L4T Ubuntu
​

Intro
L4T Ubuntu is a version of Linux based on nvidia's linux for tegra project. It uses a different kernel compared to previous releases which allows it to use features not yet in mainline. Such as audio, docking support and vulkan.

Join our discord: https://discord.gg/53mtKYt

We have a wiki !
To facilitate our work we will only update our wiki from now on in order to avoid multiple outdated references, please refer to the following link instead of this page
https://wiki.switchroot.org/en/Linux/Ubuntu-Install-Guide

Credits
Bylaws,
Langerhans,
Ave,
Natinusala,
CTCaer(most of the hard stuff),
Gavin_Darkglider,
DanielOgorchock(Joycon drivers/joycond),
stary2001 (reboot2payload),
NVIDIA,
Azkali
Everyone else in switchroot - more info on that in the future.

 

[mgjpm37]

Ubuntu screen does not appear on monitor when switch is docked

 

[mgjpm37]

L4T Ubuntu 3.0.0
​

Intro
L4T Ubuntu is a version of Linux based on nvidia's linux for tegra project. It uses a different kernel compared to previous releases which allows it to use features not yet in mainline. Such as audio, docking support and vulkan.

Beware, using high clocks in handheld mode will degrade your batteries capacity a lot faster than at stock clocks
If you can't install an application check this thread, and ask all questions there https://gbatemp.net/threads/l4t-ubuntu-applcation-install-guides.537579/

Features

• Dock support with USB
• Bluetooth (both controllers and audio)
• Full Joycon Support(Excluding NFC, and IRcamera)
• Nvidia GPU drivers - Vulkan and OpenGL
• Audio - Headphones, speakers and over HDMI when docked.
• Touchscreen
• Display
• WiFi
• CPU frequency scaling - The CPU scales from 200mhz to 1.7ghz (what switch is binned for) depending on the load its under. Fans are adjusted to account for this
• Full sdcard speed
• Hardware video acceleration when using the built in videos app (means you can watch videos without battery draining massively)
• Overclocking
• LP0 Sleep mode
• IMU/Ambiant Light sensor support
• Quick Charging
• reboot2payload
• Minerva Memory Training
• Support for Moonlight-QT

Prerequisites

• A dedicated 16GB+ sdcard

Downloads

• https://download.switchroot.org/ubuntu/switchroot-l4t-ubuntu-3.0.0-full-2020-03-01.img.gz
• https://download.switchroot.org/ubuntu/switchroot-l4t-ubuntu-3.0.0-lite-2020-03-02.img.gz

Torrent Links can be found here:
https://torrents.switchroot.org/ubuntu/

Updates
Currently there are no updates past 3.0.0 which is the image. If they are needed they will be posted here.
How to install

1. Download the image(Full with extra dev/cuda stuff, lite like old image) you want from the downloads section and extract.
2. Write it to your sdcard using a program such as etcher or dd
3. Apply any updates from the updates section in the thread, IMPORTANT as images don't EVER come with them
4. Boot hekate and select L4T from the configs menu.
5. Wait for around 2-4 minutes while it initially loads
6. Go through the setup process - make sure not to dock the console in this period.
7. Once the initial setup is finished and you are on the login screen it is advisable to reboot:
8. Load hekate again and select L4T as a payload.
9. Log in and open the "Disks" app
10. Select the second partition of your sdcard and click the gears icon
11. Choose resize and change the size to the full amount of available space.
12. Enjoy, you now have fully featured Ubuntu on your switch!

Bugs

• Docking while having a ssh session open can cause the display to not turn off correctly(not sure if this still applies)
• USB OTG - works fine in dock though
• Vulkan is buggy in dolphin..... Use Ishuriika it works better.
• The real time clock gets messed up in horizon (not sure if this still applies)

• Pair (joy/pro)cons by opening the bluetooth menu in settings and pressing the + button in the bottom left corner. Then press the sync button on the controller and select its name in the pairing window. Once both joycons are paired press each of their shoulder buttons to use as one controller
• To update the system run "sudo apt update", "sudo apt upgrade". This will apply all switch and ubuntu updates aside from kernel updates, they will be posted here if ever needed.
• To limit cpu freq, run cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpufreq/policy0/scaling_available_frequencies. Find the one you want, then run: echo <freq you want> | sudo tee /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpufreq/policy0/scaling_max_freq
• To force max freq run echo performance | sudo tee /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpufreq/policy0/scaling_governor
• A gui to configure overclocks and fan profiles is coming soon
• NEW: To activate 2 ghz mode run
  

  echo 1 | sudo tee /sys/kernel/tegra_cpufreq/overclock
  echo 2091000  | sudo tee /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpufreq/policy0/scaling_max_freq

  then run the command to force max freq if you want to use anything intensive.
• To always use 2.0ghz mode copy
  

  echo 1 > /sys/kernel/tegra_cpufreq/overclock
  echo  2091000 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpufreq/policy0/scaling_max_freq

  to /etc/rc.local before the exit 0 line
  
  ​

  ​

Sources
They can all be found at https://gitlab.com/switchroot with the other kernel repos on http://nv-tegra.nvidia.com

Use these scripts if you want to build your own kernel: https://gitlab.com/switchroot/kernel/l4t-kernel-build-scripts/tree/test

Get firmware files from lakka-switch github and place them in /lib/firmware on the kernel build machine, or it will fail to build. You can use these scripts to build kernels for other linux distros as well.

For what it is worth, the current kernel in the image is built without cypress-wifi, and I plan on adding a ton more modules for hardware expansion. This is still basically the same config from 1.3.1 update, with a few minor changes for new drivers.

Credits
Bylaws,
Langerhans,
Ave,
Natinusala,
CTCaer,
Gavin_Darkglider,
DanielOgorchock(Joycon drivers/joycond),
stary2001 (reboot2payload),
NVIDIA,
Everyone else in switchroot - more info on that in the future.

Unable to select vulkan on dolphin

 

[TheCasualties]

Unable to select vulkan on dolphin

Did you install the Ishiiruka fork?
https://gbatemp.net/threads/l4t-ubuntu-applcation-install-guides.537579/

 

[spotanjo3]

Are they still work on it ? I haven't used it but just wonder.

 

[TheCasualties]

Are they still work on it ? I haven't used it but just wonder.

On what? Ishiiruka fork? The last github commit was on May 6th, so it seems it's still getting worked on. The main Dolphin git is still being updated too, but they haven't put out any new "releases" since 5.0

I tried to build portable (main fork) dolphin but couldn't get it to work. So i'm not actually sure if ishiiruka is still the best option. I'll try to build it again sometime soon.

 

[spotanjo3]

On what? Ishiiruka fork? The last github commit was on May 6th, so it seems it's still getting worked on. The main Dolphin git is still being updated too, but they haven't put out any new "releases" since 5.0

I tried to build portable (main fork) dolphin but couldn't get it to work. So i'm not actually sure if ishiiruka is still the best option. I'll try to build it again sometime soon.

No, I mean L4T Ubuntu but that too, lol!

 

[TheCasualties]

No, I mean L4T Ubuntu but that too, lol!

lol oh of course!

I've seen a few updates come up after booting, though I'm not sure if these updates were specific to L4T or ubuntu in general. So.. I'll say maybe still being updated.

There are no new updates to the installer image in OP tho.

 

[spotanjo3]

lol oh of course!

I've seen a few updates come up after booting, though I'm not sure if these updates were specific to L4T or ubuntu in general. So.. I'll say maybe still being updated.

There are no new updates to the installer image in OP tho.

Is it worth ? Much better than before ?

 

[TheCasualties]

Is it worth ? Much better than before ?

I only started using it a month or 2 ago, so I'm not sure if it's better than before.

It's worth it to me because timesplitters 2 runs solid 60fps with the ishuiiruka fork. No other gamecube emu on switch could do this for me. TS2 was the game I wanted to play most so I stuck with it.

None of the other games run as well as TS2, but some are certainly playable. Might be able to get better performance by tweaking settings of each game.

 

[mgjpm37]

Did you install the Ishiiruka fork?
https://gbatemp.net/threads/l4t-ubuntu-applcation-install-guides.537579/

"CMake cmake lists" error occurs

 

[spotanjo3]

I only started using it a month or 2 ago, so I'm not sure if it's better than before.

It's worth it to me because timesplitters 2 runs solid 60fps with the ishuiiruka fork. No other gamecube emu on switch could do this for me. TS2 was the game I wanted to play most so I stuck with it.

None of the other games run as well as TS2, but some are certainly playable. Might be able to get better performance by tweaking settings of each game.

What about Wii game ? Like Zelda Skyward Sword?

 

[TheCasualties]

What about Wii game ? Like Zelda Skyward Sword?

I doubt it would work well, if at all, since it requires the wii motion+ thing. Only way I was able to play that game in dolphin was on a PC with an IR bar and a real wiimote with the motion+ part.

If you have more questions about performance or want me to test some games on L4T you can PM me. I don't think we should keep filling this thread with (somewhat) off-topic talk.

-------------------

"CMake cmake lists" error occurs

I'm not really well versed in linux or cmake. I'd try looking around online for error codes.

I do know installing 2 versions of Dolphin on the same machine is.. not as easy, at least. You may need to delete the version of Dolphin you previously installed. IDR the command lines to delete it, but surely that can be found with a quick google search.

 

[Pacheko17]

Oof, Ubuntu. This ain't gonna be forcing snaps down our throats as well, right? Why not just make it a Debian base?

 

[spotanjo3]

I doubt it would work well, if at all, since it requires the wii motion+ thing. Only way I was able to play that game in dolphin was on a PC with an IR bar and a real wiimote with the motion+ part.

If you have more questions about performance or want me to test some games on L4T you can PM me. I don't think we should keep filling this thread with (somewhat) off-topic talk.

------

that's ok. I used it with Wii motion plus all the time on PC. I just want to know about Switch. I can test it on my own but one day. Thank you for your time!

 

[Presentz]

My joycons wont work, I've got the single green light and their both connected on the bt menu but they wont do anything

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

My joycons aren't working. They're on the bt menu and have the single green light but they don't do anything.

 

[TheCasualties]

My joycons aren't working. They're on the bt menu and have the single green light but they don't do anything.

You need a new joycon map file, the one on page 113 called 50-joystick.zip worked for me. Or there is one on page 117 that adds a deadzone in case you have drift. Haven't tested that one.

The post is by Feranthur

Follow the instructions in that post (installing xorg), and download the zip with the web browser on your L4T install, extract it, then you have to move the file to usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d

To move it, command would look something like this:

sudo mv '/home/USERNAME/Downloads/50-joystick.conf' '/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d'

Replace USERNAME with your username.It is case sensitive. Good luck.

hopefully this will work for you too.

___________________________________

PS for anyone new to this: Instead of using touchscreen keyboard for commands in the terminal, I like using a program called PuTTY to SSH into the switch and type from my computer. I think a usb keyboard on the dock would work too.

Also been using my ps3 controller w/ usb for dolphin when docked. Haven't tested the blutooth yet. The Dualshock joysticks are so much better for Timesplitters. Turned down the C Stick radius in controller settings and now I can reliably aim in that game lol

 

[Presentz]

hopefully this will work for you too.

___________________________________

PS for anyone new to this: Instead of using touchscreen keyboard for commands in the terminal, I like using a program called PuTTY to SSH into the switch and type from my computer. I think a usb keyboard on the dock would work too.

Also been using my ps3 controller w/ usb for dolphin when docked. Haven't tested the blutooth yet. The Dualshock joysticks are so much better for Timesplitters. Turned down the C Stick radius in controller settings and now I can reliably aim in that game lol

Hey! I managed to get a mouse using sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-input-joystick but cant interact with anything, guessing I need to map buttons somehow?

 

[TheCasualties]

Hey! I managed to get a mouse using sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-input-joystick but cant interact with anything, guessing I need to map buttons somehow?

That's where this post comes in. Page 113. It has a download in the post.

Hello everyone, i've made some basic mappings to use the joycons as a mouse on L4T Ubuntu 3.0 since the previous mappings do not work with the new joycon driver. My mappings are to be used with xorg. To install xorg joystick: sudo apt install xserver-xorg-input-joystick. After installing you extract the zip file and move 50-joystick.conf to usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d (do it with sudo mv) and then you either reboot or log out and log in again. The mappings are as follow: Left click mouse is B , Right click is A, L and R control volume, ZR and ZL control brightness, Screenshot button enables or disables mouse mode , Home button is Escape, Plus button is enter, Minus button is back.

That's it. This should make most DE pretty usable on switch (like cinnamon which doesn't work well with touchscreen) and help with things like dolphin standalone since that doesn't have a gamepad interface.

Also many thanks to gavin_darkglider and the rest of the switchroot team for giving us an amazing linux experience on switch!

Find that page on your L4T chromium browser and download the file. Then use sudo mv to move the map file, so the command you put in the terminal is


sudo mv '/home/USERNAME/Downloads/50-joystick.conf' '/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d'


*and replace USERNAME with the username on your L4T. Hopefully you can just copy/paste that on your switch and change username, or use SSH on pc to post it exactly.

 

[HappehLemons]

I'm having issues getting the onscreen keyboard to appear when inputting text. Is there any way to force it to come up?

 

[TheCasualties]

I'm having issues getting the onscreen keyboard to appear when inputting text. Is there any way to force it to come up?

There should be a button in the top bar, on the right. Think it's a rectangle with some lines? If you can tap on it, it should drop down a menu where it'll have onscreen keyboard options.