Puppylinux for the OLPC laptops: XOpup

For talk and support relating specifically to Puppy derivatives
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mavrothal
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Re: Quirky

#301 Post by mavrothal »

Boukman wrote: I've been looking for a linux distribution with a recent kernel to try out a few things on my son's XO-1.
All XO distributions, official or otherwise, use the same OLPC kernels. ie 3.3 for XO-1 and XO-1.5, 3.5 for XO-4 and 3.0 for XO-1.75.
To that respect any recent XO-moded puppy included quirky have the same kernel.
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Boukman
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Re: Quirky

#302 Post by Boukman »

mavrothal wrote: All XO distributions, official or otherwise, use the same OLPC kernels. ie 3.3 for XO-1 and XO-1.5, 3.5 for XO-4 and 3.0 for XO-1.75.
To that respect any recent XO-moded puppy included quirky have the same kernel.
Good. So that answers my first question (although I didn't have time to ask)! I thought some of the unofficial distributions didn't use the OLPC kernel, but now I know better. I guess there must be specific drivers compiled into this kernel.

Now my next goal is to try Enlightenment on XOpup.

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mavrothal
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Re: Quirky

#303 Post by mavrothal »

Boukman wrote: I thought some of the unofficial distributions didn't use the OLPC kernel, but now I know better.
Some key changes in the OLPC kernel never made it into the official Linux kernel tree. So no other kernel will boot an XO.
The XO-puppy kernel is not exactly the same as the official (has some configuration changes) but is the same kernel source as the official.
If you need some modules that are not build in the current kernels, but they exist in the 3.3 source, let me know.
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mavrothal
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FatDogArm_beta1

#304 Post by mavrothal »

There is a new version of FadDogArm out that in reality is a totally new version, with a new toolchain and minimal system configuration,that actually runs on both the XO-4 and XO-1.75 :lol:

In contrast to alpha builds, XO support is now fully integrated in the build, so there is no special XO-specific download.

The release notes and installation instructions are very comprehensive but for the non-RTFM-types :roll: just download fd-arm.sfs and xo175-kernel.tar.gz or xo4-kernel.tar.gz from one of the FatDog Mirrors, place the fd-arm.sfs and the boot folder at the root of any USB stick or SDcard and boot your XO.

As with the alpha version, you can also install FatDogArm in the internal XO card parallel to Fedora/Sugar and have a dual boot system that will boot to FD when the "O" game-key is pressed during power up.
To install in the internal flash storage, download the attached install_fd-b1_internally.sh.gz script in your XO, expand it, make it executable and run it as root, while you are connected to the internet.
If you do not have an internet connection in your XO just copy the scrip, fd-arm.sfs, and xo{175,4}-kernel.tar.gz in your XO and run the script.
NOTE:The script will not run if you already have an alternative boot option (/bootpart/boot/atl) in your XO
Attachments
install_fd-b1_internally.sh.gz
Script to install FatDogArm_beta1 in the internal storage of the XO-4 or XO-1.75, parllel to Fedora/Sugar.
(958 Bytes) Downloaded 704 times
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jl123
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Joined: Sat 09 Nov 2013, 21:14

XO-1

#305 Post by jl123 »

Hi Mavrothal,

Its been quite a while since I have used my xo-1 either with XO-pup or sugar. I think I will start trying to use them again. I know you have created many pups for the XO, and just wondered which you yourself use at the moment.

Thanks for the programs, and the information,

jl

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mavrothal
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Re: XO-1

#306 Post by mavrothal »

jl123 wrote:I know you have created many pups for the XO, and just wondered which you yourself use at the moment.
The original XOpup-2.2 s still in my XO-1's SDcard. I find it the most responsive and being based on Puppy Lucid 5.2.x is well stocked with apps. The browser choice is not very good but the hardware can hardly cope with the demands of modern browsers. You can still install Google Chrome though if you can tolerate the slow response.

On my XO-1.5, the SDcard has Precise-5.5_XO but Precise-5.6.1_XO is is probably better (too lazy to do all the customization again :roll: )
It is OK on the XO-1 too but noticeably slower. Go for it if Ubuntu 12.04 has apps that you need and do not exist in Ubuntu 10.4, or if for some reason (driver) you need the 3.3 kernel.
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jparedes
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Location: Argentina

Bringing back to life old XO-1 B1 prototype

#307 Post by jparedes »

Hi! Are any of you still out there? :)

I live in Argentina and I found a batch of old OLPC XO-1 B1 laptops (256mb RAM, batteries plain dead) and wondered if i could bring them back alive. I stumbled upon this thread and I was astonished of all your hard work on getting to work on Puppy. Big kudos all of you folks!

I managed to flash them from creepy old OpenFirmware builds to most recent one (q2f20) and boot into every puppy flavor i could find: XOPup, Precise, Racy, Slacko, etc (best so far Precise 5.6.1)

Fast forward: i'm stuck in trying to get Xorg to work. Tried with all posible "profiles" from xorgwizard but the best i could get is what depicted in the attached pic using "xorg.conf.t2" :(

Some insight:

Code: Select all

#uname -a
Linux puppypc17034 3.3.8_xo1-20130530.2216.olpc.f12d9e6_Aufs #1 PREEMPT Thu May 30 22:38:40 EEST 2013 i586 i586 i386 GNU/Linux

Code: Select all

#lspci
00:01.0 Host bridge: National Semiconductor Corporation Geode GX2 Host Bridge (rev 21)
00:01.1 VGA compatible controller: National Semiconductor Corporation Geode GX2 Graphics Processor
00:0c.0 FLASH memory: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. Device 4100 (rev 10)
00:0c.1 SD Host controller: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. OLPC Cafe Controller Secure Digital Controller (rev 10)
00:0c.2 Multimedia video controller: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. Device 4102 (rev 10)
00:0f.0 ISA bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] CS5536 [Geode companion] ISA (rev 03)
00:0f.3 Multimedia audio controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] CS5536 [Geode companion] Audio (rev 01)
00:0f.4 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] CS5536 [Geode companion] OHC (rev 02)
00:0f.5 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] CS5536 [Geode companion] EHC (rev 02)
(XOrg session log attached as .gz)

Any hint?

Promise to post pics of a puppy "green cluster" with all this laptops if i could get them to work! :D

Thanks in advance!
Attachments
Xorg.0.log.gz
Xorg Log
(3.53 KiB) Downloaded 592 times
xorg_error.jpg
Xorg Display Error (using default xorg configuration as machine boots)
(110.89 KiB) Downloaded 623 times

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mavrothal
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#308 Post by mavrothal »

Wow!
I could not imagine that this thread is still usable :D

B1 is a strange animal.
I would recommend to first downgrade the firmware to q2e18 or the last "official" for B1s version, q2c27. link
Then try to boot some official build to see which one will work. I would start with 8.2.1 then 11.3.0 and them maybe 13.2.1. link
After that and depending what is happening with the above, I would try with an older kernel pup (XOpup up to 5.5s) and see how it goes.

BTW which puppy version is the logs and picture from 5.6.1?

PS: Regarding official firmware and builds for B1s you can ask in the olpc devel list. Is still active and usually helpful.
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jparedes
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Location: Argentina

#309 Post by jparedes »

mavrothal wrote:Wow!
I could not imagine that this thread is still usable :D
I'm amazed that you're actually replying so fast :)
mavrothal wrote: I would recommend to first downgrade the firmware to q2e18 or the last "official" for B1s version, q2c27.
Just tried, but since batteries are dead it won't let me flash the rom. "No battery" msg appears and exits. Do you know if there's a workaround?
mavrothal wrote: BTW which puppy version is the logs and picture from 5.6.1?
It's Precise-5.6.1. Except from xorg everything seems to work i managed to get connected to the internet via a wireless network by hand using using wpa_supplicant, so i'm not losing faith :)

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mavrothal
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#310 Post by mavrothal »

jparedes wrote:
mavrothal wrote: I would recommend to first downgrade the firmware to q2e18 or the last "official" for B1s version, q2c27.
Just tried, but since batteries are dead it won't let me flash the rom. "No battery" msg appears and exits. Do you know if there's a workaround?
Try to use batman.fth to charge them.
See info and procedure here
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Daedalum
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#311 Post by Daedalum »

Hi
(Im a linux innocent and unfamiliar with terminal)
I have an XO 1.5 and have replaced the internal microSD with a larger one.
I want to install XOpup to it and use the External SD as storage.

Yet I can neither see the internal SD from XOpup on USB nor install to it as the option is given as unavailable in XOpup.

I guess I could remove the microSD and extract XOpup to it but I assume it will still not let me mount the internal drive etc

Up thread I read this but I dont quite understand "what and where needs to be put back"
I'm not sure about this.
I have modified pup_event_frontend_d NOT to automount the internal SDcard of the XO-1.5, so users will not inadvertently messup with it.
This maybe affecting the boot process. Just put back the original and see.
Further, the MicroSD I have installed is a single etx2, is that going to be an issue?
I do not know what you have in the internal SDcard but I think that the issue might be that you put the files in the big mmcblk0p2 partition?
OFW can not read this because is etx4. The boot* folders must go to the ext2 mmcblk0p1 but then the init must be instructed to look in another partition for the sfs. Confused

...or it could be the olpc.fth setup. The way it is now defines the internal SD as "PDEV1=mmcblk1p1", but without an external card the internal is "mmcblk0p1". Change line 106 of /boot/olpc.fth accordingly and see what happens. Actually this looks like the most likely reason since pup_event is not coming into play during init boot.
Anyway I would stay out of the internal SDcard/NAND as principle, but if people ask it can be done properly at the /boot/olpc.fth level.

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mavrothal
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#312 Post by mavrothal »

Daedalum,
The original XOpup and the other puppies modified for the XOs are designed NOT to run from the internal SD and not even auto-mount it.
However, should not be difficult to install it in the internal SD. Just copy the files there and then you need to change the /boot/olpc.fth file a bit.
Changing 1 to 0 in line 117 as shown below, should do it
" PDEV1=mmcblk0p1" \ Internal SD card
Be advised that I (or anyone else I know) never tested XOpup from the internal SDcard. So I really do not know if there are any issues.

To mount the internal SD card when booting XOpup form a USB/ExternalSD, open a window at the root of the file system press the "eye" to make visible the invisible files and then click on the ".intSD" folder. Should mount the internal SD card.
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Daedalum
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#313 Post by Daedalum »

That did the trick! Thank you!
Works a charm.

lawrencejd1978
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Joined: Mon 15 Jun 2020, 21:08

#314 Post by lawrencejd1978 »

I have XO-1 can you please tell me how to run any suitable image?

All i want is run youtube..





Lerc wrote:
mavrothal wrote: Regarding Swap on SDcard I run the same card with swap 2 years now for all the builds I tried on the XO (Fedora/Ubuntu/Puppy etc) and has 0 bad blocks! It also holds teapots Ubuntu! I'm clearly lucky with this card (A 4GB class 6 Transend) but I had no problems with Swap and OS on the same card (yet :twisted: )
I think the notion of bad blocks from swapping is largely a myth, The write speed of the devices combined with the wear levelling standard on SD would mean you'd need to be thrashing for quite a few years before you hit something like 100k writes on a spot.

I was mostly referring to the slowdown to swapping, I've done some speed tests on the SD in my machine and it reads at 9MB/sec. I suspect writes are slower. I'll do some write tests when I next trash a partition.

Interestingly I can read from USB at 12MB/sec without slowing SD reads for a combined 21MB/sec. (That particular thumbdrive managing 17MB/sec without SD access). Swap is supposed to load balance on even priority drives so perhaps the ideal setup is 3 thumbdrives+SD :-)

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mavrothal
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#315 Post by mavrothal »

lawrencejd1978 wrote: All i want is run youtube..
You can not!
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