gzagatti

gzagatti

@Luksus Thanks for putting this port together! What a tremendous effort!

First, I installed Ubuntu Touch with UBPorts installer. After installation, I realized that it came with Ubuntu Touch xenial which was slightly disappointing. Apart from this, the UBPorts installer was really helpful in showing me the ropes.

Next, I found your Git repo with the source code. I saw that there was a branch to build Ubuntu Touch focal. I managed to build the whole thing after a few issues. However, when it came to flashing the image to my device it didn't work. I managed to get past the Lenovo boot screen but my installation got stuck forever on the Ubuntu Touch loading screen.

Finally, I found this thread which saved my day. Thanks for sharing the link with the pre-built versions of Ubuntu Touch focal. I was then finally able to successfully install the OS on my device.

The last step of the installation is the trickiest one. Like @muskist, everything seems to work fine, except for the camera which was expected.

One last thing, I also faced the usual boot problems. I would like to understand the flashing steps on the README file better. The main branch includes the following line.

fastboot format:ext4 userdata

But the focal branch doesn't. Could you clarify whether this line should be added to focal.

After I followed the flash instruction of the focal README file, I couldn't boot. So, I restarted the device in bootmode and issued the following additional commands.

fastboot format:ext4 userdata
fastboot -w
fastboot flash boot out/boot.img

Then, there was a lot of turning on and off --- including in bootmode --- until it magically booted to Ubuntu Touch. I wish I could say what the right incantation of flash commands was, but I can't.

gzagatti

I was able to succesfully install Ubuntu Touch on my device using the UBPorts Installer, but I was not able to submit the success report to Open Cuts.

I get the following error:

error: Error: unhandled rejection at [object Promise]: Error: Failed to create run: FetchError: request to https://ubports.open-cuts.org/graphql failed, reason: connect ECONNREFUSED 207.154.233.84:443
stack trace: Error: Failed to create run: FetchError: request to https://ubports.open-cuts.org/graphql failed, reason: connect ECONNREFUSED 207.154.233.84:443
    at /tmp/.mount_ubport8uwzzT/resources/app.asar/node_modules/open-cuts-reporter/lib/module.cjs:111:15
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)
(node:435244) UnhandledPromiseRejectionWarning: Error: Failed to create run: FetchError: request to https://ubports.open-cuts.org/graphql failed, reason: connect ECONNREFUSED 207.154.233.84:443
    at /tmp/.mount_ubport8uwzzT/resources/app.asar/node_modules/open-cuts-reporter/lib/module.cjs:111:15
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)
(Use `ubports-installer.bin --trace-warnings ...` to show where the warning was created)
(node:435244) UnhandledPromiseRejectionWarning: Unhandled promise rejection. This error originated either by throwing inside of an async function without a catch block, or by rejecting a promise which was not handled with .catch(). To terminate the node process on unhandled promise rejection, use the CLI flag `--unhandled-rejections=strict` (see https://nodejs.org/api/cli.html#cli_unhandled_rejections_mode). (rejection id: 1)

My success report is as following:

Comment: Installed Ubuntu Touch on X605 from a computer running Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS Jammy Jellyfish linux 6.2.0-31-generic x64 NodeJS v18.12.1.
Device: X605
Package: AppImage
HostOS: Linux

Thank you very much for putting the installer together! It was really helpful and I found the step-by-step instructions easy to follow.

gzagatti

@pe3noATo2DOTpl

Regarding your points.

35.9). My tablet is actually the X605F. But I haven't added a SIM card to it. I don't need cellular data as I only use the tablet at home for light entertainment like browsing the web. Wi-Fi is enough for me.

35.10) Yes, it's possivle to install TWRP. In fact, I have done that when installing Ubuntu 20.04. But you don't really need it to install the OS.

35.11) There's no judgment of value when I say something is a problem. Every challenge entails a problem otherwise it would not be a challenge. There are few rough edges in UT, but the overall experience is quite positive and there's good support from the community. It's good to have an open mind and take UT as experimental for now. So, it sounds like you have a good approach to it.

35.15) Libertine is the point of entry to install Firefox and any app that is not distributed as a native app. The video teaches the basic steps of installing apps with Libertine. Another good source is the documentation. Unfortunately, the problem is that Libertine apps that require X11 (like Firefox) shows a black screen to me. The app is definitely running, but everything is black and I can even touch where the Firefox address bar would be to get a keyboard to show up. I have opened an issue with regards to this problem here. If you have any other suggestion please share with that thread. I am really eager to get this fixed as it will open a lot of possibilities for my use of UT.

gzagatti

@pe3noATo2DOTpl I have the X605F with SIM card and 3Gb Ram.

First, I installed Ubuntu Touch 16.04 with the official installer which was very easy and then Ubuntu Touch 20.04 with Luksus installer which is more advanced. The rebooting issue is a real pain in the ass, but if you have patience and know how to get yourself around Linux you will eventually get everything installed and booted. Nowadays I keep the device always charged, so that I don’t have to reboot. But even if I have to reboot, it eventually reboots to Ubuntu after some trial-and-error fiddling with key combos on start up.

The tablet works well for basic functionality such as browsing the web and some light text editing. However all apps are somewhat unstable, so I’d only use the tablet for entertainment purposes. Sometimes the browser or terminal will suddenly close, especially when switching between apps. I’m not sure if this is a memory issue or the OS being unstable.

In terms of performance, I find the tablet quite slow compared to contemporary hardware. Again you need patience and keep your expectations low. For instance, the browser cannot handle a lot of open tabs and will often reload unused tabs which is annoying when switching between them. It is significantly slower when opening webpages compared to my phone. That being said, you can definitely enjoy it for long reads online. And because it is slower, you don’t get tempted to switch between tasks.

I love the keyboard. It is responsive and has an additional input method just for editing text which is quite useful. On the other hand, scrolling is not so smooth, and sometimes feels a bit jagged.

My main pain-point at the moment is X11 support. I still haven’t figured out how to properly setup X11 so that I can open apps like Firefox. At the moment, X11 apps appear as a black window.

gzagatti

@pe3noATo2DOTpl

Regarding your points.

35.9). My tablet is actually the X605F. But I haven't added a SIM card to it. I don't need cellular data as I only use the tablet at home for light entertainment like browsing the web. Wi-Fi is enough for me.

35.10) Yes, it's possivle to install TWRP. In fact, I have done that when installing Ubuntu 20.04. But you don't really need it to install the OS.

35.11) There's no judgment of value when I say something is a problem. Every challenge entails a problem otherwise it would not be a challenge. There are few rough edges in UT, but the overall experience is quite positive and there's good support from the community. It's good to have an open mind and take UT as experimental for now. So, it sounds like you have a good approach to it.

35.15) Libertine is the point of entry to install Firefox and any app that is not distributed as a native app. The video teaches the basic steps of installing apps with Libertine. Another good source is the documentation. Unfortunately, the problem is that Libertine apps that require X11 (like Firefox) shows a black screen to me. The app is definitely running, but everything is black and I can even touch where the Firefox address bar would be to get a keyboard to show up. I have opened an issue with regards to this problem here. If you have any other suggestion please share with that thread. I am really eager to get this fixed as it will open a lot of possibilities for my use of UT.

gzagatti

@pe3noATo2DOTpl I have the X605F with SIM card and 3Gb Ram.

First, I installed Ubuntu Touch 16.04 with the official installer which was very easy and then Ubuntu Touch 20.04 with Luksus installer which is more advanced. The rebooting issue is a real pain in the ass, but if you have patience and know how to get yourself around Linux you will eventually get everything installed and booted. Nowadays I keep the device always charged, so that I don’t have to reboot. But even if I have to reboot, it eventually reboots to Ubuntu after some trial-and-error fiddling with key combos on start up.

The tablet works well for basic functionality such as browsing the web and some light text editing. However all apps are somewhat unstable, so I’d only use the tablet for entertainment purposes. Sometimes the browser or terminal will suddenly close, especially when switching between apps. I’m not sure if this is a memory issue or the OS being unstable.

In terms of performance, I find the tablet quite slow compared to contemporary hardware. Again you need patience and keep your expectations low. For instance, the browser cannot handle a lot of open tabs and will often reload unused tabs which is annoying when switching between them. It is significantly slower when opening webpages compared to my phone. That being said, you can definitely enjoy it for long reads online. And because it is slower, you don’t get tempted to switch between tasks.

I love the keyboard. It is responsive and has an additional input method just for editing text which is quite useful. On the other hand, scrolling is not so smooth, and sometimes feels a bit jagged.

My main pain-point at the moment is X11 support. I still haven’t figured out how to properly setup X11 so that I can open apps like Firefox. At the moment, X11 apps appear as a black window.

gzagatti

@blackwizard_BE I never managed to fix the issue, so I gave up on X11 apps which is a shame. It would be useful to at least know how to debug this issue but I couldn’t figure it out.

gzagatti

@Luksus Thanks for your response. It does indeed look very strange. I will keep your techniques in mind and report again if I discover anything new.

gzagatti

@Ottis I tried rebooting and destroying the libertine container but I still get stuck on the black screen.

If I launch from the terminal

lomiri-app-launch focal_firefox_0.0

At least the "X11 support" window does not show up. But the Firefox screen is still black.

Do you know if I can at least lomiri-app-launch with a verbose mode to identify what Firefox is trying to do.

gzagatti

@Luksus thanks for your response.

I hope I can start helping once I get to know more about Ubuntu Touch. This is my first time using it, but I have some experience with Ubuntu.

I would like to report on my experience so far. After installing Focal, I spun a Libertine container up. First installation didn't complete successfully. I spun a second time successfully. To avoid the system from hibernating while spinning a new container you want to turn off the Lock when idle settings in the Settings > Battery.

However, I still had issues with the Libertine container as my X11 apps were not working (such as Firefox). I described the issue here.

I also experimented with Waydroid. Apps that require Waydroid take a while to launch. They do work, but the experience is a bit off because it is running from inside a container emulating an Android System.

I noted that everything is a bit slow in my Ubuntu Touch. For instance, when searching for updates the first time. It took about a good 10 minutes for the check to complete. Similarly, building a Libertine container and common apt commands inside of the container takes time as compared to my laptop. Do you think this is due to the limited Hardware or is it a Software issue?

I also had issues with apps suddenly quitting which is something that I don't experience on my regular Ubuntu. Again, I wonder whether this is a Hardware or Software issue?

Apart from the limitations above, I was having a very pleasant experience with Ubuntu Touch. That is, until yesterday when the tablet ran out of battery. I re-charged, but the tablet refused to reboot. I was left with re-formatting the disk by issuing the following commands using fastboot:

fastboot format:ext4 userdata
fastboot flash boot out/boot.img
fastboot reboot

I managed to reboot the tablet but it was reset to factory settings. I lost all my data (which was Ok because I am only using the tablet for entertainment). Do you have any idea what could have caused that? This kind of experience could be devastating for some users. It is also a pain in the ass to re-install everything.

gzagatti

I am facing the same issue described in LIbertine apps wont start - black "X11 support" window.

I can't open most of the Libertine apps. Once I try to open a Libertine app, both the app itself and a "X11 support" app are turned on. The "X11 support" app shows a black screen while the app I was trying to open does not display any window. Examples of apps that I can't open include Firefox and Xournal. On the other hand, I am able to open some Libertine apps like Gnome System Monitor.

I have installed Ubuntu Touch on the Lenovo X605 tablet from the images distributed in the Gitlab latest pipeline run. (I've also described my installation experience here). The settings confirm that I am using Ubuntu Touch 20.04 on the devel branch. However, I am not sure whether the tablet is getting OTA updates because I am not able to select the release type on System Settings.

Could someone help me with troubleshooting? I am afraid I don't know what to look for since I am new with Ubuntu Touch.

gzagatti