Ubuntu 6.12.y for the uConsole and DevTerm

[Rex]

Ubuntu 24.04: 6.12.32 Image

Installer now works with both the CM4 and 5! Charge light now works with Ubuntu!

Ubuntu is a Linux distribution derived from Debian and composed mostly of free and open-source software.

Features: ClockworkPi-Ubuntu-6.12.y

• Sane charging defaults applied.
• External WiFi antenna already set in config.txt.
• linux-headers included with kernel
• Works with both DevTerm CM4/5 and uConsole CM3/4/5.
• Auto-expanding file system
  • On first boot system will boot expand FS then reboot.
• Updated driver overlays - easier config.txt management.
  • Just follow the instructions at the bottom of the config.txt

Raspberry Pi Imager will cause image not to boot if you apply custom settings.

I have added a few working/testing images and kernels with the *.deb files to install in the mega folder if you want for different OSs.

8.74 GB folder on MEGA

Google Drive link for the main image if Mega doesn’t work for you.

ClockworkPi - Google Drive

Here’s my Github with the rpi-6.12.y branch if you’d like to compile yourself. All the ClockworkPi drivers are pre-marked to compile in bcm2711_defconfig or bcm2712_defconfig. Also the APT repo with kernels and hardware scripts for ClockworkPi devices

ak-rex - Overview

Support my work and buy me a coffee here.

Rex

[jutleys]

I was going to ask you Rex to do this one as its my favourite Linux distro thank you brother. Now all i need is Batocera if you can get that running Uconsole.

[zamuz]

Awesome work @Rex! I’m using it right now and it feels very snappy on the CM4. Haven’t run into any problems so far, installation was a breeze. Thank you so much!

[Rex]

Good, i’m happy it’s working well for you!

[jutleys]

By the way love this image thank you.

[zamuz]

I’m having the same issue with this Ubuntu image that was reported for initramfs. I looked at this solution:

Bookworm 6.12.y for the uConsole and DevTerm

initramfs-tools was updated and replaced a change I have made to make my custom kernel be able to build a initramfs. to fix you can reinstall the kernel clockworkpi-kernel or issue this command below and then finish the apt upgrade. sudo sed -i '/^MODULES=dep/c\MODULES=most' "/etc/initramfs-tools/initramfs.conf"

However, my initramfs.conf file already has the ‘MODULES=most’ line. I couldn’t figure out how to solve it. The kernel seems to have been updated, but the error persists after attempting another ‘apt upgrade’. I just restarted my uConsole and it booted up correctly though.

EDIT: the error message is not the same as in the Bookworm image, so here’s the error for Ubuntu:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following upgrades have been deferred due to phasing:
  gnome-shell gnome-shell-common
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 2 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Setting up flash-kernel (3.107ubuntu13~24.04.2) ...
Using DTB: bcm2711-rpi-cm4.dtb
flash-kernel: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.142ubuntu25.5) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-6.12.28-v8-16k+
Using DTB: bcm2711-rpi-cm4.dtb
Installing /usr/lib/linux-image-6.12.28-v8-16k+/broadcom/bcm2711-rpi-cm4.dtb into /boot/dtbs/6.12.28-v8-16k+/./bcm2711-r
pi-cm4.dtb
Taking backup of bcm2711-rpi-cm4.dtb.
Installing new bcm2711-rpi-cm4.dtb.
Ignoring old or unknown version 6.12.28-v8-16k+ (latest is )
Processing triggers for flash-kernel (3.107ubuntu13~24.04.2) ...
Using DTB: bcm2711-rpi-cm4.dtb
Couldn't find DTB bcm2711-rpi-cm4.dtb on the following paths: /etc/flash-kernel/dtbs /usr/lib/linux-image- /lib/firmware
//device-tree/
Installing  into /boot/dtbs//./bcm2711-rpi-cm4.dtb
cp: cannot stat '': No such file or directory
dpkg: error processing package flash-kernel (--configure):
 installed flash-kernel package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 flash-kernel
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

[Rex]

Did you force update the kernel? I thought I mark it on hold, I’ll have to go back and check.
The only systems that can get automatic kernel updates are the Debian builds. Ubuntu has deviated far enough away from Debian that my kernel package can’t be use to update it.

[zamuz]

I’m looking through my command history and I seem to have done ‘apt upgrade’ only. Would it help to manually downgrade the clockworkpi-kernel package using the .deb file for the previous version?

[zamuz]

I’m going to reflash the image and start over, I don’t want to burden you @Rex with this. Thanks!

[Rex]

no you can’t downgrade it either. I’m going to redo the Ubuntu images tonight with the newest kernel that has the charging light.

[bennyclams]

I’ve imaged an SD card with the Ubuntu Preinstalled Image and it doesn’t seem to be happy. Booting the uConsole results in a black screen. If I plug a display in, I can see that the bootloader on the pi is first unhappy with the config.txt, it needs me to add os_check=0 in order to boot. After I shut down and edit that file and reboot, the bootloader seems to just loop, claiming FAT read errors, but doesn’t complain about the config.txt anymore. It seems like there probably isn’t a FAT read error if it can validate the config.txt, but I’m a little out of my depth.

Is this a known issue? Or maybe I’m doing something wrong, getting the image onto the SD card with rufus and now trying rpi imager.

ETA: After lots of restarting and waiting it seems like the ubuntu image is booting… I’m not sure why the pi thinks the SD card can’t be read at first. I guess maybe it does the same thing with the CM4 and I just haven’t ever been impatient enough to notice?

ETA2: Seems stabler now, after first full boot it seems like it “figured out” how to boot from the SD card. All of this is such a black box to me

[Rex]

Are you on a CM5 lite? If so have you edited the EEPROM config to make sd cards work better?

@Rex

If you have a CM5 lite and are having problems with the sd card booting. Try this solution by @paragonnov Your CM5 lite has to have updated firmware that was released after 2025-01-06. Check using vcgencmd version to update sudo rpi-eeprom-update
sudo rpi-eeprom-config -e To edit the eeprom.
backup current config, then replace with:

[all]
BOOT_UART=1

# Switch off PMIC outputs on HALT
POWER_OFF_ON_HALT=1

# Try boot on SDCard repeatly
BOOT_ORDER=0xf1
SD_BOOT_MAX_RETRIES=2

# Slow down SDCard SDR Mode on bootloader
SD_QUIRKS=1

[bennyclams]

Thanks for this!! I must have missed it earlier.

[Rex]

UPDATE in OP!

[zamuz]

New build is working great, charging light is back, and no package installation or upgrade issues. Thank you @Rex again for your work on this!

[mrbish]

OH EMM GEE how did I miss this post? Thanks @Rex, this is going on a spare SD card immediately, possibly becoming my daily driver. God tier stuff, thank you!

[Moep]

Thank you for providing this image.

One thing I noticed was, that you left cloud-init enabled, which slows down the boot process.
You can disable that by placing a file:

sudo touch /etc/cloud/cloud-init.disabled

This speeds up the boot process significantly.

[allordacia]

Is there a fix for (or could it be related to overheating) my CM5 UConsole crashing during lite use and causing the screen lights to remain on but wont allow the system to be shut down or reset using the power button?

[Rex]

Is that while on battery?

[allordacia]

Yes, only happens while it is unplugged. Apologies for forgetting to mention that detail.