Minor updates to all images

Minor updates to all images, including kernel 2.6.38.4, a few tweaks here and there, and some config default changes. More details on the relevant pages.

Said this before, but bar any major issues, this will be the last release of Linux Mint 10, and Ubuntu 10.10.

New Kernel, Wireless Drivers, and Ubuntu Natty beta.

Decided to do yet another update to all the images, including updating the Kernel to 2.6.38.2. This kernel as well as some multitasking responsiveness improvements brings a fix to the EFI framebuffer that solves the palette corruption issue. Now all the distribution’s fancy bootscreens work as they should. I also built a DKMS package with the vendor wireless drivers, after reports from users it gives better stability and wireless N support.

As an added bonus, I also include a download to an Ubuntu Natty beta image. Note that it’s preset to the “classic” desktop. You can log out and then log back in with “Unity 2D” to see one of the newer interfaces, but it still seemed somewhat buggy here. Unity 3D does not work with the current EMGD drivers however.

    Changes include:

  • Updated Kernel to 2.6.38.2 – Includes fix for EFI framebuffer palette bug, so graphical boots now look right
  • Packaged vendor wireless driver due to reports of improved stability and better wireless N support
  • Beta version of Ubuntu Natty image for testing

New versions of all Linux images (again)

Another update for all images. Sorry to do one so soon after the last (It has been a lot of work this weekend – after this i’m having a rest!). There were some stability concerns with the last images, and I have done some tweaks and performance improvements. The latest images work well for me in testing so far, and fingers crossed they will work for you too.

    Changes include:

  • Use NOOP io scheduler by default that should be faster on USB flash devices
  • Shutdown/Reboot should be more reliable
  • Use text splash screens on boot
  • Updated firmware for the wireless card

New versions of all Linux images, including Joli OS 1.2

The Jolicloud OS has been renamed to Joli OS, to avoid confusion with their online desktop app. With this change, the new 1.2 version was also released bringing new functionality and performance – see http://www.jolicloud.com/blog/2011/03/09/welcome-to-the-new-jolicloud/. The 1.2 version has now been adapted for the Joggler and can be downloaded from the Jolicloud page.

Ubuntu Maverick and Linux Mint have also been updated. Changes include an updated kernel (2.6.37.3) and a new btrfs with the much faster lzo compression.

Updates for all distributions

All distributions have been updated to include XBMC, the latest Squeezeplay and a build of mplayer (in /usr/local/bin) with VA-API support for hardware accelerated video playback. For this reason they are a little bigger, but it’s quite easy to slim them down by removing applications you don’t use.

XBMC comes preinstalled with the iPlayer plugin (http://code.google.com/p/xbmc-iplayerv2/ as well as a skin developed for the joggler that can be enabled from the settings. Please note that music visualisers are not currently working, so you will need to disable them from within xbmc if they have not already been.

If you already have the last version, you may wish to just install xbmc yourself from my Joggler PPA. Instructions to do this are on the relevant distribution pages.

XBMC now available

The popular media player XBMC is now available for the Joggler on Ubuntu Maverick, Jolicloud, and Linux Mint 10. To install XBMC please make sure you have the latest image and run the following commands from a terminal.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install xbmc

You can then run it from a terminal by typing “xbmc” or load it from the normal Ubuntu/Linux Mint menus. On Jolicloud you can add it to “Local Apps” to run it from the main interface. Please note that the music visualisers do not currently work, so before playing music the visualiser needs to be set to “none” from within the xbmc settings.

XBMC will be included by default in the next update to the distributions.