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[Dennis]

Teapot's implementation of Ubuntu Intrepid runs quite well on my class 2 cards as far as I'm concerned. However, I have noticed a number of people on this thread indicate that they use class 6 cards. As such, I was wondering whether anyone has experience running this XO implementation of Intrepid using a class 2 versus a class 6 card.

If so, does the general overall responsiveness improve in the order of two to three times when moving from a class 2 to a class 6?

The XO being a special case machine - high tech sporting a low powered cpu (cycles/bandwidth rather than current  )  - I have to wonder where the most critical choke point is on this machine - is it cpu, main memory or in fact, as is usually the case, disk (SD) I/O?

Thanks.

[teapot]

The XO being a special case machine - high tech sporting a low powered cpu (cycles/bandwidth rather than current  )  - I have to wonder where the most critical choke point is on this machine - is it cpu, main memory or in fact, as is usually the case, disk (SD) I/O?

It depends on the application. For video players and flash player it's CPU. For large applications' (OpenOffice.org, Firefox, Thunderbird) startup time and for some of their performance at runtime (paging in executable and libraries, reading data) it's SD/USB. For applications that keep large amounts of data in RAM (same plus Gimp and other image/video/vector editors) it's RAM size and SD if there is a swap space on it.

Of course, lack of hardware 3D is a problem for all 3D applications -- interface is there, so they can run, but software rendering is slow.

[Prost]

Hello,

    Just a quick note to say thanks to Teapot for providing
this fantastic release. I managed to install it without any
problems on class 4 4GB SD card. I have also installed
OO3 and Gnome desktop and both are surprisingly
usable with overclocking to 500MHz.

    The only issues I have so far are (with Gnome desktop)
are that it resumes from suspend by itself and the rotate
screen key does not work - I would be  grateful for any
pointers in resolving these issues.

Best regards,
  Prost

[jrobbins]

Per Prost:

surprisingly usable with overclocking to 500MHz

How does one properly overclock the XO when running Teapot's Ubuntu 8.10, will it increase the XO's performance to any marked degree and is it safe to do?  Thanks.  JCR

[Prost]

Hi,

     I am overclocking by setting the values in the boot script (/boot/olpc.fth) as per the following page : http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Custom_bootloader (refer to the overclock section).

     I find by overclocking to 500MHz and setting the memory timing to 200MHz, I find significant imporvement in overall responsiveness of the OS. The clincher for me is that Divx/Xvid movies are now watchable at full screen resolution.

Regards,
  Prost

[jrobbins]

Per Prost:

   I am overclocking by setting the values in the boot script (/boot/olpc.fth) as per the following page : http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Custom_bootloader (refer to the overclock section).

So, that page section appears to show a bootloader that allows a variable between underclocking, normal clocking, overclocking and extreme overclocking.  You apparently are using (successfully) the overclocking at 500/200, but I am assuming that have not set your /boot/olpc.fth file for the variability (i.e., you have it set to bootup 500/200 only, each time, automatically).  With that, two questions:  First, where on the SD card are you placing the /boot/olpc.fth file and second, can you share the exact text of your /boot/olpc.fth file that is functioning properly for this purpose?  I'd rather copy and get it right the first time.  Thanks.  JCR

[Prost]

jrobbins wrote :-
>>So, that page section appears to show a bootloader that allows a variable between
>> underclocking, normal clocking, overclocking and extreme overclocking.  You apparently
>> are using (successfully) the overclocking at 500/200,

Hi,

    My boot script is in fact based on the example in the Wiki with options to choose the clocking mode and where to boot from. Obviously I boot into the regular overclocking mode (which in my example is 500MHz CPU and 200MHz RAM timing). I have now been using the Gnome desktop for extended periods and have not come across any operational issues as yet. I have attached my boot script (which is located on the sd card under /boot/olpc.fth).


 

[duane]

More kudos for teapot!  My XO is now a lot more useful.  There is a nice program for making gps plots on maps named tangogps (www.tangogps.org) that seems to install fine, but my gps unit requires bluetooth.  Is there any chance of getting a kernel with bluetooth modules?

Thanks again, duane

[Stephen Furner]

I have a blind colleague and was wondering if the Orca screen reader works when Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex is loaded in this way so he could use an OLPC.

Also, is it likely that this method would work for the distribution of intrepid intended for use by blind people (VIBUNTU) available from http://blinuxman.net/projects/vibuntu.php

[Poo Bear]

How do I go about managing users? I would like to be able to edit files, install packages and such from the GUI. I am assuming there is an admin login/password. Once I’m in admin mode I should be able to go to System -> Administration -> User Management -> Administrator Mode and add new users, change permissions etc., right?

[Kerry]

First, I really strugle with all things Linux, but am hoping that once I have 8.10 installed, I can revert to user-mode.

I got through the process and everything seemed OK, but at the reboot point It hung-up. I get a "can't open boot device" message.

I must have done something wrong but would appreciate some guidance as to what my next step should be.  Do I start over again? from what point?

[teapot]

I got through the process and everything seemed OK, but at the reboot point It hung-up. I get a "can't open boot device" message.

That can't be the first message you get from the bootloader after turning on the laptop -- can you post the rest of messages you see before it happens?

[Kerry]

re "can't open boot device", first part of messages read:
(please excuse typo's and thanks for your help!)

OLPC C2, 256 MiB memory installed, S/N CSN74702CB9
OpenFirmware  CL1   Q2E18  Q2E

Trying sd:\security\develop.sig
  Devel key  Signature valid
OLPC C2, 256 MiB memory installed, S/N CSN74702CB9
OpenFirmware  CL1  Q2E18  Q2E

Type the Esc key to interrupt automatic startup
Boot device: /sd/disk:\boot\olpc.fth  Arguments:
Boot device: /sd/disk:\boot\vmlinuz  Arguments: ro root=/dev/mmcblk0p1 rootfstyp
e=est3 console=tty0 fbcon=font:SUN12x22 video=fb:1200x900 loglevel=3 splash
Loading ramdisk image from sd:\boot\olpcrd.img ...
<buffer@ffb68e70>:12:
Can't open boot device

[Kerry]

re "can't open goot device"

a recent restart showed something about "buffer resize error" before going to
"Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block (0,0)

[teapot]

Loading ramdisk image from sd:\boot\olpcrd.img ...
<buffer@ffb68e70>:12:
Can't open boot device

Ramdisk image file is unreadable or corrupt. This usually happens when laptop is turned off after the installation script finished but before the card was unmounted, so some data wasn't updated on the card. This is why you have to reboot the laptop at the end of installation and wait for it to restart. You can issue sync command before rebooting to force the update -- it may take a long time for it to complete.