Lubuntu 16.04 Remix (updated)

[Andrew-R]

> I don't think I'll find a Linux distro that will ever drive two monitors whenever an Apple Display is one of the two being used.

Is Apple Display detected (in dmesg by kernel, in Xorg.log by X, for user in xrandr output) but just remain blank? May be it respond to DDC probe by Linux differently than one done by OSX ? I think @joevt had some osx utility to see what comes out of monitor when it works?

Might be unknown for Linux connector type ... (I think I saw email on nouveau mail list about some code change recently that broke some unknown connectors. Probably not something affecting older Ubuntu kernels directly, but may be you have similar problem even since Linux started worked on machines where such displays can be used at all? )

Feel free to raise thread where it was discussed previously

 

[Andrew-R]

So, I messed around with a few xrandr settings but according to xrandr, the maximum screen size is 1920x1920. I need the max screen size to be 1920(DVI width)+1280 (Apple Display width) x 1024 (Apple Display height)

{smip }

Is it possible to create an xorg.conf file in the /etc/X11 directory that only includes the information needed to get the second screen. In other words, an xorg.conf file that only addresses the limiting screen size? That's what I'm going to attempt next. xrandr doesn't have a way to increase the screen size, and using it to tell X11 that it's to the right of the bigger screen doesn't work either, all because xrandr shows the maximum screen size to be 1920x1920 and it needs to be 3200x1080 (or 1024).

ah, it was slready here. Hm, radeon 9600 is early R300 family, and has some limits on how big area in pixels its 3d engine can handke, and 3d enine used for nearly all acceleration in even EXA vase...

May be try with NoAccel and see if desktop expands from DVI to both screens in this case? Or try Zaphod mode with two heads acting as independent X servers (so hopefully both will remain within limits).

edit:

https://lists.x.org/archives/xorg/2006-September/017939.html

even if it should be closer to 4kx4k in case of R300 .. Need to dig into sources)

    if (IS_R500_3D) {                                                                                      max_tex_w = 4096;                                                                                  max_tex_h = 4096;                                                                                  max_dst_w = 4096;                                                                                  max_dst_h = 4096;                                                                              } else {                                                                                               max_tex_w = 2048;                                                                                  max_tex_h = 2048;                                                                                  if (IS_R400_3D) {                                                                                      max_dst_w = 4021;                                                                                  max_dst_h = 4021;                                                                              } else {                                                                                               max_dst_w = 2560;                                                                                  max_dst_h = 2560;                                                                              }                                                                                              }

from ./src/radeon_exa_render.c

so yeah, it should sets limit to 2560 x 2560 on R300 🙁

https://lists.x.org/archives/xorg-driver-ati/2007-January/000348.html

 

[MacMaverick855]

ah, it was slready here. Hm, radeon 9600 is early R300 family, and has some limits on how big area in pixels its 3d engine can handke, and 3d enine used for nearly all acceleration in even EXA vase...

May be try with NoAccel and see if desktop expands from DVI to both screens in this case? Or try Zaphod mode with two heads acting as independent X servers (so hopefully both will remain within limits).

edit:

https://lists.x.org/archives/xorg/2006-September/017939.html

even if it should be closer to 4kx4k in case of R300 .. Need to dig into sources)

    if (IS_R500_3D) {                                                                                      max_tex_w = 4096;                                                                                  max_tex_h = 4096;                                                                                  max_dst_w = 4096;                                                                                  max_dst_h = 4096;                                                                              } else {                                                                                               max_tex_w = 2048;                                                                                  max_tex_h = 2048;                                                                                  if (IS_R400_3D) {                                                                                      max_dst_w = 4021;                                                                                  max_dst_h = 4021;                                                                              } else {                                                                                               max_dst_w = 2560;                                                                                  max_dst_h = 2560;                                                                              }                                                                                              }

from ./src/radeon_exa_render.c

so yeah, it should sets limit to 2560 x 2560 on R300 🙁

https://lists.x.org/archives/xorg-driver-ati/2007-January/000348.html

Thank you for finally showing why this arrangement may not work. IF the card "screen 0" size is limited to below what the total physical screen size is, then trying to use any two monitor set larger than 2560x25650 won't work.

I have an original 16.04 running on a Mac G4 driving two NON Apple monitors with an Nvidia card with out any issues. Probably because the monitors are smaller than the 32" HDMI I'm driving off the DVI port of the G5.

On a whim, I tried to start up 16.04 v2 with only the 1280x1024 Apple Studio Display attached throwing every yaboot parameter given in this thread for the Radeon 9600 XT card to see if I could get a screen. No Joy, it went to black just after the OF screen popped on.

So, I will unplug the Apple display when running Linux and plug it back in when using Mac OS.

I appreciate the feedback. It was very helpful.
MacMav

 

[MacMaverick855]

So @wicknix, I've only gotten to page 10 of this thread trying to find answers to the following:

1) are the Fienix repos still available and if so, what needs to be done to access them?

2) It appears the Debian 10 and Debian SID repos are accessible although when I do an apt update after un-commenting them in sources.list I get a truck load of messages basically stating that the repos may not be available. What is really stated is that the repo doesn't support the powerpc. My G5 is a powerpc64. Should I care that the repos don't support powerpc when I'm driving a powerpc64?

3) will it take a painstaking amount of time to try to install a MATE D.E. in an attempt to try and meet all of the dependencies listed with every facet needed to get the D.E. installed? I'd love to load up KDE, that would be awesome!!

And here's a little heads up for people having trouble booting a G5 from a USB stick. If your DVD drive works, go that route. If not and you happen to have a spare HD laying around (mine was 20GB), dd the iso to it and then pull the DVD from the G5 and place the dd'd drive where the DVD was. Boot with the Option/Alt key held down and you'll see the drive and be able to boot from it to install 16.04 or, in the case of the persistent .iso, you can run a live version from your install drive. That's what I had to do. Worked great. Later I'll pull the drive, reformat it for a later time, and put the DVD player back.

"I don't believe in the no win scenarion" Captain Kirk, Wrath of Khan

MacMaverick855

 

[joevt]

I think @joevt had some osx utility to see what comes out of monitor when it works?

AllRez should work on PPC Mac OS X. It should capture GPU and display info including EDID and a list of display modes (though the list of display modes won't have all the info that modern MacOS has).

 

[Andrew-R]

AllRez should work on PPC Mac OS X. It should capture GPU and display info including EDID and a list of display modes (though the list of display modes won't have all the info that modern MacOS has).

Ah yes, I looked for Makefiles, but apparently you just double-click in gui (Finder) on project folder for 10.6, it loads Xcode, you set target back to 10.5 and build ....

 

[joevt]

Ah yes, I looked for Makefiles, but apparently you just double-click in gui (Finder) on project folder for 10.6, it loads Xcode, you set target back to 10.5 and build ....

The repository also includes binaries if you don't want to build.

 

[Andrew-R]

I also loudly wonder if you can install chroot of say ppc mint on top of already-installed Ubuntu remix?

As long as kernel is compatible it should work, I used it this way on x86 Slackware and ppc32/64 Bonslack.

 

[wicknix]

I can answer this: the Fienix repos are down. Casey hosted the server and as far as i know it crashed taking out everything. Last i heard he plans to rebuild everything, but who knows. As for the old Debian snapshots, they probably got moved or removed as a long time has passed since then. If you want MATE i’d just install something newer with working repos.

To answer the chroot question, yes, it should work. I use to chroot Void-PPC inside of Ubuntu Remix to use some updated software.

 

[MacMaverick855]

I've tried quite a few distros on my G5, the biggest challenge has been the inability to boot via usb, nor DVD. Getting creative, I've removed one of the 250GB drives to use a smaller (20GB, 50GB, 80GB) hard drive as the device holding the distro to load on the other 250BG drive. I've concluded that the ability to drive two monitors (one of which is an Apple Studio or Cinema Display) doesn't exist. Putting that aside, my requirements drop off. WIFI must work, conky must work and be modifiable by either using pre-made conky.conf files or having Conky Manager available.
Software availability must be robust. Libre, decent web browsers, photo and video processing software, skinnable music players, music recorders etc. CAD software would be cool too. I'd prefer yaboot over grub but isn't a deal breaker.

@wicknix, you mention a modern distro with working repos. I've installed Adelie, not much software, MintPP via Denian, WIFI wouldn't work. I'm not up to what it takes to install Void. Any suggestion would be considered.

The problem I'm finding is when i find a distro that might be interesting, the repoes are old or moved or gone and updating and upgrading don't go well.

In conclusion, it appears installing 16.04 Remix and upgrading to "18.04" can't happen as originally designed. Dependencies and broken repoes make it difficult to have a fully functional OS.

Off to look for a new distro for my G5!

MacMav855

 

[wicknix]

Debian and MintPPC legally cant have the wifi drivers baked in due to licensing. You must connect via ethernet, then install the b43-fwcutter and broadcom drivers. After that wifi should work.

Cheers

 

[Jeroen Diederen]

Debian and MintPPC legally cant have the wifi drivers baked in due to licensing. You must connect via ethernet, then install the b43-fwcutter and broadcom drivers. After that wifi should work.

Cheers

Yes, this is the way. The b43 packages are now hosted in Debian ports unreleased. The ones in mainline Debian won’t work.

 

[MacMaverick855]

Yes, this is the way. The b43 packages are now hosted in Debian ports unreleased. The ones in mainline Debian won’t work.

Good to know, not quite there yet with the install. I'm at the point where I need to take some action to make sea lion work. I need to go back and look at the actions needed in /usr/lib/powerpc64-gnu.

Also, during the install, the Select and Install software stopped at 95% and then reported it had failed. Tried several times but just wouldn't load past 95%. Decided to go forward woth the bootloader install and then restarted. The restart groaned about the radeon card and the screen went thrugh so ugly girations but eventually popped up the login screen. Log in went fine, and, like I said I'm continuing with the final steps of the install.

The wireless card steps will be next.

MM855

 

[Jeroen Diederen]

Good to know, not quite there yet with the install. I'm at the point where I need to take some action to make sea lion work. I need to go back and look at the actions needed in /usr/lib/powerpc64-gnu.

Also, during the install, the Select and Install software stopped at 95% and then reported it had failed. Tried several times but just wouldn't load past 95%. Decided to go forward woth the bootloader install and then restarted. The restart groaned about the radeon card and the screen went thrugh so ugly girations but eventually popped up the login screen. Log in went fine, and, like I said I'm continuing with the final steps of the install.

The wireless card steps will be next.

MM855

If you want to report errors I need to see the log file.

 

[Divali]

https://www.facebook.com/julian.lees.5
Finally managed to get Claude Ai working on my old Imac G4. That's it then — you're actually through the whole stack now: PowerPC hardware, Debian Ports, no curl, broken apt, clipboard failures, JSON typos, session-wiped variables, and finally billing. All of it traced and fixed.
Go ahead and chat away. A couple of practical notes for ongoing use:
Each login needs the key re-exported, unless you've added it to ~/.bashrc yet (worth doing now while it's fresh — see the command from my last message, just swap in wherever your key file actually lives).
History resets each time you quit the script — it's in-memory only, nothing's saved to disk. If you want persistent logs or the ability to resume conversations, that's a small addition I can make if you want it later.
Enjoy having Claude running on a G4 — that's a genuinely fun project to have pushed through to working. Let me know if you want the .bashrc persistence step, streaming responses, or saved conversation logs added next.You said: Thank you. Grateful.

 

[Divali]

2023 update
For anybody still using this (16.04 v2) i created a tutorial with some extra files to extend the life of it. Basically we change the sources.list to Debians (since Ubuntu's repo is dead) and make a few changes to allow packages to be updated and installable again. Download it here, extract it, and read the README.txt for more info.

View attachment 2164579

======================= Original Content Starts Here==========================​

Updated to v2 (03/04/20)
Here it is. New and improved over the stock 16.04 release. You can use as a live dvd / recovery system, or install it. What's changed since the original release back in 2016?

Added SpiderWeb, SpiderMail, InterWeb and Arctic Fox (modern web browsers and email client)
Added wifi firmware, sound modules, and windfarm (fan) modules loaded by default
Added battery indicator for laptops
Added right click for ibook/powerbook users via 2 finger tap (PB) or left ctrl + click (IB)
Added inxi and neofetch cli system info scripts
Added midnight commander (mc) cli file manager / editor / ftp client
Added discord and facebook messenger plugins for Pidgin
Added custom wallpapers and better default theme
Added Libre Office 6.2
Disabled the annoying crash reporter that always ate cpu cycles
Added conky desktop system monitor with custom layout (menu -> run, type conky -b)

There might be more that i'm forgetting, but that's the basics anyway.
Download is roughly 1.5gb

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rXUzfipY9M6U-M-n-mZW2A7soMckMdYc/view?usp=sharing

Sound is enabled, but muted by default. Open terminal, type alsamixer, right arrow key until you highlight "pcm", up arrow key to set desired volume level, esc key to exit. If you have a laptop add pmu_battery to /etc/modules and reboot to get a working battery indicator.

Here's some known yaboot parameters to boot with:
The default option is 'live' (try this first)

Nvidia Geforce 6600 & FX5200 use

'live video=TV-1:d video=offb:off nosplash'

Nvidia Geforce 6800 use

'live video=TV-1:d video=TV-2:d video=offb:off nosplash'

Radeon 9xxx cards use

'live radeon.agpmode=-1 radeon.modeset=1 video=offb:off nosplash'

ATI Rage 128
See this post: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/lubuntu-16-04-remix-updated.2204742/post-29426690

Generic frame buffer drivers when all else fails
'live video=radeonfb:1024x768-16 nosplash'
'live video=nvidiafb:1024x768-16 nosplash'
'live video=rivafb:1024x768-16 nosplash'

View attachment 868052

How to update 16.04 with more current software from Debian ports packages.
Download the attached guide above and you could get results like this.
View attachment 897319

Bootable 16.04 remix persistent USB: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvgazHau05-HivRRFsohswoPJbJXBQ?e=96x9PF
Use dd to write the .img to a 4gb or larger USB stick.
Boot with either: boot usb0/disk@1:,\yaboot or boot usb1/disk@1:,\yaboot (this works on my powerbooks)

NEW: Lubuntu 12.04 Remix-v4 (updated 04/15/20)
I did pretty much the same as i did for 16.04 remix. Updated the browsers, tweaked some configs, enabled sound, wifi, fans etc. This absolutely FLIES on my mac mini G4 and G5, and is probably better suited for G3/G4 machines. I decided to do this as the software and base OS are more "period correct" for the hardware, and it shows. Even the live DVD is fast (once booted).
Same as with 16.04, sound is enabled but you need to run alsamixer and unmute "pcm".
To block ads on the live CD or installed system: sudo cp /etc/hosts.deny /etc/hosts (now enjoy ad free surfing)
New in v4:
Updated the installer slideshow
Added new icons and default theme.
Added i2c-dev for keyboard backlight on powerbooks
Added youtube-dlg (graphical front end to youtube-dl)
Added new default wallpaper and icons
Added mouseemu for better control over the trackpad.
Added latest ArcticFox, SpiderWeb, InterWeb browsers and SpiderMail (thunderbird-like email/news/rss client)
Added updated 2019 ca-certificates
Added a bunch of extra useful software
Added an "extras" folder on the DVD with kernel 4.19.113 for G5 users. Also included greasemonkey for all 3 browsers, a modern theme for spiderweb, and viewtube for spiderweb.
I compiled and included the latest ffmpeg, irssi, screen, mtpaint, pidgin, uget, transmission, putty, scribus, bluefish and rebuilt, xchat, xournal and mplayer/mencoder (1.2.1) as well. Also updated abiword to 3.0.0 (couldn't get newer to build without rebuilding a ton of libraries).
Grab it here (about 1.2gb): lubuntu-12.04-remix-v4-ppc.iso
If the new ffmpeg got replaced during upgrade grab it here and copy both files to /usr/bin (as root)
Original 12.04 remix-v1 for machines without a dvdrom drive (about 670mb): here

Shown running live DVD on a powermac g5
View attachment 899513

BONUS: I built the latest kernel 4.19.113 for ubuntu12 64bit (G5's). Get it here.
BONUS: Here is kernel 3.13.0-170 for 32-bit ubuntu12 (G3/G4's). Get it here.

ANOTHER BONUS: (added 04/22/2020)
Macbuntu!
This is pretty much the same as 12 remix-v4. The only differences are i included gparted and mixxx software-wise. However this is aimed at resembling OS X Tiger/Leopard for that familiar look and feel. Also this DVD.iso includes both kernels linked above, and the README.txt has been updated to explain how to get youtube to work smoothly and set up docky (the dock) to your liking.
Download (about 1.3gb) macbuntu-remix-ppc.iso

My Powerbook G4 with MacBuntu
View attachment 974229

BONUS: I patched snes9x to bypass OSS and /dev/dsp and use asound instead on ubuntu12. It's attached below.

BONUS AGAIN: I built bitlbee-3.6 and the Discord plugin for Ubuntu12remix and macbuntu.

Updates for the web browsers can be found here and here.

Updated 2021 ca-certificates can be found here. (install with: sudo dpkg -i /path/to/ca-certs.deb)

Updated /etc/apt/sources.list for 12.04 to reflect ubuntu moving the repository to old-releases.ubuntu.com.
See this post: here

Cheers

Lubuntu Remix. All repositories listed are failing one way or another. Is there any possibility for an update on repositories for 32 bit Lubuntu Remix?