maemo.org - Talk - View Single Post - Ubuntu 12.04 on N900 with U-Boot

caveman	2012-06-26 , 12:14
Posts: 191 \| Thanked: 415 times \| Joined on Jan 2012	#296

target:
kingstom uSD 8Gb class 4
sandisk uSD 4Gb class 4
unbranded uSD 32Gb class 6

install options:
* ubuntu-core lts,
* meego firmware,
* no dist-upgrade (always fails for me),
* 3Gb vfat partition + 0 swap,
* custom kernel,
* default kernel options.
Most other options stay at default values.

Packages:
* do not forget to install *xorg* and lxde packages or all you get is a console ;-)
* acpid fails to install (upstart fails): I suggest unchecking during the installation and installing it later
* I used only a few packages during the install, and installed more later when running on the device
I attached a tar file of options directory for reference.

I did a 3-step install:
1. run install.sh with essential packages (so it does not take too long)
2. when asked if I wanted a chroot shell, I used the chroot to download additional packages (apt-get -d install ...)
3. after booting in the device: apt-get -f install; apt-get dist-upgrade; finished installation of the additional packages (already downloaded); proceeded to the tweaks.

Summary of tweaks applied to the installed system:
1. fix wlan numbering: http://talk.maemo.org/showpost.php?p...&postcount=202
2. icons do not show on lxde: http://talk.maemo.org/showpost.php?p...&postcount=243
3. onboard shows a black screen: https://answers.launchpad.net/onboard/+question/195106

Code:

apt-get install python-gi-cairo

4. enabled swap on internel mmc:

Code:

echo "/dev/mmcblk1p3 swap swap defaults 0 0" >> /etc/fstab

5. added user to the following groups:

Code:

for i in audio netdev adm plugdev video dialout voice pulse; do adduser <user> $i; done

6. right mouse button emulation: http://talk.maemo.org/showpost.php?p...&postcount=299
included the following lines in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/90-input-n900.conf:

Code:

        Option "EmulateThirdButton" "1"
        Option "EmulateThirdButtonTimeout" "750"
        Option "EmulateThirdButtonThreshold" "30"

7. configure audio:

Code:

apt-get install pulseaudio alsa-utils

8. install droid fonts
9. init errors related to pty: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...rt/+bug/980917
10. rename login.png @ /usr/share/lxdm/... so I can see the bottom of the screen and select the session type
11. keyboard config: /etc/default/keyboard show pc105 -> change to nokiarx51

The attached experimental scripts apply most of the above tweaks. They should be run as root after the first system boot, since some of them uses files created at the first boot.

todo/open issues (please post if you have these working/figured out)
* look for a camera app for pics
* configure 3G dialup
* test voice calls (see http://talk.maemo.org/showpost.php?p...&postcount=298)
* investigate SMS messaging
* test battery script (see http://talk.maemo.org/showpost.php?p...ostcount=202): maybe turn it into a daemon?
* email client options
a. kmail-mobile: cool interface, but *very* heavyweight; took more than a minute to open and it shows 179M virt, 33M res, 17M shared
b. thunderbird: about 30s to open
c. claws-mail (http://talk.maemo.org/showpost.php?p...&postcount=326): just installed
* calendar options
a. thunderbird
b. dates

desktop environment
1. lxde: usable with a few tweaks, but very desktop-oriented; hard to use without the stylus, but rock-solid
tips: place lxpanel on the left, show only icons on task applet, increase icon size to 32, increase lxpanel widht to 34-36
openbox: edit config file to make it more friendly and maemo-like

Code:

<applications>
  <!-- match all windows, and remove their decorations -->
  <application class="*">
    <decor>no</decor>
    <maximized>yes</maximized>
  </application>
</applications>
<keybind key="C-BackSpace">
  <action name="NextWindow"><dialog>list</dialog><raise>yes</raise><desktop>yes</desktop></action>
</keybind>
<keybind key="C-m">
  <action name="ToggleFullscreen"/>
</keybind>

2: enlightenment with illume profile: very nice and usable

Code:

apt-get install e17

tip: settings/DPI/advanced: increase custom DPI scale to =~ 1.4
tip: add start and ibar
tip: install hal and battery applet works :-)

3. unity-2d:

Code:

apt-get install ubuntu-desktop unity-2d

session fails to start and now my e17 session segfaults at login :-(

4. chromium: install quick scrolling plugin (http://elektranox.org/n900/installat...iguration.html)

5. firefox: install grab and drag plugin (http://elektranox.org/n900/installat...iguration.html)

6. thunderbird: install touchscreen access collection (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thu...7-bd88-1b9bf6/)
cons: takes about 25s to load
pros: solves email, RSS and calendar use-cases

7. xfce: looks cool, specially with the panel on the left; see http://talk.maemo.org/showpost.php?p...&postcount=332

booting with pali's u-boot version 2012.04-1
1. I placed the kernels in maemo's /boot
2. no matter the kernel, place its modules in the uSD under /lib/modules
3. point your item files to the place where the kernel is
4. point your kernel args to the root partition you want to boot
5. remember that mmcblk names are reversed outside maemo: to mount external uSD partition 1, use root=/dev/mmcblk0p1
* nemo

Code:

ITEM_NAME="NEMO"
ITEM_KERNEL="vmlinuz-2.6.37-10.7.Nemo.Adaptation.N900-adaptation-n900"
ITEM_MODULES="ext4"
ITEM_CMDLINE="root=/dev/mmcblk0p1 rootwait console=tty0 omapfb.vram=0:2M,1:2M,2:2M mtdoops.mtddev=2 nosplash elevator=noop panic=20"

* ubuntu

Code:

ITEM_NAME="Ubuntu 12.04 freemangordon kernel"
ITEM_KERNEL="uImage-nemo-2.6.37"
ITEM_MODULES="ext4"
ITEM_CMDLINE="root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootwait console=tty0 omapfb.vram=0:2M,1:2M,2:2M mtdoops.mtddev=2 nosplash elevator=noop panic=20"
ITEM_REUSEATAGS="1"

* KP

Code:

ITEM_NAME="Maemo 5 with kernel-power 2.6.28.10-power51 (Internal Nand)"
ITEM_KERNEL="2.6.28.10-power51"
ITEM_REUSEATAGS="1"

personal imcomplete package list

Code:

apt-get -y install \
	wicd-gtk wicd-curses \
	lxde lubuntu-desktop lxmusic mplayer \
	chromium-browser firefox \
	pulseaudio alsa-utils \
	python-gi-cairo onboard ttf-droid \
	xscreensaver imagemagick \
	e17 enna eterm \
	cpufrequtils \
        hal

Attached Images

Attached Files

	tweaks.zip (2.5 KB, 166 views)
	options.tar (20.0 KB, 116 views)

Last edited by caveman; 2013-01-15 at 17:28. Reason: misc updates to workaround & todo list & desktop environment tweaks

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