Focal Testing of Kubuntu 20.04 LTS

[PerfMonk]

Where are we suppose to post for problems with focal. I just installed on a USB key and I had problem booting. Booted in rescue mode and "apt upgrade" and then could boot in a terminal and graphic could be started with "startx" on command line. I'm not complaining, it's a development version and we are soon in the process. Also I can't set my "online account" there is a message saying "error loading qml file, module org.kde.account not installed".

Sorry for the noise, but let me know where I should post for the focal fossa version.

Regards,
BT

[Radcliff]

Fresh Install today's build

New Kernel From Proposed (88 packages)

Operating System: Kubuntu 20.04
KDE Plasma Version: 5.17.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.64.0
Qt Version: 5.12.5
Kernel Version: 5.4.0-8-generic

ls /lib/modules
5.4.0-8-generic  5.5.0-050500rc1-generic

With BTRFS partitions, System Settings crashes at Application Style>Gnome/GTK to Windows Decoration>DrKonqi. Not present with Ext4.

Gufw (19.04.0) generates an error with the taskbar shortcut.

Unable to run the command specified. The file or folder python3 does not exist

Must be re-open from the Kmenu. Pin to favorites and then to taskbar works.

[NoWorries]

On a slightly different topic, if you want KDE Frameworks Version 5.65.0, you can get it by adding the ppa

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/staging-frameworks

I haven't had any problems with it and I like the improved graphics. I have yet to checkout how Wayland is progressing as I noticed a few Wayland packages in the updates.

[GreyGeek]

Since this is a Focal thread, I noticed a while ago that when I attempted to install "kde-config-systemd" muon wanted to remove the Kubuntu-desktop and systemsettings.


I rebooted into what was supposed to be a "persistent" focal installation and got:

So, probably my stanza for a persistent install is wrong.

Answering my own dilemma:
A persistent ISO boot from the Grub2 menu can only occur IF the ISO sees an EXT4 partition or file that contains casper-rw.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Gr...OBoot/Examples

When you have a partition with the label casper-rw (or a file with the name casper-rw) containing an ext file system, it will be found during boot and serve as container for persistence. In an internal drive (HDD or SSD) ext4 is recommended. Persistence with a partition will work, when booted via grub and an iso file.
So add the boot option persistent into the 'linux' line:

Ergo, even it casper-rw existed a persistent ISO boot wouldn't happen because I am using BTRFS, not EXT4.
Also, for releases 19.10 and later the initrd exists as initrd, not initrd.lz, like in previous releases.

[GreyGeek]

Yes, because it is a dead project that needs removing in debian and Ubuntu, and also supplies files that directly conflict with new systemsettings.

Until it is removed in Debian and then in Ubuntu, the conflicts has to be there to prevent people installing it.

mmm... too bad. Back to the cli.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php...md#Using_units

But, I have no clue as to how many of those CLI commands actually work, until I happen to need one and try it out.


The systemd ui was an app that I really appreciated and it is the only GUI which allowed GUI manipulation of services, unit and config files. I controlled my system from the systemd ui. For example, I used it to create an IPv6 tunnel through Hurricane. Easy as pie to set up with the systemd ui. in /systemd/system it put

he-ipv6.service

[Unit]
Description=he.net IPv6 tunnel
After=network.target


[Service]
Type=oneshot
RemainAfterExit=yes
ExecStart=/bin/ip tunnel add he-ipv6 mode sit remote w.x.y.z local 192.168.11.100 ttl 255
ExecStart=/bin/ip link set he-ipv6 up mtu 1480
ExecStart=/bin/ip addr add 2001:y:z::2 dev he-ipv6
ExecStart=/bin/ip -6 route add ::/0 dev he-ipv6
ExecStop=/bin/ip -6 route del ::/0 dev he-ipv6
ExecStop=/bin/ip link set he-ipv6 down
ExecStop=/bin/ip tunnel del he-ipv6


[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

That created what appeared to FireFox and Chromium to be a "native" tunnel that made IPv6 the default with a fall-back to IPv4 in less than a second.
On https://ipv6-test.com/ I got a 20/20 rating.

Using the systemd ui was certainly easier than using netplan to set up the IPv6 tunnel, or using a script after the desktop displayed, or doing it by hand, all of which I used at one time or another until the systemd script.

So sad that Ragnar abandon both the KDE project and his systemdgenie project and disappeared in Japan.

[acheron]

Since this is a Focal thread, I noticed a while ago that when I attempted to install "kde-config-systemd" muon wanted to remove the Kubuntu-desktop and systemsettings.

Yes, because it is a dead project that needs removing in debian and Ubuntu, and also supplies files that directly conflict with new systemsettings.

Until it is removed in Debian and then in Ubuntu, the conflicts has to be there to prevent people installing it.

[GreyGeek]

Since this is a Focal thread, I noticed a while ago that when I attempted to install "kde-config-systemd" muon wanted to remove the Kubuntu-desktop and systemsettings.


I rebooted into what was supposed to be a "persistent" focal installation and got:

Processing triggers for man-db (2.9.0-1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.30-0ubuntu2) ...
Processing triggers for linux-image-5.3.0-24-generic (5.3.0-24.26) ...
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools:
update-initramfs is disabled since running on read-only media
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$

So, probably my stanza for a persistent install is wrong.

[GreyGeek]

I tried today's ISO but I also changed the stanza to follow as closely as possible to oshunluver's:

menuentry 'focal-desktop-amd64 ISO -Live' --class iso {
set isofile="/focal-desktop-amd64.iso"
loopback loop (hd0,1)$isofile
linux (loop)/casper/vmlinuz boot=casper iso-scan/filename=$isofile noprompt noeject
initrd (loop)/casper/initrd
}

I didn't have a @grub partition and just putting it in /boot wouldn't work. So, I saved it in /mnt, as oshunluver suggested, right beside @ and @home. That worked.

IF I did not include the "--class" part it wouldn't boot. Also, I had to delete the ".lz: from the initrd, or it wouldn't boot.
So, I am writing this post from today's Focal ISO and it is running nicely.

I am guessing that I cannot use the same ISO as both the "live" and the "persistent". Or, can I?

[oshunluvr]

I downloaded the last ISO and it booted up here using the above stanza.

[GreyGeek]

That problem in the screen shot affected the *buntu isos back at the end of October. It was an error in some casper scripts. It's been fixed for a while now; I tried to track down when it was fixed, because I thought I reported it somewhere, but I can't find it now.

Ok!
This weekend I'll retry with the latest 20.04 and see what happens. Perhaps it is not a problem related to the BTRFS @ environment.

[jlittle]

That problem in the screen shot affected the *buntu isos back at the end of October. It was an error in some casper scripts. It's been fixed for a while now; I tried to track down when it was fixed, because I thought I reported it somewhere, but I can't find it now.

[GreyGeek]

GG. might this be a grub vs. btrfs issue? .....
I'm wondering if putting the ISO in the root of @ might allow it to boot?

Interesting! I'll try that and see what happens.
Thanks!

[oshunluvr]

That's pretty much what jlittle was talking about when he referred to grub incantations. Following his lead I found an Ubuntu web page discussing how to do that, which I linked above. I saved the focal iso to /mnt/iso and I then modified an example entry for 40_custom under /etc/grub.d as follows:

menuentry "focal-desktop-amd64 iso - live-only" {
   set isofile="/@/mnt/iso/focal-desktop-amd64.iso"
   loopback loop (hd0,1)$isofile
   linux (loop)/casper/vmlinuz boot=casper iso-scan/filename=$isofile noprompt noeject
   initrd (loop)/casper/initrd
}


menuentry "focal-desktop-amd64 iso - persistent" {
   set isofile="/@/mnt/iso/focal-desktop-amd64.iso"
   loopback loop (hd0,1)$isofile
   linux (loop)/casper/vmlinuz boot=casper iso-scan/filename=$isofile persistent noprompt noeject
   initrd (loop)/casper/initrd
}

Then I ran "sudo update-grub".

When I tried to fire the "live-only" menu entry it gave me:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]8354[/ATTACH]

When I added "/@/dev/" to the loop reference, "/@/dev/loop", it reported that it couldn't find the kernel.
I can't connect "/@" to initramfs in the menuentry.
I'm at a catch-22.

GG. might this be a grub vs. btrfs issue? Not sure, but when I boot to ISOs from my grub which lives in it's own subvolume, my stanzas look like:

menuentry 'Kubuntu 18.04 ISO' --class iso {
set isofile="/@grub/kubuntu-18.04-desktop-amd64.iso"
loopback loop (hd0,3)$isofile
linux (loop)/casper/vmlinuz boot=casper iso-scan/filename=$isofile noprompt noeject
initrd (loop)/casper/initrd.lz
}

Almost exactly the same. I'm wondering if putting the ISO in the root of @ might allow it to boot?

[Radcliff]

Ryzen 2700U

Pretty nice testing pattern. Thanks for sharing!

env DRI_PRIME=1 glmark2 
=======================================================
 glmark2 2014.03+git20150611.fa71af2d
=======================================================
 OpenGL Information
 GL_VENDOR:     X.Org
 GL_RENDERER:   AMD RAVEN (DRM 3.35.0, 5.4.1-050401-generic, LLVM 9.0.0)
 GL_VERSION:    4.5 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 19.2.4
=======================================================
[build] use-vbo=false: FPS: 3825 FrameTime: 0.261 ms
[build] use-vbo=true: FPS: 4451 FrameTime: 0.225 ms
[texture] texture-filter=nearest: FPS: 3706 FrameTime: 0.270 ms
[texture] texture-filter=linear: FPS: 3716 FrameTime: 0.269 ms
[texture] texture-filter=mipmap: FPS: 3428 FrameTime: 0.292 ms
[shading] shading=gouraud: FPS: 3289 FrameTime: 0.304 ms
[shading] shading=blinn-phong-inf: FPS: 3143 FrameTime: 0.318 ms
[shading] shading=phong: FPS: 3147 FrameTime: 0.318 ms
[shading] shading=cel: FPS: 2917 FrameTime: 0.343 ms
[bump] bump-render=high-poly: FPS: 2273 FrameTime: 0.440 ms
[bump] bump-render=normals: FPS: 4455 FrameTime: 0.224 ms
[bump] bump-render=height: FPS: 4653 FrameTime: 0.215 ms
[effect2d] kernel=0,1,0;1,-4,1;0,1,0;: FPS: 2948 FrameTime: 0.339 ms
[effect2d] kernel=1,1,1,1,1;1,1,1,1,1;1,1,1,1,1;: FPS: 2175 FrameTime: 0.460 ms
[pulsar] light=false:quads=5:texture=false: FPS: 3634 FrameTime: 0.275 ms
[desktop] blur-radius=5:effect=blur:passes=1:separable=true:windows=4: FPS: 1714 FrameTime: 0.583 ms
[desktop] effect=shadow:windows=4: FPS: 2433 FrameTime: 0.411 ms
[buffer] columns=200:interleave=false:update-dispersion=0.9:update-fraction=0.5:update-method=map: FPS: 855 FrameTime: 1.170 ms
[buffer] columns=200:interleave=false:update-dispersion=0.9:update-fraction=0.5:update-method=subdata: FPS: 1146 FrameTime: 0.873 ms
[buffer] columns=200:interleave=true:update-dispersion=0.9:update-fraction=0.5:update-method=map: FPS: 808 FrameTime: 1.238 ms
[ideas] speed=duration: FPS: 2380 FrameTime: 0.420 ms
[jellyfish] <default>: FPS: 2156 FrameTime: 0.464 ms
[terrain] <default>: FPS: 217 FrameTime: 4.608 ms
[shadow] <default>: FPS: 2497 FrameTime: 0.400 ms
[refract] <default>: FPS: 322 FrameTime: 3.106 ms
[conditionals] fragment-steps=0:vertex-steps=0: FPS: 3479 FrameTime: 0.287 ms
[conditionals] fragment-steps=5:vertex-steps=0: FPS: 3362 FrameTime: 0.297 ms
[conditionals] fragment-steps=0:vertex-steps=5: FPS: 3498 FrameTime: 0.286 ms
[function] fragment-complexity=low:fragment-steps=5: FPS: 3299 FrameTime: 0.303 ms
[function] fragment-complexity=medium:fragment-steps=5: FPS: 3340 FrameTime: 0.299 ms
[loop] fragment-loop=false:fragment-steps=5:vertex-steps=5: FPS: 3356 FrameTime: 0.298 ms
[loop] fragment-steps=5:fragment-uniform=false:vertex-steps=5: FPS: 3298 FrameTime: 0.303 ms
[loop] fragment-steps=5:fragment-uniform=true:vertex-steps=5: FPS: 3293 FrameTime: 0.304 ms
=======================================================
                               glmark2 Score: 2824

We also adopt Focal as our production machine, but we switch occasionally to TW to see the differences. KDE 5.17.4 is in the pre-release channel since at least yesterday.

Kernel 5.5 is in the oven, should be ready by Sunday night.

lsb_release -a && uname -r
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu Focal Fossa (development branch)
Release:        20.04
Codename:       focal
5.4.1-050401-generic

mokutil  --sb-state
SecureBoot enabled
SecureBoot validation is disabled in shim

inxi -C
CPU:       Topology: Quad Core model: AMD Ryzen 7 2700U with Radeon Vega Mobile Gfx bits: 64 type: MT MCP L2 cache: 2048 KiB 
         Speed: 1368 MHz min/max: 1600/2200 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1368 2: 1367 3: 1367 4: 1368 5: 1435 6: 1590 7: 1368 
         8: 1367

[NoWorries]

It is now 5 months to the release of Focal.

So far my system has not missed a beat and I use it as my production system. I do not hesitate to use it in meetings and I have used LibreOffice for projection and done many video editing sessions with Kdenlive.

As I use the Pre-release updates with additional repositories for the latest kernel and plasma, I get:

KDE Plasma Version	5.17.3
KDE Frameworks Version	5.64.0
QT Version	5.12.5
Kernel Version	5.4.0-6-generic

As you can see I am very happy with the progress being made and I also have a fallback capability to an earlier version of Kubuntu if Focal lets me down - that has yet to happen.