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Moving to the newer kernel version


jschwart

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I'm using Armbian on a Tinker Board S. I did the installation back when the 4.4 kernel was still the default one. I expected that I'd get the newer 4.19 kernel by using 'apt update && apt dist-upgrade' at some point as it would become the new stable. This does not seem to be the case however, as I see the new downloads use 4.19 by default, but the stable package still points to a 4.4 kernel.

 

Is it recommended to just move up by installing the kernel package with the next suffix or are there still reasons to wait with upgrading?

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7 minutes ago, jschwart said:

Is it recommended to just move up by installing the kernel package with the next suffix or are there still reasons to wait with upgrading?


Removing older linux-image-rockchip and linux-dtb-rockchip package to avoid troubles, then installing linux-image-next-rockchip linux-dtb-next-rockchip ... it should be possible also from armbian-config, but I just discover some problems and have to check, before recommending that option.

 

apt update upgrade upgrades the kernel you have, bot generation change is done manually/armbian-config way.

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3 hours ago, jschwart said:

I expected that I'd get the newer 4.19 kernel by using 'apt update && apt dist-upgrade' at some point as it would become the new stable.

 

For the Tinker, the 4.4 kernel is the only one to have VPU support.  Because of that, the kernel will remain 4.4 on "default" images until such a time as this stabilizes in the mainline (work is happening).

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If I understand correctly, Armbian does not provide the userspace needed for the VPU support yet either? I do not think I have been using this feature at least. Are there clear advantages to use the 4.19 kernel over the 4.4 one?

 

I noticed I just received a new version of armbian-config btw.

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1 hour ago, jschwart said:

Armbian does not provide the userspace needed for the VPU support yet either?


Nobody does since it does not exists. At least not in a stable/end-user state. Except with 4.4.y kernel. Advantages of kernel 4.19.y are: much cleaner code/higher coding standards, less bugs, better security, general improvements and new features, ... If you don't need features that exists only in legacy kernel, there is nothing to think about.
 

1 hour ago, jschwart said:

I noticed I just received a new version of armbian-config btw.


Yes. I fixed some problems, but kernel changing worked fine before ... only switching between beta and stable was making troubles on desktop versions. A new update (v5.81) was just pushed out to take care of that.

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Great, maybe I'll try the new kernel. I'm not sure if it will provide me with benefits already. I'd like to have some official OpenGL support and/or KVM (hypervisor) support.

 

I'm using the device as a desktop connected to my TV. Most of the videos I can watch directly on the TV (which happens to use the same Mali GPU), so I don't really need the Tinker Board for that.

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1 minute ago, jschwart said:

I'd like to have some official OpenGL support and/or KVM (hypervisor) support.


Not aware of OpenGL but here this is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenGL_ES KVM should work if enabled.

 

3 minutes ago, jschwart said:

which happens to use the same Mali GPU


MALI does 3D functions GL(ES), used for KODI menus for example, not video decoding. This is very common mistake. Playing video is done by CPU and when it bypasses OS, we call this "video acceleration" and video plays smoothly. Also on old SoCs such as Allwinner A10.

 

If you don't need to play video, get 4.19.y

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1 hour ago, Igor said:

Not aware of OpenGL but here this is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenGL_ES KVM should work if enabled.

I understand acceleration with Gallium3D is being mainlined and would only appear oob in the future, but then basic OpenGL should be covered. (Accelerated upscaling.)

 

Is KVM enabled already for the Armbian kernels?

 

1 hour ago, Igor said:

MALI does 3D functions GL(ES), used for KODI menus for example, not video decoding. This is very common mistake. Playing video is done by CPU and when it bypasses OS, we call this "video acceleration" and video plays smoothly. Also on old SoCs such as Allwinner A10.

Yes, it's likely there's another chip for the VPU then. It uses Mali for 3D at least and I guess 2D as well (if it's not in software). The TV runs an X.org server with the mali module (Samsung H series).

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2 hours ago, jschwart said:

I can confirm that the kernel doesn't have /dev/kvm. Or would I need to load a special module for this? 


OK. That is not surprising. It's a relatively odd feature, but it can be accepted. Submit a PR to the config (linux-rockchip-default.config, linux-rockchip-next.config and linux-rockchip-dev.config), once you know what exactly needs to be enabled. You can find instructions for sending a PR here or here.

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2 hours ago, Igor said:

OK. That is not surprising. It's a relatively odd feature, but it can be accepted. Submit a PR to the config (linux-rockchip-default.config, linux-rockchip-next.config and linux-rockchip-dev.config), once you know what exactly needs to be enabled. You can find instructions for sending a PR here or here.

 

With Tinker - there's enough RAM perhaps to make something of KVM - but with the out of the box challenges with thermals and power...

 

If one puts in the hooks for KVM, ensure that KSM is also enabled, KSM can take some memory pressure away...

 

Would have to check - but I wonder if lxc and docker support is already there with namespace support?

 

Docker and LXC work nicely these days with ARM...

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6 hours ago, sfx2000 said:

Would have to check - but I wonder if lxc and docker support is already there with namespace support?

 

Docker and LXC work nicely these days with ARM...


I was paying attention specifically only for Docker dependencies and that should be enabled everywhere except on some old or development kernel.

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On 4/29/2019 at 12:08 AM, Igor said:


I was paying attention specifically only for Docker dependencies and that should be enabled everywhere except on some old or development kernel.

 

Docker/LXC is likely best - in another project - we did LXC there for app installs

 

There might be some coverage with KVM in any event

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