torios-dev team mailing list archive

[Nio Wiklund <nio.wiklund@xxxxxxxxx>]

Den 2018-01-30 kl. 19:15, skrev Israel:
> On 01/30/2018 02:55 AM, psutton wrote:
> > On 27/01/18 13:07, Nio Wiklund wrote:
> > > Den 2018-01-26 kl. 23:21, skrev Israel:
> > > > Hi all,
> > > >
> > > > I recently have been putting some work into OBI, as you all know.
> > > >
> > > > There have been a few issues related to how I built the base tarball
> > > > that should be completely resolved.
> > > >
> > > > One thing I have recently decided to try is to test out the old '9W' ;)
> > > > startup screen
> > > >
> > > > a.k.a text-mode-menu
> > > >
> > > > Basically it shows a menu allowing old computers to use the dialog
> > > > interface for OBI without needing the entire ToriOS environment to
> > > > load.  Of course ToriOS can still be run from that menu by choosing the
> > > > graphical interface option.
> > > >
> > > > This is a pretty big change (visually) so I am going to put it in the
> > > > next ISO to get everyone's feedback.
> > > >
> > > > The majority of my current work in OBI has been adding tabs to the code,
> > > > as well as comments.  I did, however, change a major thing to install
> > > > grub, rather than the old manual configuration method using sed.  We
> > > > already install grub but I just moved it before other things that went
> > > > in front of it previously.
> > > >
> > > > I hope to have this out soon, however Launchpad is slow to build things.
> > > > It is likely bionic is taking a lot of resources right now, as well as
> > > > all the kernel mess (Meltdown/Spectre).
> > > >
> > > > So, specifically Nio (9w) what do you think about my use of the
> > > > text-mode-menu again (it has been many years since we've used it).
> > > Hi Israel,
> > >
> > > Sure we can use the text-mode-menu again. It might be particularly
> > > useful for
> > >
> > > 1. Very old computers and computer with very small RAM
> > >
> > > 2. Computers with a graphics chip/card, that does not work out of the
> > > box with the built-in linux drivers.
> > >
> > > Please let us know, when there is something to test!
> > >
> > > Best regards
> > > Nio
> > Text mode is a good idea,  debian still uses this as an option,  i know
> > the Raspbian intaller for Raspberry Pi, desktop / pixel release  so it
> > should not be a problem for people to install
> >
> > I am giessing there willbe
> >
> > boot - > bootmenu -- choice of text or gui mode  then from the gui live
> > you can install and from the text mode you can install or basically move
> > directly in to a OBI installer.
> >
> > Or something along those lines.
> >
> > Paul
> Hey Paul,
>
> The original OBI ran the text-mode-menu at the startup.
>
> I think my issue is that it is trying to start X, but I am not fully
> starting everything.
>
> What should happen is that instead of starting X it boots into this
> dialog menu which allows you to choose what you want to do (here is the
> abbreviated menu)
>
> Graphics mode (what we have been using)
>
> Text mode (low ram)
>
> quit to the shell
>
> reboot
>
> poweroff
>
>
> I need to (probably) remove nodm (or disable it) to see if I can work
> things to use the text mode menu.

Hi Israel,

You should be able to let it boot into a text screen, where you can use 
a dialog text menu for the alternatives. One alternative can be to run 
startx (providing the necessary program packages are installed.

See for example this link (scroll down and you will find some dialog menus),

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/UEFI-and-BIOS/stable-alternative

Best regards
Nio