Switch to nomodeset?

[CarolineM]

This fixes bugs on my IBM Thinkpad and makes it possible to use some Mac hardware.

[sdz]

As I've stated before on the mailing list, the following is still valid:

This is also a KMS issue, which means that it's upstream. Fedora 11 will most certainly have the
same issue. And obviously, we can't include the "nomodeset" parameter by default, as it would
mean that everybody gets the text boot screen and not our shiny new "Strawberry" SoaS boot
screen (the same goes for the Mac issues).

The KMS feature has been introduced in Fedora with F10 (see ​http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Features/KernelModesetting) and been expanded for other hardware with F11 (see ​http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Features/IntelKMS and ​http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Features/NouveauModesetting).

This is certainly an upstream bug, while finally, we'd at least need to know what graphics hardware you're trying to run it on. Closing.

[CarolineM]

Ok tell me how to tell you that and I'll get you the information.

[CarolineM]

The MacBooks in Boston Public School need nomodeset. Thus this is a critical issue for our summer program at the LGF and for the fall at GPA.

I realize I have not provided enough information. I am requesting help on how to get the information we need to solve this problem whereever in the stream it maybe.

Thanks

[erikos]

How about you create a custom spin, with the setting set?

[CarolineM]

This is for LGF. The kids will use their sticks on their MacBooks, the EVO and other old PCs in the Library and their EEPCs (or maybe its another brand of netbooks) at home.

If we create a custom spin will it work on all of these?

[erikos]

What I meant is: We should start promoting custom spins - ​http://erikos.sweettimez.de/?p=697 Is is quite normal that one has to do customization you do not want to make on each machine (language, keyboard...). As described in the blog post doing custom builds is straight forward.

[erikos]

Replying to CarolineM:

This is for LGF. The kids will use their sticks on their MacBooks, the EVO and other old PCs in the Library and their EEPCs (or maybe its another brand of netbooks) at home.

If we create a custom spin will it work on all of these?

see Sebastian's comment.

[sdz]

To submit the hardware information, using the effort I started a month or so ago would be helpful (​http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Sugar_on_a_Stick/Hardware). But note that shipping with kernel mode setting has been a decision made by the Fedora folks upstream, so that it's really hard for us to revert it (and we'd also loose our boot screen). The best solution here would be to create a custom spin, either using the instructions I linked to in the release notes (​http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Sugar_on_a_Stick/Customization). Those are partly incomplete, so erikos' blog post from above might also be helpful. Maybe daveb knows where this would need to be added (sorry, there's some file which provides the kernel parameters, but I'm not sure which one it is)...

[CarolineM]

Hi,

Any update on this issue? We are now creating the custom spin for GPA.

What is your advice? Should we try to set it for NOMODESET at all times or should we try to create different boot-helper CDs for those computers that need nomodeset?

Will we still have this problem in Blueberry?

[bogstad]

As of the Soas-beta.iso from a couple of week ago, I would say
possibly worse problems actually. My test machine works with Strawberry, but won't even display graphics at all with the current SoaS beta. Nor will the Fedora 12 Alpha.

[bogstad]

As suggested above, I've respun the CD boot helper to attempt to
force nomodeset all the time. It can be downloaded at:

​http://people.sugarlabs.org/~bogstad/cd/soas-boot-nomodeset.iso

[sdz]

I'm closing this, hoping that the above linked boot helper works. As time goes by, hardware support should generally improve, especially concerning graphic cards.

[sascha_silbe]

Bulk change distribution=SoaS -> component=SoaS

[dnarvaez]

Milestone Blueberry deleted