Puppy Linux

Puppy Linux can be run from a CD, USB drive, or hard drive. It was designed to be small in size to allow the OS to load entirely it into memory. This allows for good performance on old hardware. In addition, the boot CD can be removed from the CD drive after the OS has started allowing you to access other CDs.

Puppy Linux does not require a Linux partition on your hard drive to save your settings or any installed programs. Instead you save you changes in a single file on a Windows FAT or NTFS drive. Creating this file is optional. When shutting down Puppy Linux you are prompted if you want to create such a file to save your settings and another file changes.

The 4.1 release comes in two versions. The retro version "is a more conservative kernel that perhaps suits older systems." The non-retro version offers faster boot up times and other improvements. With version 4, installing Puppy Linux on a hard drive has become easier. For additional information see Puppy on an Internal Hard Drive.

Another cool capability is the option to run Puppy Linux under Windows using QEMU. I've tried it on Windows XP and it worked sluggishly as expected. The only problem I have is when creating the save settings file. The files created where corrupted and I had to fix them using the CHKDSK command. Do not save settings when running Puppy Linux through QEMU unless you can save the files on a separate drive.

The official release of Puppy Linux comes with a the basics. If you are looking for something more or different fans of the OS have created derivatives (Puplets) of the Puppy Linux. For quick look of what is available visit the PuppyLinux.com site Puplet web page. Many puplets are often announced in the forum category Puppy Derivatives.








My PC Specifications


Pentium 3 550 MHZ
Memory 448 MB
Video Adapter SIS 5598/6326 AGP
C: Drive Partition  19.5 GB FAT 32
D: Drive Partition  2GB NTFS
E: Drive Partition   10 GB NTFS

D: Drive is  be used to save Puppy Linux settings

Operating Systems
Windows XP Professional SP3
Puppy Linux 4.11
 

How to Create a Linux Puppy Bootable CD:

  1. Download ISO CD Burner tool BurnCDCC from TeraByte.
    • This application application is portable so no installation. Just unzip it into a folder.
  2. Download the latest Puppy Linux ISO file. Example "puppy-4.1.1-k2.6.25.16-seamonkey.iso"
  3. Start BurnCDCC
  4. Select Browse and select the Puppy ISO image you downloaded
  5. Insert Blank CD and Click OK
    • Recommend using a RW CD so you can reuse it when a never release becomes available.
  6. When completed, you will have a Puppy Linux Bootable CD. To use just reboot your PC you run Puppy Linux. You will need to answer a few questions about your mouse, keyboard, and display before Puppy Linux starts.

Setup Internet Connection

  1. On Desktop > Click Connect Icon
  2. Click Internet by network and wireless LAN
  3. Click eth0
  4. Click Auto DHCP
  5. Message NETWORK CONNECTION OF eth0 SUCCESSFUL
  6. Click Yes to save this configuration
  7. Click Done
  8. Test Internet Connection
  9. Click Browse Icon on Desktop
  10. Click icon on web page to be taken to an Internet web site

Save Setting for Puppy Linux

  1. Click Menu > Shutdown > Power-off Computer
  2. Click SAVE TO FILE
  3. Press Enter for OK
  4. Use arrow keys to select drive and press enter for OK
  5. When ask for name of file press enter for default name
  6. Press Enter for Normal (no encrypt)
  7. Select recommended file size
  8. Press YES, SAVE
  9. Now wait. It might take several minutes or more
  10. You will be prompted if you want pup_411.sfs copied to the hard drive to speed up startup. Answer YES

FireFox

The browser included with Puppy Linux is Seamonkey which is very similar to FireFox and smaller. Hence is why it is included over FireFox. For help in installing FireFox follow these instructions.

Install FireFox

  1. Click Install icon on Desktop
  2. Run PetGet Package Manager
  3. Scroll Down and select FireFox
  4. Select a download location and then follow all prompts. 
  5. Restart JWM when done (Menu > Shutdown > Restart JWM)

Add FireFox Icon

  1. Menu > FileSystem > Pfind file finder
  2. Search on FireFox
  3. Make note of where FireFox is located. Example /opt/mozilla.org/bin/firefix
  4. Click File (ROX Filer) icon on Desktop
  5. Change to folder with FireFox. Drag file to desktop
  6. To change icon
  7. Make note of the location of the firefox.png file found using "Pfind file finder" Example /usr/share/pixmaps/firefix.png
  8. Right click on FireFox Icon on desktop
  9. File 'FireFox' > Set Icon
  10. Use File (ROX Filer) to locate where firefox.png is located
  11. Drag firefox.png file to where is says "Drop an Icon File Here"
  12. Finished

Aditional FireFox Help:

Printer Setup

  1. Make sure printer is connected to PC and is turned it on.
  2. Desktop > Setup Icon > "Setup CUPS Printing"
  3. Pop-up "Do You Want To Add Printer" >Yes
  4. Purple Pup-up "CUPS Web Interface Help"
  5. Read instructions and wait for the screen "Common UNIX Printing System"to pop-up. It can up to 30 seconds.
  6. Click Manage Printers > Add Printer
  7. Enter Name. Optionally enter location and description. Click Continue
  8. Click Device Drop Down and select the device the printer is connected to. The printer name should be listed with device it is connected.
  9. Click Continue
  10. Select Model/Drive for printer. Scroll through list and select vendor such as "HP"
  11. Click Continue
  12. Scroll through list of printers and pick one that matches. If one does not match you will need to install the printer drive driver. Follow the instructions in the pop-up "CUBS Web Interface Help" or see instructions below. Either way you should restart PC after installing the drivers. Then start these instructions from setup 1.
  13. After selecting the appropriate printer driver, Click Continue
  14. You should get the a new screen with the message Printer NAME has been added successfully.
  15. Click Printer
  16. Click Print Test page
  17. Get new screen with message Test page sent; job ID is NAME-1.
  18. The test page should of printed

Printer Add Driver

  1. If the print driver is missing for your printer. There are a couple of options to add the driver.
  2. If it is an HP printer install the PET package "hpijs-2.8.2_static-1" using the the tool Menu> Setup > Puppy Package Manager. This installation is a collection of Hewlett Packard Printer Drivers. It does not contain them all but it is a good start.
  3. For printers that are not included in this collection, go to www.linuxprinting.org
  4. Find the appropriate driver and download the PPD file. Copy the file to /usr/share/cups/model.
  5. Perform the Printer Setup instructions provided above above.
  6. If you still have troubles you can request for help the Puppy Linux Hardware Printer Forum.

Install DEVX

Some print drivers need to be compiled on Puppy Linux to get them to work. The LiveCD release of Puppy Linux does not include the compiler addon DEVX.  The old wiki for Puppy Linux has an article on how to install this addon.These are the steps I followed when setting it up for the LiveCD installation. For full hard drive installations of Puppy Linux, look for different procedures for setting up DEVX.

  1. Download the version matching you version of Puppy Linux to /mnt/home/. Example /mnt/home/devx_411.sfs
  2. Reboot PC
  3. Add devx_411.sfs to be loaded at bootup
  4. Test compile command 
    • Starting the rvxt terminal emulator which is also the console icon on the desktop.
    • Enter cc 
    • Returns "cc: no input files"

Printer Compile Driver

  1. After trying the latest the print driver from www.linuxprinting.org and the print test still does not work you can try downloading a driver and compiling it. The forum topic 3.00 doesn't recognize HP Deskjet 710C printer provides steps for performing this compile. Listed below are the steps I followed after setting up DEVX.
  2. Download pnm2ppa-1.12.tar.gz from http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=1322 to my-documents.
  3. Start RXVT Terminal Emulation (Console icon on desktop) and type/paste the following commands. To paste in RXVT use shift + insert
    • CD /root/my-documents
    • tar -zxvf pnm2ppa-1.12.tar.gz
    • cd pnm2ppa-1.12
    • make
    • make install
  4. Start ROX File Manager (File icon on desktop)
    • Go to /etc
    • Right click on pnm2ppa.conf > open as text
    • Place # in front of "version number 0"
    • Remove # from in front of "version 820"
    • Click save
  5. Download the PPD file for "HP DeskJet 820C" from www.linuxprinting.org/show_driver.cgi?driver=pnm2ppa
  6. Copy HP-Deskjet_820-pnm2ppa.ppd to /usr/share/cups/model/
  7. Now follow the printer setup instructions to add the printer with appropriate driver.



Puppy Linux Websites

  • PuppyLinux.com Official website maintained by creator Barry Kauler
  • PuppyLinux.org Community website maintained by users of Puppy Linux. Consists of news, downloads, manual, and wiki.
  • PuppyLinux.ca Download site for Puppy Linux files. Contains some custom versions (Derivatives/Puplets) of Puppy Linux for download.
  • Official Puppy Linux Forum.
  • Puppy Linux Search (Recommended) Save time searching Puppy Linux com, org, and forum sites.
  • Puppy Linux Software (Slow)- Well organized collection of new and previously released software.

Puppy Linux Puplets/Derivatives & Additional Software

Additional Tips/Resources:


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Last Updated: Saturday, 11-Jul-2009 20:20:54 CEST