How to install Ubuntu to eMMC and to install KDE (Neon)

[iav]

How can I set up Ubuntu to emmc with btrfs filesystem? Sumply boot from sdcard, format rootfs on emmc to btrfs and then copy all files from sdcard rootfs to emmc rootfs will be not enough,  propose?

[Arglebargle]

How can I set up Ubuntu to emmc with btrfs filesystem? Sumply boot from sdcard, format rootfs on emmc to btrfs and then copy all files from sdcard rootfs to emmc rootfs will be not enough,  propose?

There are extra steps but you've got the right idea.

Some things that are important: in theory BSP kernel u-boot can directly boot a btrfs partition as long as it doesn't use compression. So if you don't care about compression you *should* be able to just flash Ubuntu to the emmc, flash mrfixit's u-boot with sd-booting capability to the emmc, convert the root filesystem to btrfs and then edit /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf to change rootfstype and rootflags and be able to boot. You'll want to update /etc/default/extlinux after that to match your root filesystem configuration from the hand-modified /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf so that you don't break booting on a kernel upgrade. /usr/local/sbin/update-extlinux.sh regenerates /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf using /etc/default/extlinux as a template for kernel command-line parameters.

Also note: you should mount the emmc root filesystem and `touch /var/lib/rock64/resized` on it to prevent the ext4 resize script from puking on your drive on the first boot. You'll need to resize the partition manually too, read /usr/local/sbin/resize_filesystem.sh to see how to do that for ext4 before converting or just install gparted and use that.

I wouldn't do this though. You gain a lot by using compression with btrfs on a device with very slow (sd) or mildly-slow (emmmc) storage and you'll reduce nand wear significantly as well.

If you wait a bit I'll write up a guide and/or script installing ayufan's image to a btrfs root filesystem with extra niceties. I started typing out the steps below and I think it warrants its own post because it's going to be fairly involved.

[iav]

How can I set up Ubuntu to emmc with btrfs filesystem? Sumply boot from sdcard, format rootfs on emmc to btrfs and then copy all files from sdcard rootfs to emmc rootfs will be not enough,  propose?

There are extra steps but you've got the right idea.

Some things that are important: in theory BSP kernel u-boot can directly boot a btrfs partition as long as it doesn't use compression. So if you don't care about compression you *should* be able to just flash Ubuntu to the emmc, flash mrfixit's u-boot with sd-booting capability to the emmc, convert the root filesystem to btrfs and then edit /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf to change rootfstype and rootflags and be able to boot. You'll want to update /etc/default/extlinux after that to match your root filesystem configuration from the hand-modified /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf so that you don't break booting on a kernel upgrade. /usr/local/sbin/update-extlinux.sh regenerates /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf using /etc/default/extlinux as a template for kernel command-line parameters.

Also note: you should mount the emmc root filesystem and `touch /var/lib/rock64/resized` on it to prevent the ext4 resize script from puking on your drive on the first boot. You'll need to resize the partition manually too, read /usr/local/sbin/resize_filesystem.sh to see how to do that for ext4 before converting or just install gparted and use that.

I wouldn't do this though. You gain a lot by using compression with btrfs on a device with very slow (sd) or mildly-slow (emmmc) storage and you'll reduce nand wear significantly as well.

If you wait a bit I'll write up a guide and/or script installing ayufan's image to a btrfs root filesystem with extra niceties. I started typing out the steps below and I think it warrants its own post because it's going to be fairly involved.

[Wizzard]

I added the KDE Neon repo info to the first post.

Code:

sudo apt-add-repository http://archive.neon.kde.org/user
sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys E6D4736255751E5D

[brent.thierens]

Anyone managed to upgrade to 19.10? I lose my hardware acceleration when I do, suddenly KInfoCenter reports VMware OpenGL renderer, which is strange...

[andybleaden@gmail.com]

I added the KDE Neon repo info to the first post.

Code:

sudo apt-add-repository http://archive.neon.kde.org/user
sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys E6D4736255751E5D

What would be the reason I cannot do these steps and install the Ubuntu Desktop instead of KDE or Mate desktop

Bit of background as I have tried but it failed and I suspect it was the GDM launcher but not 100% sure

I like Mate and before I used Ubuntu I used Kubuntu for years and loved it but I like the Ubuntu Desktop 

I found that a simple installation of 
sudo apt install ubuntu-desktop downoaded most if not all of what I needed but fear the pinebook pro is just not suitable or is it this build?

Interested in any comments or if others have tried

Andy

[clendee]

Hi,

I tried the seqence of instructions shown above and I now cannot power on my Pinebook Pro at all.

I just get a red light over the power indicator when I try to switch on the machine wheter I try to boot from the eMMC or the SD card.

I'd appreciate any thoughts \ help with this,

 

Thanks.

[andybleaden@gmail.com]

Hi,

I tried the seqence of instructions shown above and I now cannot power on my Pinebook Pro at all.

I just get a red light over the power indicator when I try to switch on the machine wheter I try to boot from the eMMC or the SD card.

I'd appreciate any thoughts \ help with this,

 

Thanks.

Oh dear I suspect what has happened is that is has partially worked and written to the emmc card and that would now prevent the sd from booting (happened to me and it is solvable dont worry!)

What you may have to do is confirm whether the light is red or orange first

Red sounds battery power issues

This may need a charge


Orange is an error

If Orange what I had to do was open the back of the pinebook pro up and using the instructions from the wiki here:
https://wiki.pine64.org/index.php/Pinebo...ble_switch

try to turn the emmc OFF and see if you can boot from the sd card

If you can do that then you should be able to retry the process in the tutorial. 

This will need you to shut the pinebook down again and rebooting it. As soon as it turns on ie green light reflip the emmc switch back ON  so the pinebook boots (*from the SD) and has another drive mounted (the emmc) 

Then you should be able to try to repeat the process in the tutorial

I am assuming your sd card has the Ubuntu mate image still on it...if not you may need another pc to work from.

This may not be your problem but sounds exactly the same as what I had to do. ....in essence you are fooling your pinebook it has no hard drive so it boots to SD *(you had just written the mate image which stops the sd card booting first) Here you are bypassing the emmc card..booting sd and then emmc card ie in the wrong order

When sorted reassemble and remember what you have done...I have now had to do this several times (I tinker alot) 

Also you will need to go to page 4 of the tutorial and install the correct uboot instructions that when sorted allow your pinebook to boot from SD card again automatically

Hope that helps

[Wizzard]

Anyone managed to upgrade to 19.10? I lose my hardware acceleration when I do, suddenly KInfoCenter reports VMware OpenGL renderer, which is strange...

I recommend to try Armbian. It is possible to upgrade it to 19.10 and it works, also with VGA acceleration and no errors.

[poltergiest]

I cant boot manjaro from a sd card. I have ayufan bionic installed to the emmc. tried to do this;
wget https://gist.githubusercontent.com/found...boot1-1.sh
and no love.
Also tried v2.0 of mrfixits script.
if i order a usb emmc adaptor i will see in around mid April. live in Belize, nothing like this here.