Custom Mint-19.2 with Linuxcnc

Thought I'd start a new thread hopefully to have a (cough, cough) coherent thread.

• Linux Mint 19.2 with RT_PREEMPT
• Linuxcnc v2.8 from sources dated 15 Feb 2020
• Geany, gFTP & Midnight commander included
• Gimp isn't the default program to open pdfs
• Initramfs modified to work when booted from a vfat filesystem, ie supports Multiboot
• No support for qtvcp but can be added later
• Mesaflash and limited hostmot2 firmware included
• If booting stalls on Regenerating SSL certifcates please press shift, on a VM make sure the keyboard is captured

Please use win32diskimager if using a windows machine to write image to disk.
In Linux dd is recommended.

Unlike other images I posted this has been created using a virgin install of Mint 19.2 on real hardware.
To apply updates to fresh install open a terminal and use the following, this should not upgrade the kernel.
ISO Image:
drive.google.com/open?id=1hGciL6KRl6wdBSqt3E437cejI5OEs2HP

MD5 Checksum:
drive.google.com/open?id=1ecvJb8B4wg21YG37squKGJP1F9YTQ4TF

All issues and support should be directed to this thread.

Is this PREEMPT_RT?

rodw wrote: Is this PREEMPT_RT?

Yep thanks for mention that Rod, I've added that bit of info.

If I have a chance I'll try out an RTAI version tomorrow.

BeagleBrainz wrote:
ISO Image:
drive.google.com/open?id=1hGciL6KRl6wdBSqt3E437cejI5OEs2HP

MD5 Checksum:
drive.google.com/open?id=1ecvJb8B4wg21YG37squKGJP1F9YTQ4TF

All issues and support should be directed to this thread.

Ok another successful download and conversion to usb then booted with usb to live install, then installed to hard drive.

From downloaded image. to usb and installled to hard drive time 30 mins then did the upgrade no probs

Now the problem which iso do we use?

Having no joy with RTAI kernel, graphics are really sluggish on my T530, glxgears barley runs.
Tried the kernel from www.linuxcnc.org/temp
4.14.148_5.2.3-linuxcnc_amd64.deb
And this one from Andys RTAI
linux-image-4.14.132-rtai-amd64_4.14.132-rtai-amd64-1_amd64.deb

Ok this is dumb, the RTAI iso I made the other day boots fine with the rtai 4.14.132 kernel.

But with a fresh install of Mint 19.2 and installing kernel it's a mess graphics wise.

Maybe I'll try again.

The funny thing is that on the iso I made the other day with the rtai kernel I have no issue with the graphics.
But when I started with a fresh install of Mint and then installed the same rtai kernel the graphics was sluggish.
I have an idea of what the issue may very well be, I just have to test the the theory.

On the other hand it’s great to know that there aren’t any issues yet with newest iso.
Thanks with all the time all those have spent testing, much appreciated.
I guess the Mint guys may want to review and suggest some changes just so it is clear to users that it is not an official Mint release but a custom remaster. Which isn’t an unfair thing in my opinion.

Ok this is really weird.

I have an iso with this kernel
linux-image-4.14.132-rtai-amd64_4.14.132-rtai-amd64-1_amd64.deb

When I boot with the Live CD everything is responsive and fine.
Yet when I use the installer and reboot from the SSD it's basically like moving through molasses, mouse, keyboard and display are sluggish and it's just about unusable in any normal way.
For the life of me I can't quite work it out, kernel & modules are the same, all apps & libs are the same.
TBH I haven't tried it on another machine, only the T530. Wonder how it would go on the T61 or the Lenovo desktop.

Update 16-02-2020 09:59
RTAI currently installed and running on the ThinkCentre M90P, apart from the display being at 1024x768 all seems ok, actually using this system to write this edit.