Linux Debian and Sam440EP

I don't know which is the best place in the forum to talk about Linux,( feek free to move the thread ) btw i need your help about some linux questions..

I'd like to know how to install divx codec and dvd plug-in for vlc.. i have installed vlc but i cannot see nothing.. if i start a divx movie i have a black screen, sometimes i hear only the audio, while with the default movie player i hear always music and no video..

Then i'd like to know how to enable 3d features in video drive for the ati 9200 installed on sam..

Last two question are :

How can i install firefox 3.5 on this distro and how to install or enable opengl.. that why i cannot run any opengl games..

thanks for the help i am a newbie about linux..

@nubechecorre

How was it to install linux on the sam? Encountered any problems??

@Antique

I used the Elwood's guide

Iceweasel=Firefox

@Antique

Installation was straightforward, I also used Elwoods guide.
(Thanks Elwood)

I have the reverse problem I had with the old installation.
With the previous version, could only output using VGA.
With the new version can only output to monitor using DVI.

@Antique

I previously had parthenope installed when playing with CruxPPC.

When installing Debian, the only thing I needed to do different compared to what I would do with a regular Linux install, was to select ext2 for the FS rather than ext3 or better. I rememeber reading somewhere that the boot loader does not recognise ext3.

Apart from that, I followed the prompts for install, rebooted my Sam440ep after the install finished and I had the option boot AmigaOS 4.1 or Debian Linux via the parthenope menu.

I have a slow Sam440ep (533MHz) so it runs things a bit slow.

@prowler
I am just doing an install myself using Elwoods guide (http://elwoodb.free.fr/articles/Sam440/debian.html)

I have not finished the install yet but so far the guide has been very helpful. At the moment it is doing the package download part, I will report back on how I get on with the rest of the install when it finishes.

That way other people can benefit from any mistakes I make along the way.

I expect it is also possible to use ext3 for the debian install on the same if you create more than one partition as I expect the loader only needs to be able to read the kernel and config file, but I think is best to start with a simple setup first. If it works as expected I can then backup my working install and try setting up other partitioning options to use ext3 for the rest of the Linux system.

Well that worked I am now duel booting debian and AOS4.1 on my sam440ep the only problem is that booting AOS4 under
parthenope is very slow, it now takes about 3 minutes to boot AOS4 for the first time instead of less than 30 seconds.

Infact I have not timed booting linux yet but it feels like linux boots faster than linux with my config.

Is this a known problem or have I found some new bug with dual booting AOS and Linux?

@Dwyloc

hm.... I have Debian and OS4.1 on my SAM dualbooting with parthenope (Elwood guide !!!), booting into OS 4.1 takes about 30 sec after selecting OS 4.1 in parthenope menu...
At the moment I am not !!! using the GART enabled Kernel/Debian its just the old, slow (scrolling etc), and still downloadable Version of Debian.


Read somewhere on AW that somebody heard of the same problem.
If my SAM comes back (its broken at the moment) I will also try to install GART Version... and might confirm...

@gerograph
For now I have reverted to my old single boot setup as one of the main points in having my sam is its fast boot time to alow me to make fast changes to remote systems when I don't want to wait on my windows laptop booting.

I can easily reinstall parthenop when I want to boot Linux on my sam440ep.

@Dwyloc

No slow boot up with parthenope here.
Using Sam440EP.

@Dwyloc

same problem here OS4.1 takes forever. Debian not too bad.

ace

@TiredOfLife
Quote:

Do you have the original sam440ep like me or one of the newer flex boards?

@acefnq
Quote:

Good to know its not just me now all we need to do is find a solution

@Dwyloc

One of the 1st EPs

@Dwyloc

Quote:

The first time I tried Debian, I used the 'official' Debian PPC version. I also had the regular boot loader that comes with AmigaOS 4.1 and used EXT3. It installed fine but I only had an option to boot Linux so I reinstalled the boot loader to get AmigaOS back :P

This time, I am using the newer ACube supplied Debian and my boot time for AmigaOS is the same as before I installed it. I have not yet installed the new UBoot yet though, maybe it has something to do with the slow down?

As for ext2 vs ext3, I would assume that if you have your boot partition in ext2 for parthenope to access, you should be OK. I was feeling lazy though and just have a /tmp, SWAP and / partitions on my Sam440ep.

@TiredOfLife
Quote:

Have you updated to the new version of u-boot yet like me?

@TiredOfLife
Quote:

One other thought what file system are you using for your AOS4 partition?

I am using SFS/00, maybe booting is only fast with FFS under parthenope.

@nubechecorre

I'm attempting to install Debian Lenny on my SAM-Flex using Elwood's install guide. I'm stuck at the setup networking section. The guide says select eth0:Ethernet but my network (card) in not detected and the eth0: is not shown in the list of cards?

What did you select at this stage to allow the installation to proceed?

Thanks

trevorD

Posted in the wrong thread. Sorry.

Trevor