Next LiveDVD(BlackRhino) with Windowmaker as Desktop Environment. Possible ?

[SkyNet]

Hi everyone. I am using everyday PC with Linux OS called Ubuntu.
This OS comes from Canonical and I know that they also have Kubuntu, Xubuntu and Edubuntu
editions.
All those editions have the same Linux kernel 2.6.32-22-generic
but different Desktop Environments (GNOME, KDE, XFCE, GNOME Nanny).

Now lets forget about Desktop Editions of Linux...

Not long time ago I started to use Linux for PS2. I tried different methods-USB, SMB couldnt set up, so the only workable choice for me was LiveDVD.

I know that Black Rhino issued on LiveDVD has Fluxbox as Desktop Environment.
I like Fluxbox to use but at the same time I am user which likes to try everytime something new.

Lately I found out that Linux for PlayStation 2 has and can run with different Desktop Environment
called “Windowmaker”.

It is possible to install it if I could have ps2 with HDD and network adaptor, but I have only Slim ps2 so I cant try Windowmaker.

I thought to myself :

Why can not we have two versions of LiveDVD with different Desktop Environments ?
The same Kernel 2.4.17 but different Desktop Environments.
1.First version of LiveDVD with Fluxbox
2.Second version of LiveDVD with Windowmaker.

It would be really nice. I would download both versions.
It just I never used Windowmaker and think that majority of ps2 users also...

Also could be interesting to see which version would be downloaded the most.

People who have ps2 with hdd installed, I know that you at least could try if not using Linux with Windowmaker.
Could you tell me if Windowmaker is worth to use everyday with ps2 and all your other feels about
this Desktop Environment.

[Dadas]

Maybe fluxbox eats less ram, without swap there is kinda lack of ram :P

[SkyNet]

Dadas maybe you right but to activate swap partition is not a problem anymore.
Me personally have it activated.

Heres what you have to do:

Run Kloader with LiveDVD and stop autoboot by pressing any button.
In file menu choose to save configuration.
On memory card you will have folder Kloader with config.txt inside.
Where its Kernel Parameter write swapdevice=/dev/sda2 and save.

In Ubunutu open "Disk Utility" and create /dev/sdb1 as FAT32 and /dev/sdb2 as SWAP.
Now plug your flash-drive into ps2 and start Kloader with LiveDVD.
You have gotten now Swap-partition activated.
So swap-partition is not a problem anymore with slim ps2.

So I do not see any reasons preventing people to use Windomaker with LiveDVD.

Heres I created some snapshots to show that even with lot programs running,
swap usage rises not so high, though it is necessary to use swap -partition,
you can see that it was something like 13-14 megabytes.

It would be really interesting to see how many megabytes of Swap-partition would use Windowmaker.
But I am sure that It could be pretty much the same...

[Dadas]

Is swap working on slim ps2's too? i got slim V12

[SkyNet]

I have Slim PS2 version 14 ,
SCPH-75001 and swap is working pretty well...
All you need is usb flash-drive in order to use swap...

In mc0:/Kloader/config.txt Kernel Parameter should look like this:

Kernel Parameter=crtmode=ntsc xmode=NTSC ramdisk_size=16384 swapdevice=/dev/sda2

[Dadas]

Wow thanks, i will try :P
Edit: when swap works, what about installing on USB?

[SkyNet]

Well here SWAP is used as extension of main RAM.
I know that to use USB without fear that it will crash on heavy workloads on v14+ , needs to be fixed USB-driver.
On ver 12 ,which you have, probably must be all ok ,
but I think the best thing is to use
writedev=/dev/sda2 in Kernel Parameter

This way all the state of Linux will be saved and next time you will start from saved state of Linux.

[Dadas]

wow, that is awesome, too bad that i havent known about this
Edit: i tried swap today, it worked, but when i tried dosbox, it worked for a while but then it crashed
Edit2: this time i achieved sucessful boot of windows 3.1 from my 1st USB partition (via dosbox)
Edit3: i tried moving windows 3.1 folder from FAT partition to EXT2 partition, it freezed after some time

[SkyNet]

well dos-box is actually heavy application for ps2 slim running livedvd ,when I launched dos-box , I only saw picture of it and then it never started ,so I am actually amazed that you could start windows 3.1 on it. Could you tell me what you actually did in order to start
windows? I mean all the details how you did it?
Well fat partition I think is better solution, because when windows 3.1 was popular, ext2 file system was never used to run Windows.

Actually Man I think you are lucky one.
You told me that you have ps2 slim ver12. And do you know that your ps2 has hidden IDE contacts on motherboard? I think you can solder IDE-HDD to your ps2 and install Linux on it.

You have to ask Megaman or Deba5er whether it is possible or not to install Linux on PS2Slim ver.12 with IDE-HDD soldered to it...

I am so disappointed that have ps2 slim version 14 which doesnt have solder points...

[Dadas]

Well, latest discoveries has shown that i have scph 75004, sorry, my mistake, it isn't V12 :P
Another question:
on kernelloader website is this:

Higher than SCPH-7000? - slim PSTwo PAL/NTSC
USB only working unstable with Linux kernel patch, network is working since kernelloader 2.0
Linux kernel vmlinux_fat_and_slim_v1.gz or higher is recommended.

What kernel patch?

About dosbox:
when you open dosbox, you will see orange 'dosbox' and then black window, during that black window it is probably loading...
here is little trick to 'help' it load, this works only sometimes:
try to drag and move that window, i dont know why but this sometimes helps, just keep moving it until it loads or until USB activity stops
Edit: rofl, and your ps2 must be cold xD