Star64 distro overview October 2023

[tantamount]

Here's a quick review where the Linux distros for the Star64 seem to stand:

1. Fishwaldo's 2.1 Minimal Pinix distro
https://pine64.my-ho.st:8443/

Works for text-only use, but can't install X-Windows because his server no longer has those packages.

2. Fishwaldo's 2.1 Weston Pinix distro
https://pine64.my-ho.st:8443/

Automatic login as user "weston", no logout option, no menus. Sudo not working to add packages. 
However X-Windows is accelerated and fast, Firefox works and is fast (but can't play Youtube videos).

3. Fishwaldo's 2.1 Plasma Pinix distro
https://pine64.my-ho.st:8443/

It is very slow and therefore unusable.

4. Frankenstein distro (based on StarFive's Debian and Fishwaldo's 1.2 distro).
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u7qiCJv...sp=sharing

Works, but no Firefox.
Subsequent attempts to create a new Frankenstein distro based on newer Fishwaldo kernel & newer StarFive distro have failed.

[aqtrans]

We also have a fairly stable build of Armbian: https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=18344

Using Fishwaldo's base minimal image plus portions of the official "DebianOnStarfive" instructions, I was able to get the same kind of Frankenstein distro, running a full Debian Sid userspace, with Fishwaldo's kernel and boot process.

Just now, I was able to get Armbian running off solely NVMe using the Armbian distro image, as well as updating the bootloader: https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?...#pid120041

[daffymere]

We also have a fairly stable build of Armbian: https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=18344

Using Fishwaldo's base minimal image plus portions of the official "DebianOnStarfive" instructions, I was able to get the same kind of Frankenstein distro, running a full Debian Sid userspace, with Fishwaldo's kernel and boot process.

Just now, I was able to get Armbian running off solely NVMe using the Armbian distro image, as well as updating the bootloader: https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?...#pid120041connections game

Great. I will definitely try it out.

[lauryfriese]

Here's a quick review where the Linux distros for the Star64 seem to stand:

1. Fishwaldo's 2.1 Minimal Pinix distro
https://pine64.my-ho.st:8443/

Works for text-only use, but can't install X-Windows because his server no longer has those packages.

2. Fishwaldo's 2.1 Weston Pinix distro
https://pine64.my-ho.st:8443/ Run 3

Automatic login as user "weston", no logout option, no menus. Sudo not working to add packages. 
However X-Windows is accelerated and fast, Firefox works and is fast (but can't play Youtube videos).

3. Fishwaldo's 2.1 Plasma Pinix distro
https://pine64.my-ho.st:8443/

It is very slow and therefore unusable.

4. Frankenstein distro (based on StarFive's Debian and Fishwaldo's 1.2 distro).
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u7qiCJv...sp=sharing

Works, but no Firefox.
Subsequent attempts to create a new Frankenstein distro based on newer Fishwaldo kernel & newer StarFive distro have failed.

Thanks for this, it's really helpful.

[StewartClugston]

Here's a quick review where the Linux distros for the Star64 seem to stand:

1. Fishwaldo's 2.1 Minimal Pinix distro
https://pine64.my-ho.st:8443/

Works for text-only use, but can't install X-Windows because his server no longer has those packages.

2. Fishwaldo's 2.1 Weston Pinix distro
https://pine64.my-ho.st:8443/

Automatic login as user "weston", no logout option, no menus. Sudo not working to add packages. 
However X-Windows is accelerated and fast, Firefox works and is fast (but can't play Youtube videos).

3. Fishwaldo's 2.1 Plasma Pinix distro
https://pine64.my-ho.st:8443/

It is very slow and therefore unusable.

4. Frankenstein distro (based on StarFive's Debian and Fishwaldo's 1.2 distro).
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u7qiCJv...sp=sharing

Works, but no Firefox.
Subsequent attempts to create a new Frankenstein distro based on newer Fishwaldo kernel & newer StarFive distro have failed.

much-needed

[segaloco]

Question, is the Fishwaldo Wayland/Weston image currently expected/confirmed to activate the HDMI port and display, say, 1920x1080@60? I currently have a copy of the Fishwaldo Plasma version installed and the only action I ever see happen on an attached HDMI monitor is the power light on mine will go from standby (orange) to active (blue) but the actual LCD surface doesn't seem to light up or display anything at all. UART confirms the machine is running and sddm and other display-related processes are listed by ps(1).

I only ask as I've already invested a bit of time in tuning the current install I have, if the situation with the Weston image is no different, no reason for me to migrate, but if it's guaranteed to operate the HDMI display properly then it would be worth backing up my configuration and moving over to that one. All my microSDs are currently in use or I'd just spin another to try it out. Thanks for any info, I want to get this thing in a place where I can start pulling the Star64 into more of my daily study.