Hi,

I am interested installing a linux distribution (anything that is current/modern) on my SAM 460 system. I want the distribution and AmigaOS on the same HD.

I require a dummy's step by step guide that I can print off and follow from preparation to complete installation.

The guide should cover exactly what I should do, what order things should be carried out.

Thanks in advance.

_________________

@djrikki

there was a step by step guide to install Debian on the Sam440flex on ACubes site along with the iso and it worked fine, though a little sluggish, on the 440 so i imagine they should be able to give you a guide for the 460ex and I would think Debian on the 460ex would be alot snappier than the 440

_________________
____________________________
c64-2sids, A1000, A1200T-060@50(finally working!),A4000-CSMKIII
! My Master Miggies- Amiga 1000 & AmigaOne X1000 !
mancave-ramblings
X1000 I BELIEVE

@djrikki

This is the following layout I would consider trying to setup
4GB "SYS:" AmigaOS System Partition
2GB "swap" partition
20GB "Work:" AmigaOS Applications Partition

20GB "/" Linux Root Partition
??GB "/home" UserData Partition

The sizes I said here are only what *I* would recommend in sizes to use.
Please feel free to get a second opinion

Jeremy

@djrikki

From what I've understood, at the moment only the kernel is available and it does require an already installed Linux distribution on an existing partition (!) on the Sam460ex. All the existing distribution available for Sam440 (Crux and Debian) will simply not boot on Sam460ex.

I'm afraid that a simple solution for newbie like me or you is not available at the moment.

Last edited by virgolamobile on 14-Jul-2011 at 11:12 AM.

@djrikki

Don't know if they still do it or not but Amigakit used to install it for you upon request when ordering a system from them. Then you had a dual boot system.

_________________
A1000, A500, A600, A1200, CTDV, A2000, A4000 Towered, SAMFLEX 800mhz

http://cruxppc.org/News#CRUX-PPC-2_7a-released

_________________
My Blog: http://linuxpowerpc.blogspot.com/
***
Linux PPC user!
IBM Intellistation POWER 275 - CRUX PPC (64bit) 3.0

@All
Don't know about the SAM460 but it would be nice if someone could tell us how it runs if they have it installed. I have Debian on my SAM Flex but as you would expect it is a tad sluggish, although Opera works really well.

ace

@ppc_addon

Could you comment your Crux PPC installations you use, specially on your 600 mhz machine.

- Have you enough speed to use Crux-PPC on a 600 mhz machine ?

For sure, It's to know if I will try to install CRUX on my SAM667ep machine.

_________________
BTW, what you have done for the amiga today ????

-A1200+Mediator+VooDoo3+060/50+96mo+SCSI-KIT
-SAM440EP-667mhz-on MapowerKC3000+AOS4.1

Amiga Docs Disks Preservation Project

@ppc_addon

Quote:

Acube Sam460ex: boot from SDHC and audio support aren't yet implemented.

even linux has no audio!!
------------------------
and no success with crux 2.7a - Kernel is loading, dvd is spinning and resetting sam or stop working and do nothing. Try many configs with HDD plugged to my sil3114 or to mainboard and no success...

Last edited by mrdarek on 21-Jul-2011 at 03:28 PM.
Last edited by mrdarek on 21-Jul-2011 at 03:28 PM.

@Mrodfr

Quote:

Could you comment your Crux PPC installations you use, specially on your 600 mhz machine. - Have you enough speed to use Crux-PPC on a 600 mhz machine ?

i don't use anymore this Peg1 as i understood i don't like amiga like modern os and the only linux working on that machine (CRUX PPC 2.0.x is from 2005) is too much old to be really usefull.
I prefer to play with my Efika 5200b/Linux .

_________________
My Blog: http://linuxpowerpc.blogspot.com/
***
Linux PPC user!
IBM Intellistation POWER 275 - CRUX PPC (64bit) 3.0

@mrdarek

as i know there isn't a driver for that audio subsystem in linux kernel for powerpc.

As i don't own a Sam4xx i cannot help you but as i can understand reading handbook 'n release notes from cruxppc 2.7a you need to boot from a SATA dvd connected to a PCI/SATA card using the only SM502 vga output.

Last edited by ppc_addon on 21-Jul-2011 at 05:28 PM.

_________________
My Blog: http://linuxpowerpc.blogspot.com/
***
Linux PPC user!
IBM Intellistation POWER 275 - CRUX PPC (64bit) 3.0

make some test on linux to see if there are full support to pci-express vga, software, 3D games :)

_________________

@ppc_addon

Quote:

I prefer to play with my Efika 5200b/Linux .

And how work CruxPPC on this computer ? The speed is enough for normal use ?

NOTE: I'm trying to know if CRUXPPC is a good linux for low powered PPC computer like Efika or SAM440,....

_________________
BTW, what you have done for the amiga today ????

-A1200+Mediator+VooDoo3+060/50+96mo+SCSI-KIT
-SAM440EP-667mhz-on MapowerKC3000+AOS4.1

Amiga Docs Disks Preservation Project

@ppc_addon
If I understand you corectly you do not like modern Ämiga"OSs. Then why do you visit this site? Sorry just confused.

ace

@Mrodfr

Quote:

NOTE: I'm trying to know if CRUXPPC is a good linux for low powered PPC computer like Efika or SAM440,....

i guess YES, but you need a lot of time (and experience) to tune it.
I use (with a lot of fun) my Efika only headless and i'd really like to buy a Sam in the next future.

Last edited by ppc_addon on 22-Jul-2011 at 12:19 PM.

_________________
My Blog: http://linuxpowerpc.blogspot.com/
***
Linux PPC user!
IBM Intellistation POWER 275 - CRUX PPC (64bit) 3.0

@acefnq

i read only this forum's section (Amiga PPC Linux).
I think my first reply was absolutely correct and in topic.

_________________
My Blog: http://linuxpowerpc.blogspot.com/
***
Linux PPC user!
IBM Intellistation POWER 275 - CRUX PPC (64bit) 3.0

@djrikki

Quote:

djrikki wrote: I am interested installing a linux distribution (anything that is current/modern) on my SAM 460 system. I want the distribution and AmigaOS on the same HD.

Have you made any decisions yet?

@ppc_addon

I finally had the change to try installing Crux 2.7a to my Sam460ex, and this is a report.

My configuration:
- ACube Sam460ex
- RAM: 2GB kingston SODDR II 800
- PCI SATA controller: silicon image 3512
- HD: seagate momentus 2.5', 500Gb, 7200rpm, SATA
- DVD-RW: plextor PX-L890SA
- video card: silicon motion SM502 (onboard)
- power supply: silverStone SST-ST40NF (fanless)
- case: lian li PC-Q11A silver

Before trying anything I had a quick look at the /crux/releasenotes.txt and found the following info for Sam460ex users:
- partial support for Acube Sam460ex (vga on SM502)
- the support for these machines has been added into 32bit ISO;
- please, consider to update u-boot on your board;
- boot from SDHC and audio support aren't yet implemented;
- onboard SATA2 controller works only with LBA48/NCQ hard disk drives.

My usual setup has a PCI Radeon 9250 for 3D usage on AmigaOS4.1 (Warp3D) and I use a Jmicron USB SATA adapter dongle for using the DVD.
As the JMicron dongle doesn't support the boot I had to unplug the Radeon 9250 from the PCI and plug the Silicon Image 3512 for the DVD.
As the only officially supported graphic card is the onboard SM502 that wasn't a problem.
By default I usually use the onboard SATA port for the HD as I think the internal port is faster.

When first booted the CRUX 2.7a CD a crash occured (see picture).
I then connected the HD to the SI3512, and with this configuration CRUX booted and I proceed installing CRUX following the handbook.txt found in /crux.

My HD partition tables is as follow:
SDA1 - SFS, Workbench
SDA2 - JXFS, Work
SDA3 - AmigaOS4.1 SWAP partition
SDA4 - ext2, mounted as /
SDA5 - linux swap

The handbook explain how to compile the kernel by giving the following information:
$ cd /usr/src/linux-2.6.36.x
$ patch -p1 < ../your_patch
$ make menuconfig
$ make all
$ make uImage (for Sam460ex)
$ make canyonlands.dtb (for Sam460ex)
$ make modules_install
$ cp arch/powerpc/boot/cuImage.sam440ep /boot/uImage (for Sam440ep)
$ cp arch/powerpc/boot/uImage /boot/uImage (for Sam460ex)
$ cp arch/powerpc/boot/canyonlands.dtb /boot/canyonlands.dtb (for Sam460ex)
$ cp System.map /boot/System.map

Well, I could't find any patch for the Sam460ex, only found "linux-2.6.36.4-Sam460ex.config" so not a patch, and "linux-2.6.36.4-Sam440ep.patch", which is clearly for Sam440ep.
I proceeded without any patch and entered "menuconfig" for the kernel configuration features and here I must admit I've got scared: way too many details I never even heard of...
As you may imagine, I've ended up using the ready made uImage, the dtb file and the System.map (originally called System.map-460, then renamed to System.map) from the installation cd found in ppc/sam4x0.

I've set my root password and installed the Parthenope boot loader. That's it, finished.
Reboot. Finger crossed.

Booting from the HD went fine, I was welcomed to the usual Linux text console.
The console complained about two things, the first one about the missing folder lib/modules/2.6.36.4-Sam460ex, so I've copied its content from the installation CD.
The second complain was about a folder called /run/udev which the system says is not writeable. Well, the /run/udev folder didn't exists, but once created with chmod 777 (just to try), the console at boot still complain that such folder is not writeable. The system just works, so I left as it is, apparently it's working anyway...

As I don't like using a slow PCI for connecting the SATA HD I then tried connecting the HD to the internal SATA port on the Sam. All seems OK, Linux boots just fine, strange.

Then I tried using X entering "startx" and suddently I've was stuck with a segmentation fault on /lib/libc.so.6 (which is a link to /lib/libc-2.12.2.so).
I've tried many things like "Xorg -configure" but the method couldn't find any device to configure.

The only internet connection I've got is a Mobile HSPA Internet USB key and, in order to write this report, I wanted to transfer some logs to my PC.
I've inserted a USB memory stick (formatted as fat32) for transfering the files.
Automatically a message appears recognizing that the drive /dev/sdc is now available, so I've tried to mount it using "mount -t vfat /dev/sdc1 /mnt" and it worked.
Here the list of log files from /var/log:
auth
backup
boot
btmp
cron
kernel
lastlog
messages
wtmp
Xorg.0.log

One last notice on the high probability that Linux starts complaining that the HD "was not cleanly unmounted".
So many times it starts checking the partition and then you have to reboot. What a pain.

Resuming I have the following problems:
- how to starts X in order to use gnome, xfce, kde or whatever graphical environment?
- I usually turn off Linux using the "shutdown" command, is there anything better in order to leave the filesystem intact?
- is there a chance to use a PCI or a PCI-e video card?

Last edited by virgolamobile on 29-Jul-2011 at 09:34 AM.
Last edited by virgolamobile on 29-Jul-2011 at 08:38 AM.
Last edited by virgolamobile on 29-Jul-2011 at 08:37 AM.
Last edited by virgolamobile on 29-Jul-2011 at 08:35 AM.
Last edited by virgolamobile on 29-Jul-2011 at 08:31 AM.

@Mechanic

No-one has posted clear instructions as yet so I have done anything.

_________________

@djrikki

Admit it, you expect someone to come over and install Linux for you, right?

I tend to not suggest Linux for people who doesn't dare start installing it.

_________________
This weeks pet peeve:
Using "voltage" instead of "potential", which leads to inventing new words like "amperage" instead of "current" (I, measured in A) or possible "charge" (amperehours, Ah or Coulomb, C). Sometimes I don't even know what people mean.