Linux Images (ROCK64)

[gregb49]

Actually,  The local boot process never finished after upgraded to new Kernel.  ..
I have no idea on how to fix  "Warning: root device does not exist" during kernel update.  search on internet, there are tons of similar posts.  it seems a very common issue in Linux world.

Thanks. I'm a new user having just received my Rock64 4GB plus 64gb eMMC plus 32 gb micros SD card all direct from Pine. I installed Mate on the SD Card then using the jumper for 3 seconds (actually a fan for a RPi) transfered the system to the eMMC. All booted perfectly. Browsed the web, fine.
Carried out 
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
Rebooted. All fine. Got message about software update which I tried, but the updater failed.
Installed Synaptic - updated the sources, installed updates, and rebooted.
I get the initial text booting notifications including your  "Warning: root device does not exist"
then blank screen - nothing.
I've done this twice now, except once I used 
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade instead of updating through synaptic
then on reboot, after the initial text, scrolling by rapidly, I just got a blank screen. 

Are there any clearer instructions on how to install the files from github and which ones to choose, or I should I just try another debian image?

[pfeerick]

Actually, The local boot process never finished after upgraded to new Kernel. ..
I have no idea on how to fix "Warning: root device does not exist" during kernel update. search on internet, there are tons of similar posts. it seems a very common issue in Linux world.

As far as I can tell, this warning is simply just that - a warning that there isn't a device labeled 'root' in the fstab. As long as there are not any other warnings or more importantly, errors, then the install should be fine as fare as the update process is concerned.

Are there any clearer instructions on how to install the files from github and which ones to choose, or I should I just try another debian image?

So that was the stretch mate image you used? 0.6.57 or an earlier one (i.e. 0.6.44).

I suspect (haven't tried yet, but have seen enough reports) that there is either something broken in kernel updates, or the kernel version being updated to is a broken one. Best solution would be to not update or mark the kernel package so that it doesn't get updated until the stability issue is resolved. I have tried some of the images (bionic-container) post 0.6.53 and the rock64 was booting again, but maybe it's gone dopey again or the update process has a fault.

[gregb49]

Thanks for your response. I used xenial-mate-rock64-0.5.15-136-20180102-arm64-sd2emmc.img so I assume that that was 0.5.15
Another irritation is that if I leave the computer for a little time, while the mouse appears to still work neither that nor the keyboard have any interaction with the OS. I have to remove the power to restart it.

I'll try another image and see if that works better, but that will have to be after a couple of days time.

[gregb49]

Ignore my previous post please As a noob, I cearly need to do a bit more reading before I land on the right image to install. I'm a mere user rather than a Linux expert.

[pfeerick]

Ignore my previous post please As a noob, I cearly need to do a bit more reading before I land on the right image to install. I'm a mere user rather than a Linux expert.

Hey, no appoligies needed... we all have to start somewhere! Hopefully this means you've found a and image that's working for you. And yes, from the image you had listed, it was v0.5.15 (and the 136th build by Jenkins).

[gregb49]

I'm evaluating any desktop images that I can find and yes, bionic-lxde-rock64-0.6.44-239-arm64, works quite well except that LibreOffice crashes when editing large files (25mb). I tried a new install and got the same problem.

I then tried Armbian (Armbian_5.42_Rock64_Debian_stretch_default_4.4.124_desktop) which overcame the LibreOffice problem but I couldn't install my Canon printer through Cups, plus some other issues.

DietPi (DietPi_Rock64-ARMv8-Stretch), on my third attempt to get it running, seems the best so far, except that I foolishly ran apt-get upgrade and could then no longer load Xorg (Fatal Server error (EE) no screens found). I had hit this issue with two other uSD cards but assumed that this was a card problem. Now I understand why the automatic update during the DietPi install holds back an updated rock-image.

I'm learning a lot, and have nearly achieved a useable desktop computer. I need Nextcloud, LibreOffice, mail, a printer and a browser to work well. If anyone else has such basic requirements and has succeeded I'd love to hear.

[Trash_Can_Man]

I'm evaluating any desktop images that I can find and yes, bionic-lxde-rock64-0.6.44-239-arm64, works quite well except that LibreOffice crashes when editing large files (25mb). I tried a new install and got the same problem.

I then tried Armbian (Armbian_5.42_Rock64_Debian_stretch_default_4.4.124_desktop) which overcame the LibreOffice problem but I couldn't install my Canon printer through Cups, plus some other issues.

DietPi (DietPi_Rock64-ARMv8-Stretch), on my third attempt to get it running, seems the best so far, except that I foolishly ran apt-get upgrade and could then no longer load Xorg (Fatal Server error (EE) no screens found). I had hit this issue with two other uSD cards but assumed that this was a card problem. Now I understand why the automatic update during the DietPi install holds back an updated rock-image.

I'm learning a lot, and have nearly achieved a useable desktop computer. I need Nextcloud, LibreOffice, mail, a printer and a browser to work well. If anyone else has such basic requirements and has succeeded I'd love to hear.

IMO you should stay with either Armbian or any ayufan build with desktop, while dietpi is not a bad distro its based on armbian afaik but with extra scripts to trim it out a bit and automate, the problem is that dietpi is not properly documented by far and the "support" is slim at best...personally i had very VERY good results with the armbian builds in regards to desktop environments, while ayufan make his headless images super stable imo...so...going back to the begining id suggest to try again with Armbian and solve the CUPS problem, maybe ask for help on their forum? there are very smart and capable people over there (tho some are a bit harsh with newbies like me)
MAybe someone here can help with that printer problem too, what did you try? what errors did you get?

[gregb49]

IMO you should stay with either Armbian or any ayufan build with desktop, while dietpi is not a bad distro its based on armbian afaik but with extra scripts to trim it out a bit and automate, the problem is that dietpi is not properly documented by far and the "support" is slim at best...personally i had very VERY good results with the armbian builds in regards to desktop environments, while ayufan make his headless images super stable imo...so...going back to the begining id suggest to try again with Armbian and solve the CUPS problem, maybe ask for help on their forum? there are very smart and capable people over there (tho some are a bit harsh with newbies like me)
MAybe someone here can help with that printer problem too, what did you try? what errors did you get?

Thanks. I'll try Armbian again and get onto the CUPS forum, when I find it.
The problem with CUPS was that Canon is not listed as a manufacturer and ppd files don't seem to work with ARM devices. Linaro on the ASUS Tinker Board does include Canon plus many other manufacturers and it prints well using Gutenprint.  

Trying to make ARM SBCs work as a complete desktop replacement is a fascinating if at times, frustrating, project.

[Trash_Can_Man]

IMO you should stay with either Armbian or any ayufan build with desktop, while dietpi is not a bad distro its based on armbian afaik but with extra scripts to trim it out a bit and automate, the problem is that dietpi is not properly documented by far and the "support" is slim at best...personally i had very VERY good results with the armbian builds in regards to desktop environments, while ayufan make his headless images super stable imo...so...going back to the begining id suggest to try again with Armbian and solve the CUPS problem, maybe ask for help on their forum? there are very smart and capable people over there (tho some are a bit harsh with newbies like me)
MAybe someone here can help with that printer problem too, what did you try? what errors did you get?

Thanks. I'll try Armbian again and get onto the CUPS forum, when I find it.
The problem with CUPS was that Canon is not listed as a manufacturer and ppd files don't seem to work with ARM devices. Linaro on the ASUS Tinker Board does include Canon plus many other manufacturers and it prints well using Gutenprint.  

Trying to make ARM SBCs work as a complete desktop replacement is a fascinating if at times, frustrating, project.

Probably not the case but a lot of modern printers have LAN/wifi and you can consider this cups-cloud-print "bridge", i use it on 2 raspis to connect to a samsung printer that dont have direct CUPS drivers either and works fantastic (if a bit slow to start but no artifacts/problems when printing), i know this forum is about rock64 but the principle is about the same, its old but it still works fine since CUPS didnt change much in the last few years...its kind of a nasty workaround but if it works.......

[gregb49]

Probably not the case but a lot of modern printers have LAN/wifi and you can consider this cups-cloud-print "bridge", i use it on 2 raspis to connect to a samsung printer that dont have direct CUPS drivers either and works fantastic (if a bit slow to start but no artifacts/problems when printing), i know this forum is about rock64 but the principle is about the same, its old but it still works fine since CUPS didnt change much in the last few years...its kind of a nasty workaround but if it works.......

Thanks Trash_Can_Man. I'll try that. Meanwhile I'm back on Armbian and am remembering its major flaw. Any search using Synaptic takes ten plus minutes. Apt-get is fine if you know the precise name of a package, but if you want to load, say, LibreOffice and cannot quite remember the precise name of the huntspell dictionary or the Libreoffice en-gb help, then each search can drive you nuts. For me, this makes Armbian a non-starter.