Successes and failures with the RoBoard RB-100
Successes and failures with the RoBoard RB-100
by jwoodman
Mon Feb 07, 2011 6:05 am
Hello everyone,
I'm back after trying a LOT of different installation strategies, and some have been (much) better than others.
So for my biggest success of an installation, I installed ubuntu 9.04 from the mini.iso and did a "command line install".
-Once I booted and logged in, I installed the LXDE desktop environment by typing "sudo aptitude install lxde"
-After this finished, I rebooted into a VERY fast desktop environment
-From here on, I just followed from part 2 of the tutorial found here: http://forums.trossenrobotics.com/tutorials/how-to-diy-128/howto-install-ubuntu-904-onto-roboard-part-2-of-3-3269/ from after the part where the installation has completed onwards.
-I used midori as my browser to get the files I needed (sudo aptitude install midori)
-Installing the 386 kernel works fine and will get this install to run on your roboard. I tested out some code to control servos at this point and everything worked fine.
-I even got ethernet working with the "configure onboard ethernet" tutorial. Just use the "compile module from source" directions and when you get to the part where it tells you to "sudo insmod r6040.ko", ignore the error if you get one and just continue with the next instruction.
-After you get ethernet working and tested on your roboard, I'd suggest installing sbackup (sudo aptitude install sbackup) and making a backup file, just in case...
-Everything looked good until I tried to install openCV. It's probably because I have no idea how to do this, but I thought I could just do it through aptitude like everything else, but nope. It looks like it installs and then nothing works.
Slitaz 3.0 also worked for me with ethernet and everything. The only problem is that I can't see a way to write to the filesystem, so I don't think I can add software... so forget about doing much of anything with it.
Any ubuntu version above 9.04 will install just fine as I did above, but I have failed to get ethernet working on anything but 9.04. If anyone tries and has success, please let me know because openCV seems to be supported much better by ubuntus above 9.04.
Update
--------
It seems the most working-out-of-the box installation so far has been "Tiny Core" http://www.tinycorelinux.com/.
If you install it using the instructions provided on their website (which are pretty simple) you get a distro that:
-is... Tiny (10 MB)
-has a basic, fast window manager
-Immediately works on the roboard
-Boots VERY fast (about 15 seconds with no modifications, I can try and get the actual number later)
-The ethernet just works!
Nothing has to be done at all once it's installed. No drivers, no kernel changes, nothing. I haven't tried installing gcc or g++ and controlling servos yet, and I haven't tried openCV but I will try and get these things working.
It would be really nice if we could put together a roboard distro based on this that includes everything you need to get started with minimal hassle.
Update 2
----------
Using unetbootin to install Tiny Core is the fastest, easiest method I've found to get an OS on the roboard.
-Just select the Tiny Core ISO from unetbootin instead of selecting it from the list (make sure your microSD card is formatted FAT32).
-Once you start tinycore on your roboard, go to the app manager and click the button at the very bottom right to set the directory your extensions will be stored to, and select it from the list (there should only be 1 unless you have a USB drive plugged in).
-if your display is messed up (not centered on your monitor) open the control panel, choose xvesa (I think) and select 800x600x24, and reboot.
-Done! everythong should work... except openCV. I'll figure this out someday... but you can play with servos at least!
I'm back after trying a LOT of different installation strategies, and some have been (much) better than others.
So for my biggest success of an installation, I installed ubuntu 9.04 from the mini.iso and did a "command line install".
-Once I booted and logged in, I installed the LXDE desktop environment by typing "sudo aptitude install lxde"
-After this finished, I rebooted into a VERY fast desktop environment
-From here on, I just followed from part 2 of the tutorial found here: http://forums.trossenrobotics.com/tutorials/how-to-diy-128/howto-install-ubuntu-904-onto-roboard-part-2-of-3-3269/ from after the part where the installation has completed onwards.
-I used midori as my browser to get the files I needed (sudo aptitude install midori)
-Installing the 386 kernel works fine and will get this install to run on your roboard. I tested out some code to control servos at this point and everything worked fine.
-I even got ethernet working with the "configure onboard ethernet" tutorial. Just use the "compile module from source" directions and when you get to the part where it tells you to "sudo insmod r6040.ko", ignore the error if you get one and just continue with the next instruction.
-After you get ethernet working and tested on your roboard, I'd suggest installing sbackup (sudo aptitude install sbackup) and making a backup file, just in case...
-Everything looked good until I tried to install openCV. It's probably because I have no idea how to do this, but I thought I could just do it through aptitude like everything else, but nope. It looks like it installs and then nothing works.
Slitaz 3.0 also worked for me with ethernet and everything. The only problem is that I can't see a way to write to the filesystem, so I don't think I can add software... so forget about doing much of anything with it.
Any ubuntu version above 9.04 will install just fine as I did above, but I have failed to get ethernet working on anything but 9.04. If anyone tries and has success, please let me know because openCV seems to be supported much better by ubuntus above 9.04.
Update
--------
It seems the most working-out-of-the box installation so far has been "Tiny Core" http://www.tinycorelinux.com/.
If you install it using the instructions provided on their website (which are pretty simple) you get a distro that:
-is... Tiny (10 MB)
-has a basic, fast window manager
-Immediately works on the roboard
-Boots VERY fast (about 15 seconds with no modifications, I can try and get the actual number later)
-The ethernet just works!
Nothing has to be done at all once it's installed. No drivers, no kernel changes, nothing. I haven't tried installing gcc or g++ and controlling servos yet, and I haven't tried openCV but I will try and get these things working.
It would be really nice if we could put together a roboard distro based on this that includes everything you need to get started with minimal hassle.
Update 2
----------
Using unetbootin to install Tiny Core is the fastest, easiest method I've found to get an OS on the roboard.
-Just select the Tiny Core ISO from unetbootin instead of selecting it from the list (make sure your microSD card is formatted FAT32).
-Once you start tinycore on your roboard, go to the app manager and click the button at the very bottom right to set the directory your extensions will be stored to, and select it from the list (there should only be 1 unless you have a USB drive plugged in).
-if your display is messed up (not centered on your monitor) open the control panel, choose xvesa (I think) and select 800x600x24, and reboot.
-Done! everythong should work... except openCV. I'll figure this out someday... but you can play with servos at least!
by jwoodman
Wed Feb 16, 2011 3:06 am
aether.robotics,
I just used unetbootin in windows, with my microSD card plugged into a USB card reader. Just select the drive letter of your card reader in unetbootin, and click OK.
After it finishes, you can put the microSD card into your roboard, and it should boot.
I just used unetbootin in windows, with my microSD card plugged into a USB card reader. Just select the drive letter of your card reader in unetbootin, and click OK.
After it finishes, you can put the microSD card into your roboard, and it should boot.