Antix install on AMD Geode. Only boots CF card with max 1 GB.

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Ronald
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Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2018 10:19 am

Antix install on AMD Geode. Only boots CF card with max 1 GB.

#1 Post by Ronald »

Hi all,

I'm kind of stuck. I've got an old machine here with an AMD Geode. So it can only run i586. I tried Antix and loved it. It's like Debian/Ubuntu but way smaller.
Here comes the tricky part:

- I first tried installing Antix-net. It boots fine via USB, but networking doesn't work. It needs a non-free driver (e100/d102e_ucode.bin). So the installation fails when cli-installer tries to download grub.
- On Antix-core networking works, because it includes the non-free drivers. But, the installation fails again because it won't fit on an 1 GB CF card.

I tried installing on a 4 GB CF card. Installation was succesfull, but the machine won't boot because of DMA problems. The 4 GB compactflash card is "industrial" and it says it should have support for all modes, but this machine just fails to boot from it.

This specific machine can't run on IDE or ATA drive, it only has a CF card. (It used to be an embedded display)

My goal is to make this embedded display run Linux + python(3) + Xorg to show something like weatherinfo or something.

Who can help me get unstuck? Is there a way to load the e100 ethernet driver in antix-net?

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fehlix
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Re: Antix install on AMD Geode. Only boots CF card with max 1 GB.

#2 Post by fehlix »

Ronald wrote: Fri Dec 07, 2018 1:55 pm I tried installing on a 4 GB CF card. Installation was succesfull, but the machine won't boot because of DMA problems. The 4 GB compactflash card is "industrial" and it says it should have support for all modes, but this machine just fails to boot from it.

My goal is to make this embedded display run Linux + python(3) + Xorg to show something like weatherinfo or something.
You might try to run with a frugal install. I.e. install from USB Live to CFcard by selecting F5 -> frugal/home.
After installing finished , you can boot into frugal installation using the USBkey by selecting frugal/home again.
:puppy:
Gigabyte Z77M-D3H, Intel Xeon E3-1240 V2 (Quad core), 32GB RAM,
GeForce GTX 770, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB, Seagate Barracuda 4TB

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Stevo
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Re: Antix install on AMD Geode. Only boots CF card with max 1 GB.

#3 Post by Stevo »

The firmware-misc-nonfree package contains the file: https://packages.debian.org/stretch/fir ... sc-nonfree. You could try downloading and installing it, or to save some space, just manually install that one file as

/lib/firmware/e100/d102e_ucode.bin

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Stevo
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Re: Antix install on AMD Geode. Only boots CF card with max 1 GB.

#4 Post by Stevo »

You may also want to check if you have xserver-xorg-video-geode installed, which is the video driver for that hardware.

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Ronald
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Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2018 10:19 am

Re: Antix install on AMD Geode. Only boots CF card with max 1 GB.

#5 Post by Ronald »

fehlix wrote: Fri Dec 07, 2018 2:57 pm You might try to run with a frugal install. I.e. install from USB Live to CFcard by selecting F5 -> frugal/home.
After installing finished , you can boot into frugal installation using the USBkey by selecting frugal/home again.
:puppy:
I haven't tried it yet, but won't a frugal install need Grub?
Stevo wrote: Fri Dec 07, 2018 5:49 pm The firmware-misc-nonfree package contains the file: https://packages.debian.org/stretch/fir ... sc-nonfree. You could try downloading and installing it, or to save some space, just manually install that one file as

/lib/firmware/e100/d102e_ucode.bin
But isn't that not possible? I can't install antix-net without networkdrivers. Or do you mean modifying the .iso of antix-net?

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rokytnji.1
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Re: Antix install on AMD Geode. Only boots CF card with max 1 GB.

#6 Post by rokytnji.1 »

Being older gear. My only advice is to try a older version of AntiX on this geode box with so many limitations.
Older kernel means older hardware support.
Newer kernels dropped older hardware support.

There is no pcmcia slot for wifi or ethernet connection cards I guess.
Lately, I have noticed. We as team are answering UEFI and more modern equipment changes lately.
It is getting harder and harder even to keep my IBM T23 or Panasonic CF-48 a viable laptop computer.

https://archive.org/details/antiX_linux

Old isos are in the r/h column

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rokytnji.1
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Re: Antix install on AMD Geode. Only boots CF card with max 1 GB.

#7 Post by rokytnji.1 »

Ps. I run a older iso

Code: Select all

harry@biker:~
$ inxi -S
System:    Host: biker Kernel: 4.9.83-antix.1-686-smp-pae i686 bits: 32 Desktop: IceWM 1.3.8 
           Distro: antiX-15-V_386-full Killah P 30 June 2015 
Which is based on Debian Jessie and is still current for a long time.

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