Re: Lenovo S205 boot
I've got a similar vintage Thinkpad x130 next to me: firmware-linux-free firmware-linux-nonfree firmware-misc-nonfree and it all works well. UEFI should then more or less just work. On Tue, Aug 11, 2020 at 9:23 AM Sven Hoexter wrote: > On Tue, Aug 11, 2020 at 09:57:47AM +0200, Sven Hoexter wrote: > > > It's a AMD CPU-GPU package, I've documented the hardware in > > the wiki as I already pointed out earlier: > > https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Lenovo/ideapadS205/wheezy > > I've updated that page with some more information. For one the > grub2 shell input to boot amd64 from Russel and my steps on how to > finish a i386 based installation with grub-legacy. > That actually brings me up to a booting and working XFCE installation > with X and all the glitter. > > > > One of the things that could prevent the X start is a firmware issue. > > I documented that in this page back then, and it's likely you could > > not do anything without the proper non-free firmware installed. > > Russel, I believe what you're missing on your installation to get X > working is just an > apt install firmware-linux-nonfree > That depends on some firmware package for the AMD/ATI GPU. > The required firmware for the ralink wlan ship is installed by > default if you based on your install on the non-free netinstall > images. > Otherwise also > apt install firmware-misc-nonfree > via a cable connection. > > Sven > >
Re: Lenovo S205 boot
On Tue, Aug 11, 2020 at 09:57:47AM +0200, Sven Hoexter wrote: > It's a AMD CPU-GPU package, I've documented the hardware in > the wiki as I already pointed out earlier: > https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Lenovo/ideapadS205/wheezy I've updated that page with some more information. For one the grub2 shell input to boot amd64 from Russel and my steps on how to finish a i386 based installation with grub-legacy. That actually brings me up to a booting and working XFCE installation with X and all the glitter. > One of the things that could prevent the X start is a firmware issue. > I documented that in this page back then, and it's likely you could > not do anything without the proper non-free firmware installed. Russel, I believe what you're missing on your installation to get X working is just an apt install firmware-linux-nonfree That depends on some firmware package for the AMD/ATI GPU. The required firmware for the ralink wlan ship is installed by default if you based on your install on the non-free netinstall images. Otherwise also apt install firmware-misc-nonfree via a cable connection. Sven
Re: Lenovo S205 boot
On Tue, Aug 11, 2020 at 01:19:46PM +1000, David wrote: On Tue, 11 Aug 2020 at 09:48, Russell L. Harris wrote: So is my processor AMD or Atom? The best way to answer this question is to run the command cat /proc/cpuinfo That prints about thirty lines; here are a few: processor: 1 vendor_id: AuthenticAMD cpu family: 20 model: 1 model name: AMD E-350 Processor stepping: 0 microcode: 0x52B cpu MHz: 868.287 cache size: 512 KB RLH
Re: Lenovo S205 boot
On Tue, Aug 11, 2020 at 01:19:46PM +1000, David wrote: > On Tue, 11 Aug 2020 at 09:48, Russell L. Harris wrote: > > > So is my processor AMD or Atom? > > The best way to answer this question is to run the command > cat /proc/cpuinfo > > and perhaps share its output with us here. It's a AMD CPU-GPU package, I've documented the hardware in the wiki as I already pointed out earlier: https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Lenovo/ideapadS205/wheezy One of the things that could prevent the X start is a firmware issue. I documented that in this page back then, and it's likely you could not do anything without the proper non-free firmware installed. It's a nice device with quite good hardware support but you had to get all the non-free firmware parts together to get it going. Sven
Re: Lenovo S205 boot
On Tue, 11 Aug 2020 at 09:48, Russell L. Harris wrote: > So is my processor AMD or Atom? The best way to answer this question is to run the command cat /proc/cpuinfo and perhaps share its output with us here.
Re: Lenovo S205 boot
On Mon, Aug 10, 2020 at 09:34:01PM +, Andrew Cater wrote: Aha - it might be one of the strange generation of machines (way back) that had 32 bit UEFI/BIOS and a 64 bit capable Atom processor - maybe back as far as the Sandy Bridge series ... a long time ago anyway. Use, specifically, the Debian i386/amd64 multiarch netboot to install this and it works and installs the 32 bit Grub [BIOS] /Grub2 [UEFI] and 64 bit userland. Have done this once on an old Toshiba - this was the only way to get this machine to boot. Perhaps I missed something. The label on the bottom of the machine reads: Lenovo IdeaPad S205 Model Name: 1038 Mfg Date: 11/06/03 The netinstall image I used was: debian-bullseye-DI-alpha2-amd64-netinst.iso; that installation brings up the grub> prompt, and allows me to boot by typing in the commands: grub> root=(hd0,gpt2) grub> linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda2 grub> initrd /initrd.img grub> boot But X does not start. However, when press alt-F3 and open a terminal window, I can log in as a normal user and then I can become a superuser. The command: # dmesg |grep amd produces the output: amd_nb: x86/cpu/AMD: CPU erratum 688 worked around So is my processor AMD or Atom? Should I install with another netinstall image? if so, from where may I download it? RLH
Re: Lenovo S205 boot
Aha - it might be one of the strange generation of machines (way back) that had 32 bit UEFI/BIOS and a 64 bit capable Atom processor - maybe back as far as the Sandy Bridge series ... a long time ago anyway. Use, specifically, the Debian i386/amd64 multiarch netboot to install this and it works and installs the 32 bit Grub [BIOS] /Grub2 [UEFI] and 64 bit userland. Have done this once on an old Toshiba - this was the only way to get this machine to boot. On Mon, Aug 10, 2020 at 5:23 PM Russell L. Harris wrote: > On Mon, Aug 10, 2020 at 05:38:52PM +0200, Sven Hoexter wrote: > >On Tue, Aug 04, 2020 at 05:52:10PM +, Russell L. Harris wrote: > >If going back to i386 is an option for you, the department of > >workarounds has an option. > > Again, at this point, my only hope for the machine (other than to toss > it in the dumpster) is for it to provide a reasonable environment for > composition when away from home. > > For me, composition requires emacs, LaTeX or TeXLive, xdvi, and > (hopefully) a dictionary, together with a means such as ssh or rsync > to transfer documents to the desktop machine when I arrive back home. > The only other necessity is the ability to use the "Dvorak Classic" > keymap (which differs from the Dvorak ANSI map offered by the > installer). > > As to the touchpad, I find a touchpad awkward at best; it is better to > pack along a USB mouse. > > Years ago my first attempt to install Debian overwrote the W$7 > installation; otherwise, I might market the machine to a Window$ user. > > RLH > >
Re: Lenovo S205 boot
On Mon, Aug 10, 2020 at 05:38:52PM +0200, Sven Hoexter wrote: On Tue, Aug 04, 2020 at 05:52:10PM +, Russell L. Harris wrote: If going back to i386 is an option for you, the department of workarounds has an option. Again, at this point, my only hope for the machine (other than to toss it in the dumpster) is for it to provide a reasonable environment for composition when away from home. For me, composition requires emacs, LaTeX or TeXLive, xdvi, and (hopefully) a dictionary, together with a means such as ssh or rsync to transfer documents to the desktop machine when I arrive back home. The only other necessity is the ability to use the "Dvorak Classic" keymap (which differs from the Dvorak ANSI map offered by the installer). As to the touchpad, I find a touchpad awkward at best; it is better to pack along a USB mouse. Years ago my first attempt to install Debian overwrote the W$7 installation; otherwise, I might market the machine to a Window$ user. RLH
Re: Lenovo S205 boot
On Tue, Aug 04, 2020 at 05:52:10PM +, Russell L. Harris wrote: > On Tue, Aug 04, 2020 at 07:04:13PM +0200, Sven Hoexter wrote: > > so far I can only confirm that the grub installation fails with > > both stable and testing. It seems something is at odds with writing > > the efivars. I did not yet get around to try again if I can switch > > the installation back to using grub-legacy somehow. > > I would not mind going back to Wheezy, if necessary. If going back to i386 is an option for you, the department of workarounds has an option. I could install with the i386 non-free bullseye iso from https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/cd-including-firmware/bullseye_di_alpha2/i386/iso-cd/ Basically that forces a BIOS mode installation, but be aware grub2 also in BIOS mode does not boot on this device. So what I did was just before the installer asks for your confirmation to reboot I switched to the shell on tty and did roughly the following: mount -o bind /sys /target/sys mount -o bind /dev /target/dev mount -o bind /proc /target/proc chroot /target /bin/bash apt install grub-legacy dpkg --purge grub-pc grub-pc-bin grub2-common update-grub grub-install /dev/sda exit & reboot. That basically replaces the known to not work grub2 with the old grub which already worked in the past. Did not yet move on from here. So in my bug that is so far two bugs: a) the touchpad does not work in the graphical installer b) grub2 does not work in EFI and BIOS mode You can probably afterwards also install an amd64 kernel image so you have a i386 userland with at least a 64bit kernel running. For the sake of random testing I also tried Ubuntu 20.04 and Fedora 32 and in both cases the grub2 efi installation fails as well. Quite sure that is a general issue between the UEFI on this device and grub2 which for some unknown reason worked or was workaround in the old grub. Not sure if that helps you to move on in any direction with this device. Sven
Re: Lenovo S205 boot
On Tue, Aug 04, 2020 at 07:04:13PM +0200, Sven Hoexter wrote: so far I can only confirm that the grub installation fails with both stable and testing. It seems something is at odds with writing the efivars. I did not yet get around to try again if I can switch the installation back to using grub-legacy somehow. I would not mind going back to Wheezy, if necessary. I envisioned the notebook machine for composition tasks when away from the office; so about the only software I would be using is Emacs, xdvi, and a dictionary, along with something such as rsync or scp or git to transfer new material back to the desktop upon return to the office. The notebook is much preferable to pen and paper. RLH
Re: Lenovo S205 boot
On Thu, Jul 30, 2020 at 10:04:18AM +0200, Sven Hoexter wrote: > On Thu, Jul 30, 2020 at 04:38:20AM +, Russell L. Harris wrote: > > On an older Lenovo S205 on which I never have managed to get Debian > > running, I did a netinstall of > > debian-bullseye-DI-alpha2-amd64-netinst.iso > > Uh it's been a while since > https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Lenovo/ideapadS205/wheezy > > But lately I repurposed that for some test and had > Alpine installed, so in general it's still well supported by > Linux. Maybe I managed some time next week to give it a try with > Debian again. Hi, so far I can only confirm that the grub installation fails with both stable and testing. It seems something is at odds with writing the efivars. I did not yet get around to try again if I can switch the installation back to using grub-legacy somehow. Sven
Re: Lenovo S205 boot
On Thu, Jul 30, 2020 at 04:38:20AM +, Russell L. Harris wrote: > On an older Lenovo S205 on which I never have managed to get Debian > running, I did a netinstall of > debian-bullseye-DI-alpha2-amd64-netinst.iso Uh it's been a while since https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Lenovo/ideapadS205/wheezy But lately I repurposed that for some test and had Alpine installed, so in general it's still well supported by Linux. Maybe I managed some time next week to give it a try with Debian again. > grub dummy failed, but the boot process terminates with the grub> > prompt. I tried the ls command: > > grub> ls > (proc) (hd0) (hd0,gpt3) (hd0,gpt2) (hd0,pt1) > > and I am able to boot manually by typing in grub commands: > > grub> root=(hd0,gpt2) > grub> linux /vmlinuz root=dev/sda2 > grub> initrd /initrd.img > grub> boot Ok so the grub issues are still there one way or another. Maybe you can take a look at what got generated in /boot/grub/grub.cfg > The boot now proceeds, but the stream of messages terminates with the > line: > > IPV6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): enp2so: link becomes ready Ignore it, probably link local auto configuration. Nothing to worry about. > and the GUI interface does not start. Did you install a complete desktop environment? Sven
Re: Lenovo S205 boot
On 2020-07-29 21:38, Russell L. Harris wrote: On an older Lenovo S205 on which I never have managed to get Debian running, I did a netinstall of debian-bullseye-DI-alpha2-amd64-netinst.iso grub dummy failed, but the boot process terminates with the grub> prompt. I tried the ls command: grub> ls (proc) (hd0) (hd0,gpt3) (hd0,gpt2) (hd0,pt1) and I am able to boot manually by typing in grub commands: grub> root=(hd0,gpt2) grub> linux /vmlinuz root=dev/sda2 grub> initrd /initrd.img grub> boot The boot now proceeds, but the stream of messages terminates with the line: IPV6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): enp2so: link becomes ready and the GUI interface does not start. However, ALT-F1 brings up a terminal with a login prompt, and I am able to log into the system. Curiously, the "shutdown" command is not recognized. The netinstall used a approx mirror here in my LAN. I did an expert install, but I allowed the installer to auto-configure the network. I am not using IPV6; the LAN gateway address is 192.168.1.1. Inasmuch as I used the approx mirror, re-installation would be easy, if that is the easiest way to resolve the difficulty. That hardware is getting old -- ca. 2011: https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/lenovo/s-series/s205/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMD_Accelerated_Processing_Unit I am finding that Debian and/or Linux have issues on my older hardware. If you have a machine with a working installation of: debian-bullseye-DI-alpha2-amd64-netinst.iso Boot it and see what message follows the message: IPV6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): enp2so: link becomes ready My guess is that whatever follows is the problem on the Lenovo S205. Perhaps you can boot the installer into a rescue shell, mount the root partition read-write, and fix or work-around the problem. What happens if you install current Debian Stable? What if you install older versions of Debian? https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/archive/ David