Anyone working with the new x86 Raspbian

FlightAware ADS-B Flight Tracking
143

Exactly.

But why would I?

The original question in this thread was a quest by another to vastly expand the Flightaware footprint by fulfilling the desire of the masses with old PCs to to get them to feed ADS-B to FA.

As you so nicely put it 135 posts back

@abcd567 spent a lot of time and effort to write a set of instructions to get an old PC to feed FA.

I followed his instructions just to see if it was going to be a fantastic source of feeders as yet untapped.

I tabulated my findings to point out that it is a bit like tilting at windmills.

A fast USB stick on a current Gen 8 Intel PC is still slow.

I am greatly in favour of following the FA image process for a $35 Pi which is not only foolproof but also idiot proof.

I will never, ever have a need to run an old PC running any sort of native Linux so that I can make an FA feeder. I will continue to use the Pi and FA image and use my time and energy maximizing coverage through experimenting with antennae, amplifiers, receivers and filters.

As you say "oh Whatever :grinning: Iā€™m finished with this.

S.

144

Iā€™ll believe Microsoft is going Open Source when I see them GPL license Windows, Word, Excel, etc. and make the source code available.

Buying GitHub, like buying LinkedIn and Minecraft, is just another play for subscription-based revenue and the all-important screen time and eyeballs for ad dollars.

The Open Source community has a long memory:

</off-topic rant>

145

I use a 16 Gb microSD card class 10 (read 80Mb/s, write 20 Mb/s) plugged into a usb adaptor. It is slower than HD but not as slow as experienced by @anon69157259.

  • It takes about 5 minutes to write Raspbian x86 image to microSD card using Win32DiskImager.

  • The Raspbian x86 boots from microSD card in few minutes.

  • It is not so sluggish in use as experienced by @anon69157259.

What @anon69157259 described is really horrible. I dont know why he is experiencing such a slow performance.

146

Great point, long memory you have. Lifelong PCā€™er with disdain for all things Open Source. Got over it a bit when I went to work for Flightaware before retiremenet. Got over it completely when I did my first Pi project. I see it much like todayā€™s politics. Neither side can dominate but wonā€™t give up the fight. Getting older does offer an amazing calm about the issues.

147

This is the USB Key on which I write Live CDā€™s
Raspibain x86, Linux Lite etc.

39
391745Ɨ1610 1.63 MB

.
.

04
042114Ɨ1883 1.92 MB

.
.

image
image760Ɨ488 57.8 KB

.
.
Dirt cheap microSD Adaptor - C $0.99 each
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/191851495844

148

This is a simple and lightweight tool if you want check the speed of a usb stick or sd card.

Some newer usb 3 sticks are pretty fast, but cost more.

1 Like
149

sudo fdisk -l will show you a list of devices and how they are formatted.
Fom that, you can easily tell which device(s) are used by Windows.

e.g.

sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders, total 234441648 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xd8b42ebd

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda2   *    16370235   140568749    62099257+   7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3       140568811   234438655    46934922+   5  Extended
/dev/sda5       161662158   170048024     4192933+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6       170048088   170160479       56196   83  Linux
/dev/sda7       170256933   188024759     8883913+  83  Linux
/dev/sda8       188024832   234438655    23206912    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda9       140568813   161662094    10546641   83  Linux
/dev/sda10      170160543   170256869       48163+  83  Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order

From the table, it can be seen that sda2 and sda8 are used by Windows.

150

Did following fresh installs and checked timings:

  • Raspbian Str x86 rpd Live CD with Persistence
  • Linux Lite Live CD, Persistence added by me

.

DISTRO USB Key Image Write Time Image Writer Boot time WiFI
Rasp Str x86 8 Gb (microSD card Class 10 + adaptor) 4 minutes Win32Disk Imager 2 minutes Works out of box with WiFi Dongle RTL8192
Linux Lite 8 Gb (microSD card Class 10 + adaptor) 11 minutes (4 minutes to write image, 7 minutes to create Persistence) Universal USB Installer 7 minutes Does not work with WiFi Dongle RTL8192

.
.
PC on which these tests were conducted:
image

151

I run a similar PC system except updated to quad core processor. My boot from USB using Linksys wireless G adapter model WUSB54GC did come up on the boot. Didnā€™t measure boot time.

152

True, I fouund sda1 is Windows and sdc1 is USB, but while formatting/dd, i typed sda1 instead of sdc1 and that did it :frowning:. After that incident, I always pull out the wires from HD before any format or dd of a USB key Pendrive.

  • I always keep a linux distro ready on a USB key.
  • Shutdown PC
  • Open PC cover and pull out wires of HD
  • Plugin the Linux USB key and powerup, booting Linux from USB key
  • Plugin the 2nd USB key which I want to format / write image / dd
  • Go ahead and do what I want to do without any stress or fear. :slight_smile:

Now whatever I do, my HD is safe :slight_smile:

153

Also can do full backup including system image of win10 to $25, 120gb, USB memory stick. Then, can move your disk anywhere in the house and restore any accidents that wipe out your hard drive.

154

@anon69157259
@SweetPea11

I still cannot understand why it took you so long to write & boot from USB key.

It takes very long time only if instead of writing image/iso directly to USB key (by dd or etcher or win32diskimager), one tries to ā€œinstallā€ it by choosing ā€œinstallā€ option from the menu displayed immediately upon boot. Did you choose ā€œinstallā€ option?

ā€œRaspbian Str x86 rpdā€ live CD took me 4 minutes to write to USB key, and took 2 minuted to boot from it.

ā€œLinux Liteā€ live CD took me 11 minutes to write with persistance to USB key, and took 7 minuted to boot from it (first boot) then subsequent boots took 5 minutes.

155

I abandoned my Raspbian boot cause no WiFi. Didnā€™t go back to it cause of compile ā€˜bus error.ā€™ Went to Linux lite and had immedate success with live version. Then followed the instructions to use UUI to get persistance. Followed your instructions to slide the bar for max persistance storage. Turns out UUI builds the entire image in win temp storage and I only had 2 gig of free space on my drive. When UUI runs out of temp memory it hangs with 33% CPU for as long as you let it run. I gave it overnight and then tried it again the next night and figured out what was going on. And then had other issues related to finite resources on my PC. Electdricaally destroyed one of my USB sticks ā€¦ Then went back to Raspbian, found the WiFi solution, and now back to the ā€˜bus error.ā€™ Oh, and Christmas slowed me down a bit. Iā€™m 71 and everything i do and say takes a long time :slight_smile:

156

Why not use another Windows computer, which has more than 4GB free space, to build Persistence. Once Persistence is build, it is saved on USB Key, and removed from HD.

157

GUI configuration of the Firewall to allow SSH and port 8080 for the Skyview was easy and worked first try.

S.

158

Cleaned up my SSD, use etcher to burn it to USB, booted with Linux working WiFi dongle, and getting started on following your build instructions for the FA packages. Waiting to duplicate bus error. FA packages work on Linux lite x86 (you proved it) and expected to not compile on Rapbian x86 (you proved it). This tells me we have a compiler issued on the Raspbian x86 but not the Raspbian pi. That is pretty well focused.

159

I really need to proof this stuff better. Should say:
ā€œCleaned up my SSD, use etcher to burn it to USB, booted with Raspbian working WiFi dongle, and getting started on following your build instructions for the FA packages. Waiting to duplicate bus error. FA packages work on Linux lite x86 (you proved it) and expected to not compile on Rapbian x86 (you proved it). This tells me we have a compiler issued on the Raspbian x86 but not the Raspbian pi.

160

@anon69157259
I found a very light weight, and fast booting linux distro ā€œXenialPupā€. I burned .iso on USB Key, and it created a Persistance file at first shutdown.

It is based on Ubuntu Xenial, and gets packages from Ubuntu Repositories.

Wiki:
https://puppylinux.org/wikka/Xenialpup
.

Download link (iso is only 325 Mb)
http://distro.ibiblio.org/puppylinux/puppy-xenial/32/xenialpup-7.5-uefi.iso

Negetive point:
Out of box, it does not have command line apt-get update & apt-get install. Instead it uses PPM (Pet Package Manager).

I have partially solved the problem, but still got stuck at apt-get install
.

Started Console, and typed:
root# apt-get update
bash: apt-get: command not found

Next, started PPM (Puppy Package Manager)

Update Repository 

In PPM serch field:
  Typed "sakura" and Installed 
  Terminal sakura _3.3.4-2 

  Typed "nano" and installed nano text editor 
  nano_2.5.3 

  Typed "apt" and installed 
  apt-src_0.25.1-0.2

Next try

root# apt-get update 
Reading package lists... Error! 
W: Unable to read /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ - DirectoryExists (2: No such file or directory) 
W: Unable to read /etc/apt/sources.list - RealFileExists (2: No such file or directory) 
W: No sandbox user '_apt' on the system, can not drop privileges 
E: flAbsPath on /var/lib/dpkg/status failed - realpath (2: No such file or directory) 
E: Could not open file - open (2: No such file or directory) 
E: Problem opening E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened. root# touch /etc/apt/sources.list root# apt-get update Reading package lists... Error! 
W: No sandbox user '_apt' on the system, can not drop privileges 
E: flAbsPath on /var/lib/dpkg/status failed - realpath (2: No such file or directory) 
E: Could not open file - open (2: No such file or directory) 
E: Problem opening 
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.

Next


root# adduser _apt 
adduser: Please enter a username matching the regular expression configured via the NAME_REGEX[_SYSTEM] configuration variable. Use the `--force-badname' option to relax this check or reconfigure NAME_REGEX. 
root# adduser _apt --force-badname 
Allowing use of questionable username. Adding user `_apt' ... 
Adding new group `_apt' (1001) ... 
adduser: `/usr/sbin/groupadd -g 1001 _apt' returned error code 1. Exiting.

Next

nano /etc/sudoers 
Scroll-down to find these 2 lines, and remove # from 2nd line below 
# Same thing without a password 
# %wheel ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL 

root# nano /etc/passwd 
added this line at bottom: 
_apt:x:118:3003::/nonexistent:/bin/false 

Now checked 
root# groups _apt 
3003groups: unknown ID 3003

Checked

root# apt-get update 
Reading package lists... Done 

root# apt-get upgrade 
Reading package lists... Done 
Building dependency tree... Done 
Calculating upgrade... Done 
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. 
W: Unable to read /etc/apt/preferences.d/ 
- DirectoryExists (2: No such file or directory)

Next

root# ls /etc/apt/ 
apt.conf.d sources.list trusted.gpg trusted.gpg~ 
root# mkdir /etc/apt/preferences.d 
root# apt-get upgrade 
Reading package lists... Done 
Building dependency tree... Done 
Calculating upgrade... Done 
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. 
root# nano /etc/apt/sources.list 
File is empty

Next
Generated list from here https://repogen.simplylinux.ch/

copy-pasted following in /etc/apt/sources.list

#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# # OFFICIAL UBUNTU REPOS 
# #------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# ###### Ubuntu Main Repos 
deb http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial main restricted universe multiverse 
deb-src http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial main restricted universe multiverse 

###### Ubuntu Update Repos 
deb http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-security main restricted universe multiverse 
deb http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-updates main restricted universe multiverse 
deb-src http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-security main restricted universe multiverse 
deb-src http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-updates main restricted universe multiverse 
deb-src http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-backports main restricted universe multiverse

Tested, WORKING OK

root# apt-get update 
Get:1 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial InRelease [247 kB] 
Get:2 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security InRelease [107 kB] 
Get:3 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates InRelease [109 kB] 
Get:4 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports InRelease [107 kB] 
Get:5 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main Sources [868 kB] 
Get:6 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/restricted Sources [4,808 B] 
Get:7 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe Sources [7,728 kB] 
Get:8 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/multiverse Sources [179 kB] 
.... .... ....
.... .... ....
Get:41 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/main Sources [4,848 B] 
Get:42 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/universe Sources [6,740 B] 
Fetched 27.5 MB in 8s (3,244 kB/s) 
Reading package lists... Done

Next,

TRIED TO INSTALL ā€œgitā€, FAILED

root# apt-get install git 
Reading package lists... Done 
Building dependency tree... Done 
The following additional packages will be installed: 
.... ..... ..... .... ..... ..... 
Fetched 32.8 MB in 4s (7,299 kB/s) 
debconf: Perl may be unconfigured (Can't locate FileHandle.pm in @INC (you may need to install the FileHandle module) 
(@INC contains: 
/etc/perl 
/usr/local/lib/i386-linux-gnu/perl/5.22.1 
/usr/local/share/perl/5.22.1 
/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/perl5/5.22 
/usr/share/perl5 
/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/perl/5.22 
/usr/share/perl/5.22 
/usr/local/lib/site_perl 
/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/perl-base .) 
at (eval 1) line 3. BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at (eval 1) line 3. ) -- aborting 
dpkg: warning: 'ldconfig' not found in PATH or not executable 
dpkg: error: 1 expected program not found in PATH or not executable 
Note: root's PATH should usually contain /usr/local/sbin, /usr/sbin and /sbin 
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)

ENOUGH HEADACHE FOR TODAY.
WILL TRY FURTHER TOMORROW.

161

My hero! Again! Watching closely.

162

Download and write the .iso (325 Mb) to USB key, and boot the old computer with it. You will be amazed at the short time it takes to boot, and it responds well to mouse & keyboard. It will be nice playing with it :slight_smile:.

Click the icon ā€œinstallā€ on top left of Desktop, then on window opened, clik tab ā€œinstall packageā€, and then Icon for Package Manager PPM, and play with it :slight_smile:

.
EDIT
Itā€™s default terminal ā€œconsoleā€ is lousy. Install tedminal ā€œsakuraā€.

Open Package Manager, and in its search field, type ā€œsakuraā€, click search icon, and from the list displayed, choose and Install Terminal sakura_3.3.4-2.