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[AppleTV1] Can't seem to figure out how to install Crystalbuntu - Printable Version

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[AppleTV1] Can't seem to figure out how to install Crystalbuntu - phi303 - 2012-02-28

sorry if there's already a thread on this but i've searched for a couple of days and haven't found anything on the matter.

so i'm trying to install crystalbuntu in a manner where it erases the atv hdd and gets rid of the mac os completely, i've followed every step precisely on the wiki.

i can get the atv to boot from the jump drive. i login with "atv" as user and password.

i type "sudo -s" for root access

everything is fine up to this point. now i type in the command "echo ubuntu > .distro" hit enter, nothing happens.

i then enter the "reboot" command and it just starts all over, is there something i'm doing wrong? is there something missing in the wiki that i'm not getting?


on another note, when/if i get this working, will there be drivers for my wireless card included? i'm keeping the wifi as this atv will be staying in the bedroom and will not be heavily decoding HD.

- TechLife - 2012-02-28

Deleted. Outdated information.

- TechLife - 2012-02-28

Deleted. Outdated information.

- Ned Scott - 2012-02-28

TechLife, I think your info is outdated. Sam's included drivers for the original wifi card for a few months now :)

ATV1 does not run iOS. Ether call it something like ATV OS or Mac OS X (technically a special version of Mac OS X 10.4), but iOS is a totally different monster.

I've never heard of this requirement about setting the resolution in the native OS first. I've set up Crystalbuntu on a number of ATV1s (12 and counting), including units that didn't have the native OS anymore. None of them had any issues switching between resolutions after the fact. I've changed my own personal ATV1+Crystalbuntu's resolution just recently to test something, and it did change the resolution.

phi303 is referring to these instructions: http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=HOW-TO:Install_XBMC_on_Apple_TV_1_(Linux)#Installing_from_Mac_OS_X

which were adapted from: http://stmlabs.com/forum/topic/how-to-crystalbuntu-install-from-mac-os-x

Sam plans on making it so that the keyboard/distro-choosing-step isn't necessary, and all Mac users would need to do is use the DD command.

- Ned Scott - 2012-02-28

phi303 Wrote:sorry if there's already a thread on this but i've searched for a couple of days and haven't found anything on the matter.

so i'm trying to install crystalbuntu in a manner where it erases the atv hdd and gets rid of the mac os completely, i've followed every step precisely on the wiki.

i can get the atv to boot from the jump drive. i login with "atv" as user and password.

i type "sudo -s" for root access

everything is fine up to this point. now i type in the command "echo ubuntu > .distro" hit enter, nothing happens.

i then enter the "reboot" command and it just starts all over, is there something i'm doing wrong? is there something missing in the wiki that i'm not getting?


on another note, when/if i get this working, will there be drivers for my wireless card included? i'm keeping the wifi as this atv will be staying in the bedroom and will not be heavily decoding HD.

I put up the wiki How-to that you're using, adapted from a post from the Crystalbuntu forums. I actually ran into this same issue myself, but forgot to update the wiki on how I fixed it.

IIRC, there's a script that chooses between Ubuntu and the original ATV OS, and I just manually put Ubuntu.sh in there. I'm in the middle of an install on an ATV1 right now, so I can't confirm the exact file/steps I used, but I'll post again as soon as I find out (as well as update the Wiki).

- TechLife - 2012-02-28

Ned Scott Wrote:TechLife, I think your info is outdated. Sam's included drivers for the original wifi card for a few months now Smile
It's been a while since I have done a fresh install. Thanks.
Quote:ATV1 does not run iOS. Ether call it something like ATV OS or Mac OS X (technically a special version of Mac OS X 10.4), but iOS is a totally different monster.
You are absolutely correct. iOS is on ATV2 and iDevices.
Quote:I've never heard of this requirement about setting the resolution in the native OS first. I've set up Crystalbuntu on a number of ATV1s (12 and counting), including units that didn't have the native OS anymore. None of them had any issues switching between resolutions after the fact. I've changed my own personal ATV1+Crystalbuntu's resolution just recently to test something, and it did change the resolution.
I know it is recommended to change the output to RGB from YPbPr or the colorspace will be wrong and you will have the pink screen issue. I was pretty sure I read at some point on Sam's forum that you also had to change the resolution there as well. As, "Crystalbuntu can only READ the vbios setting. Only the official OSX OS can change the vbios data."

The iOS part was my mistake, I was playing with the iPad earlier and hadn't shifted gears. If someone (you?) has written up an accurate Wiki, I'll just link that in the future... All in all, I was just trying to help.

- phi303 - 2012-02-28

thanks techlife!

had to go dig up a netbook to start the process as my house is all osx. anyhow, starting the process now.

a little disapointed to hear that you cannot change your resolution after crystalbuntu is installed, i guess it doesn't matter since the atv will stay in my room, but you mentioned that i need to set it in iOS which i'm assuming you meant that for an ATV2 right? i just want to make sure as i'm slightly confused.

the only reason i'm trying the native linux approach is the way i currently have the atv setup: i've got xbmc running as a upnp device for the ps3 in my livingroom - i want it to stream all the tv shows that the atv has access to via a hdd in my bedroom, at the moment my ps3 does see the xbmc server and i'm able to "access" all of my files and the ps3 even streams the files - the issue here is the atv will only stream about 10-15min of a file and then choke, none of the video files are HD, mostly small avi files (old simpsons episodes, family guy, etc.)

do you think going full native linux will solve this choking issue or is switching to crystalHD-only a lost cause here? i don't plan on throwing in the broadcom card since the atv will likely stay in the bedroom connected to a 720p 32inch and also serve as a upnp device.

thanks again so much for your quick response fellow coloradan!

- phi303 - 2012-02-28

Ned Scott Wrote:I put up the wiki How-to that you're using, adapted from a post from the Crystalbuntu forums. I actually ran into this same issue myself, but forgot to update the wiki on how I fixed it.

IIRC, there's a script that chooses between Ubuntu and the original ATV OS, and I just manually put Ubuntu.sh in there. I'm in the middle of an install on an ATV1 right now, so I can't confirm the exact file/steps I used, but I'll post again as soon as I find out (as well as update the Wiki).

ahhhh. ok, thank you, i was really confused there as to what was happening. i'll hold off on using the CrystalHD installer method for now and wait for your response Ned Scott (btw sorry for the last post, i didn't see your responses until after i had already posted my response to techlife)

- TechLife - 2012-02-28

phi303 Wrote:had to go dig up a netbook to start the process as my house is all osx. anyhow, starting the process now.
Thought you were on Windows. Sorry.

Quote:a little disapointed to hear that you cannot change your resolution after crystalbuntu is installed, i guess it doesn't matter since the atv will stay in my room, but you mentioned that i need to set it in iOS which i'm assuming you meant that for an ATV2 right? i just want to make sure as i'm slightly confused.
I meant the AppleTV OS (or OS X). I misspoke. Though, according to Ned, this is equally as inaccurate.

- phi303 - 2012-02-28

hopefully i can just go in and change a line somewhere to complete the "To make an install USB drive that will erase the internal hard drive and install Crystalbuntu" on the guide Ned Scott wrote =] thanks for your help anyways

- Ned Scott - 2012-02-28

TechLife Wrote:I know it is recommended to change the output to RGB from YPbPr or the colorspace will be wrong and you will have the pink screen issue. I was pretty sure I read at some point on Sam's forum that you also had to change the resolution there as well. As, "Crystalbuntu can only READ the vbios setting. Only the official OSX OS can change the vbios data."

Looks like you are correct about vbios. It will cause issues for anything outside of XBMC. While in XBMC it seems that another driver that over-rides vbios is used, which is why I never had an issue within XBMC.

http://stmlabs.com/forum/topic/pink-screen-after-messing-with-asoundconf#post-3018 :
Quote:When using the original ATV software, changing resolution and display format (YPrCr, RGB low, RGB high) will actually write this into the vbios. This causes the commandline of Linux (before starting XBMC, and after exiting XBMC) to use the format saved in Vbios, but when using the Nvidia Linux GFX driver (ie using XBMC), it will override the Vbios.

I'm not entirely sure, but it seems that from time to time the vbios (mostly pink screens) can creep into XBMC itself, although that might have just been a bug that has since been fixed.

I was not aware of this before, so thanks for the heads up. I'll add it to the XBMC wiki that people should still set things for their display in the native OS before installing Crystalbuntu. I really wish the Crystalbuntu info wasn't so scattered about.

No worries on the iOS thing ;)

- Ned Scott - 2012-02-28

Easier solution was posted in that same thread, and I overlooked it. Seems the reason it didn't work (the original instructions) is because the echo command has to be run at the root directory. So before typing that in, first type in:

Code:
cd /

and it should now work. I've also updated the wiki instructions to reflect this.

- phi303 - 2012-02-28

Ned Scott Wrote:Easier solution was posted in that same thread, and I overlooked it. Seems the reason it didn't work (the original instructions) is because the echo command has to be run at the root directory. So before typing that in, first type in:

Code:
cd /

and it should now work. I've also updated the wiki instructions to reflect this.

thanks so much! i'll try this when i get home from work later today.

i freaking love this community and how fast the responses are!

- phi303 - 2012-02-29

everything's working fantastically!

one more thing, ned scott you had mentioned that the wifi drivers have been included with this latest build of ubuntu, how do i configure the atv's wifi card? i went into ./configure and tried to toggle the WLAN but the UI just says something like "feature not available yet"

any suggestions on how to set up the built-in wifi now that the atv is purely crystalbuntu?

- Ned Scott - 2012-03-01

I'll search around and see if I can find the command line instructions to setting it up. It's a little funky with the command line, but Sam will have that configuration utility working sometime in the future.