Linux computer help

NamTechnic said:
A normal pc is used, but instead of standard HDD, 2GB Compact Flash is used.
On other systems, I solve the problem 90%, but when it comes to linux, I get stuck.
I hope the manufacturer provides software support.
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2gb is a bit small for most modern Linux builds,
from the additional information, I am sure it will have a minimal embedded version of Linux, depending on the age of the machine it may be 64 bit, but more likely 32 bit, if it's very old [say 1980's or early 90's] it could even be a 16 bit Unix system,
which ever it may be. It will have been specially constructed for this manufacturer only, and well out of my sphere.

Another thought came to me whilst reviewing other post's, the flash card my be in the process of breaking down and a replacement would then be necessary as there is no point in cloning a damaged one as you will just copy the errors as well.
I hope you have some success with the Manufacturer.
 


Brickwizard said:
2gb is a bit small for most modern Linux builds,
from the additional information, I am sure it will have a minimal embedded version of Linux, depending on the age of the machine it may be 64 bit, but more likely 32 bit, if it's very old [say 1980's or early 90's] it could even be a 16 bit Unix system,
which ever it may be. It will have been specially constructed for this manufacturer only, and well out of my sphere.

Another thought came to me whilst reviewing other post's, the flash card my be in the process of breaking down and a replacement would then be necessary as there is no point in cloning a damaged one as you will just copy the errors as well.
I hope you have some success with the Manufacturer.
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Thank you very much for your helping effort.
Hope we can find a solution.
I wish you healthy days.
 
Would it help to post photos of the machine and the startup screen? What about a video of the boot process?
 
NamTechnic said:
The "Fedora" version that I noticed today
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Sorry but I do not understand this response to my suggestion that you post photos of the system and the startup screen to help us understand your problem better.
 
NamTechnic said:
says that the etc/adjtime file is read-only
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Have you tried and change the file permissions - owner should be root with read and write - here is mine


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I couldn't upload video (size 200mb).
 

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I see on Image 3 it is booting Fedora 2.4.22-1.2115 that is from around 2004 time frame I think - the word Upgrade comes to mind
 
NamTechnic said:
Unfortunately I don't have that kind of luck as it's a gaming PC.
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Upgrading that old Fedora has nothing to do with it being a gaming PC or luck, I would wipe the drive and start over with something more current
 
NamTechnic said:
Unfortunately I don't have that kind of luck as it's a gaming PC.
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Thanks NamTechnic for the images. Lord Boltar's observation in post #28 can be followed by the fact that that kernel version of fedora core reached end-of-life in 2005-04-11. Check wikipedia.

I note that you said in post #1:
I have never worked with linux to this day and therefore I am in trouble.
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I guess you now have the opportunity to get into linux if you wish.

Lord Boltar's post #30 just came through as I'm writing this, and he says just what I was going to say.

To follow the advice of installing a new distribution, whether it's fedora or not, may just be the best place to begin the linux learning journey. It'll certainly disappear all those problems with programs automatically starting up and not letting you do anything. You will be entirely free to make the machine into a gaming machine of one sort or another, or anything you choose. If the computer is hi-spec like a lot of gaming machines, it may be able to fulful all your requirements and more ... depending on your progress up the learning curve. However, there is a caveat on gaming in linux: linux doesn't do all games that other operating systems do well, but then there are plenty of linux games that some others don't do at all without great effort.
 
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osprey said:
Thanks NamYechnic for the images. Lord Boltar's observation in post #28 can be followed by the fact that that kernel version of fedora core reached end-of-life in 2005-04-11. Check wikipedia.

I note that you said in post #1:


I guess you now have the opportunity to get into linux if you wish.

Lord Boltar's post #30 just came through as I'm writing this, and he says just what I was going to say.

To follow the advice of installing a new distribution, whether it's fedora or not, may just be the best place to begin the linux learning journey. It'll certainly disappear all those problems with programs automatically starting up and not letting you do anything. You will be entirely free to make the machine into a gaming machine of one sort or another, or anything you choose. If the computer is hi-spec like a lot of gaming machines, it may be able to fulful all your requirements and more ... depending on your progress up the learning curve. However, there is a caveat on gaming in linux: linux doesn't do all games that other operating systems do well, but then there are plenty of linux games that some others don't do at all without great effort.
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Unfortunately I don't have that kind of luck as it's a gaming PC.

Current computer specs are not high enough. In addition, we do not have the installation of the installed game program on the current computer.
The easiest way for me is to somehow stop the running application, do something on the command line and fix the "etc" folder.But no matter what I did, I couldn't do it.

I looked and tried ways to run linux under windows on the internet, but I could not reach a positive result. I downloaded a few programs and I was able to see the contents of the disk in windows, but in these programs (I think linux users call it applications) they only showed me the linux disk, they did not allow me to make changes.

If I can find a linux computer in my environment, I will remove the "etc" folder from readonly mode and try again.

I would like to thank all my friends who gave me ideas to solve this problem, I wish everyone a healthy life.
 
@NamTechnic welcome to linux.org

Which version of Windows are you running?

For example, Windows 8 or Windows 10 or Windows 11.

In all of them is an application called

Windows Disk Management.

I realise English is not your first language, but you can access it from the Windows menu, and use it to eliminate all traces of the Linux Fedora that is too old, by expanding the existing space Windows takes up. to eliminate Linux.

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz
 
@wizardfromoz
Chris, I don't think many have realised he is not dealing with a daily desktop, he is trying to fix what we call in the Uk , an arcade game, [think sitting in the bar 30 yrs ago playing asteroids on a tabletop machine] minimal specification, minimal solid state [probably zif] drive which contains a minimal OS and the game program which if he looses most likely not be recoverable,
 
I was slow on the uptake, Brian - ta for clarifying :)

I used to be the Brisbane record holder on Asteroids during my misspent youth.
 
wizardfromoz said:
I used to be the Brisbane record holder on Asteroids during my misspent youth.
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When I used to do a bit of repping, I would stop for lunch at a pub, and often would play one of the space invader type games, or if they had one the pinball [my all-time favourite from the mid 50's on] many occasions I would leave the pub after my lunch hour with 5 or more free go's left for someone else to use.
Anyway I digress, his machine is a little newer but as I see it he needs to find a good working replacement for the 2gb ssd fully loaded to swap out [easy move] or the right laptop application to enable him to repair/re-install the complete OS, He is trying to gain help from the OEM, I wish him success.
 
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Brickwizard said:
@wizardfromoz
Chris, I don't think many have realized he is not dealing with a daily desktop, he is trying to fix what we call in the Uk , an arcade game, [think sitting in the bar 30 yrs ago playing asteroids on a tabletop machine] minimal specification, minimal solid state [probably zif] drive which contains a minimal OS and the game program which if he looses most likely not be recoverable,
Click to expand...
That would make sense it is some old Arcade game you put a quarter in or some other coin depending where you are, and not a laptop or desktop
 
Looks like Fedora 2 can be downloaded from Archive.org - https://archive.org/download/fedora-2_release
which version to grab well that's another thing to figure out - maybe can use one of those to repair what he has - I don't use Fedora so I do not know how the repair functions work booting from a CD/DVD
 
Lord Boltar said:
Looks like Fedora 2 can be downloaded from Archive.org - https://archive.org/download/fedora-2_release
which version to grab well that's another thing to figure out - maybe can use one of those to repair what he has - I don't use Fedora so I do not know how the repair functions work booting from a CD/DVD
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I think one of his problems is that he is trying to connect to the Game Machine using a windows desktop. Don't believe that is going to work for him. OEM most likely use a fedora laptop to connect to the machine for repairs. and there will be no usb or dvd/cd ports to use. The operating system it self would have been either embedded in a chip or loaded on the 2 gb usb stick and run from there. There most likely is no keyboard other than the maintenance laptop which was most likely password protected also Only thing the machine was designed to do was load the Game and count the money. Just a guess from what the op has explained. He can't connect with a Windows machine easily that is. There most likely no internet card on the board either. I maybe way off but that's my take on this.
 
Considering its age and configuration, I would identify the boot drive, mount that read-only to another system, and see what I see at that point. I would clone the drive first to another drive with "dd" to protect the data, and also run a filesystem check on it without changing anything. Carefully, step by step, I'd look at what it needs and how to salvage it. The essence for me is making sure that I don't perform any step that might break it until no other choices remain. Play with a clone, not the original, until you have no other options.

I might be looking for an installer for that version of Fedora, too.

Basic troubleshooting, that's all.
 
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