2009-08-14, 00:45
First, this is information intended for the linux-challenged (like me). It's information culled from reading XBMC forums. It really helped me get my Zotac ION up-and-running and hopefully it will help others. If this guide is deemed unnecessary or I make a mistake, I apologize in advance.
You DO need at least 2 GB of ram (you'll see why below) for XBMC in linux on this and a SATA HD.
Before you get started, I'd suggest having putty and winscp installed on a different (windows) machine -- it doesn't have to be windows, but I don't know what apps to use for Mac OS and if you're already a linux user, you probably already have your favorite ssh tools). They're free.
1. In the bios, change the ram dedicated to the video card from 256 MB to 512 MB. You need to have 2 GB ram installed in order to do this.
2. Download XBMC Live. burn it to CD.
3. boot from XBMC live CD. When the options menu come up, select "install XBMC to disk". You're going to install it to a fixed disk (so when it asks if you should not treat the disk as a fixed disk, tell it not to do that). WARNING: this will wipe the target hard drive, so make sure that's what you want to do. When it asks you to choose a unix password, choose: xbmc
4. Once XBMC is installed to the hard drive, eject the CD and let the system reboot.
5. Once XBMC comes up on the screen highlight the "Settings" option (use keyboard arrows to move the selections), and get the IP assigned to your Zotac. Go to the computer that has putty and winspc installed.
6. Run putty using the IP address you found in step 5. User UserID and Password: xbmc
7. run the following command: sudo passwd root
choose a password for root. confirm password.
8. stay in Putty and do the commands below. You'll have to reconnect Putty to the Zotac after every reboot you do as part of the process (right-click on the title bar and choose "Restart Connection" and log in again)
I did the following to update XBMC to the latest SVN:
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/xbmc.org.list
Copy-paste the following to the end of the list (little tip: in putty, you can right click to paste)
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc-svn/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc-svn/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
--
Ctrl + X, Y, Enter to save changes
sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 64234534
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install xbmc
sudo reboot
I did the following to update the latest NVIDIA drivers:
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list #copy-paste the following to the end of the list
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nvidia-vdpau/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/nvidia-vdpau/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
---
Ctrl + X, Y, Enter to save changes
sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com 71609D4D2F1518FA9C5DC0FB1DABDBB4CEC06767
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-headers-generic nvidia-glx-185
sudo reboot
sudo apt-get install build-essential cdbs fakeroot dh-make debhelper debconf libstdc++5 dkms linux-headers-$(uname -r)
sudo reboot
9. Open winscp and connect to the Zotac as the ROOT user you created in step 7.
10. Find the folder .xbmc under home/xbmc and right-click on it and choose "Properties". In the "octal" box there are 4 numbers. Change them to 0777 and save. This will allow all users to access this folder (which is important if you want to install plugins and such later on).
11. Open boot/grub/menu.list and append the following to your kernel loading line in grub (/boot/grub/menu.lst). Then save it.
usbcore.autosuspend=-1
for example ..
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-<version> root=UUID=<some-uuid> ro quiet splash usbcore.autosuspend=-1
You might as well change "timeout" from 5 to 0 and save.
12. Still in winscp and still logged in as root go to etc/x11/xorg.conf
Add the following line under "Section Device"
Option "HWCursor" "Off"
Save and reboot your Zotac
----
Again, I hope this helps others with the Zotac board. It took me a month of trial-and-error (and XBMC forums, of course) to get my setup running smooth. I documented the process for my own good. Maybe it'll benefit others.
You DO need at least 2 GB of ram (you'll see why below) for XBMC in linux on this and a SATA HD.
Before you get started, I'd suggest having putty and winscp installed on a different (windows) machine -- it doesn't have to be windows, but I don't know what apps to use for Mac OS and if you're already a linux user, you probably already have your favorite ssh tools). They're free.
1. In the bios, change the ram dedicated to the video card from 256 MB to 512 MB. You need to have 2 GB ram installed in order to do this.
2. Download XBMC Live. burn it to CD.
3. boot from XBMC live CD. When the options menu come up, select "install XBMC to disk". You're going to install it to a fixed disk (so when it asks if you should not treat the disk as a fixed disk, tell it not to do that). WARNING: this will wipe the target hard drive, so make sure that's what you want to do. When it asks you to choose a unix password, choose: xbmc
4. Once XBMC is installed to the hard drive, eject the CD and let the system reboot.
5. Once XBMC comes up on the screen highlight the "Settings" option (use keyboard arrows to move the selections), and get the IP assigned to your Zotac. Go to the computer that has putty and winspc installed.
6. Run putty using the IP address you found in step 5. User UserID and Password: xbmc
7. run the following command: sudo passwd root
choose a password for root. confirm password.
8. stay in Putty and do the commands below. You'll have to reconnect Putty to the Zotac after every reboot you do as part of the process (right-click on the title bar and choose "Restart Connection" and log in again)
I did the following to update XBMC to the latest SVN:
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/xbmc.org.list
Copy-paste the following to the end of the list (little tip: in putty, you can right click to paste)
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc-svn/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc-svn/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
--
Ctrl + X, Y, Enter to save changes
sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 64234534
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install xbmc
sudo reboot
I did the following to update the latest NVIDIA drivers:
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list #copy-paste the following to the end of the list
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nvidia-vdpau/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/nvidia-vdpau/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
---
Ctrl + X, Y, Enter to save changes
sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com 71609D4D2F1518FA9C5DC0FB1DABDBB4CEC06767
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-headers-generic nvidia-glx-185
sudo reboot
sudo apt-get install build-essential cdbs fakeroot dh-make debhelper debconf libstdc++5 dkms linux-headers-$(uname -r)
sudo reboot
9. Open winscp and connect to the Zotac as the ROOT user you created in step 7.
10. Find the folder .xbmc under home/xbmc and right-click on it and choose "Properties". In the "octal" box there are 4 numbers. Change them to 0777 and save. This will allow all users to access this folder (which is important if you want to install plugins and such later on).
11. Open boot/grub/menu.list and append the following to your kernel loading line in grub (/boot/grub/menu.lst). Then save it.
usbcore.autosuspend=-1
for example ..
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-<version> root=UUID=<some-uuid> ro quiet splash usbcore.autosuspend=-1
You might as well change "timeout" from 5 to 0 and save.
12. Still in winscp and still logged in as root go to etc/x11/xorg.conf
Add the following line under "Section Device"
Option "HWCursor" "Off"
Save and reboot your Zotac
----
Again, I hope this helps others with the Zotac board. It took me a month of trial-and-error (and XBMC forums, of course) to get my setup running smooth. I documented the process for my own good. Maybe it'll benefit others.
