PanDebian

[edgex004]

Hmm... any chance you saved the output from the installer? I'd like to see if any downloads were skipped. And does choosing run still crash pandebian?


Luckily SS just replied, so Pandian isn't dead yet.


I'm wondering if there is something wrong with you SZ install. If you have SZ running off an SD, that would be the next step I would try in order to avoid a full reflash.

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

I reran the installation and jotted down the steps, here they are (these work for me everytime):

Spoiler

1. Get the Pandebian PND from repo.openpandora.org. This PND will reside on your card #1 in the left slot where all your other PNDs are.
   
2. Put an empty, ext2, ext3, or ext4 formated SD Card where you want Pandebian to install in the right slot. I formatted mine ext3. Also give it a name when formatting so you can easily identify it later. I called my 'pandebian'. Use Gparted from repo.openpandora.org to format your card if you want.
   
3. Make sure your Pandora is connected to the Internet, because Pandebian will download stuff from Debian repo during the installation.
   
4. Go to Programs->System, then run Pandebian Installer (not the Pandebian Share). I tell you what Pandebian Share is for later. For now just run Pandebian Installer.
   
5. You will be asked to enter root password and hit OK. You be presented with a welcome message. Click Ok.
   
6. You will be ask which method of installation you prefer. Choose Direct and click OK.
   
7. A message will pop up and say that it's time to choose a card to install Pandebian. Click OK.
   
8. A zenity diaglog box will pop up for you to select a SD card. Pick the SD card on the right slot (my is called 'pandebian' so I pick that in this zenity dialog box under Places). Then click OK.
   
9. It will ask whether or not you want to format the SD Card. Choose No because you've already formatted the card.
   
10. It will then ask you to choose or create a directory on that card to install Pandebian. Click OK and then choose the card gain just as you did in step 9. Click OK.
    
11. A dialog will pop up and ask you to choose a distro. Choose Squeeze. Click OK.
    
12. At this point, you will need to wait for the installation to take its course. Go get a cup of coffee as this will take a while .....
    
13. You will then see the at the end where it says “Base system installed successfully”. At this point. Close the deboowait window by clicking the upper right corner X to close this window.
    
14. I will then ask you to set up the Debian root password. Click OK.
    
15. Enter new Unix password.
    
16. It will then tell you that it will add your user to the fresh Debian install. Click OK.
    
17. It will then ask you to enter a new Unix password for the user. Do that.
    
18. It will ask if you want to change the user information. I just hit Enter to chooser the default. Then type Y to confirm the information is correct.
    
19. It will now set up repositories and instal packages. Click OK
    
20. It will do its thing again. Go and grab another coffee
    
21. After this done, you will get a message saying that PanDebian is now installed. If you look at the upper lefthand corner of your screen, you should see a little computer icon. If you run OpenBox with Pandebian, you have to move the OpenBox Tint2 panel to the bottom to reveal the little computer icon PanDebian pandebian puts there. Click OK to close the message.
    
22. At this point, if you click on that icon you will only see Run and Logout. You need to SHUT DOWN (not restart) your Pandora now. Then turn it on again.
    
23. Then go to Programs->System and launch the “PandDebian pandebian”. This will activiate that little computer icon on your Pandora upper lefthand corner screen.
    
24. Click on this icon now and you will see the following categories:
    
    
    Accessories
    
25. Other
    
26. Preferences
    
27. Run
    
28. Logout
    

[*]You can use the LXTerminal or RootTerminal to bring up the Package Manager.

[*]You can also use to the upgrade Squeeze to Wheezy using Trashy's suggestion a couple of posts back.

Wish you luck this time

Edit:  As for that Pandebian Share, it is just a little utility that allows Pandebian to see other other partitions/sd cards/usb thumb stick and use these just like anything else inside Pandebian.  Good little tool.

This Pandebian is really nice and I'm surprised not so many people use it.  It's like you're a premium member and get to see new movies before they come out to the public.  That is the entire debian repo is in your hands (of course not games and emulators as they are not optimized for pandora) to play with before they get ported to the Pandora.

 

[lingenfr]

Thank you (I think ). I tried again. I see a few differences between your instructions and my attempts. Unfortunately, I followed your method and get the same results. However, I can't figure out how to delete Pandebian Pandebian. So I am not sure that it was deleted/replaced between attempts. Maybe that is the problem. I have deleted the pnd and the appdata folder and removed the sd from the right slot, but the damned entry is still there and clicking on it still runs the applet. How do I get rid of it? Thanks.

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

I don't know.  That may be the problem.  Do you have another card, say 2GB card lying around?  If so, I would suggest you use that and also format that card to ext and create a pandora sd card out of that.  Then download Pandebian from the repo again and try it on the 2GB card.  I am not sure if Pandebian pandebian has some symlinks to the other card, so to be safe I've alwasys format my cards in ext format.  I don't care about FAT32 anymore as I don't use Windows anymore

 

[TrashyMG]

However, I can't figure out how to delete Pandebian Pandebian.

could that just be a file in the .desktop folder? I'm separated from my Pandora today, so can't say for sure.

 

[matti1234]

However, I can't figure out how to delete Pandebian Pandebian.

I think the installer creates a new PND in the pandora/apps folder on the same sd card/partition where you install Debian. Have you tried deleting that too or only the installer?

 

[lingenfr]

However, I can't figure out how to delete Pandebian Pandebian.

I think the installer creates a new PND in the pandora/apps folder on the same sd card/partition where you install Debian. Have you tried deleting that too or only the installer?

You are correct that it creates a Pandebian.pnd, but not a Pandebian Pandebian. I finally got it and have since gone through half a dozen permutations and still no joy. I am completing another lap now. Maybe it will work. I did look at the out files and there were no errors.

 

[edgex004]

Besides looking at the out files, have you kept an eye on the bash the installer brings up? I wonder if there are any errors coming up there.

 

[lingenfr]

I made several more attempts following Shenmue's instructions and multiple variations, all with the same results. Here is my pndrun_PanDebian-PanDebian-24692.out:

=======================================================================================

PND             : /media/PanDebian/pandora/apps/PanDebian.pnd

PND_FSTYPE      : Squashfs

APPDATADIR      : /media/PanDebian/pandora/appdata/PanDebian-PanDebian-24692

APPDD_FSTYPE    : ext3

PND_CPUSPEED    : <unset>

EXENAME         : launcher.sosume

ARGUMENTS       : <unset>

=======================================================================================

[ START ]--- Mount the PND ----------

Mounting : mount -t squashfs -o ro "/dev/loop0" "/mnt/utmp/PanDebian-PanDebian-24692"

Mounting the Union FS : mount -t aufs -o exec,dirs="/media/PanDebian/pandora/appdata/PanDebian-PanDebian-24692=rw+nolwh":"/mnt/pnd/PanDebian-PanDebian-24692=rr" none "/mnt/utmp/PanDebian-PanDebian-24692"

[sUCCESS]--- Mount the PND ----------

[ START ]--- Starting the application ( launcher.sosume  ) ----------

lxpanel: no process found

[ FAILED]--- Starting the application ( launcher.sosume  ) ----------

[ START ]--- Restoring the frame buffer status ----------

[sUCCESS]--- Restoring the frame buffer status ----------

[ START ]--- uMount the PND ----------

[ START ]--- Waiting the Union to be available ----------

[sUCCESS]--- Waiting the Union to be available ----------

auplinklink.c:223: AUFS_CTL_PLINK_MAINT: Inappropriate ioctl for device

rmdir: failed to remove `/mnt/utmp/PanDebian-PanDebian-24692': Device or resource busy

[ START ]--- Waiting the PND mount dir to be free ----------

[sUCCESS]--- Waiting the PND mount dir to be free ----------

cleanup done

[sUCCESS]--- uMount the PND ----------

=======================================================================================

Return code is : 2

 

I assume there is something different about my system than those of you who have this working. I did watch the bash windows during install. I see an error early about gpg keyring and I think one or two others that appear spurious. Both the base install and the package install processes appear to complete successfully. Unfortunately, I think this is what you get with a near dead app that not enough people are using. I really want to do the loopback method and it is clear from earlier in the thread that others have done it. While I do consider myself special , I have not done any tinkering with my system configuration beyond installing packages, so I don't think I'm unique.

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

Yeah I got that gpg keyring error as well, but that didn't matter. I wonder what other "spurious errors" you have as I don't recall seeing those in my installation. How is your internet connection there? Maybe this is a dumb question, but did you get to step 21?

 

[lingenfr]

Always the glutton for punishment, I am trying one more time and I am going to look through both bash sessions for any errors (or warnings). I did get to step 21, but I didn't have to move the panel to the bottom, the installer placed the icon to the right of my wifi icon. My connection is good, I am using the USB Edimax adapter that seems to be the most recommended one here. So far, the gpg keyring error is the only one in the base installation. FWIW, when this installation completes, I will try moving the tint panel to the bottom. I don't think that is the problem as I got the same "Run and Logout" options on XFCE.

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

Also make sure to do Step 22.  This step is very important, at least for me.  Without shutting (not restart) I also get Run and Logout only.

 

[lingenfr]

Well, yet another attempt following the instructions above "exactly", no joy. I agree on the shutdown versus a restart. A restart usually resulted in a lock up that required a Pandora key + Power to resolve. I hoped using shutdown would solve it for me, but not so. Unfortunately, the package install bash session closed before I could copy it, but the out file showed no errors. Either there is something fundamental I am missing or there is something different about my system. Thanks.

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

I just checked the sd card where debian is installed, the size is about 5GB to 6GB....

Just curious what size sd card you used for this.

 

[lingenfr]

I tried it with a 4GB and 16GB ext3 direct install and as a loopback file on a 64GB ExFAT.

 

[TrashyMG]

64GB ExFAT.

This could be the issue. I'll see if I can find the thread, but some have experience issues with ExFAT formatted cards. 


Edit: but I guess doesn't explain the other two instances.

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

Maybe the issue with the 4GB card is not big enough.  For the 16GB, correct me if I'm wrong, but lingenfr allocated 2GB for loopback so that also maybe the cause.

As for the 64GB, I use 64GB Direct install as well but with ext3 and not exFat...

 

[lingenfr]

I've tried up to 32GB w/ ext3. I've tried allowing the PD installer to format it, using GParted on the P to format it and formatting it on my Linux VM. No joy. I've tried a loopback file up to 3900, which was the largest it would accept. No joy. It is a bit telling that every permutation of loopback, direct, 4GB, 16GB, 64GB, ext3, FAT, ExFat, all produce the exact same results. Obviously there is something wrong with my system since it works for a few of you.

 

[edgex004]

I've tried up to 32GB w/ ext3. I've tried allowing the PD installer to format it, using GParted on the P to format it and formatting it on my Linux VM. No joy. I've tried a loopback file up to 3900, which was the largest it would accept. No joy. It is a bit telling that every permutation of loopback, direct, 4GB, 16GB, 64GB, ext3, FAT, ExFat, all produce the exact same results. Obviously there is something wrong with my system since it works for a few of you.

I agree. The consistent result points to something the matter on your system. At this point I would suggest trying to install after a full reflash, or perhaps if you can boot a clean install of Super Zaxxon on one SD, and then install PanDebian on another. After that I'd probably be out of ideas. Could it be that you installed something to NAND that might be conflicting with the installer?

 

[edgex004]

I've tried up to 32GB w/ ext3. I've tried allowing the PD installer to format it, using GParted on the P to format it and formatting it on my Linux VM. No joy. I've tried a loopback file up to 3900, which was the largest it would accept. No joy. It is a bit telling that every permutation of loopback, direct, 4GB, 16GB, 64GB, ext3, FAT, ExFat, all produce the exact same results. Obviously there is something wrong with my system since it works for a few of you.

Well, I decided to reinstall PanDebian in order to clean house a little bit. As it turns out I am now encountering the exact same problem you have been having (from what I can tell).


While I haven't exactly found a fix, I have found something that might get you to a place where you are more comfortable error-correcting.


When you install PanDebian and it gives you only the "Run" and "Logout" options, the "Run" option immediately shuts down Pandebian. It seems like there is no way to get a terminal open. However, there is in fact a quick way to access your terminal:


1. Right-click on the PanDebian menu icon.


2. Select "Create New Panel".


3. Right click on the newly created panel and select "Add/Remove Panel Item"


4. Click "Add", and select "Directory Menu" and then select "Add" again.


5. Click "Close"


6. Left-click on the newly created "Directory Menu" icon and select "Open In Terminal"


You should now have a terminal open. From here, you can su -> synaptic to add/remove programs. Programs can all be launched from the terminal.


I haven't figured out why the menu is broken, but I will keep on it and let you know if I figure out what is going on. I don't think I have changed anything since the last time I installed PanDebian. It is possible that I am running PanDebian installer from an SD card that is formatted differently than before, but that is all I can think of. I have an older firmware installed to an SD card, so I will try installing from there, perhaps.

Edit:

I just realized you don't need to create a new panel. You can just edit the current lxpanel to be wide/tall enough to accommodate adding the "Directory Menu" plugin. I also moved the panel to the bottom right in the below photo: