay with Puppy "432", to donate to an Indian NGO in March. The other unit, I'll keep, may fiddle with it again, especially if anyone else comes up with an improved Linux installation, such as the example given recently of Xubuntu.

When I state "okay", I really mean the best that I can get it for now. Wifi driver is unstable, no battery status, but basically usable. If you are reading this post and haven't seen my other posts on the Gecko, see here:

http://bkhome.org/archive/blog2/201002/gecko-summary-so-far.html

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Comments

Kernel Src with Header Files
Username: Raffy
Michael just sent some files for linux-2.6.30-vortex86mx (full kernel source that includes all kernel header files). I have forwarded the files (and chain of emails) to your gmail.

Gecko
Username: ttuuxxx
"Hi Barry did you want a olpc XO ? I had 2 of them and sent one to micko, I still have one left, lol The way I look at it if you had a working model, maybe you might get further than me. ttuuxxx

Gecko, XO
Username: BarryK
"Raffy, We don't need the kernel header files from DMP. The 2.6.33-git7 kernel used in Quirky 008 works in the Gecko. Sound, ethernet, wireless, shutdown, all works. When I progress to the next 2.6.33.x kernel for a future Quirky, it will be the same situation. What DMP needs to do though, is update the Xorg 'rdc' driver to work in Xorg 7.5. Currently we are forced to use the Xorg 'vesa' driver. Currently, the 'rdc' driver is designed for Xorg 7.3 only. While they are at it, they need to fix the mis-behaving mouse pointer. ttuuxxx, Aargh! No, I gave mine away to a OLPC volunteer, certainly don't want another.

apm: BIOS not found
Username: Masahiro Wada
" I'm using Xubuntu 9.10 on Gecko EduBook. I built new kernel to enable APM using CONFIG_APM=y in .config. But the kernel shows "apm: BIOS not found" in dmesg. Your Puppy kernel can use apm. Did you use something special way to build kernel? Please tell me. Sorry for my poor English.

Gecko
Username: BarryK
"Our kernel is especially patched for the vortex86mx chipset. See: http://bkhome.org/sources/kernel-2.6.33.2/ user: pu#p#py password: li#n#ux (obfuscated)

apm: BIOS not found
Username: Masahiro Wada
" Thank you for your reply. I've already patched vortex86mx.patch. I'm afraid other patch is not related to APM. Is it my misunderstanding?

Gecko BIOS
Username: BarryK
"You may need to update the BIOS in the Gecko. Note, although we had APM "working" with Puppy, it wasn't of much use. What we wanted to do is read battery level, however the Gecko hardware is not capable of that.

apm: BIOS not found
Username: Masahiro Wada
" Yes, I've already updated BIOS. And I only want to power-off automatically when I shutdown. I tested your Puppy and it could power-off, but Xubuntu could not...

Gecko power-off
Username: BarryK
"There is one other thing, my kernel has a configure option enabled to support an RDC ide chip -- I think this was a new feature in the 2.6.33 kernel. I don't recall which option.

apm: BIOS not found
Username: Masahiro Wada
" Thank you for your advice. To my regret, Xubuntu 9.10 uses 2.6.31 kernel. I will wait new Xubuntu using 2.6.33 kernel.

gecko patches
Username: technosaurus
"you had stated that you lost the direct link to patches found a source for a couple of patches http://www.vortex86.com/os-linux.htm it was really slow so I used a cached page from google which eventually got me to here: ftp://download@ftp.dmp.com.tw/os-xlinux/

Latest RDC Video driver
Username: Raffy
"[url=http://minipc.org/downloads/rdc_drv-0419.tar.gz]Here is the latest RDC video driver sent in by Michael. (The original RAR file can't be opened in Puppy so I had to use Windows to make sure I can open the file.)"27 Apr 2010, 24:45"01396"119.95.178.239'RDC Video Drivers"Anonymous Coward"Tested them on my Edubook, and they don't work. Any other reports?"28 Apr 2010, 5:24"01396"78.86.7.194'

Tags: puppy