[Abandoned] Clone desktop installation on laptop?

[Gagarin Gambit]

I was given a modern laptop recently, an Acer Aspire 5750 with integrated Intel graphics. As the laptop's specifications are almost on par with my desktop, I'd like to clone the desktop PCLOS KDE installation.

Normally it should be simple: remaster, install the remaster. But I run into video driver issues. While the latest PCLOS version works on safe video mode (and I should be able to fix the drivers from there), with the remaster I can get only in command line mode, and any option other than safe mode gives a black screen. I have no clue why, the Intel driver is installed. I tried the advice given here, but it didn't help. Also note that I've tried the remaster on another computer and I know it works as it's supposed to.

Doing a fresh install and then installing everything manually and cloning all the settings would do it. But it requires a *lot* of time, my installation is heavily customised. So, is there a simple way to do this? For instance, is there a way to find out which are the installed packages, automate their installation, and afterwards copying the entire home folder?

[djohnston]

Gagarin,

Since this is most likely a graphics card issue, what graphics card is in use on the desktop? You've said the laptop has integrated Intel graphics. Do you know what the Intel chipset is? In other words, can you give a rundown of the graphics for both computers, as well as the monitor size and resolutions, if you know them?

[Gagarin Gambit]

Good point.

The desktop has a GeForce 9600 GT and screen resolution at 1360x768.

The laptop has an integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 at 1366x768.

[djohnston]

Are both monitors 1366x768? If you're using the nVidia proprietary drivers on the desktop and remastering, I can see how it might not work on the laptop with the Intel chipset. Except, the HAL hardware detection routines should kick in when booting the CD on the laptop.

Just for clarification, when you say you get a "black screen", are you getting a CLI login prompt?

[Gagarin Gambit]

The desktop is at 1360x768, the laptop at 1366x768.

Yeah, it's nVidia proprietary for the the desktop. Do you believe that's the issue?

It's a (bright) black screen when I should be getting the log in screen, no command line drop, no failure messages, nothing. That's the case for both the livecd and the remaster under normal live cd mode, but the livecd does work under safe video mode, while the remaster still gives the black screen.

[djohnston]

Okay, I wanted to be sure I wasn't seeing a typo. Can you check this in a terminal on your desktop installation and post the results?

su -
cat /boot/grub/menu.lst | grep vga
cat /boot/grub/menu.lst | grep vesa
exit
exit

[Gagarin Gambit]

That's the output for vga

kernel (hd0,5)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux root=UUID=1cd07952-d3db-4950-b193-4df7b009d036 resume=UUID=9c63792c-531f-4d06-8c39-b540758fa2da splash=silent vga=788
kernel (hd0,5)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.33.7-pclos6.bfs BOOT_IMAGE=2.6.33.7-pclos6.bfs root=UUID=1cd07952-d3db-4950-b193-4df7b009d036 resume=UUID=9c63792c-531f-4d06-8c39-b540758fa2da splash=silent vga=788
kernel (hd0,5)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38.8-pclos1.bfs BOOT_IMAGE=2.6.38.8-pclos1.bfs root=UUID=1cd07952-d3db-4950-b193-4df7b009d036 resume=UUID=9c63792c-531f-4d06-8c39-b540758fa2da splash=silent vga=788

There was no output with vesa

[djohnston]

Well, that's all normal. You're booting up with 800x600x16bit resolution. And, when you say, "Doing a fresh install and then installing everything manually and cloning all the settings would do it", does that mean you've tried the regular PCLOS KDE live CD on the laptop already? If you have, and it looked good, can you boot from that CD again and check the video settings? The video driver in use, the detected monitor and display size?

[Gagarin Gambit]

Custom, 1024x768. That's on video safe mode, it's the only option that will get me a gui with the livecd.

However, I successfully changed the settings it in the pcc (Intel 810 and later, 1366x768), logged out and back in, and the resolution was fixed.

[marcin82]

Gagarin Gambit
Have you tried to run your remastered livecd with kernel command line option called:

Code: [Select]

nomodeset?
Show also results of commands (even from livecd running in console):

Code: [Select]

xrandr -q

Code: [Select]

lspci -k | grep -A3 VGA=======
You can also try to clone your "/" and "/home" partitions from pc-desktop to laptop => CloneZilla, FSArchiver, etc. and after reboot redo as root your xorg.conf file:

Code: [Select]

XFdrake --auto

[Gagarin Gambit]

These are good suggestions... I'll look into them.

Thank you both for your assistance, I'll report back if I made it and how.

[djohnston]

Gagarin Gambit
Have you tried to run your remastered livecd with kernel command line option called:

Code: [Select]

nomodeset

+1 Gagarin, I'm pretty sure that will get you a working desktop from your remastered live CD. I just didn't think of it.

[Gagarin Gambit]

nomodeset gets me in command line mode. I also tried using login in as root, changing the screen settings, logging back out and in (just I did with the livecd in safe mode, but using the command line), but startx insists - "Fatal server error: no screens found".

While using the remaster the output is:

xrandr -q -> No display found

lspci -k | grep -A3 VGA ->VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Familly Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 09) Subsystem: Acer Incrporated [ALI] Device 0504 Kernel modules: i915 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 04)

That's confusing... it does detect the driver, but it's not using it?

Clonezilla does looks like an option...

[Archie]

Have you tried ...

Running the LiveCD and copying over /etc/X11/xorg.conf to the laptop? If your remaster still have the Intel drivers, you should be good to go with the default xorg.conf and change to the proper driver after a reboot.

[Gagarin Gambit]

This thread has grown a little old, but I didn't work much on the issue for some time for a number of reasons... it's time to report back.

After trying and getting frustrated with various backup software, I successfully cloned my root partition with Clonezilla. This broke grub, as I expected, which I partially got back after some fuss. The graphic issue was fixed by running XFdrake in command line mode. But after spending Friday evening and the entire Saturday doing these, there are still issues. Grub needs some work, as it can't properly see the Windows partition. Booting takes a long time, because it's searching for the old hardware in every boot. And who knows what else may came up, not to mention it needs a little extra customisation anyway since this is a laptop.

I also tried installing the remaster via the command line mode, but draklive-install returns an error:
Can't locate object method "new" via package "ugtk2" at /usr/sbin/draklive-install line 107
Out of curiosity I checked, and that's also the case with a PCLinuxOS 2012.2 live cd.

The moral: if you can't get your remaster to work because of hardware issues, don't bother cloning because it won't work anyway. Do a fresh install, copy your home folder, and manually install all the packages you need.