Home Home > Base-system
Sign up | Login

Archive for the ‘Base System’ Category

« Older Entries

ATI/AMD fglrx 8.930 Catalyst 12.1 rpm available for openSUSE 11.3, 11.4, 12.1

January 27th, 2012 by

AMD/ATI Catalyst 12.1 / fglrx 8.930 rpm are available

Sorry I missed in December the annoucement release for the 8.920, but from what I’ve seen. zypper up do the job for you :-)

Quick Résumé about 12.1

AMD rename their installer, So Sebastian did the same for his script.

I will just copy/google translate/paste here the comment made by Sebastian Siebert on his blog :

With this version AMD Catalyst Gnome 3.2 issues (flickering and screen cracks) are finally resolved.
According to AMD, the notebook with the PowerXpress technology (Intel-/AMD-Grafikkarte – discrete GPU) should work again.
I would be grateful if someone could test this functionality for me and give me feedback. Thank you.

See more at Sebastian’s blog. Don’t be shy, you can leave there the result of test in english too :D
See below what to do in case of troubles.

The rpms version 8.930 are available from Friday January 27th

My advise is to firstly remove any existing version with zypper rm, then just zypper in the new version, even if 8.930 are the first version I’ve seen making its upgrade correctly.

As usual, I let the last 2 previous versions in the repository, just in case you need it.

Catalyst 8.930 fglrx 12.1 in action

Tested on a fresh 12.1 + updates with a stock kde 4.7.2

Factory rpms are not available actually, I’ve not be able to build a new building machine for it.
Anyways, factory and 12.2 should keep their effort on debuging and testing widely the free radeon driver.

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in GNOME, KDE, Kernel, X.org | No Comments »

openSUSE ARM image

January 21st, 2012 by

When I wrote this week, how I ran openSUSE on my genesi smarttop some people asked for a ready-to-use image. After spending less than 8 hours fiddling with u-boot-scripts, partition tables, tuning ext3 and initrds, it was done… and is now so easy:

wget http://www.zq1.de/efika.img.xz # 83MB
xz -cd efika.img.xz | dd of=/dev/sdX bs=1M

with sdX being the device name of your SD-card (e.g. “mmcblk0″ on the smarttop itself) with at least 1GB (actually 1024000000 bytes) of free space.

When inserted at boot, it should just boot up within 23 seconds and let you login as root with password “linux” on SSH, serial and with a USB-keyboard on HDMI. I spent some effort on putting as few packages as possible into it. Still, you have zypper to install packages and nano to edit files.

There is still a known hangup when you try to reboot. Workaround is: init 2 ; sleep 12 ; killall rsyslogd ; umount /boot/ ; mount -o remount,ro / ; reboot

As it still uses the original linux-2.6.31 kernel, it has another bug that also happens with pre-installed Ubuntu: sometimes (in ~40% of cases), boot stopps early, before graphics is initialized, when the last line on serial is “console handover: boot [ttymxc0] -> real [tty1]“. Try turning it off and on again.

This should allow you to have a whole lot of fun…

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Architectures, Factory | 1 Comment »

running openSUSE on ARM

January 19th, 2012 by

This week I finally got my genesi efika MX box. By default it has on old Ubuntu version installed on its internal IDE-attached 8GB SSD. It features 512 MB RAM and a 800 MHz ARMv7 CPU.

Using a HDMI-cable and an HDMI-DVI-Adaptor I got it connected to a monitor, plugged in a USB keyboard+mouse and it pretty much worked out of the box with WLAN,Ethernet,X11 (except for a bug that causes it to force you to change PW on every console login). How boring.

Having read about recent progress with openSUSE on ARM I wanted the excitement of running it on this box.

Michal’s image and script (now in alpha) was very helpful to get me started within 15 minutes.

If you have any (e.g. x86) openSUSE system running, there is another easy way to create a working ARM chroot-environment:

zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/openSUSE:/Tools:/Unstable/openSUSE_12.1/openSUSE:Tools:Unstable.repo
zypper install qemu osc
osc co openSUSE:Factory:ARM bash
cd openSUSE:Factory:ARM/bash
edit bash.spec # add lines with your packages like BuildRequires: zypper,vim
osc build –no-verify –clean standard armv7l

If it worked well, /var/tmp/build-root/ should contain a chroot environment. E.g. you can run

file /var/tmp/build-root/bin/bash
/var/tmp/build-root/bin/bash: ELF 32-bit LSB executable, ARM, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked (uses shared libs), for GNU/Linux 2.6.16, BuildID[sha1]=0xed9ca12f44c8591560d780cf807b6b6cf8ca8873, stripped

I partitioned my SD-card into two partitions. The first one for /boot with ext2 (needs only 150MB) and the second one for / to contain the rootfs. Be sure to have barrier=0 in your fstab for all ext[34] partitions so that writing to SD will not be as slow. The default U-Boot configuration first checks on the first partition of an SD-card for boot.scr which is a uImage-formatted version of a U-boot script. I copied all of Ubuntu’s /boot and /lib/modules/, slightly adapted their boot.script file to have root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 and uImage/uInitrd-2.6.31.14.26-efikamx as kernel/initrd, dropped “quiet splash” and added “console=ttymxc0,115200″ to see more of the boot and ran a line from another helpful site:

mkimage -A arm -O linux -T script -C none -a 0 -e 0 -n “my boot script” -d boot.script boot.scr
echo mxc0:S12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -L 115200 ttymxc0 vt102 >> /etc/inittab # for serial console

However, this failed to boot. Using the serial debug console, I could see U-boot trying to load the boot.scr but it was thinking it was zero bytes for some strange reason. Re-creating my /boot partition as a raw copy of /dev/sda1 with my adaptions ontop finally gave me an SD-card that just boots openSUSE Factory on ARM with framebuffer console on HDMI/DVI.

Find more ARM-related info on our openSUSE ARM Portal

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Architectures, Factory | 2 Comments »

fuk the kit you will love

January 19th, 2012 by

Dear fellows, in our moving free world, it’s not always bienvenue to talk about one of the *kit* software around.
Most of them have bad reputation, (with good or bad reasons) this is the debate of this post.

But in the uni-kit-verse there’s one you must known, especially if you are the proud owner of a laptop or one of this computer the manufacter deliver its firmware only in DOS exe format.
FirmwareUpdateKit (was introduced in 2008 in openSUSE by Steffen Winterfeldt

How that works?

As the title of the post give you the right command, open a console, then use the cnf (command-not-found) tool to learn what to do

Install the package

cnf fuk

The program 'fuk' can be found in the following package:
  * FirmwareUpdateKit [ path: /usr/bin/fuk, repository: zypp (repo-oss) ]

Try installing with:
    zypper install FirmwareUpdateKit

Pretty clear and cool, let’s install that stuff!

sudo zypper install FirmwareUpdateKit
root's password:
Loading repository data...
Reading installed packages...
Resolving package dependencies...

The following NEW packages are going to be installed:
  FirmwareUpdateKit syslinux 

2 new packages to install.
Overall download size: 758.0 KiB. After the operation, additional 2.1 MiB will be used.
Continue? [y/n/?] (y): y
Retrieving package syslinux-4.04-12.1.3.x86_64 (1/2), 642.0 KiB (1.9 MiB unpacked)
Retrieving: syslinux-4.04-12.1.3.x86_64.rpm [done]
Retrieving package FirmwareUpdateKit-1.1-14.1.1.x86_64 (2/2), 116.0 KiB (178.0 KiB unpacked)
Retrieving: FirmwareUpdateKit-1.1-14.1.1.x86_64.rpm [done]
Installing: syslinux-4.04-12.1.3 [done]
Installing: FirmwareUpdateKit-1.1-14.1.1 [done]

Firmware Update

Get your bios

Nothing easy for that, you will have to surf on boring mfg website, and find an appropriate bios for your computer.

Be serious during that selection, you can screw up totally your computer

Time to fuk

As always before running a program, it’s always good to check if there’s the fine manual (not the case here) or try a -h –help

fuk --help
Usage: fuk [OPTIONS] FILES
FirmwareUpdateKit version 1.1.

Create bootable DOS system and add FILES to it.
The main purpose is to assist with DOS-based firmware updates.

Options:
  --grub                        Add boot entry to /boot/grub/menu.lst.
  --lilo                        Add boot entry to /etc/lilo.conf.
  --title TITLE                 Use TITLE as label for boot menu entry.
  --iso FILE                    Create bootable CD.
  --floppy FILE                 Create bootable (1440 kB) floppy disk.
  --image FILE                  Create bootable harddisk.
  --run COMMAND                 Run COMMAND after booting DOS.
  --verbose                     Be more verbose.

Nothing complicated as a nuclear plan here, everything seems to be self explicit.
Let try it, and install a new grub entry for the new A8 version for my lappy. 

fuk --verbose --grub --run M4600A08.exe /home/bruno/src_tmp/HARDWARE/DELL_M4600/M4600A08.exe
/tmp/fuk.lSVIgS0cMt/fwupdate.img: chs = 186/4/16, size = 11904 blocks
- writing mbr
- writing fat12 boot block
- copying:
    /usr/share/FirmwareUpdateKit/kernel.sys
    /usr/share/FirmwareUpdateKit/command.com
    /tmp/fuk.lSVIgS0cMt/config.sys
    /tmp/fuk.lSVIgS0cMt/autoexec.bat
    /home/bruno/src_tmp/HARDWARE/DELL_M4600/M4600_A08.exe
c-3po:~ #

That’s all I’ve now a new entry in my grub list

title Firmware Update
    kernel /boot/memdisk
    initrd /boot/fwupdate.img

Apply

Now just reboot and use the grub entry, then upgrade your bios, like you will normally have done with you old complicated build iso, or diskette (I’m joking)

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Architectures, Base System, Systems Management | 2 Comments »

ATI/AMD fglrx 8.911 Catalyst 11.11 rpm available for openSUSE 11.3, 11.4, 12.1

November 21st, 2011 by

AMD/ATI Catalyst 11.11 / fglrx 8.911 rpm are available

Call the 911 to rescue your gfx!

Quick Résumé about 11.11

fglrx direct rendering

Several of you has all kind of non feature (mostly called bugs) with Gnome3.2 and kde4 etc…

I will just copy/google translate/paste here the comment made by Sebastian Siebert on his blog

Okay, now that was a long night for me was.  I’ve researched intensively since yesterday evening after the problem of GNOME 3.2 and the XvBA hardware acceleration on openSUSE 12.1. Here, a blog reader has pointed out that the direct installation of the AMD Catalyst could solve the problem. However, I think the direct installation of anything since like AMD will move the existing files, and thus endangering the integrity of files. But I had to start somewhere and so did the RPM package and direct install AMD compared. I could detect no difference in principle, except that some files were installed in a different directory, where they had really nothing to be related. I could at first make any sense why the RPM installation failed. To me a very banal story is remembered. A specific search path ld.so.conf could possibly be kicked out in openSUSE 12.1. I have my current openSUSE 11.4 /etc/ld.so.conf compared with that of openSUSE 12.1 and lo and behold some search paths were removed. I have the necessary path to /usr/X11R6/lib/ or created and /usr/X11R6/lib64 in /etc/ld.so.conf.d/fglrx.conf for the fglrx driver, and lo and behold “vainfo” tells me that everything is in order. Now comes the interesting question: Is the problem fixed with GNOME 3.2 now? The answer: YES!  So, dear people, you invite the makerpm-ati-down script with the updated packaging script installs the driver as usual and have fun with the new openSUSE 12.1 and the AMD Catalyst driver.

All rpms are updated now

The 8.911 version are available from saturday November 19th

My advise is to firstly remove any existing version with zypper rm, then just zypper in the new version

Factory rpms are not available actually, Factory 12.2 has just change it’s version number in /etc/SuSE-release and thus is not detected for the moment.
The next version should see 12.2 supported (December). Anyway you have to debug radeon on factory please!

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Base System, GNOME, KDE, Kernel | 10 Comments »

ATI/AMD fglrx 8.902 Catalyst 11.10 available for openSUSE 11.3, 11.4, 12.1 & Factory

November 5th, 2011 by

superseeded by http://lizards.opensuse.org/?p=8224

The AMD/ATI Catalyst 11.10 / fglrx 8.902 is now available

Importants informations are contained is this post, so carefully read it!

linux.ioda.net is replaced by geeko.ioda.net

I decide to re-organize the openSUSE stuff on my servers, and then I create a dedicated host geeko.ioda.net for that. I firstly link all old links as alias or setup redirection to the new host.
So if you can’t change the old address immediately don’t worry until December 31st.

Like before the server is fully accessible by ipv4 & ipv6, powered by openSUSE distribution.

Server layout

The new hostname is : http://geeko.ioda.net
Different kind of mirrored stuff /mirror
ATI fglrx mirrors http://geeko.ioda.net/mirror/ati
GIT Mirrors (sync every 10 minutes) /git
Gitorious clone of opensuse/art http://geeko.ioda.net/git/art/
Gitorious clone of opensuse-artwork http://geeko.ioda.net/git/opensuse-artwork/
GitHub clone of the new consolidated artwork http://geeko.ioda.net/git/artwork/

Rsync services

For those of you who need to sync the repository (ATI or GIT) you can now proceed with rsync.
rsync://geeko.ioda.net/ati/ for amd/ati repository and rsync://geeko.ioda.net/git/ for the artwork/marketing stuff

Example for a mirror of fglrx for openSUSE 12.1 

rsync -av -P --no-checksum --no-o --no-g --delete -h rsync://geeko.ioda.net/ati/openSUSE_12.1/ /Your_Best_Path_Storage/mirror/ati/openSUSE_12.1/

We need you!

Even if today I already change the main ATI wiki page there will have a lot of stuff outside which contain the old server address. If you can fix them each time you saw that error, it will help any potential users to get the right informations.
About the wiki, the page need also your love and contribution, look at the wiki team remark in the header. So if you feel comfortable with wiki syntax, your help in fixing SDB/ATI will be really appreciate.

- Are you a virtuose on the forums, please pick and paste those informations there!
- Are you a social network addict, please forward as much as you can!
- Are you a designer/artist, I need something great to the home page of geeko.ioda.net, contact me, let a comment

You are brave, and knows how to fix your computer? There a beta one click installer available (feedback welcome)
AMD/ATI fglrx one click installer

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Distribution, Factory, GNOME, KDE, Kernel, X.org | 17 Comments »

ATI/AMD fglrx 8.892 Catalyst 11.9 available for openSUSE 11.3, 11.4, 12.1 (Factory)

October 2nd, 2011 by

A new version of amd/ati Catalyst 11.9 / fglrx 8.892 is available

I’ve rebuild and published the new rpms on October 1st

fglrx-8.892-11.9 in action

fglrx 8.892 Catalyst 11.9 in action

  • 11.9 Quick review :
  • There’s no full changelog for Linux, but Catalyst 11.9 installer (pdf). You can always look for supported chipset at 11.9 Release Notes
  • Get the cheat-sheet 11.9 version
  • Kernel supported up to 3.1x version
  • Removed support of openSUSE 11.2, if you are still using it with Evergreen project, the repository still exist with older version
  • Tested and working on stock 11.4 and kde 4.7.1
  • Check that kernel module build correctly under factory

Sebastian Siebert (freespacer) : 11.9 article (German)

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Base System, X.org | 3 Comments »

ATI/AMD flgrx : status of the helping pledge

September 1st, 2011 by

Dear users of fglrx drivers (pre-packaged or .run installer)
On 19th August I’ve opened a pledge see this article, and I’m give you today a refresh status :
Click here to lend your support to: Funding ATI-AMD fglrx packager Sebastian Siebert and make a donation at www.pledgie.com !

I personally already thanks of the actual donors. You rocks !
We are almost done at today, but almost is not done :-)

So if you can spread the word a bit more, that’s would be really cool. My objective is been able to give the money back to Sebastian Siebert during our openSUSE conference. And so create a kind of ceremonial.

Can I count on you ?

 

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Base System, Contrib, Events | 1 Comment »

ATI/AMD fglrx 8.881 Catalyst 11.8 available for openSUSE 11.3, 11.4, 12.1 (Factory)

August 20th, 2011 by

A new version of amd/ati Catalyst 11.8 / fglrx 8.881 is available

I’ve rebuild and published the new rpms today

Catalyst 11.8 - fglrx-8.881 in action

  • 11.8 Quick review :
  • There’s no full changelog for Linux, but Catalyst 11.8 installer (pdf). You can always look for supported chipset at 11.8 Release Notes
  • Get the cheat-sheet 11.8 version
  • Kernel supported up to 3.0x version
  • Removed support of openSUSE 11.2, if you are still using it with Evergreen project, the repository still exist with older version
  • Tested and working on stock 11.4 kde 4.6.0
  • Tested and working on live usb stick 11.4 Gnome3 (GNOME_3.i686-1.3.0-Build1.3.iso + updates)

Contributing back

I’m refering about my previous post, and invite you to help back contributing to
Click here to lend your support to: Funding ATI-AMD fglrx packager Sebastian Siebert and make a donation at www.pledgie.com !

Sebastian Siebert (freespacer) : 11.8 article (German)

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Base System, X.org | Comments Off

Mounting /usr in the initrd

August 3rd, 2011 by

Hi,

I changed the openSUSE mkinitrd to mount the /usr filesystem in the initrd, if /usr is a separate partition. I hope this will calm down some heated discussions about systemd, udev, etc. It’s not 100% ready yet, some setups like root or /usr on nfs or md might not work as expected (*), but the common usecases should be covered. Try updating mkinitrd from the Base:System project and let me know if it works for you. Before testing it, you should do a backup of your initrd:

# cp /boot/initrd-`uname -r`{,.orig}

and create a section in /boot/grub/menu.lst pointing to the /boot/initrd-*.orig file.

Tags:
Posted in Base System | 1 Comment »

« Older Entries