The new version 14.04 LTS 'Trusty Tahr' needs no fake-PAE. Use forcepae in the standard installers
The new version 14.04 LTS 'Trusty Tahr', needs no fake-PAE to work with Pentium M and Celeron M CPUs. Instead you use the boot option forcepae and boot from the standard desktop installer and alternate installer for 32-bit systems. I think Lubuntu and Xubuntu will work well in laptops with these CPUs. Xubuntu has a medium light desktop environment and Lubuntu has an ultra light desktop environment. Try both to find what is best for you.
This is a detailed description how to use forcepae.
Some processors need a non-pae kernel
The vast majority of Pentium M and Celeron M CPUs are suitable for fakepae or forcepae and can work with PAE kernels. But some of these processors need a non-pae kernel also for new versions of Lubuntu. There are also other 'not too old' CPUs that lack PAE capability: Transmeta Crusoe and VIA processors around 1 GHz.
Introduction
PAE (Physical Address Extension) is explained here in details.
Lubuntu-fake-PAE offers a method to install Lubuntu 13.10 into computers (mainly if not only laptops) with Pentium M and Celeron M CPUs. Most if not all of these CPUs have PAE capability, but show no PAE flag. This means that these machines can not use any Lubuntu versions after 12.04 and therefore, Lubuntu 12.10, 13.04 and 13.10 can not be installed and their kernels can not be upgraded, because the software is checking for the PAE flag. This can be fixed with fake-PAE, developed by Bernd Kreuss prof7bit and described in the Ubuntu Forums.
There are many high-quality professional class laptops around with Pentium M CPUs, for example IBM Thinkpad T40, T41 and T42.
Three methods are described to make the new Ubuntu family 32-bit PAE kernels available for Pentium M and Celeron M, that have PAE capability, but do not show the PAE flag.
- Method to start from the Ubuntu 12.04 non-PAE mini-iso file described by mörgæs
- 'grub-n-iso'
- Installed system
Lubuntu Fake-PAE described by sudodus
The idea is to make it easier for people who want to go directly into a new version of Lubuntu. This is a good alternative for a fresh install (instead of downloading 12.04 and upgrading twice to newer releases).
Right now the image files to download reside on these links
google drive of Nio Wiklund alias sudodus -- link for 'all' files
http://phillw.net/isos/lubuntu-fake-pae -- fast and stable link for the big image files, thank you phillw
Test
Thank you!
Helpful members of the Ubuntu and Lubuntu communities have found that fake-PAE works with almost all Celeron M and Pentium M, and the instructions have been improved.
A Celeron M 1.2 GHz is maybe one year older than a tested Pentium M with 1.6 GHz (Banias) and maybe two years older than another Pentium M (Dothan) with 1.7 GHz. The newest Pentium M CPUs have the PAE flag, and need no fake-PAE. We have found out and need not guess from what we find at the internet, for example: here.
Our test results so far for Pentium M and Celeron M CPUs suitable for fakePAE, 'No PAE flags but 36 bit physical memory address size':
Code:
---- CPU name ---- -- CPUID Output of 'cpuid|grep ^00000001' --
Lowest: Celeron M 1200 Mhz 00000001 00000695 00000812 00000000 a7e9f9bf
Celeron M 1300 MHz 00000001 00000695 00000812 00000000 a7e9f9bf
Celeron M 1.40 GHz 00000001 00000695 00000816 00000180 a7e9f9bf
Pentium M 1.50 GHz 00000001 000006d6 00000816 00000180 afe9f9bf
Pentium M 1600 MHz 00000001 00000695 00000816 00000180 a7e9f9bf
Pentium M 1.70 GHz 00000001 000006d6 00000816 00000180 afe9f9bf
Pentium M 1.70 GHz 00000001 000006d6 00000816 00000180 afe9fbbf
Highest: Pentium M 2.10 GHz 00000001 000006d6 00000816 00000180 afe9f9bf
Your help and support was highly appreciated and needed.
Our test results so far for Pentium M and Celeron M CPUs not suitable for fakePAE, 'No PAE flags and only 32 bit physical memory address size':
Code:
---- CPU name ---- -- CPUID Output of 'cpuid|grep ^00000001' --
Lowest:
Pentium M 1200 Mhz 00000001 00000695 00000816 00000180 a7e9fbbf
Highest:
Your help and support is still highly appreciated and needed.
If you are a new user, you can check the PAE capability in your own computer. Running Lubuntu 12.04 with a non-pae kernel
reports 32 bits physical address size for a tested computer with Pentium M, but running Lubuntu 13.10 and 14.04 LTS, it reports 36 bits physical address size. So you need the PAE kernel running to get 36 bits. If you don't get 36 bits with a PAE kernel, your CPU has no PAE capability.
Details: CPU-info & OS-info
The following screen shots were recorded in an IBM Thinkpad T42 and correspond to the information in the 'CPU-info & OS-info' link
Lubuntu 12.04.2 with Pentium M and Lubuntu 13.04 with Pentium M
From the feed-back so far, 'grub-n-iso' seems more popular than 'installed system'. Unless this changes, future versions of Lubuntu-fake-PAE will focus on 'grub-n-iso'.
Checksums and signature
Please use checksums to verify that the download was successful. There is a file md5sums.txt.asc for each of 'grub-n-iso' and 'installed system'. It contains the md5sums of the files to be downloaded, the instructions as well as the compressed image files (.img.gz files). This file is signed with gpg and you can verify it according to the following commands.
Code:
gpg --keyserver hkp://pgp.mit.edu --recv-keys EB0FC2C8
gpg --verify md5sums.txt.asc
The warning "This key is not certified with a trusted signature! There is no indication that the signature belongs to the owner." means that there is no chain of trusted keys between your computer's keyring and the key, that was used to sign the checksums (the key of sudodus). Check that the text here and the output, when you verify it, match.
Code:
lubuntu@lubuntu:~/test/pae4pm/grub-n-iso$ gpg --keyserver hkp://pgp.mit.edu --recv-keys EB0FC2C8
gpg: requesting key EB0FC2C8 from hkp server pgp.mit.edu
gpg: /home/lubuntu/.gnupg/trustdb.gpg: trustdb created
gpg: key EB0FC2C8: public key "Nio Sudden Wiklund (sudodus) <address@mailserver.com>" imported
gpg: no ultimately trusted keys found
gpg: Total number processed: 1
gpg: imported: 1 (RSA: 1)
lubuntu@lubuntu:~/test/pae4pm/grub-n-iso$ gpg --verify md5sums.txt.asc
gpg: Signature made Sun 02 Jun 2013 10:20:57 AM UTC using RSA key ID EB0FC2C8
gpg: Good signature from "Nio Sudden Wiklund (sudodus) <address@mailserver.com>"
gpg: WARNING: This key is not certified with a trusted signature!
gpg: There is no indication that the signature belongs to the owner.
Primary key fingerprint: 0303 EA77 E34C 52F2 2958 47C6 BD43 C742 EB0F C2C8
lubuntu@lubuntu:~/test/pae4pm/grub-n-iso$
Then there is reason to trust that nobody else has written the checksums. The date of the signature will change at updates, and the text might be translated to your local language, but it should be clear that it is a 'Good signature from "Nio Sudden Wiklund (sudodus)"'.
Method to start from the Ubuntu 12.04 non-PAE mini-iso file described by mörgæs
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/PAE
A variant of this method is that people who have
- more or less personalized versions of Lubuntu 12.04 running, or
- already have a Lubuntu 12.04 iso file and a slow internet connection
use fake-PAE to upgrade to 12.10. 13.04 and/or 13.10.
'grub-n-iso'
Detailed description
You find the detailed description at grub-n-iso
Advantages
- Similar to normal installation (via 1GB or 2GB USB drive)
- No upgrading between versions is necessary
- Full flexibility, for example to make a dual boot system
- The official Lubuntu i386 desktop iso file is used, and can be checked with md5sum
Code:
5e85e368b6eaf1b9f5cf88467c6570f5 lubuntu-13.10-desktop-i386.iso
according to https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuHashes
Disadvantages
- You do not get a complete worḱing operating system directly
- You need to install fake-pae using 7bit's ppa after the installation
- It uses the desktop iso file, while the alternate iso file can install to systems with lower RAM.
Warning
This Lubuntu Raring 'grub-n-iso’ system is only intended for Pentium M and Celeron M, that have PAE capability but no PAE flag. We take no responsibility for any damage, that this software can cause.
You find the detailed description at grub-n-iso
Installed system
Detailed description
You find the detailed description at InstalledSystemFakePAE
Advantages
- No live install CD/DVD/USB drive is used
- No upgrading between versions is necessary
- You get a complete worḱing operating system directly
Disadvantages
- It is a different way to install a system
- Lubuntu 13.04 installs into 16 GB (the first 16 GB of a drive)
- Lubuntu 13.10 installs into 4 GB (the first 4 GB of a drive)
- It is easier to use 'grub-n-iso' for a dual boot system
This Lubuntu Raring 'installed system' can run with Pentium M and Celeron M CPUs. It has been tested from a USB 3 pendrive and from a hard disk drive. It uses the fake-PAE method of 7bit @ubuntuforums to let the 32-bit PAE kernel be updated with CPUs without a PAE flag.
When running Lubuntu 12.04 with a non-pae kernel
reports 32 bits physical address size for my Pentium M, but when running Lubuntu 13.04 and 13.10, it reports 36 bits physical address size.
So you need the pae kernel running to get 36 bits. If you don't get 36 bits with a pae kernel, your CPU has no PAE capability.
Warning
This Lubuntu Raring 'installed system' is only intended for Pentium M and Celeron M, that have PAE capability but no PAE flag. We take no responsibility for any damage, that this software can cause.
You find the detailed description at InstalledSystemFakePAE
Adv Reply
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