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**patseguin** · (This post was last modified: 2014-03-15, 13:58 by patseguin.)

I began considering installing Linux on my ION htpc in my bedroom to get best performance. Is the Linux install pretty painless these days? I plan on running Gotham B1 and use SQL. Can it easily use SMB? I assume I would just copy my userdata folder over to it to get the sources and advanced settings all in sync with my living too htpc? Will I have to start googling how to install ion drivers so I can get HDMI audio? I'm not crazy about spending hours at the command prompt inputting commands. I'd like it to just boot to Linux or directly to XBMC if possible and gave it seamlessly work. Will I have to install drivers for my Windows media center remote that I use now? I actually have an extra Nyxboard that I don't use because sometimes it doesn't work on cold boot and I have to remove and plug the dongle back in. Can I expect Linux to improve performance on this ION system?

**Prof Yaffle** · 2014-03-14, 11:33

Use OpenElec. Runs well on ION, supports everything XBMC on any other Linux does, boots in a heartbeat. Not sure about porting your userdata folder over - if you have sources defined and scraped into an existing database, then you can just edit advancedsettings.xml and reboot and you'd get your data, then you need to re-add and configure addons.

Try it from a USB stick and see what you feel, see where the config issues lie - but most should work out of the box.

**patseguin** · (This post was last modified: 2014-03-14, 14:55 by patseguin.)

I don't know too much about Open Elec. I'll have to research it. Is it it's own OS? Assuming it supports SMB, I'd like to just copy my XBMC user data folder so I get the advanced settings, sources, and database synced. I'll look more not it though.

I read up some on OE and it seems intriguing. I wonder if I should consider it for my main htpc in my sig. For the living room I'd just want to make sure HDMI audio works for HD audio like TrueHD and DTS HD. 3D is in XBMC so I don't have to worry about 3D support in the driver. Seeing as how it is built specifically to run XBMC, I assume it supports SMB for sources and I can install addons through SMB from my NAS? Is there any desktop outside of XBMC where I can copy files like my xbmc userdata folder so I have my SQL database and sources already without having to rescrape?

One more update, the downloads are from 2013 so it seems I can't use Gotham beta? Also, can I boot it from a USB stick for testing before actually installing it?

**patseguin** · 2014-03-14, 16:15

Looks like I have to do a lot more research. The files are in TAR's which I have to extract using 7-zip. I have no idea how to make a bootable USB drive to either install it or run it from the USB stick to test it? Also, the Gotham beta version is supposed to be by upgrade only with a few files but I downloaded the generic 3.9.5 version and it seems to have all the same files as the older version. So, the installation instructions for Gotham beta 1 don't seem to apply to what is actually downloaded. What I want is a bootable USB stick with Gotham on it so I can test to make sure HDMI audio works and I get HD audio as well.

**Prof Yaffle** · (This post was last modified: 2014-03-14, 16:26 by Prof Yaffle.)

OE Gotham Beta is here: http://openelec.tv/get-openelec/viewcate...ric-builds - the ION builds you looked at are being retired.

Yes, OE includes SMB support.

No, no desktop - it's ssh and command line.

USB instructions here: http://wiki.openelec.tv/index.php?title=...nstall_Key

The generic files you see in the tarfile are all you need... OE upnpacks them and installs them. It's basically a skinny Linux distro that boots into XBMC and just XBMC, and it then has a few addons that make it a little easier to look after (e.g. configure your network from within XBMC).

EDIT

And yes, the generic build will run on your i3 as well, although the config will be different so I wouldn't try to boot from the same USB stick.

**patseguin** · 2014-03-14, 18:11

So with only a command line, how would I copy over my sources.xml and advancedsettings.xml? I would likely put them in a folder on the NAS so they are centrally accessible.

**Prof Yaffle** · 2014-03-14, 18:45

I forgot - I can make it easier - OpenElec broadcasts onto your network as an SMB server. You can see the folders (inc. user data) through Windows Explorer.

So, copy them to your NAS and rename them (just so they don't over-write anything existing). Then just drag them over to the OE installation, ssh in...

Stop XBMC from restarting: touch /var/lock/xbmc.disabled
Shut down XBMC: killall xbmc.bin (or killall -9 xbmc.bin)
Copy the files to the right place: mv <oldfiles> <backup> && mv <newfiles> <wheretheyshouldbe>
Allow XBMC to restart: rm /var/lock/xbmc.disabled

I don't know that command-line SMB tools are available in OpenElec, so your options otherwise would be to use mount to mount the SMB drive, or open up an ftp session from the OE box to the NAS.

**patseguin** · 2014-03-14, 22:03

Hmm, I don't know if I am opening a box of worms thinking about migrating to OE. I can see it very difficult to get new files onto it such as non repo skins and other files. Having to ssh in and use the command line seems archaic just like DOS is. Is OE that worth it from a performance standpoint? Also, does it output all the HD audio formats that my windows version does like TrueHD and DTS HD?

nickr · 2014-03-14, 22:11

Just do it.

**patseguin** · 2014-03-14, 22:54

Does merely putting the files on a USB stick make it bootable and a usable system so I can try it without wiping my hard drive?

nickr · (This post was last modified: 2014-03-14, 23:14 by nickr.)

Try reading the openelec install guide. You also will need to set to boot off the usb stick.

I mean in bios.

Ps here is install guide http://wiki.openelec.tv/index.php?title=Installation

**patseguin** · 2014-03-15, 00:03

Well I am reading the guide and I am in Ubuntu off a live DVD and enabled the Universe repo. I also did the wget that it told me to. Now when I do sudo ./create/installstick /dev/sdc it tells me create_livestick not found sdc being my usb stick I extracted OE to.

nickr · 2014-03-15, 00:14

Just so we are clear, you are on this page? http://wiki.openelec.tv/index.php/HOW-TO...nstall_Key

You don't extract the tar to the usb stick.

**patseguin** · 2014-03-15, 00:26

Yep that's the page I'm on. I formatted a USB stick and extracted the files to it. I can view it in the file manager in Ubuntu but when I do the sudo ./create[/align]_installstick is where I get command not found

**patseguin** · 2014-03-15, 00:36

Plus I'm not sure how to change directories. Maybe it can't find it because I'm not in the right path? I'm in /home/ubuntu now