Please help us test Lubuntu with Phill's non-pae kernel

[sudodus]

phillw has compiled a non-pae kernel for Trusty, and has built an iso file with an alternate installer around it. He is asking for help now, help to test it in a computer with a real non-pae CPU. It would be very valuable for the Lubuntu project, if you can spend some time testing it.

The iso file can be downloaded from this link (at Phill's own server)

http://phillw.net/isos/non-pae/

The intention is that this re-spin with the non-pae kernel will follow the updating/upgrading cycle with point releases of Lubuntu 14.04 LTS.

Examples of non-pae CPUs

1. Early Pentium M with 1.2 GHz clock frequency. (The later Pentium M CPUs have PAE capability even if they lack a PAE flag).

2. Old ViA-processors around 1GHz

3. Transmeta Crusoe

(4. Pre Pentium II CPUs are too old and weak to be tested for this purpose)

You can test for the PAE flag with the following command

grep --color pae /proc/cpuinfo

[phillw]

I've subscribed to this thread. so I will get replies. You can also catch me on freenode at channel #phillw

Regards,

Phill.

[jerrylamos]

I'll give it a whirl on my IBM Thinkpad R31. Downloading now.

The R31 hasn't successfully booted any ubuntu since 12.04. It claims to have pae, but has never been able to run any ubuntu that was pae only.

Phil's previous "old processor" 9W iso booted to a black screen.

It's a Pentium M circa 2005, 1Ghz, maxed out memory 500 mb, and cpuinfo does show pae,

[phillw]

I'll give it a whirl on my IBM Thinkpad R31. Downloading now.

The R31 hasn't successfully booted any ubuntu since 12.04. It claims to have pae, but has never been able to run any ubuntu that was pae only.

Phil's previous "old processor" iso booted to a black screen.

It's a Pentium M circa 2005, 1Ghz, maxed out memory 500 mb, and cpuinfo does show pae,

Can you please ensure that the self test of the CD has reported back that the self test is okay? I really do need this to be checked so that I know where any error is.

Regards,

Phill.

[jerrylamos]

No go. Started the CD, gets by a bunch of choices on language and keyboard, then says:

"Your installation CD-ROM couldn't be mounted........Retry mounting the CD-ROM?"

I did. Still no go.

Makes no sense to me at all. The CD-ROM has been running, install is proceeding, and suddenly decides the CD-ROM can't be mounted. No comprendo, install has been using the CD-ROM right along.

Maybe there's not enough space on the CD for the live environment?

[sudodus]

Can you please ensure that the self test of the CD has reported back that the self test is okay? I really do need this to be checked so that I know where any error is.

Regards,

Phill.

I get the 'cannot mount CD-ROM' error also when trying to self-test the CD.

Edit: and notice that I get that error also when booting from USB, so I don't think it is because of bad burning.

[phillw]

I'm also seeing this error on VM. Please pause testing until I've conferred with my tutor as to what is wrong.

Regards,

Phill.

[sudodus]

Hi jerrylamos and phillw,

I had a similar problem (not quite the same output) but also complaining about mounting the CD, when I tested in an IBM Thinkpad T42 with PAE capability but without PAE flag (Pentium M 1.7 GHz)

It fails for me with this output when booting from CD as well as USB
-----
Identify and mount cd-rom

Error running "modprobe -v yenta_socket"
-----
Your install CD could not be mounted ...
-----

Does it work in any computer for you phillw, or only in a virtual machine? What kind of debugging would you suggest?

[sudodus]

I tried your iso, phillw, in a new Toshiba laptop with an Intel i5 CPU (and of course running in CSM (BIOS compatible mode)),

http://www.toshiba.se/laptops/satell...-pro-c850-19w/

that I use for development and testing, and I had the same error output as jerrylamos (or very similar).

My Thinkpad and my Toshiba laptop are generally good booters, and can run most distros, (the Thinkpad might need fake-pae, but then it works), so it seems the iso file does not work with various real computers, where it 'should' work. There was no such problem during my tests with your previous non-pae kernel version. I don't say the problem is because of the kernel, it might be somewhere else in the iso file (I don't know where it is).

I think it is a bug, and I hope we can find it soon, so that you can make a good iso file in time for the release of 14.04 LTS.

Unfortunately for this test I have no computer with a real non-pae CPU.

[phillw]

The ISO has been re-spun.... Now the issue is that, of course, the installer expects to see a PAE flag and complains that it cannot find it. GRRRRR....... Still, at least it now installs! I hope to have the answer as to tell the installer NOT to look for PAE flag today / tomorrow.

Regards,

Phill.