New X1000 and Linux install problems

AmigaOne X1000 platform specific issues related to Linux only.
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alfkil
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New X1000 and Linux install problems

Post by alfkil »

Hi,

I registered my X1000 with Hyperion a few days ago, and apparently I have not been granted rights to post in the X1000 forums yet. Any chance this could happen soon?

Anyways, I am trying to install Debian using the guide on Hyperions website, and I am having quite the trouble. First of all, CFE will only recognize one of my USB flash drives. This is strange because they are 110% identical. One I can show the contents with "dir", the other just spews out "Not rezognized filesystem". But worse is, that the one that is actually recognized doesn't show all the files, which means that I have to randomly rename and replace files to get CFE to find my linux kernel files.

Anyways, I have gotten so far as to load the initrd.gz file from the Debian CD, and then I try booting up the vmlinux39NH kernel. I get the "returned from init_prom" and wait for a few minutes, and then my screen goes black and nothing more happens. My monitor led is on, which means that it is getting a signal (not just shutting down), but that's it. I have no idea if the hd is working, since there is no drive led on the case. Anyways, I leave it there for 15 minutes and decides, that it doesn't work and do a cold reboot.

Now, could this possibly be because my monitor doesn't support the required screen resulution? I know it doesn't sync any lower than 50kHz, which means it doesn't show 320x240. If that's the case, how the hell am I going to solve this problem?

Any help is highly appreciated!
daz
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Re: New X1000 and Linux install problems

Post by daz »

alfkil wrote:Hi,
Anyways, I am trying to install Debian using the guide on Hyperions website, and I am having quite the trouble. First of all, CFE will only recognize one of my USB flash drives. This is strange because they are 110% identical. One I can show the contents with "dir", the other just spews out "Not rezognized filesystem". But worse is, that the one that is actually recognized doesn't show all the files, which means that I have to randomly rename and replace files to get CFE to find my linux kernel files.
CFE is squeezed into a 1Mb ROM, and to fit everything in some stuff had to be left out, FAT error checking seems to be one of these, I've seen similar problems to the ones you've mentioned after I didn't correctly eject disks under Linux/Win. You could try scanning them on a PC, or reformatting it and copying the files back on. Once you find one that works, stick with it.
Anyways, I have gotten so far as to load the initrd.gz file from the Debian CD, and then I try booting up the vmlinux39NH kernel. I get the "returned from init_prom" and wait for a few minutes, and then my screen goes black and nothing more happens. My monitor led is on, which means that it is getting a signal (not just shutting down), but that's it. I have no idea if the hd is working, since there is no drive led on the case. Anyways, I leave it there for 15 minutes and decides, that it doesn't work and do a cold reboot.
Is this quite a new X1000? Amigakit have been supplying new ones with newer graphics cards, from what you describe it sounds like you have a HD6670 or HD6870? Please list your config here.
Now, could this possibly be because my monitor doesn't support the required screen resulution? I know it doesn't sync any lower than 50kHz, which means it doesn't show 320x240. If that's the case, how the hell am I going to solve this problem?
Is it directly connected? If it is the Linux kernel will use the DDC to pick suitable screen modes, and if it can't it defaults to 768x1024 so you should see something.
Any help is highly appreciated!
Regards
Darren
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alfkil
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Re: New X1000 and Linux install problems

Post by alfkil »

CFE is squeezed into a 1Mb ROM, and to fit everything in some stuff had to be left out, FAT error checking seems to be one of these, I've seen similar problems to the ones you've mentioned after I didn't correctly eject disks under Linux/Win. You could try scanning them on a PC, or reformatting it and copying the files back on. Once you find one that works, stick with it.
Well, I already tried reformating the non-working disk with both AmigaOS and Win7, and on windows I tried both FAT and FAT32 and both fast and slow format. Nothing worked...
Is this quite a new X1000? Amigakit have been supplying new ones with newer graphics cards, from what you describe it sounds like you have a HD6670 or HD6870? Please list your config here.
It's a brand new one, yes, only got it little more than a week ago. I think the Radeon is a HD6870 (the most expensive option). I also have 2 GB ram, but I doubt that that is important. I have an old compaq monitor for my classic system, but since there is no VGA port on the Radeon, I cannot use it. My current monitor (an Acer 24 inch) is connected directly via DVI. It can show 1024x768, so that's not the issue.
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alfkil
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Re: New X1000 and Linux install problems

Post by alfkil »

Turns out, that the two USB sticks were formated differently: I looked in the win7 disktool, and the disk that was not working showed "Logical drive" for the partition. The other one showed "Primary partition". Now, apparently the win7 disktool doesn't allow you to partition your usbstick, just format the whole disk as "Logical" (whatever that means). AmigaOS disktool does not allow for creation of fat file systems, so I had to dig out my 10 year old iBook to partition the stick. Anyways, now the usbstick is working.

I tried booting the linux kernel with the option "vga=ask", and now instead of a black screen, I get a black and white lines all over the screen. So I definetely think that there is some screenmode problem going on. Help?
daz
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Re: New X1000 and Linux install problems

Post by daz »

alfkil wrote:
CFE is squeezed into a 1Mb ROM, and to fit everything in some stuff had to be left out, FAT error checking seems to be one of these, I've seen similar problems to the ones you've mentioned after I didn't correctly eject disks under Linux/Win. You could try scanning them on a PC, or reformatting it and copying the files back on. Once you find one that works, stick with it.
Well, I already tried reformating the non-working disk with both AmigaOS and Win7, and on windows I tried both FAT and FAT32 and both fast and slow format. Nothing worked...
Do you have a CF card handy? Linux works *MUCH* better with the kernel on one of those

Is this quite a new X1000? Amigakit have been supplying new ones with newer graphics cards, from what you describe it sounds like you have a HD6670 or HD6870? Please list your config here.
It's a brand new one, yes, only got it little more than a week ago. I think the Radeon is a HD6870 (the most expensive option). I also have 2 GB ram, but I doubt that that is important. I have an old compaq monitor for my classic system, but since there is no VGA port on the Radeon, I cannot use it. My current monitor (an Acer 24 inch) is connected directly via DVI. It can show 1024x768, so that's not the issue.
No, the issue will be your graphics card. A register was remover from the higher HD6xxx series cards (like your 6870 - nice card BTW) causing a kernel panic during boot, Since this occurs during initialisation you get blank screen followed by a reboot after 5 or 6 minutes. This is solved in kernel 3.5.7 - which is on A-Eons download area. Also Debian Squeeze ships with an old version of xorg radeon driver that doesn't work with any HD6xxx series card so you should install MintPPC, Wheezy or Ubuntu.

Let us know if this helps.

Regards
Darren
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alfkil
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Re: New X1000 and Linux install problems

Post by alfkil »

@Daz

I don't have a CF card handy, sorry.

I tried both the kernel39D and the pw version from the Hyperion downloads, and failed misserably... the first just give me a black screen as the other one (I used the initrd.gz from the Debian CD that shiped with the system), and the pw version together with the Ubuntu initrd.gz suggested by the guide gives me a screen of what seems to be white squares and black lines.
daz
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Re: New X1000 and Linux install problems

Post by daz »

alfkil wrote:@Daz
I tried both the kernel39D and the pw version from the Hyperion downloads, and failed misserably... the first just give me a black screen as the other one (I used the initrd.gz from the Debian CD that shiped with the system), and the pw version together with the Ubuntu initrd.gz suggested by the guide gives me a screen of what seems to be white squares and black lines.
I didn't make it clear enough, sorry.

The ONLY kernel that will boot succesfully with a Radeon HD6870 graphics card is 3.5.7 as it contains the required firmware and a patch to the radeon_pm code to prevent panic/reboots during startup.

Note thet I have added all the options Pat has been adding so you can use 3.5.7 where the guide says kernel39D or pw versions etc.

3.5.7 can be found here:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2012/6/20/ ... l3.5.7.zip

Good luck
Darren
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alfkil
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Re: New X1000 and Linux install problems

Post by alfkil »

Ok, I understand now. I couldn't find the 3.5.7 version on Hyperions site like you said, though.

I tried booting Ubuntu two times. First time, I lost the signal to my monitor just after the "prom_init". Nothing more happened.
Second time it stopped at prom_init, and nothing happened for about 10 minutes.

So I tried booting the Debian CD, and it worked. For the heck of it, I tried going through with the installation, and it seemed to go ok (didn't mess up my AmigaOS install at least). After reboot, I tried to boot the new install with the instructions in the guide. I get the Linux boot console with the two penguins, and after a while I get an error, that linux can't find root ("/dev/sda4"). Hmm...

Anyhow, since you say that Debian is not going to work anyway, I might try installing MintPPC. Or I might just give it a rest and stick to AmigaOS for the time being :).
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mechanic
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Re: New X1000 and Linux install problems

Post by mechanic »

an error, that linux can't find root ("/dev/sda4").

sda4? You did not say how you have your HD set up.

?
A-Eon A1X1000 ATI HD6850, Creative SB1570 PCIe, RTL8139 net PCI.
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alfkil
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Re: New X1000 and Linux install problems

Post by alfkil »

I am installing Linux on the same HD as AmigaOS (I only have one hd). There was some empty space at the end of it when I received it, so I just used that space ("Use largest empty area" I think it's called). AmigaOS uses 3 partitions (BHD0, HD0 and HD1), so the linux partition is number 4. When I get the error, it seems that linux want to list the possible drives, but it fails with a kernel panic, and no list is printed.

I managed to get the ubuntu disk to boot (the kernel seems to fail once every 3-4 times). But when the first install screen appears (language selection), I can't get it to recognize my keyboard (it doesn't react to keyboard input). I have tried both the AmigaOne keyboard, that came with the machine, and a standard non-wireless mac keyboard. The same (loss of keyboard) happens when I try the MintPPC installer. Debian only recognizes the AmigaOne keyboard and not my Mac keyboard.

This is all very frustrating...
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