But if you want to test the same thing your self, you should know that there are a little more to the story. There were some issues during installation, and there are some during use. The main things during installation was:
- Small screen makes installation harder
- Necessary modifications to boot the machine right
- Modifications for X.
1. Small screen makes installation a bit harder. The reason is that the standard Ubuntu installer (at least for Feisty fawn, or 7.04 if you like) is optimized for larger screens. I'm not sure it is possible to use that installer on the small Oqo screen at all, and if it is it is at least not easy. Tick the checkbox for 'alternate cd' when you download the Ubuntu iso-image from www.ubuntu.com, as that gives you a text-based install instead. And don't be afraid, it is rather slick to be a text-based installer!
Boot from the alternate cd, choose to install the system. For partitioning, I just use the 'Entire disk' option as I like to wipe out the Windows, but you may have other preferences. The whole install takes about an hour and gives you most of what you need.
2. After installation is finished, you may not be able to boot into the new Ubuntu system. I couldn't at least. The reason is that the hardrive, or actually the ide controller, is not detected correctly by the kernel. What I recommend is to just leave the alternate install cd in the drive and reboot. Then you will choose the Rescue mode option, choose your root filesystem according to how you partitioned, and finally execute a shell in that root. Now you need to edit the file /etc/initramfs-tools/modules and add a line with 'ide-generic'. This will trigger that the module 'ide-generic' is loaded when grub boots the system, and your drive will be detected. After you close that file, you will need to run 'update-initramfs -u' to update the initrd file.
3. While you're in the shell in the root filesystem, you should also open the configuration file for the X server, /etc/X11/xorg.conf, and add some necessary information for the screen. The lines you need to have in the "Monitor" section are:
HorizSync 30-92
VertRefresh 50-85
Modeline "800x480" 40 800 864 928 1088 480 481 484 509 +HSync
Also, add the mode "800x480" in the Modes line for the "Display" settings inside the "Screen" section.
These are all the changes you need. Exit from the shell, and reboot - remember to remove the install cd from the drive. You should now boot into the Ubuntu system and are ready to go.
As mentioned by others who have tried similar things, the mouse pointer will behave funny in the beginning. Most people belive it has something to do with the data from the touch scrollers. After a short while the mouse pointer settles down and you can use the system. The other thing that does not work out of the box is the wacom pen - so far I have not figured out how to configure that (If someone knows I like to hear!).
Things that do work out of the box: Bluetooth (I am writing this on the ThinkOutside iGo Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard), wireless network (I am connected to the wireless network in my house right now!), wired network on the docking station. Also, suspend/resume works - which makes the mouse problem after boot less important as you really shouldn't need to boot that often. Hibernate does not work out of the box, though, so I still have some research to do there. Maybe I just need to prepare a device or something, I really haven't used hibernation much in the past but see that it may be important on the Oqo.
Now, I will use the device for a while and write up things about my experience with it later on. I guess interesting things will be how I move data on and off the device to have what I need when on the road, battery life, applications, and so on.
Take care!
20 comments:
How about video out? Can you display slideshows and movies to an external screen? In Windows, the OQO 02 differs from the 01 in that you can have the internal screen display one image, while the external screen displays another. (actually I have forgotten whether the 01 mirrors the external image or goes blank while the external display is connected)
Also under Windows, I have heard of different experiences with the different video out connectors, HDMI vs DB15. It would be helpful to know any details about resolution, framerate, etc. that you feel like sharing!
Thanks for your comments, I will check these stuff out! So far I have only managed to run X with the generic vesa driver, though, and I don't think it is worthwhile checking out external displays with that.
I tried to install the native via driver according to the instructions from viaarena , but even when I thought I have done everything according to the instructions, I couldn't get it to work. I don't give up easily, so I'll try it one more time one of the next days. According to the manual, there should be several options for external displays, but I'll have to check out what works in real life:)
Blimey. Not an exercise for the faint of heart. Given the problems with even installing Linux, i often wonder if the benefits of Linux are worth the hassle. I know MS sucks, crashes a lot and is bloated like a dead whale on a sunny beach but at least it installs on my OQO without the need to be a guru in all things Linux just to make the OS recognise the basic hardware (i.e. HDD).
Perhaps i'll wait another year or so before tinkering with Linux :(
@anonymous: You are probably right - with devices like the Oqo, there are still to many tweaks you have to do to get everything working. You have to know quite a lot linux to do those things. Now, I have been a linux user for a lot of years (like 15), so I can figure most of this out...
Anyway, I am writing up more thoughts on the issue of running Ubuntu linux on Oqo O2, so stay tuned - I will tell you more about what works, what sort of works and the bad things too.
You're right that installing linux can be difficult. It is a problem that will never go away so long as people hold off trying other things. Windows works as well as it does because every hardware maker creates windows drivers for their stuff. They don't usually create linux drivers because they don't see enough of a market. Which means us gurus are on our own to make it work at all.
@anonymous:
Bear in mind that the OQO is a very unusual device, and it is *designed* to run Windows. Between the Via internals and the unusual display, I am very impressed that Ubuntu works as well as it does.
The other thing to remember is that hardly anybody installs windows from scratch anymore, so most people don't know it's frustrations.
Awesome post. If I ever get one of these things, I'll be back. (Which unfortnatly means I won't be back because I won't ever get an OQO. Although my sons are Quin and Oliver, so somehow the name of the device hits home with me :)
REgarding Anonymous' post, "Linux is hard to install blah blah blah". Linus is really quite easy to install on the whole, and far easier than Windows. Well, than WniXP -- I haven't tried Vista. When was the last time anyone actually *installed* Windows anyway? I mean, the OQO COMES WITH Windows.
If you really want to try Linux without the installation hassle, do the same thing a Windows user would do: Buy a computer with Linux preinstalled!
Sorry for my tone, here, but the apples-oranges comparison of Linux is hard to install vs Windows COMES PREINSTALLED really gets my goat.
Want a really nice, really small laptop with Linux? Try the EEE PC. OR try Zareason or System76.
Okay, mostly I'm prolly preaching to the choir here, but anti-linux FUD drives me bonkers.
Seeyalater!!
I tried following your instructions on my "oqo 02" with "ubuntu 7.10 alternate cd" but end up with errors of DETECT AND MOUNT CDROM please advise.
Strange. Do you use the "native" dockingstation for the oqo o2? If so, do you know that it work under "normal" circumstances?
If so, maybe you should verify the cd you have burnt, to make sure that there are no errors on it.
Those are my guesses, but probably someone else can come up with more if this does not help. Besides, the Ubuntu 8.04 should be out any day now, I plan to test that on my oqo!
Hello,
I installed hardy heron in my oqo 02 today. Grub woks fine but the xorg.conf is uncofigured and I can not use the wireless card and sound. Could you explain what lines I have to add to xorg.conf about resolution modes and what can I do about sound and wireless connection.
thanks!
@tyflos: Thanks for adding to the people testing Ubuntu on the Oqo - maybe we can gain some momentum!
Regarding X, I hope the xorg.conf does have something in it, cause I don't have a complete file at hand right now (but I can dig it out, of course). You need to add the information listed in the original post here - see section 3. for HorizSync, VertRefresh and Modeline. You also need to add the Mode to the Display settings inside Screen. I guess it is kind of tricky if you are not familiar with such things. I can find a complete file if you like.
Wireless is unfortunately non-working right now, this is filed as a bug in the ubuntu bugtracker. It is kind of strange as the card worked in the previous release, but it is due to a problem with the madwifi driver for the atheros card. Hopefully, this will be fixed soon. I guess you can grab the linux kernel sources and the madwifi sources somewhere, and build a kernel that works - but this is kind of boring on the slow Oqo (for this kind of stuff).
I wasn't aware of any problems with sound on Hardy Heron, I have to get back to you on that after I have checked my own Oqo.
Let's keep talking about this - maybe both wireless, the mouse issue, and the wacom device driver will be fixed!!
Hello, I solved the problem with xorg.conf file... All about video is OK now. Thanks.... but, I'm blind and I need sound to listen ubuntu's speech. I can not solve the problem with the sound device.... I'll study wireless problem and if I find a solution, I'll post it here... thanks and regards
May I ask you if you could run Ubuntu 8.04 ? I cannot on my OOO 02 !
either Ubuntu livecd 8.04 ...
Thank you
Search the blog, dude!
I think I have a small blog post about 8.04 on the Oqo O2. You have to use the alternate cd, with that one you can install quite fine. But Wireless network does not work, and the wacom input is crazy just like before.
Unfortunately, I don't have time to play with settings, so for now the Oqo is just a brick for me. The Fujitsu P1520/1610/1620 computers are a much better option if you need a small computer with pen-input. But it is of course not pocket-size...
Take care,
Mandus
Hello again. I could install Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04 but I used alternate CD, not liveCD! Well, Does anyone if the sound service in Ubuntu 8.04 work fine? I have to install Feisty Fawn because I could not use sound service in Gutsy or Hardy with my Oqo 02
I was able to install Ubuntu 8.04 on my O2 using Wubi. After selecting Ubuntu during the first boot, press ESC to get to the menu and then select the second option (Safe graphics mode) and you'll be able to use the graphic installer fine. When installing from Wubi, there are no configuration screens during that install that don't fit the screen resolution.
After the installation and a reboot, the screen works fine and I installed the updates. I also installed ubuntu-mobile and can't wait to start playing around with that!
Like everyone else, sound and wireless are a no go. I'm going to run the hardware test and submit the results. Hopefully we'll see sound / wireless working in the future.
OQO 02, 120GB:
=====================
Results on 09/18/2008
=====================
- Using the stable version: http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/4.0_r4a/i386/iso-dvd/
I have Debian, Gnome, ... 600x480
but I don't have WLAN, Sound, 800x480
I have tried madwifi, NDISwrapper with no success.
- Using the testing version: http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/weekly-builds/i386/iso-dvd/
I have Debian but no Gnome, etc ... worse!
- Using the Debian live CD: http://debian-live.alioth.debian.org/
Same result: no wlan, ...
- Trying Ubuntu : worse.
- Trying Ubuntu Alternate cd: no WLAN, no sound
- Please note: www.puppylinux.com (based on slackware), WLAN, Sound work fine.
==========
Solutions
==========
- About 800x480
/etc/X11/xorg.conf
Modify "Monitor" section as follow:
HorizSync 30-92
VertRefresh 50-85
Modeline "800x480" 40 800 864 928 1088 480 481 484 509 +HSync
Also, add the mode "800x480" in the Modes line for the "Display" settings inside the "Screen" section.
- Observation 1:
http://www.oqotalk.com/index.php/topic,2220.0.html
"
I also use debian, upgraded to testing.
kernel: 2.6.25-wl (wireless-2.6 git tree), ath5k_pci works with wpa
sound disabled in kernel (only soundcore is needed, as module), latest alsa compiled, front speakers are ok
vesa xorg driver with 800x480 modeline ok, no mouse issues either.
"
- Observation 2:
- I have also tried with kernel 2.6.24
http://www.debian.org/releases/etch/etchnhalf
http://www.debian.org/releases/etch/debian-installer/etchnhalf
Result: no Gnome, etc ...
But maybe people may invest time on such topic too.
- About wireless: AR5006X
http://madwifi.org/wiki/Chipsets#a5413
5413 -- part of the 6th Generation AR5006X chipsets
Next part is suggestion only:
http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Download#DownloadlatestLinuxwirelessdrivers
http://wireless.kernel.org/download/compat-wireless-2.6/compat-wireless-old.tar.bz2
http://madwifi.org/wiki/About/ath5k
Otherwise:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=778726
"
Hey Everybody,
I got my atheros 5006x (5413) finally to work with Ubuntu 8.04. on a compaq presario c700 laptop.
I couldn't find any other threat where someone who got it to work so I'll post my solution up here. It's pretty simple and straightforward. I hope it'll work for you guys too!
The problem I had was;
with lshw -C network, the card was found, but it stated *UNAVAILABLE and at section configuration there was no driver installed.
In the desktop. there was a 'pop-up message' saying something about propetarian drivers. It did show the atheros card though.....
There was no wireless option in the network configuration screen.(only loopback and my cabled network card).
I tried a lot of stuff i found on this site but nothing worked. So I decided to start over.
1. clean install of Ubuntu.
2. install ndiswrapper
(via synaptic package manager install the package ndisgtk (it'll be located on the ubuntu CD so set the source to this location)
3. install the windows driver
(after step 2 you'll have an extra option in system-administration-windows wireless network configuration)
4. select the windows driver located in windows\system32\net5211.inf
(you will see inmediately that the hardware is located) after that, off you go!! You'll have wireless options in the network configuration screen.)
Note: I did try the windowsdriver from wildpackets.com the 4229 version. I'm not sure these work too.
The net5211.inf file i used is from date 22-06-2007, size 91,0kb.
I'm just a week user of linux now so i don't know anything about it, i only knows it works finally!!!
"
Another Help ... oqo02/Debian
http://www.oqotalk.com/index.php/topic,2220.0.html
"
I'm using unstable, so I'm not sure if I can help much. I haven't done much with the video at all. Sound works, but only when earphones are plugged in. The WLAN "works" in that I can make a WPA2 connection to an AP, but once the AP is dissasociated the WLAN currently hangs up and starts pumping out kernel errors. That's with a pretty recent -rc kernel and the native kernel aith driver. I expect that driver will be improving over time.
If you have the ability to upgrade to unstable and know how to get a very recent kernel and compile it, do check out my driver I posted about in this forum several months ago.
Someone at OQO was supposed to send me a register definition file for the SMBUS but they never came through with that. I was kinda hoping it would help me figure out how to route sound through the onboard speaker and get the LID switch working.
Speaking of which, do you get ACPI LID events when you open and close the lid?
"
@anonymous: thx for keeping the work up and collecting information on the OQO and Linux. During the last weekend I tested hardy again on the OQO to see what kind of upgrades that was available. Unfortunately, not much that helps us.
It's a bit boring the whole thing. Hopefully, things will change in the future. I wonder whether anyone from OQO see this or not - should be interesting to know:)
Take care!
Can you do a Vlog on your findings, and maybe a Tut on how to install Ubuntu. Or just post a video of you using Ubuntu on the OQO2 divice PLEASE!!! Thanx very much.
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