Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Alpha 6

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Alpha 6

The final alpha release for Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron is now available. Among the features that are available to Ubuntu 8.04 users are Firefox 3 Beta 3, the Vinagre VNC client, PolicyKit, PulseAudio, improved Virtualization capabilities, and even improved memory protection. Ubuntu 8.04 will use the Linux 2.6.24 kernel with X.Org 7.3 and GNOME 2.22.0. Ubuntu 8.04 Alpha 6 is accompanied by new alpha builds for Kubuntu, Kubuntu-KDE4, Edubuntu, Ubuntu JeOS, Xubuntu, Gobuntu, and Ubuntu Studio. The final release of Ubuntu 8.04 is planned for April 24 and it will be an LTS (Long Term Support) release.

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=11959

[Vadi]

I actually like the new theme & wallpaper.

[joshuapurcell]

No joke, the desktop image is actually something that stands out from the previous ones in large way. I'm sure this will be something that some people won't like, but I'm impressed so far with the look.

EDIT: I like the updated layout of Rhythmbox as also.

[Michael]

Same here, I really like the new Ubuntu 8.04 theme :D

[Kano]

Kubuntu's background is ok, but Ubuntu uses Gnome which I dislike. The GUI is maybe ok, but the default keyboard settings are really stupid - especially if you want to use mc with the gnome terminal. Of course I know that these could be changed, but the out-of-the-box experience is pretty bad for console users...

[Melcar]

I think it's a kernel issue, because neither a freshly burned Ubuntu disc nor a compiled 2.6.24 kernel is able to load properly on my machine. Both hang on the hardware driver loading part. Don't think it's a problem with the video card either. Anyone with a SB600 (I'm using a 580X AMD board) chip out there that can confirm this for me?

[Kano]

I told the developers already about the problem to disable the amd74xx module - this makes really trouble and is not needed as pata_amd replaces it and is also there. I don't like legacy ide drivers at all, as most of the new pata ones work fine - the via82cxxx is also not needed. What I really dislike about U is that you can tell em everything and they don't do something until you write a bug report in launchpad. Maybe they think if something breaks you can point to the bug and write it was not my idea, it was the other one...

[Melcar]

I told the developers already about the problem to disable the amd74xx module - this makes really trouble and is not needed as pata_amd replaces it and is also there. I don't like legacy ide drivers at all, as most of the new pata ones work fine - the via82cxxx is also not needed. What I really dislike about U is that you can tell em everything and they don't do something until you write a bug report in launchpad. Maybe they think if something breaks you can point to the bug and write it was not my idea, it was the other one...


Can that amd74xx module be easily disabled if I compile my own kernel? If so, where should I look for it? I just hope that whatever is causing this is fixed by the time Hardy is out.

[Kano]

It can be easyly disabled, but you need to install it first because the current initramfs code does not support a blacklist option. Here are 2 examples:

AMD:
echo blacklist via82cxxx > /etc/modprobe.d/custom-blacklist

VIA:
echo blacklist amd74xx > /etc/modprobe.d/custom-blacklist

Then:

update-initramfs -u

Note: you can not do that with a 2.6.22 kernel, only 2.6.24 has the needed pata driver!

[Svartalf]

No joke, the desktop image is actually something that stands out from the previous ones in large way. I'm sure this will be something that some people won't like, but I'm impressed so far with the look.

No kidding... It's...striking. That's the best way to describe it.

I kind of like it on first blush. Not to mention that you can ALWAYS change it all up anyhow... >:-) :D

[Melcar]

Compiled a new 2.6.24.3 kernel without that amd module, but it would not load again. Tried booting a Hardy image I got a hold of yesterday, but it would not load either. Both give me the same result:


Check root= bootarg cat /proc/cmdline
or missing modules, devices: cat /proc/modules ls /dev

ALERT! /dev/disk /by-uuid /2722354a-a243-4baa-8ef5-447c5-6c42 does not exist, dropping to shell!

BusyBox v1.1.3 (Debian 1:1.1.3-5ubuntu7) Built-in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands

(initramfs) [ 246.237572] usb 2-1: device not accepting address 2, errorShame. Really wanted to take a sneak peak at Hardy.

[Kano]

grep PATA_AMD /boot/config-$(uname -r)
CONFIG_PATA_AMD=m

should be there. The blacklist hack is usually working too... You can not boot a hd image without changeing the root option. thats not fully trivial to do that. Compared to that extracting the initrd and putting it back to gether (with added blacklist) then modifiying the iso image is more easy.

[Melcar]

grep PATA_AMD /boot/config-$(uname -r)
CONFIG_PATA_AMD=m

should be there. The blacklist hack is usually working too... You can not boot a hd image without changeing the root option. thats not fully trivial to do that. Compared to that extracting the initrd and putting it back to gether (with added blacklist) then modifiying the iso image is more easy.


Found that option, but even if I compile with it off, the kernel is still unable to boot, and finishes with the error from my previous post. The problem is elsewhere it seems.

[Kano]

That option must be on! It is not needed to recompile the kernel at all, as you can hotfix it with blacklisting for 2.6.24 kernels. update-initramfs -u will update the initrd for the current kernel. so the most easy way is to use vbox (with desktop iso) or something similar, do the blacklist, run the update-initramfs -u command, reuse the new /boot/initrd.img-$(uname -r) as casper/initrd.gz of the desktop iso - for beginners use isomaster for that part.

[VaHyper]

I like that the wallpaper has a hardy heron theme, they should continue with a wallpaper with a release specific animal imo :)

[marakaid]

Since upgrading a computer with Gutsy 7.10 to Hardy Alpha6, browsing the web is real slow; pages take too many second to start loading.

I've tried disabling IPv6 support in Firefox 3 beta 3 config but no luck, same with installing Firefox 2 from the repositories.