[folecr]

I'm using Dharma Beta 2 XBMC Live installed to hard drive. My system is an Asus Ion 330 with a SATA hard drive.

Ctrl+Alt+F1 doesn't switch to terminal on my system. (Therefore I can't look at logs etc.)

I haven't set up networking before installing so can't ssh into this either. (I was hoping to be able to set up wireless after install Live to hard drive.)

[pumkinut]

You can also try Ctrl+Alt+<F2-F6>

[Hannes The Hun]

that's another old idea of mine, an add-on that opens a terminal window, ideally including an on-screen keyboard, would be really helpful for all the live installations out there

[X3lectric]

you gonna do one then?

[Hannes The Hun]

well, as I said, I have the ideas but absolutely no clue about scripting

[folecr]

ctrl+alt+(f2..f6) don't work either. (I tried this already.) thanks though.

My original intention was to
* install XBMC Live
* install remaining Gnome and Linux components that I need to configure the system to my liking (a UI for WiFi config would be nice for example.)

Now, I think I might try going the other way
* install a minimal ubuntu
* http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1155961
* then, install XBMC from the PPA

I believe this might give me a more customizable XBMC...

[TREYisRAD]

I had the exact same problem, just hold down shift while booting to enter the grub menu, and select "safe mode". From there, you can login to your user, install openssh-server, and easily configure everything from that.

I almost gave up and went with the minimal install, but figuring out the quirks to the live-cd was worth it.

[pumkinut]

What's the resolution of the display you're trying to use? When you get to the grub screen when it's booting, in the GFX line, delete everything except your resolution e.g. 1280x720:32 in my case, then hit Ctrl+x to continue booting. This should allow you to get to a terminal screen where you need to edit the Live grub config to match what you did for the one-shot boot. I forget the exact path, it's something similar to /Live/image/boot/grub.

[gsgleason]

Live doesn't have ssh listening by default?

[neil.j1983]

Live doesn't have ssh listening by default?

it does.

[folecr]

I didn't set up my network as DHCP when installing. Looks like simply plugging in ethernet after install doesn't automatically enable DHCP networking.

[folecr]

FYI, I tried this again today. There's two items of note

1. My PC does not have a CDROM drive
   
2. Using unetbootin or Ubuntu's startup disk creator does not create a correct bootable USB key.
   • A unetbootin created USB key does not boot because it asks for CDROM drivers
     
   • Looks like Grub is not configured correctly in this case?
     

So,

1. I created a bootable disk using
   • http://www.xbmcfreak.nl/en/english-manua...-creation/
     
2. Installed to HDD
   
3. I setup network as DHCP at install time
   
4. After install XBMC starts fine and boots to the XBMC screen and UI works fine
   

Problems

1. No networking
   • Even though I setup DHCP at install (and it reported success) when I plug it into the ethernet cable in my HTPC cabinet network IP is not obtained
     
   • Tested that the ethernet works with the same cable with another computer
     
2. Error messages flash by at boot time
   
3. No text console (ctrl-alt-f1 ... f6 results in black screen
   

Therefore

• I can't ssh in (no network)
  
• I can't get to console (problem with grub console setup)
  
• I can't edit grub config
  • Unless I boot with my rescue USB key and edit grub config.
    

FYI, Ubuntu Lucid Lynx works fine : grub/console text is shown, network is setup correctly, etc.

Looks like the instructions I used to create the bootable disk are not working for me. Or, the XBMC Live CD is not configured correctly. At this point I don't know which. I can look at this again, next week.