How to install XBMC Live on newer Intel graphic systems
#1
Hello

Here is a small guide to install XBMC Live 8.10 on newer Intel graphic systems (in my case a Asus P5E-VM HDMI motherboard with integrated Intel G35 chipset). BEWARE - there could be some problems or downsides with this metod, you do it on your own risk!

If you install XBMC Live 8.10 to a hdd everything seams to go OK, then you reboot and see the splash screen, after that the screen goes black and everything is looked up (ctrl+alt+del, ctrl+alt+backspace etc does nothing). This is because XBMC Live 8.10 is built on Ubuntu 8.04 and 8.04 hasnt proper support for newer Intel cards as for example the Intel G35 chipset.

The solution is to install XBMC Live 8.10 and then boot up in safe mode, and after that upgrade it to Ubuntu 8.10. So why do it? Sure you can use Ubuntu and add the PPA and after that install and customize XBMC. I tried it and got most of the things working but I didnt get a "solid" feeling as with the XBMC Live. I really like the concept of a dedicated computer JUST running XBMC and nothing more.

So here is hove to do the upgrade:

Install XBMC Live to your hdd the "normal" way.
Boot up and test, probably the screen will freze after the splash.

Boot the computer with Kubuntu 8.10 live - Ubuntu will probably do but since i really like Kubuntu I have to promote it ;-)

Then Kubuntu has started use Dolphin (file manager) and go to the hdd there XBMC Live is installed and make a copy of syslinux.cfg and then open the original with Kate (text editor). Here you see the "command lines" upon boot. Delete the text: quiet splash
Now save the file and reboot with XBMC Live hdd

You will now boot in text mode and end up at a prompt. Login with your username (xbmc) and your password you choose during the install.

Now we will pretend it is a server install (!) and do the upgrade in text mode:
Update system:
$ sudo apt-get update
Install a program that lets us upgrade to Ubuntu 8.10
$ sudo apt-get install update-manager-core
Since 8.04 is a long time support release we have to say its not necessary, open this file with nano:
$ sudo nano /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades
and change: Prompt=lts
to: Prompt=normal
Save the file (ctrl+o) and quit nano (ctrl+x)
Now the upgrade starts:
$ sudo do-release-upgrade
Now run normal update BUT just download packages (in some cases you loose network while upgrading and therefore we will first download packages then install) - so:
$ sudo apt-get -d upgrade
$ sudo apt-get -d dist-upgrade
Now install the updates:
$ sudo apt-get --no-download upgrade
$ sudo apt-get --no-download dist-upgrade
There will be questions about version for different apps, I just went with the defaults. There will also be complains about that the system cant correctly install/upgrade HAL, Lirc, Network-manager, ACPI and something more. I tried to reconfigure with dpkg but no success. It says something about conflict with a install script. I suspect this has something to do with the XBMC customization. We just ignore it! (if someone got a solution please post it, I fought of change the source file (hard to intrepid) but it was empty!

Then you are here - have do you connect your sound?
If you have a digital connection run:
$ alsamixer
and unmute (press m) iec958

Reboot and start with Kubuntu 8.10 live again.
Now restore syslinux.cfg to the original one.

Reboot with XBMC Live hdd and XBMC will probably work!

As seen there are some dependency problem, I have played around with this install and the only problem i found is that about one time of ten then the computer boots up the remote doesnt work, otherwise it seams rock solid (its XBMC so what else to expect?!).

Good luck and please report success (or failure). Since I most of all care about myself my interest is to see as many users of XBMC as possible so there will be even more efforts to develop XBMC Live in the future! But for now - mary christmas and a happy new year!

Regards
Oscar
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#2
Hi, I have the same MB. I tried the new BETA1 release but doesn't work. Do you think that for BETA1 I need to do the same step ? Thanks
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