Getting Ubuntu onto my Samsung //build/ tablet

[SteveRiley]

I will document this here as I go along. Keep your finger on that [F5] key for the latest updates!

[SteveRiley]

Enter setup
* Ensure secure boot is switched off
* Place system into UEFI-only mode by disabling the CSM (compatibility service module)

Reboot Windows 8 and let it sort itself out

Power down, attach dock and keyboard

[SteveRiley]

* Place the EFI Shell utility on a USB
* Boot into the shell

Unlike the ThinkPad, where you press [F1] for setup or [F12] for boot device menu, the Samsung responds only [F10]. This brings up its boot manager.

* Examine the boot variables. Boy, the screen refresh is sloooooooooooooooooooow. It's like some kind of teletype machine.

Hey, there's a digital certificate buried in here. Yup, it's from Microsoft.

[SteveRiley]

* Boot with GParted Live USB
* UEFI boot manager shows two choices: Windows 8 and the USB drive
* GRUB starts
* Pick the default option

Boot text scrolls, but eventually it croaks. Error is "modprobe: module unknown not found in modules.dep" repeated about 20 times.

* Dumped to an (initramfs) prompt, but keyboard isn't working.

There's a curious error telling me that tty1 can't be found. Related to the nonworking keyboard? Dunno.

[SteveRiley]

* Several reboots, with various mount options. Collection of errors has no rhythm or predictability. Always ends the same, though.

Idea: what if I switch the CSM back on?

* Boot to setup, switch it on
* Reboot with GParted Live
* Press [F10] for the menu

Wow. many more choices now. Looks like I can select from the BIOS and the UEFI modes of both bootable devices, the USB and the built-in SSD. OK, so my earlier statement from a few days ago regarding the Thinkpads -- that CSM/legacy mode should push the UEFI boot manager out of the way -- was wrong. It's still there.

* Try booting the BIOS mode of GParted Live. It won't boot. Probably because I didn't set the boot flag on the USB's FAT32 partition.
* Boot again, this time selecting the UEFI choice.

GRUB starts, select first option, black screen. Retry! GRUB starts, select failsafe option, boot text scrolls, holy crap I'm in X!



Suspicion so far: something in the boot process confuses the kernel's attempt to detect and load drivers when the CSM is switched off. This was not a problem with the ThinkPads, but is a problem with the Samsung. When the CSM is switched on, UEFI boots properly. Very weird. Sounds like some bugs somewhere.

[SteveRiley]

(Lunch. Leftover KFC from the fridge, not even stopping by the microwave. OK, I'm officially a geek.)

Been exploring, nothing much to report. Updated my post on Ubuntu Forum in case anyone there is curious.

* Had to scrounge for a USB hub. Need to use a regular mouse, the touchscreen is wonky on the GParted Live
* Shrank /dev/sda5 to 40 GB, thus making space to install Ubuntu
* Rebooted
* Now about to boot today's Ubuntu Precise alternate installer

[SteveRiley]

Running the installer in UEFI mode consistently fails. GRUB starts, I can choose "Install" (or "Expert install"), but then the screen goes blank. I'm experimenting with various kernel boot parameters.

(Running the installer in BIOS mode works, but I don't want to resort to that just yet.)

[SteveRiley]

Giving up pure UEFI mode for the install. Will try BIOS mode, then attempt to figure out how to switch it to UEFI later. I have no clue why the GParted Live USB will boot in UEFI mode the Ubuntu USB won't. I've even tried the exact same GRUB settings (graphics resolution) and boot parameters.

[SteveRiley]

(Dinner. Better than lunch!)

* Installed Ubuntu in BIOS mode to /dev/sda6
* When presented with the choice where to install GRUB, I chose /dev/sda6 (the new partition carved out of my earlier repartitioning)

Of course, this wouldn't boot, and I knew that.

Now in rescue mode, removing grub-pc and replacing with grub-efi.

[SteveRiley]

Prognosis: not good. GRUB loads but the OS won't boot -- black screen. I've tried every trick I can find on teh Googlez to get around this and I'm having no success. I'll try a daily live and see if there's any difference.

[SteveRiley]

Daily Live works. But only if I:

* Leave the CSM on
* Boot the USB in BIOS, not UEFI, mode

I just noticed that this sucker's UEFI is version 1.something. That could very well be a part of why it's been such a PITA to get going. Anyway, take a look...



Guess what. It's practically useless. Oh, I can move the cursor around the screen with my finger, but there seems to be no way to indicate double-tap for click-drag. Sigh.

[SteveRiley]

Time to shelve this for a while longer, I think. It's useless as a tablet if basic click-drag won't work. The "love handles" in Unity simply don't work. My CompizConfig Setting Manager lacks the option.

There's a bug in Lauchpad about the 700T touchscreen not working right. The bug referred to a kernel patch that probably won't make it into 3.2 in Precise but supposedly is accepted for 3.3. I grabbed the 3.3 mainline kernel to check. Of course, you can't (easily) change kernels on a Live USB, so I installed the live USB onto another USB (which is actually really cool, can't do that in Windows!). Booted from that USB, installed the 3.3 mainline kernel, and still no touchscreen joy. Rats.

I suppose I'll give it another go with Plasma Active 2, who knows?

While I might have waxed rhapsodic last week about UEFI, I'm now thinking I was singing its praises too early. It's causing me no end of grief on this tablet. I'm seriously considering wiping the entire thing clean and just sticking with BIOS+MBR. Or maybe I'm simply feeling jaded because an entire Saturday's efforts bore almost no fruit.

[Snowhog]

Or maybe I'm simply feeling jaded because an entire Saturday's efforts bore almost no fruit.

Oh the laments of a genuine geek!