Boot Trisquel on computers without PAE

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ssdclickofdeath
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I recently obtained a computer that can't boot the Trisquel 6 live CD because the CPU doesn't support PAE (Physical Address Extensions). Is there a way to get around this?

ssdclickofdeath
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Also, I don't want to install Trisquel just yet, so I can't use the netinstall method.

ssdclickofdeath
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Now I can install, I am using the netinstall method of installing Ubuntu 12.04 on non-PAE supported computers. Is is possible to switch from the Ubuntu repo to the Trisquel one?

lembas
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You could compile a kernel without pae and replace the kernel in the .iso image with it (or to be exact, make a new .iso with the same content except for the kernel). The kernel in the image seems to be 3.0.0-17-generic for 32 bit. The config item is X86_PAE under processor type and features. I've never made a .iso image but looks like there is a program called isomaster in the repos that could be used.

http://www.fsfla.org/ikiwiki/selibre/linux-libre/

ssdclickofdeath
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I don't know how to compile a kernel, but am willing to learn. :)

lembas
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>I don't know how to compile a kernel, but am willing to learn. :)

In that case, see https://trisquel.info/en/wiki/compiling-gnu-linux-libre-kernel

ssdclickofdeath
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Would this guide compile a non-PAE requiring kernel?

lembas
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>Would this guide compile a non-PAE requiring kernel?

Only if you select the correct configuration options, I don't know what all you need exactly.

>Which kernel should I download to put in the install CD?

For best compatibility, select the same version as the original. Others might work as well.

>What file should I extract out of the completed .deb and put in the Trisquel iso?

Well, you need a kernel and an initrd. You could try using vmlinuz from /boot/ in the .deb with the initrd from the .iso or you could install the .deb on your system and then take the matching kernel and initrd from your system's /boot. The latter probably works better.

ssdclickofdeath
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I looked on the Linux-Libre site and didn't find version 3.0.0-17.
Also, if I do succeed in making a non-PAE Trisquel version, is there a way for me to upload it to trisquel.info?

lembas
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3.0.0 is the kernel version, 17 is the packing version of Trisquel, so it's here

http://linux-libre.fsfla.org/pub/linux-libre/releases/LATEST-3.0.0/

I don't think you can upload it but could be wrong.

ssdclickofdeath
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Which kernel should I download to put in the install CD?

ssdclickofdeath
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What file should I extract out of the completed .deb and put in the Trisquel iso?

Magic Banana

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Are you sure the processor has a 32-bit architecture (it is pretty rare nowadays)? Even if it is so (i.e., even if you cannot take a 64-bit ISO), I do not understand why PAE would prevent Trisquel to boot. It should boot with only 4 GB of available memory. What makes you think the issue has to do with PAE?

Michał Masłowski

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Kernels compiled for PAE do not boot on CPUs without PAE, it's not
related to the amount of installed memory. This feature has a use on
systems with less than 4 GiB of memory:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NX_bit needs PAE on 32-bit x86 systems.

t3g
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Does the Trisquel 6 mini ISO use PAE by default as well? I think Lubuntu does NOT include a PAE kernel since the whole purpose of that distro is utilize older hardware.

ssdclickofdeath
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Joined: 05/18/2013

Yes, the Trisquel 6 Mini live CD requires PAE as well.

icarolongo
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Joined: 03/26/2011

Ruben (quidam) know about this issue? Is good one iso image with non-PAE for easy installation.

Compile kernel is not easy for a beginner.

ssdclickofdeath
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At least in my case, a Pentium M processor has PAE, it just doesn't report it in /proc/cpuinfo, I found a tool called fake-pae https://launchpad.net/%7Eprof7bit/+archive/fake-pae that adds the PAE flag to /proc/cpuinfo so the system can be updated to the latest version that requires PAE.

andermetalsh
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I think Trisquel Mini should provide a non-PAE kernel for older machines.

Those old PC's (pentium III-IV era) are perfect to install a fully free system because the old propietary drivers and software do not work properly anymore with current libraries and kernels.

Abiword and Gnumeric work decently, and Libreoffice should be usable with 512mb of RAM.

About the web and im stuff, Skype and Flash both suck. They are propietary and demand a 1,2 Ghz CPU just to get a tiny performance.

Empathy+a VoIP account from ekiga.net, (Ekiga is blacklisted on Trisquel but their accounts work on Empathy with no issues at all), and Abrowser+Greasemonkey addon+LinternaMagica+Gecko-Mediaplayer work MUCH better than the propietary and bloated alternatives.

Also, Nouveau drivers work with an Nvidia Geforce3 pretty well. I think it could even run the free Doom3 engine at minimal settings and some non-intensive games like Warzone 2100.

In conclusion, Trisquel Mini is the only alternative to give a new life to an older machine.

ssdclickofdeath
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Duplicate post removed.

ssdclickofdeath
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There is also a distro called Puppy Linux, [sic] which is very lightweight, but there is no libre version. :(

http://puppylinux.org
http://puppylinux.com

Magic Banana

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There is even lighter (as in "OK for a Pentium I computer with 64MB of RAM") and libre GNU/Linux distribution: ConnochaetOS.

lembas
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Let's not link to non-free distros, OK?

(puppy, connos)

Magic Banana

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According to the ConnochaetOS' page I linked to:
The Free Software Foundation examined every package very closely and said, that we meet the FSF' criteria at this point. So we consider that the ConnochaetOS project is a success.
(...)
ConnochaetOS is a libre GNU/Linux distribution which follows the “Guidelines for Free System Distributions”. See http://www.gnu.org/distros/free-system-distribution-guidelines.html for more information.

As for Puppy, I agree.

lembas
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Well, if it's not on https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.html

I wouldn't take their word for FSF recommendation.

andrew
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On 17/06/13 04:58, mikko.viinamaki wrote:
> Well, if it's not on https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.html
>
> I wouldn't take their word for FSF recommendation.

They have posted on the Linux-libre mailing list before, but I don't
think they have got any response in the past with recommendations.

Andrew.

t3g
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I agree with you that future Trisquel Mini ISOs have non-PAE kernels install by default.

oysterboy

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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Le 2013-06-16 09:50, name at domain a écrit :
>
> Empathy+a VoIP account from ekiga.net, (Ekiga is blacklisted on
Trisquel but their accounts work on Empathy with no issues at all)

What do you mean by Ekiga being 'blacklisted on Trisquel'?

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lembas
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ssdclickofdeath
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I linked to Puppy [GNU/]Linux because I am interested in making a Puppy-Libre, I posted a question a couple of weeks ago but no one responded.
http://trisquel.info/en/forum/make-puppy-libre

It was one of my favorite distros before I switched to free software.

lembas
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A free light weight distro would be lovely.

desdes002
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When i tried to boot Trisquel 6.0 from a USB stick,my Dell Latitude D600 say:

"This Kernel requires the following features not present on the CPU: pae
Unable to boot - please use a kernel appropriate for your CPU"

desdes002
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Joined: 06/16/2013

Please how can i solve this issue?

desdes002
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And please am a total beginner

ssdclickofdeath
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I have the same problem, same model.

desdes002
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@ssdclickofdeath

Have you been able to solve the problem?

ssdclickofdeath
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Not yet, but I am trying to find a solution, preferably an ISO image to redistribute.

I also posted an issue about this problem.
http://trisquel.info/en/issues/9034

Telstar
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I've been working on connos since 2008 and yes, I can see the kernel firmware being one which is holding it back from FSF endorsement. our way is to nag about non-free software and load it (if the user first load it), instead of blindly refusing to function. However FSF endorsement isn't a top priority, though it would be nice.

However, to get around the PAE issue on Toutatis, one can install Taranis and upgrade it. It's not a single-commander, but it shouldn't be too hard for couraged user either.

ssdclickofdeath
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I installed Taranis (if that is Trisquel 4.0) to test that out, but I don't know how to upgrade to Trisquel 6.0. How is that done?

Magic Banana

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The so-called "Update Manager" should inform you of a new Trisquel 6.0 version and propose you to upgrade by clicking on a button. To force it, you can execute this command:
$ sudo update-manager --dist-upgrade

To do the upgrade from within a terminal, execute this command:
$ sudo do-release-upgrade

ssdclickofdeath
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I tried an upgrade, the first time, the update manager said that the upgrade failed, so it reverted the system state. I tried the dist-upgrade again later, and it claimed that it was up to date, though it was obviously still Trisquel 4.1

Magic Banana

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The second 'dist-upgrade' probably claimed that you system was up to date because you did not revert /etc/apt/sources.list. You then only need to 'sudo apt-get upgrade'.

ssdclickofdeath
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I just did "sudo apt-get upgrade", then it said something about 0 packages being changed. Because nothing happened, I decided to try using both the command-line and the GUI upgrade managers, yet it didn't find any newer versions. (I can access trisquel.info just fine on that computer, though.)

ssdclickofdeath
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I used ISO Master to replace the vmlinuz kernel in the Trisquel 6.0 ISO with the older Trisquel 4.0.1 vmlinuz kernel. In a VirtualBox VM with PAE/NX disabled, I tested the new NonPAE Trisquel 6.0 out. here is the output.
I also tested it on my non PAE enabled computer, a Dell Inspiron 8600. With the real computer, here was all I got: _ (An underscore)

replaced-kernel.png
ssdclickofdeath
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I wouldn't mind compiling a new kernel, but I don't know which version to download, or which settings to use.

ssdclickofdeath
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I finally got Trisquel 6.0 working on my Dell Inspiron 8600. I took the hard drive out of the Inspiron and put it in a Dell Latitude which reports PAE as one of the CPU's features, installed Trisquel on the drive, installed fake-pae, (link above, it may have worked anyway if I had not installed it.)