Knoppix 6.2 runs where Knoppix 6.7 does not!

[Karibu]

Hello All,
On my HP Pavilion g6-1b67ca Laptop I can run KNOPPIX 6.2 perfectly while version 6.7 only gives me a black screen. My grahpics is AMD Radeon 6520G and is identified during booting as ATI Technologies Inc. Device 9674.
Any thoughts or suggestions are highly appreciated. Thanks. K..

[utu]

Greetings Karibu:

Have you tried a cheatcode like 'knoppix xmodule=radeon'?

[utu]

.
Thanks for pointing me to this. Actually, I think it may be a problem
with the newer xorg server version, maybe in combination with the radeon
firmware inside the "linux-firmware-nonfree" package.

For your recommendation: It may be safer to run radeon-hd cards with
cheatcode "knoppix nocomposite", "knoppix nomodeset" or even "knoppix
nodrm" in Knoppix 6.7. The first one just disables the composite
extension used for 3D, while the second and third one disables some or
all acceleration (possibly falling back to vesa).

The reason why 6.2 may have worked better was that there was no kernel
mode setting requirement in the older xorg version, but now with
xorg-core 1.10, many radeon-hd cards just won't work without kms being
enabled, and Knoppix falls back to vesa, if the card is still responding
and isn't blocked for some reason.

Regards
-Klaus

[Karibu]

.
For your recommendation: It may be safer to run radeon-hd cards with
cheatcode ...noppix nocomposite or knoppix nomodeset...or even ... Thank you, utu, for your comments and quick response! By ..to run radeon-hd cards... do you mean to change the graphics card in the Laptop? Actually, I don't want to do that, First I wouldn't know how-to and second I don't want to spend extra money on that. The other thing I don't understand clearly is how and when I could enter any of the cheatcodes like ...knoppix nocomposite or knoppix nomodeset... etc.? I'm not really new to Linix, I use Linux Mint on my Desktop, but I'm not educated in software. K.

[utu]

Greetings again, Karibu.

Cheat codes are another way of controlling Knoppix's behavior.
There is a five-second-or-so delay on every Knoppix boot that allows you
to interrupt the boot process to insert some instructions to modify certain
parts of Knoppix's normal initialization process.

The first keystroke, such as a letter 'k', interrupts this process until
either a time-out occurs or an enter key appears. Whatever is typed-in during
this interruption is examined and, if meaningful, is acted upon. On your CD or
in /mnt-system on most LiveCDs or LiveUSBs there's a file
/KNOPPIX/knoppix-cheatcodes.txt, which lists scads of these magic words.

What I and Klaus K are suggesting is that the next time you boot 6.7, you
try some of these cheat codes to see if any of these will help you get your
graphics set up better. Just try one at a time of course.

So, at boot, before Knoppix 6.7 goes ahead on its own, as KK says, type in
"knoppix nocomposite", "knoppix nomodeset" or even "knoppix nodrm", enter,
and report back on your findings.

[utu]

.
Just googling radeon 6520G I find nomodeset mentioned a lot; for examples:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1613132
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-laptop-and-netbook-25/amd-a6-3400m-and-radeon-hd-6520g-issues-918229/

[Karibu]

Thank you very much for the qualified and detailed explanation. Here is the result of the cheatcode booting: "knoppix nocomposite": no change...no graphics...black screen... knoppix nomodeset: long (ca. 4min) but successful boot...GUI works...everything works.... knoppix nodrm: shorter boot time ---success!... I think about a HD installation on my Laptop and would like to know what repositories Knoppix is accessing? Thanks again for your time and help... K. PS: This reply is written from KNOPPIX 6.7 Live DVD

[utu]

Greetings again, Karibu.

Glad we could help.
You can combine cheatcodes that work, for example:
knoppix nomodeset nodrm.

IMO, Knoppix is best used as a LiveUSB. 2 Gb works for the CD version.
Most old pro's suggest you NOT do an actual HD install of Knoppix,
but instead use Debian for that, if an HD install is what you want.

I'm not sure how to interpret your repo question, but I can tell you this:
with Knoppix LiveUSB, do not do wholesale upgrades, and do not mix and match
programs across repos. Klaus K may do this, but he knows what will work.
Also, KK provides upgrades often enough this is only necessary in rare cases.

[Karibu]

OK...Thank you...I'll follow your advice...My regards to KK! :)

[Karibu]

Yes, it works great...one last question to this issue:
To start Knoppix from USB I tried four options:
1) After boot prompt "Enter"
---> System boots into Adriane.
2) After boot prompt "knoppix nocomposite"
---> System boots into Knoppix 6.7 ---> OK
3) After boot prompt "knoppix nomodeset"
---> System boots into Knoppix 6.7 ---> OK
4) After boot prompt "knoppix nodrm"
---> System boots into Knoppix 6.7 ---OK

Now I wonder how I could change the USB boot file so that at least one
of the cheatcodes is included --- only because I'm too lazy to type it
each time.

Greetings
K.

[utu]

@ Karibu

You may want to 'automate' your new-found cheatcodes.

What you will then want to do is to modify the file /mnt-system/boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg.
Take a look at this file with leafpad or gedit.
AS ROOT, make a copy of this and call that /mnt-system/boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg.orig.
Notice there are many three line stanzas of LABEL\KERNEL\APPEND.

Probably all you will need to do add, AS ROOT, one or more cheatcodes to the end of ONE of the
APPEND lines and save this as a new syslinux.cfg file.

So, first we need to know which cheatcodes you find useful, and whether or not you
want adriane as a default.

At this point you can either experiment or ask more questions. Your call.

If things get crazy, AS ROOT, use the sylinux.cfg.orig to restore syslinux.cfg.

[Karibu]

@ Karibu
So, first we need to know which cheatcodes you find useful, and whether or not you
want adriane as a default.
At this point you can either experiment or ask more questions. Your call.

Thank you. utu, for your excellent support!
In my last post I only listed all the reactions to the corresponding cheatcode to your information.
What works in my case is either one of pos. 2) - 4).
I do not need the Adriane version.
I would like to use the code - either "nomodeset, nodrm, or nocomposite - actually only the one
which is solving the graphics issue and is least limiting the functionality of other parts of the system.
Please let me know what the optimal would be.
K.

[utu]

Assuming the first line in your /mnt-system/boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg is
DEFAULT knoppix
I would first change it to the following:
DEFAULT knoppix nodrm nomodeset
If that boots in about 60 seconds and your graphics seem reasonable to you,
I might quit right there; or you could start seeing just how much 3d stuff works.

With this change to syslinux.cfg you can either let the boot prompt time-out
in 5 or 6 seconds or hit <enter> right away.

So go ahead and give it a try.
AS ROOT, make a backup, make your change, and reboot.

[Karibu]

Assuming the first line in your /mnt-system/boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg is
DEFAULT knoppix


These are the beginning lines of my /boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg down to the knoppix labels:


DEFAULT adriane
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 lang=en vt.default_utf8=0 apm=power-off initrd=minirt.gz nomce libata.force=noncq hpsa.hpsa_allow_any=1 loglevel=1 tz=localtime
TIMEOUT 100
# TOTALTIMEOUT 20
# KBDMAP german.kbd
PROMPT 1
F1 boot.msg
F2 f2
F3 f3
DISPLAY boot.msg
LABEL adriane
KERNEL linux
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 lang=en vt.default_utf8=0 apm=power-off video=640x480 initrd=minirt.gz nomce libata.force=noncq hpsa.hpsa_allow_any=1 loglevel=1 tz=localtime adriane
LABEL adriane64
KERNEL linux64
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 lang=en vt.default_utf8=0 apm=power-off video=640x480 initrd=minirt.gz nomce libata.force=noncq hpsa.hpsa_allow_any=1 loglevel=1 tz=localtime adriane
LABEL knoppix
KERNEL linux
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 lang=en vt.default_utf8=0 apm=power-off initrd=minirt.gz nomce libata.force=noncq hpsa.hpsa_allow_any=1 loglevel=1 tz=localtime
LABEL knoppix64
KERNEL linux64

Do I have to #-out all adriane related lines and then make knoppix DEFAULT?

[Werner P. Schulz]

Do I have to #-out all adriane related lines and then make knoppix DEFAULT? No, change line 1 from "DEFAULT adriane" to "DEFAULT knoppix", if you want the group starting with "LABEL knoppix" to be your default.

If you want the group "LABEL knoppix" to be your default, change within this group the "APPEND" line as you need and do the same to line 2 of syslinux.cfg.

[utu]

Greetings Karibu & Werner.

I hope we haven't confused Karibu too much here.

Karibu apparently downloaded an adriane cd or dvd.
I think adriane & knoppix versionse may be exactly identical
except for the first line in syslinux.cfg.
I've always thought the first APPEND line was pretty much redundant if we
are only talking about knoppix or adriane as DEFAULT choices.

I think Karibu DOES NOT want the adriane mode.
I prefer to put graphics cheatcodes on the DEFAULT line, since they will be
probably be needed in most all cases.

That said, I'd make Karibu's DEFAULt line knoppix nodrm nomodeset and try it out:
DEFAULT knoppix nodrm nomodeset
I'd probably next try out just knoppix nomodeset to see which is better.

As an alternative he could put cheatcodes into the APPEND lines, but they
only count in the stanza designated by the DEFAULT declaration.
I don't think the order of the cheatcodes matters.

I will admit, Werner is the pro and I am not, so caveat emptor.

[Karibu]

Thank you, utu&Werner....I'm working on it later..I'll keep you posted.

BTW what means "caveat emptor" I guess it's latin?

[Werner P. Schulz]

I prefer to put graphics cheatcodes on the DEFAULT line, since they will be
probably be needed in most all cases.If you append cheatcodes at line 2, they will only be used by Knoppix, if you boot without any additional cheatcodes.

But if you start a session perhaps with "knoppix noimage". Knoppix doesn't use line 2 but the Append line within group at "LABEL knoppix". Therefore insert your permanent wished settigs also in this group.

[Karibu]

If you append cheatcodes at line 2, they will only be used by Knoppix, if you boot without any additional cheatcodes.
But if you start a session perhaps with "knoppix noimage". Knoppix doesn't use line 2 but the Append line within group at "LABEL knoppix". Therefore insert your permanent wished settigs also in this group.

Thank you! This is what I did:

## Changed "DEFAULT adriane" to "DEFAULT knoppix" and added cheatcode "nomodeset" to "APPEND" line of knoppix, Feb.29,2011

DEFAULT knoppix
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 lang=en vt.default_utf8=0 apm=power-off initrd=minirt.gz nomce libata.force=noncq
hpsa.hpsa_allow_any=1 loglevel=1 tz=localtime nomodeset
TIMEOUT 100
# TOTALTIMEOUT 20...........






Karibu apparently downloaded an adriane cd or dvd.
I think adriane & knoppix versionse may be exactly identical
except for the first line in syslinux.cfg.

I found a minor difference between the two:
ADRIANE comes with Chrome and KNOPPIX comes with Icewisel

EDIT: Where can I mark the issue [SOLVED]?

[Karibu]

Now I tried the Knoppix Version 6.7.1 with kernel 3.0.4

[Karibu]

@ utu and Werner Maybe it is of any interest for you.... I tried the Knoppix Version 6.7.1 with kernel 3.0.4 and installed it to two different brands of USB sticks. Both showed the same result: The Cheat-code had to be placed at the line DEFAULT and not at the line APPEND to be effective! My entry in syslinux.cfg is now like that: DEFAULT knoppix nodrm (and/or) nomodeset Again, Thanks for the support

[Werner P. Schulz]

The Cheat-code had to be placed at the line DEFAULT and not at the line APPEND to be effective!Yes, that's correct, if you boot without any other temporary cheatcode.

If you want to start Knoppix to try it with an additional cheatcode, you'll run in trouble if there is "nodrm (and/or) nomodeset" not also in the APPEND line of the group "LABEL knoppix".

[Werner P. Schulz]

EDIT: Where can I mark the issue [SOLVED]? Within this moderated Forum it is impossible to mark a thread as "Solved" as you can do it for example in http://www.knoppixforum.de/

[Karibu]

Within this moderated Forum it is impossible to mark a thread as &quot;Solved&quot; as you can do it for example in http://www.knoppixforum.de/

OK, Thank you for the info....