NattyReleaseNotes

NattyNarwhal on Armel Release Notes

New Features

Netbook Edition

  • The Preinstalled Ubuntu Netbook images for ARM come with the brand new unity-2d desktop by default which incorporates the improved usability of unity into low end 2D graphics hardware. Also new to this release is Banshee, same as the x86 world.

*NEW* Headless Edition

  • As a response to long standing community requests, an Ubuntu Headless image is now available for omap3 and omap4 hardware. This image is fully set up to be run and configured using the serial port and contains a minimal command line install. During the installation process, it will prompt the user for any additional tasks to be installed (openssh server, mythtv, etc). Note that not all tasks have been tested.

Known Issues

General issues on Armel

  • Libreoffice database packages are currently not installable on ARM systems due to missing architecture support in the package metadata, fixed packages are being prepared in the natty-updates repository (770627)

  • The GCC compiler defaults changed shortly before release for the ARM architecture dropping an option that might cause troubles with some binaries. Packages that are locally rebuilt will build without the shrink-wrap option set. Binaries in the archive that have not been tested prior to release might expose issues due to this option (736081)

  • update-initramfs -c does not update the bootloader. To work around this issue, the user should run flash-kernel as a separate task when installing new kernels or creating new initramfs images. (701698)

Omap3 (Beagleboard/BeagleXM)

  • OMAP3 CPUs don't run at full speed by default. While we set the required mpurate cmdline parameter on our images, the values for the different OMAP3 CPUs are not always correct, to work around this you can edit the cmdline in /boot/boot.script and call "sudo flash-kernel", the change will take effect on next reboot. This should only affect BeagleXM users. (771537)

  • Audio on omap3 systems is currently muted and there is no way to unmute from PulseAudio. To adjust audio, open a terminal window and run alsamixer, then increase the Headset Volume slider to ~50, and unmute HeadsetL mixer AudioL2 and HeadsetR mixer AudioR2. the audio out jack should now be working. (651302)

  • Monitor Resolution on omap3 platforms is currently fixed to 1280x720. The system is capable of detecting the monitor and automatically setting resolution to the highest supported setting, but the code to enable this feature didn't make it in time for release. This should be fixed in an updated kernel. (753071)

Omap4 (Panda/Blaze)

  • Due to a bug in the OMAP4 video driver it can happen that the display loses its sync which results in a black screen. To overcome this state switching tty's (ctrl+alt+F1 and switching back to X with ctrl+alt+F7) helps to get your screen back. (746133)

  • On the OMAP4 pandaboard the sound initialization does not work properly due to a race condition between udev rules and upstart jobs. Calling "alsaucm set _verb HiFi" and "sudo alsactl store" in a terminal will work around this. An updated alsa-utils package that fixes this issue automatically is being prepared. (746023)

  • For users that have a shared monitor, you may experience the following kernel error "omapdss DISPC error: SYNC_LOST_DIGIT, disabling TV". If your system is in screen sleep mode and wakes before the monitor is actively on the system, you can experience video corruption and eventual system lockup. (758486)

Download and Installation Instructions

  • Headless instructions are here.

  • Netbook Instructions are here.

  • Unsupported hardware - You can use rootstock to build an image for other platforms. Details are here

ARM/NattyReleaseNotes (last edited 2011-04-28 11:24:42 by p5098ed03)