[SOLVED - Finally] Remastering defaults to onboard VGA

[Just17]

If you use a liveUSB you might be successful by using the persistence mode when booting.

[wharfhouse]

Hi all,

Been doing a little more experimenting...  I tried blacklisting viafb in various places which I understand to be the driver (?) responsible for S3 Unichrome on-board adapter, burning several remasters... nah, no difference.  To be honest, using my work-around as described earlier, I was prepared to admit defeat on this one and put it down to the fact that where you have an on-board VGA which cannot be totally disabled in the BIOS, you're going to have this problem. 

And then I remembered something... the original PCLOS ZenMini downloaded iso never had this problem, nor come to that did Mint when I tried it... so this quirkiness only happens with a remaster    Now what is so different in these iso's that one will work OK but the home-made one won't?  I've been studying the mylivecd --help file and Texstars' mylivecd script (all 30 odd pages!), but so far haven't found any obvious clues... there must be something somewhere...

[wharfhouse]

Update...

As I stated above, I've been looking at the "mylivecd" script and came across this line (highlighted in red):

my $nofiles = '^/[.].* ^/fastboot$ /core[.][0-9][0-9]*$ .*~$ .*[.]rpmnew$ .*[.]rpmsave$ [.]bash_history$ [.]fonts[.]cache-[0-9]$ [.]xauth.* [.]wh[.]* [.]xsession-errors$ icon-theme.cache$ ^/var/run/ ^/var/lock/subsys/ ^/var/lib/dhcp/ ^/root/.kde4/share/config/kmix* ^/root/.kde4/share/config/phonondevicesrc ^/home/guest/.kde4/share/config/kmix* ^/home/guest/.kde4/share/config/phonondevicesrc
^/etc/modprobe.conf ^/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth* ^/etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent* ^/var/lib/alsa/asound.state ^/etc/asound.state ^/etc/lilo.conf ^/boot/grub/menu.lst ^/etc/modprobe.preload.d/cpufreq ^/etc/sysconfig/harddrake2/previous_hw ^/var/lib/rpm/__db.* ^/etc/sysconfig/finish-install ^/var/lib/speedboot/* ^/etc/modprobe.d/sound ^/var/log/mysqld/mysqlmanager.log';

Are there any scripting gurus out there that could say whether this is significant in probing or not probing the correct VGA output? 

Thanks! 

[Just17]

can you post the command you used to remaster please?

[wharfhouse]

Hi Just18    Do you have a plan?  This is the command I use:

Code: [Select]

mylivecd -–gzip --md5sum [Title of CD].iso
As I say, it seems pretty damn reliable 

[Just17]

Hi Just18    Do you have a plan?  This is the command I use:

Code: [Select]

mylivecd -–gzip --md5sum [Title of CD].iso
As I say, it seems pretty damn reliable 

No plan .....  just wanted to be sure there was nothing used in the command that I was not expecting.

BTW, have you tried using 'persistence' on a LiveUSB device to see if the correct driver would be retained between boots?

[wharfhouse]

No I haven't as yet, though as it happens I'm experimenting with a few memory sticks to find one that will boot on my machine... or rather find why some will and some won't.  Perhaps when I've reached a successful conclusion with that I'll try a LiveUSB remaster just to see, as you say, I get the same VGA problem.

I'll let you know how I get on by & by.  Till then, thanks for your support.

See you later... 

[Neal ManBear]

wharfhouse,
Check your usb sticks for hidden partitions and files. Some manufacturers add those, and they can screw with your use of them.     

[wharfhouse]

Hi Neal & All!

wharfhouse,
Check your usb sticks for hidden partitions and files. Some manufacturers add those, and they can screw with your use of them.     

Yes I gathered it was something like that... U3 drives and those with other "security" features seem to be a problem.  I also found out there's a nifty utility from hp that can correct the "geometry" on those drives to make them bootable.  I only downloaded it today... yet to try it out after on those USB sticks I've got that's a problem, BUT, I've found one that works, a Pretec Bulletproof and, as I type this, I'm actually working off it now!  Wow, doesn't the LiveUSB work quick... not like the LiveCD! 

But, back to the original problem:

Hi Just18    Do you have a plan?  This is the command I use:

Code: [Select]

mylivecd -–gzip --md5sum [Title of CD].iso
As I say, it seems pretty damn reliable 

No plan .....  just wanted to be sure there was nothing used in the command that I was not expecting.

BTW, have you tried using 'persistence' on a LiveUSB device to see if the correct driver would be retained between boots?

'Fraid not!    Had to go through the same 'blind' routine to login to a (this) desktop.  Actually, it was a little more challenging as there was an element of guesswork due to the fact that being a LiveUSB there was no indication of hard disk activity unlike the LiveCD where I can easily judge the keyboard inputs!

So it looks like we really have come to the end of the road on this one and will have to put it down to no real setting on an Award BIOS to disable the on-board VGA.  So unless anybody else comes out with a revelation I'll await comments before marking this thread appropriately.

Good fun experimenting 'though wasn't it?   I'm indebted to you all once again. 

Cheers.

[Just17]

I haven't met with your problem, but I would suggest you at least try Persistence mode and set up the graphics as if it was installed to see if it will be retained on reboots.

[wharfhouse]

I haven't met with your problem, but I would suggest you at least try Persistence mode and set up the graphics as if it was installed to see if it will be retained on reboots.

Done!  But as I say, made no difference.  I must admit it would be intriguing to know why some live cd's do not display this behaviour (including the original pclos iso download) e.g. Mint, but others do e.g. my remaster, some *buntu's, Mandriva etc when I tried them in the early days.

Still, what can you do?! 

[Just17]

I haven't met with your problem, but I would suggest you at least try Persistence mode and set up the graphics as if it was installed to see if it will be retained on reboots.

Done!  But as I say, made no difference.  I must admit it would be intriguing to know why some live cd's do not display this behaviour (including the original pclos iso download) e.g. Mint, but others do e.g. my remaster, some *buntu's, Mandriva etc when I tried them in the early days.

Still, what can you do?! 

I expected that to work, because I expected an xorg.conf file to be created in the persistent directories with the correct settings.
I gotta ask    ......... you did boot again using persistence after doing the graphics set up to see if the setting was retained?

[wharfhouse]

Hi Just18! 

OK here are the steps:

1) On the main host OS (ZenMini) check the Nvidia GeForce adapter is default with Nouveau driver... yes.

2) Ensure all drivers referring to S3 Unichrome are removed in Synaptic... yes

3) Produce a remastered iso file in the usual way (updated, bleachbit etc.)... yes

4) Use this iso file to produce a LiveUSB... yes

5) When given Grub menu boot options, select standard boot & boot with persistance... yes

6)  Boot into LiveUSB, select boot with persistance... yes (at this the same problem/behaviour is encountered)

7) Repeat trying normal "standard" boot... yes (behaviour as above)!

Have I missed anything? 

Over to you! 

[Just17]

Have I missed anything?

Yep 

When you boot into the liveUSB using Persistence, make whatever changes are required to get the Graphics driver functional (PCC - Hardware - Setup Graphics?) ......  reboot .......  and boot again using Persistence.

The changes you made should now be in use if it works.

Let us know what happens.

BTW .....  if it does not work at first, log out and back in again to see if that makes any difference.

[wharfhouse]

Interesting... 

I'll try that and let you know what happens    Might be in a few days, just going to take a few days hols now summer's finally arrived here! 

Thanks Just18