[snoozer]

Hello,

I've tried following the guides (the wytavern and the one on the forums) 50 times now and still can't even get a working Xorg implementation. I did EVERYTHING that was stated in the guide and when I finally startx, it either, gives me a console where I can only type (like the one you get before x is installed, yet in this one I can invoke fglrxinfo and vainfo) or a black screen with a mouse cursor. Xorg.0.log doesn't seem to state any problems.

It's gotten me so frustrated that I'm thinking about switching to windows, which seems to work flawlessly with the Zacate platform. Could somebody please give me an up2date guide (with kernel 3.0.0-5) because I'm losing my marbles here :p.

Best regards

[demiurg]

seconded, I've tried the guide so many times, but it never seems to work out, trying now to install the 3.0.0-5 kernel & install ati with this doc: http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Ubuntu_...s_manually

who knows....

[Robotica]

Most linux noobs have problem to get this running... In that case I would suggest openelec.

[snoozer]

I'm not a linux noob, I've been using linux for over 5 years now(Gentoo,debian,ubuntu,fedora,...). It's just the fact that it's not working, I've tried everything.
Xorg doesn't start up properly and doesn't give me any errors so I have no idea what is wrong.

It worked for me last week, but then I noticed vaapi wasn't working, but at least XBMC was up and running. I tried to reinstall with the new guide and now xorg doesn't even work, which makes me believe the fault lies in the packages.
I must say that the first time I installed everything I had a normal lcd monitor connected to the vga/dvi port (can't remember which one the msi e350ia has) and connected the flatscreen tv after everything was working, now I'm installing it with a flatscreen tv connected to the HDMI port, I'm not sure if I missed something in the xorg.conf, but as far as I can see everything is working.

Best Regards

[toehser]

Most linux noobs have problem to get this running... In that case I would suggest openelec.

Attaching a derogatory appelation like "noobs" when someone has trouble with something, in essence taking the position that it is their fault that it didn't work smoothly, is condescending and unhelpful.

I have more than 20 years of experience with Linux, distributed my own distribution (tomsrtbt) which I built from source in the 1990s, have been a programmer by profession with deep experience in many languages and technologies for 25 years, I have over 10 Linux instances at home, and will put my technical chops up against anyone.

I find the situation with Linux support of the E-350 to be less than tolerable. Even with a willingness to follow guides, compile my own libva, xvba, kernel, and xbmc. That is even with patches, special fglrx, PPA repositories, and following the shifting quicksand of various discussion groups and bugfix repositories on this issue.

Even after getting vainfo and fglrxinfo to say that everything is working right, and running an xbmc compiled from the tips of git with vaapi support, only about 50% of 1080p videos are watchable.

I've ordered the ND22 with SU2300 and NVidia ION. It arrives tomorrow. I'll keep the AD02 with its E-350. And I'll post a side-by-side of what works and doesn't work under Linux. Maybe it will be just as bad.

The openelec option is something I'll try out of curiosity, but it isn't a viable option if you care, as I do, about the machine being functional as a Linux box, that is, 95% of my usage is XBMC, but the other 5% requires that I be able to hop back to a functioning desktop with tools like VLC, Audacity, jackd, xterm, whatever... I need it to be made to work sanely with a functional debian-derivative such as Ubuntu or Mint. Saying I can only run a Linux that someone else has torn their hair out over is not, repeat, *not*, a convincing option or an argument that it can be considered stable or working.

Again, throwing around critical guesses about people's experience level and labeling their concerns as FUD is not appropriate or helpful.

[Robotica]

sorry, I assumed that the lack of knowledge was the problem since essential steps in asking for help are not stated in this topic.

"Xorg doesn't start up properly and doesn't give me any errors" is never going to be solved based on given info. Most Linux users know that....

@toesher: how's your post going to help the OP? I simply advised openelec which should solve his problems...

[toehser]

how's your post going to help the OP? I simply advised openelec which should solve his problems...

<rant>If I had managed to get it working satisfactorily myself (for 1080p - everything else works fine for me), I would offer advice on that... I will be trying openelec on the AD02 once I get the ND22 stable, having 2 boxes on the TV will give me some freedom to screw around with them without my wife complaining that I'm breaking the TV. I'll give a report then on whether I can recommend it. I certainly can't offer any support for "so frustrated that I'm thinking about switching to windows, which seems to work flawlessly", since I would never do that, on religious principal. I also can't offer support for "please give me an up2date guide (with kernel 3.0.0-5)" since I made the call that it was cheaper to me (time=money) to order the ND22, than to chase library symbols and crack open the source code. Maybe someone really has it working (meaning, working as well for 1080p as it does for 480i, with a standard Linux configuration (say, Natty)) and is writing a guide on how to do that. But my post wasn't intended to say to him "here is help". If anything, I'm in the same boat as him, but instead of saying "help" I'm saying "I give up for now". My post was intended to say to you that criticizing those who are trying to figure out Linux things and having trouble as noobs or as spreading FUD is harmful and unwelcoming, and, beyond that, that I think you are minimizing a real problem, namely, by normal standards of readiness, Linux does not yet support this. I get it that people are working on all the pieces and doing their best. I get it that it is coming along. But it is still unstable, fragmented, and hacked together.</rant>

[snoozer]

I do realize that my post was very "noobie" like, I was just, as toesher, fed up with the crappy support that 'Linux' offers for the zacate platform (it's prolly more ati's fault...).

I also, must say, have given up trying to get this working as intended. As he stated, even if it does all "work", some/most 1080p movies still run choppy, whilst the same movies run perfect on, dare I say it, windows 7.

I have always used Linux over windows in every situation, but now, because I NEED to get this working (it's a present for my dad) I have to switch over to windows .

My apologies for the idiotic post, but I was, as I am still, fed up with the lacking support .

I hope you guys get this working, good luck!

Best regards

[LB06]

It's only logical that you want to get it working.

There's a very handy and accurate rule of thumb for buying decision like these (for future reference): just don't do Linux and AMD/ATI

[darkscout]

All I can say is... look at my Sig.

Maybe you guys need to post in this thread: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=105779 Where certain people think AMD/Zacate is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

[toehser]

There is also this thread: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=105490

[devil103]

I'm not exactly unfamiliar with Linux but nowhere near some other posters in this topic, however I just posted my 2 cents in the 'guide' topic over here

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=99154

I just installed XBMC last weekend based on a Ubuntu Natty net install with kernel 3.0. The main issue at the moment seems to be when upgrading xorg to the xorg packages in the xorg:edgers even though we can use the kernel from xorg:edgers!

Then the only thing left after the 11.6 drivers, libva from multiverse and xvba from splitted desktop was to create one symbolic link manually; Oh and I'm using the xbmc-pvr build from larsopendenkamps ppa.

And at the moment I'm watching 720p with 10% CPU usage and have watched some 1080p content without problem (haven't tried 1080p extensivly though) on an Asus E35M1I-Deluxe board with the E-350 APU

I have to admit though I left a 25 GB partition open for a Windows installation if I ever got fed up with messing around with the hardware accelleration but so far I'm quite happy running this board as a gigabit fileserver, backupserver, lamp server, etc...

I originally got this board because I read here on the forums acceleration was working with some tweaking, love the passive cooling and the price and availability was good over here in western europe.

But as I said, just my 2ct and trying to help somebody who really wants to use the AMD board.