CubieBoard Forum

I have finally updated my Centos 7 howto:

http://www.htt-consult.com/Centos7-armv7.html

It is really easy now to get Centos7 up and running.  You have an image choice of server, Gnome, or KDE (EPEL issues with Xfce still).

Caveat is you need a system where you can install uboot-tools to get the right uboot file.  For me it is easy on my Fedora notebook.  If your desktop does not provide uboot-tools, you can always first install Fedora28-arm:

https://arm.fedoraproject.org/

Grab the uboot file and go to the Centos installation.

Or perhaps I can put the latest uboots on my server...  Hmmm.

Cubieboard 5 support in the works.  A few have it working.

Greetings.  It has been a while since I posted here.

We now have good Centos7 images for Cubieboard1, 2, and Truck.  I do not own a Cubie1.  The only difference between running on a Cubie2 or CubieTruck is the uboot.  From:

https://wiki.centos.org/SpecialInterestGroup/AltArch/Arm32

Build your CubieTruck image, then grab the C2 uboot and put that on the mSD card.

With Centos7 (and Fedora), you can put your image on your Sata drive and have ONLY the uboot on the mSD card.  Your system will load uboot from the mSD and then just switch to the Sata drive.

medon.htt-consult.com

Is a simple web server.  You can see it as the 2nd Cubie from the top in:

http://medon.htt-consult.com/~rgm/cubieboard/cubietower-3.JPG

My use of medon is to serve some personal files rather than use a dropbox service.  The main web pages are in serious need of updates (like 15 years old!).

Next I will be upgrading my DNS servers (bottom and 2nd from bottom in the tower).  Then tackling my mailserver which is a CubieTruck...

Enjoy!

See:

https://lists.centos.org/pipermail/arm-dev/2015-December/001343.html

And join the Centos-arm mailing list:

https://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/arm-dev

I just put together that I will be in Hong Kong this weekend (arriving thursday afternoon) and leaving sunday for the IETF in Yokohama.  It would be nice to have a Cubietruck to work with there and if I could buy one cheap, that would be neat, but is there a 'store' there that sells them?

From announcement today on the Fedora-arm list:

  * ARM Download page LINK:
    https://arm.fedoraproject.org/

  * Installation page LINK:
    https://fedoraproject.org/w/index.php?title=Architectures/ARM/F22/Installation

  * The supported hardware list LINK:
    http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Architectures/ARM/F22/Installation/Hardware_Status

I went to plug in my standard 3.5mm headphones, and it seemed to be too big.  I did not want to force it.

I looked around and cannot find out what size plug to use for the audio plugs.

Can someone please point out what size to use?

This supposedly applies to Cubieboard 1 & 2 as well, but I don't have a C1 and have not tested on my C2.

Instructions are at:

https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Architectures/ARM/F21/Installation

Even though they say F21, it works as well for F22.

Images are at:

http://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/tasks?state=all&view=tree&method=appliance&order=-id

Download the latest image with the UI of your choice then use the installer available from the Installation page.  I use Xfce.

I did my latest install without a serial console.  You just have to wait a couple minutes before the config screen comes up.  I would like more progress (which you would see on the serial console).  I tried not using the serial console with this latest install, as if you have a serial console, you get the serial configurator, not the graphical one.

Password requirements by the installer are draconian.  This is being debated on a number of devel lists.  Old strong passwords are coming up 'weak'.  If your favourite password is now weak, try Fedora_Project123, then change it later with passwd which is unchanged.

USB keyboard and mouse are supported.  Directly to the CT or via a USB hub.  I am currently using VGA video through my KVM, but I have tested HDMI.

Ethernet works, and with a consistent MAC addr (they finally figured out where to steal some bits to construct a MAC for the CT).  WiFi, BT, IR, are all 'future'.  Sigh.

NAND is not supported.  Yet.  Do not try and move the uboot to NAND; I have been told it just won't work.  Yet. You can put all partitions on a sata drive with only the uboot on an SD card (just look at the installer script to figure out how to put just the uboot on the SD card.  Uboot will switch to the sata if there are no partitions on the SD.  Eventually, we will be able to have uboot on NAND and all partitions on sata, freeing up the SD slot.

The main point here is that this is mainline Fedora.  Not a remix.  Once installed you can do your regular yum updates (or the new updater if you are braver than me).  Fedora 22's goal is to ship in June.  What will make the cut from the 'not yet' list is yet to be seen.  '

Oh, there is also a sata multiplexer card out that will let you put 4 sata drives on your CT.  Fully supported in the current uboot/kernel.

I will add here as new functions come on line.