Install LXDE for Debian Buster

[zeallin]

Hello my friends,

We are using the Debian Jessie image but recently we need to access HDMI-CEC function so we consider upgrade to Debian Buster and downloaded the image from http://images.olimex.com/. However we found this version of Debian does not have LXDE on the fly.

We've tried the other Ubuntu Bionic image but it seems not designed for long run (it halt after started for about 24 hours)

Current we think available solutions could be:
1. Enabling HDMI-CED on old Debian Jessie (build kernel module?)
2. Install LXDE on Debian Buster (use apt-get install lxde seems not working)
3. Prevent Ubuntu Bionic from freezing

Please kindly advise us which direction is better and reference material if possible.
Thank you very much my frield!

Best regards,
Zeal

[LubOlimex]

It would probably be hard to get HDMI CEC in sunxi images so go for either 2 or 3. Debian images were meant for server use, Ubuntu for desktop use.

In order to notify the developers about the issues that you mentioned - what board are you using exactly?

[zeallin]

Thank you very much for your reply!

We are using Olimex A20 LIME2 Rev.K (may use T2 version)
Since we want to implement something like digital signage with A20, we want to have stable environment with X support

[LubOlimex]

Hello,

I have a couple of questions to help us replicate the issue here:

1) What variant of LIME2 exactly do you use?

2) Can you tell me what command did you use to install LXDE on the Debian Buster? Did you follow the installation instructions here: https://wiki.debian.org/LXDE#Installation ?

3) Can you describe the behavior around the time when Ubuntu hangs if possible? Maybe post a log if possible. This might help us identify what brings it down.

Thanks,
Lub/OLIMEX

[zeallin]

Hello my friend,

I have spent several days tested the latest version of A20 images. They are downloaded from http://images.olimex.com/release/a20/:

Hardware: Olimex A20 LIME2 1GB / T2



Ubuntu Bionic:
Source: A20-OLinuXino-bionic-minimal-20200417-095800.img.7z

Problem:
- 1. boot after about 10 hrs, desktop become very very slow
- 1.1 Open a terminal need to wait more than 1 min

- 1.2 Console command very very slow
- 1.2.1 Try df command at 15:41:21



- 1.2.2 No response until 15:42:43



The time panel freezed at 15:42:43 after then....

- 1.3 Can not connected to WIFI



Debian Buster:
Source: A20-OLinuXino-buster-base-20200417-113854.img.7z

I used to test the minimal version of Buster and it doesn't have X. After then I tried the base version and found that it have Xfce4 installed. I think this difference should be documented and announce to developers.

For the Buster image, it have a strange problem.
- 1. Sometimes when boot or reboot it ran into a login console, but actually we can not login. It freezed after entered the username "olimex".



But after reboot again, it can boot to X normally

- I have successfully install LXDE Core to Buster

About HDMI CEC:
- Test with Panasonic TH-43HX750W, which supports CEC 1.4
- By installed v4l-utils, cec-ctl command works perfectly from /dev/cec0 (Both Bionic and Buster)

Some Conclusion:
- Both Bionic and Buster (base) runs Xfce but not running smoothly in 1080p
- Xfce in Bionic run slower and slower as time goes by
- Buster base boot to console login randomly, but after reboot may become normal

For our development, we currently go for Buster base with LXDE-Core, but need to find a way to prevent it boot to console login. Any suggestions will be very appreciate!

[LubOlimex]

Try to disable serial-getty service?

Or maybe you want auto-login?

There is some info about getty:

https://wiki.debian.org/getty

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Getty

[zeallin]

Thank you very much for your reply!

I've disabled the serial-petty service.



And the tty1 login screen is not showing anymore. But every time the system boot or reboot it have a very high probability (8 of 10) that freeze with only a cursor on the left top corner of screen. It blinks for about 2 minutes and freezed:



How can I check which part of boot lead to the system halt?

Thanks a lot!

[LubOlimex]

Does the problem persist with the unmodified image? Does the board experience difficulties booting with the official unmodified image too?

[zeallin]

Hello my friend,

Yes, for the unmodified image, it shows the console login from tty1 (but actually you can not login). After disabled the serial-petty service, it just show the cursor and freezed

[LubOlimex]

Well you still need to login. What is the state of the green LED? Is it still blinking?

[zeallin]

Ohh, it never blinks, it always on. No matter the boot is success or not.
When the cursor on the screen blinks, keyboard and mouse are responsive (caps-lock), but after the cursor on the screen freezed, keyboard and mouse are not working.

[LubOlimex]

This is caused by LightLocker in Applications -> Settings -> Power Manager -> Security.

Set the session lock to "Never".

[zeallin]

Thank you very much!

By the way I've tried the latest A20-OLinuXino-buster-base-20200601-141239 image and no more tty1 console login appears. Will keep update if any situation occurred.

[JohnS]

Check whether the device exists and then if it does it is presumably not enabled for a login prompt (so enable it lol).

John