L4T Ubuntu - A fully featured linux on your switch

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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To facilitate our work we will only update our wiki from now on in order to avoid multiple outdated references, please refer to the following link instead of this page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.
 
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MushCow

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The Switch has a type of CPU called ARM64 more similar to the one in your phone than in a desktop or laptop. Because of that many programs aren't designed with it in mind or the ability to run. I believe that there is a way to run such programs regardless but with a big hit to performance, speed, etc.
And for the note: You can switch to the "Switch OS" and play there.

The interesting part is streaming und much more. Netflix, Amazon Prime or Kodi ...

I hope anyone can find a way to include widevine or DRM. :)
 
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Imancol

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The Switch has a type of CPU called ARM64 more similar to the one in your phone than in a desktop or laptop. Because of that many programs aren't designed with it in mind or the ability to run. I believe that there is a way to run such programs regardless but with a big hit to performance, speed, etc.
I thought that with running Ubuntu and ran anything throws in linux. Since the same operating system, aaptado to arm64, would be responsible for interpreting the game for that processor.

So can only play pure emulator?
 

Gavin_Darkglider

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And for the note: You can switch to the "Switch OS" and play there.

The interesting part is streaming und much more. Netflix, Amazon Prime or Kodi ...

I hope anyone can find a way to include widevine or DRM. :)

I have had a linux build for a year that plays netflix in kodi 18. You cant easily install kodi18 in l4t ubuntu, as the build enviornment is a pain to set up, as the ppa is all for X86_64. :( I am working on an l4t-gentoo build now, but I think I am stuck with a 64 bit os. Not a big deal, as I plan on creating a 32bit chroot just for kodi on this build. It sucks, as there is no multilib arm setup, so you have to build a 64bit system to get the drivers to work, and a 32bit chroot, basically set up the same way, with the apps installed in it that wont run on arm64(Such as libwedevine library to decrypt drm streams.) It is a work in process, and my computer isnt the fastest, but if I can get it to work, I will post a basic stage 4 here, at least for the arm64 stuff.
 

trohn_javolta

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I have had a linux build for a year that plays netflix in kodi 18. You cant easily install kodi18 in l4t ubuntu, as the build enviornment is a pain to set up, as the ppa is all for X86_64. :( I am working on an l4t-gentoo build now, but I think I am stuck with a 64 bit os. Not a big deal, as I plan on creating a 32bit chroot just for kodi on this build. It sucks, as there is no multilib arm setup, so you have to build a 64bit system to get the drivers to work, and a 32bit chroot, basically set up the same way, with the apps installed in it that wont run on arm64(Such as libwedevine library to decrypt drm streams.) It is a work in process, and my computer isnt the fastest, but if I can get it to work, I will post a basic stage 4 here, at least for the arm64 stuff.

Nice, thx for your work!
 

Drban789

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I'm waiting like crazy for Android on the Switch now, then it's even more perfect!

Is there people working on it atm or your just hoping? Because ubuntu is really weird for me lol. Andriod will be perfect the OS is so light and stable. And so much stuff for it.
 

xdarkmario

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the keyboard dosent popup when i need it to, it seems to do what it wants. can i make it popup whenever i need it to?


EDIT: found it all the way at the top of the screen in that little 4 panel square on top. (its small so you may need a stylus to tap)
 
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KuranKu

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the keyboard dosent popup when i need it to, it seems to do what it wants. can i make it popup whenever i need it to?


EDIT: found it all the way at the top of the screen in that little 4 panel square on top. (its small so you may need a stylus to tap)
the small 4 cubes icon on the right top side of the panel just beside all the other icons such wifi ...
 
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ZeroFX

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anyone else got dual boot working with horrizon OS and this ubuntu on the same SD? i have somewhat a "dualboot" but its far from practical.
This was already answered, search for the keyword partition or dd or whatever in this post :).

nevermind, i got for ya.
pietempgba said:
I figured out a way to dual boot horizon os and Ubuntu. You can flash the SD image and copy the 1.2 files over then you can move the second partition down and resize it up then you can resize the 1st partition and it can be used with the switch and you can copy all your switch files over. You can only really do this with gparted so you'll have to setup a vm, install it or use another different way of doing it
 
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Drban789

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Hello, im struggling to install snapd for the switch. I wanted to install acestream player, however I keep getting the same error "system does not fully support snapd:cannot mount sqaushfs image using "squashfs: mount: /tmp/sanity-mountpoint-322799071: unknown filesystem type 'squashfs'."

I am guessing because this version of unbuntu is modified? as snap should already work for this version
 

ZeroFX

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Hello, im struggling to install snapd for the switch. I wanted to install acestream player, however I keep getting the same error "system does not fully support snapd:cannot mount sqaushfs image using "squashfs: mount: /tmp/sanity-mountpoint-322799071: unknown filesystem type 'squashfs'."

I am guessing because this version of unbuntu is modified? as snap should already work for this version
you have to rebuild the kernel, adding Squashfs support, someone already discussed about this and theres even a script for building the kernel above, oh and this is a fully fledged ubuntu, its just a different architecture.
 
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Drban789

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you have to rebuild the kernel, adding Squashfs support, someone already discussed about this and theres even a script for building the kernel above, oh and this is a fully fledged ubuntu, its just a different architecture.

I saw it but i just dont get it lol. Says i need another linux machine to do it etc. i only have the switch with ubuntu on it. No clue what to do
 
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enzobelmont

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is there a .deb with nvidia driver?
I am asking this because upgraded all distro and now i can not inialize graphic driver.
Reviewing Xorg log it says that there is a problem with DRI.
 

Gavin_Darkglider

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As the person that wrote the script, I can say that it should be buildable on the switch. I personally run linux on my computer anyway, hince why I would say a linux computer. Attached is a version that should work on the switch, assuming you have a sane build enviornment.

To build this on the switch, you must have a full gcc enviornment.... Google how to install it on ubuntu, I run gentoo, so I am not going to look into it.

Step 1: Download Attached txt file
Step 2. open terminal
Step 3. type: mkdir -p ~/kernel; mv ~/Downloads/l4t_kernel_prep.txt ~/kernel/l4t_kernel_prep.sh; chmod +x ~/kernel/l4t_kernel_prep.sh
Step 4. type: cd kernel/
Step 5. type. ./l4t_kernel_prep.sh
Step 6. type: cd kernel/kernel-4.9
This will run the script and set up the Switch default config.

To change settings, type: make menuconfig
To Build, type: make -j5 tegra-dtstree="../hardware/nvidia/"
To install modules type: make modules_install

To install you need to mount boot partition, so
type: mount /dev/mmcblk0p1 /boot; cp arch/arm64/boot/Image.gz /boot/l4t-ubuntu/Image; cp arch/arm64/boot/dts/tegra210-icosa.dtb /boot/l4t-ubuntu/tegra210-icosa.dtb; umount /boot
 

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Drban789

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As the person that wrote the script, I can say that it should be buildable on the switch. I personally run linux on my computer anyway, hince why I would say a linux computer. Attached is a version that should work on the switch, assuming you have a sane build enviornment.

To build this on the switch, you must have a full gcc enviornment.... Google how to install it on ubuntu, I run gentoo, so I am not going to look into it.

Step 1: Download Attached txt file
Step 2. open terminal
Step 3. type: mkdir -p ~/kernel; mv ~/Downloads/l4t_kernel_prep.txt ~/kernel/l4t_kernel_prep.sh; chmod +x ~/kernel/l4t_kernel_prep.sh
Step 4. type: cd kernel/
Step 5. type. ./l4t_kernel_prep.sh
Step 6. type: cd kernel/kernel-4.9
This will run the script and set up the Switch default config.

To change settings, type: make menuconfig
To Build, type: make -j5 tegra-dtstree="../hardware/nvidia/"
To install modules type: make modules_install

To install you need to mount boot partition, so
type: mount /dev/mmcblk0p1 /boot; cp arch/arm64/boot/Image.gz /boot/l4t-ubuntu/Image; cp arch/arm64/boot/dts/tegra210-icosa.dtb /boot/l4t-ubuntu/tegra210-icosa.dtb; umount /boot

Thank you for the thorough guide. I will follow it and report back. Thank you again
 
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Gavin_Darkglider

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For what it is worth, I would back up the l4t-ubuntu folder on the fat32 partition before I tried this, as if the build doesnt work, you can get back to a working build easier. I just tested it as far as getting it to build. When I tried to use it with my arm32 gentoo build, it booted, but because there is no framebuffer driver, and I cant install the l4t xorg driver, it was useless. I didnt test it on l4t ubuntu, as I wasnt happy with ubuntu(Dont like apt, especially for aarch64 choices). When I am done with my build, it should give more options, such as kodi 18, with working netflix(maybe, via 32bit chroot, not sure about gfx driver stuff though), as I have had that for months using the old linux kernel. As for android, until there is a framebuffer driver, L4T kernel is almost useless, as the blobs are for x11, hince why the first thing on the screen once the console boots is the nvidia logo, which can actually be disabled, with an extra config option in xorg.conf. lol.
 
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Drban789

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For what it is worth, I would back up the l4t-ubuntu folder on the fat32 partition before I tried this, as if the build doesnt work, you can get back to a working build easier. I just tested it as far as getting it to build. When I tried to use it with my arm32 gentoo build, it booted, but because there is no framebuffer driver, and I cant install the l4t xorg driver, it was useless. I didnt test it on l4t ubuntu, as I wasnt happy with ubuntu(Dont like apt, especially for aarch64 choices). When I am done with my build, it should give more options, such as kodi 18, with working netflix(maybe, via 32bit chroot, not sure about gfx driver stuff though), as I have had that for months using the old linux kernel. As for android, until there is a framebuffer driver, L4T kernel is almost useless, as the blobs are for x11, hince why the first thing on the screen once the console boots is the nvidia logo, which can actually be disabled, with an extra config option in xorg.conf. lol.

the script is running atm but im not gonna setup switch the default or install it. lol i have no idea whats going on. ill let the other experienced members run it first then ill follow suite. :D
 

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