getting-linuxcnc.txt
1 [[cha:getting-linuxcnc]] 2 3 = Getting LinuxCNC 4 5 This section describes the recommended way to download 6 and make a fresh install of LinuxCNC. There are also 7 <<_alternate_install_methods,Alternate Install Methods>> for the 8 adventurous. If you have an existing install that you want to upgrade, 9 go to the <<cha:updating-linuxcnc,Updating LinuxCNC>> section instead. 10 11 Fresh installs of LinuxCNC are most easily created using the Live/Install 12 Image. This is a hybrid ISO filesystem image that can be written to a 13 USB storage device or a DVD and used to boot a computer. At boot time you 14 will be given a choice of booting the "Live" system (to run LinuxCNC 15 without making any permanent changes to your computer) or booting the 16 Installer (to install LinuxCNC and its operating system onto your 17 computer's hard drive). 18 19 The outline of the process looks like this: 20 21 . Download the Live/Install Image. 22 . Write the image to a USB storage device or DVD. 23 . Boot the Live system to test out LinuxCNC. 24 . Boot the Installer to install LinuxCNC. 25 26 27 == Download the image 28 29 This section describes some methods for downloading the Live/Install 30 Image. 31 32 33 === Normal Download 34 35 Download the Live/Install CD by clicking here: 36 37 http://www.linuxcnc.org/iso/linuxcnc-2.7.14-wheezy.iso 38 39 40 === Download using zsync 41 42 zsync is a download application that efficiently resumes interrupted 43 downloads and efficiently transfers large files with small modifications 44 (if you have an older local copy). Use zsync if you have trouble 45 downloading the image using the <<_normal_download,Normal Download>> 46 method. 47 48 .zsync in Linux 49 50 . Install zsync using Synaptic or, by running the following in a <<faq:terminal,terminal>> 51 + 52 ---- 53 sudo apt-get install zsync 54 ---- 55 . Then run this command to download the iso to your computer 56 + 57 ---- 58 zsync http://www.linuxcnc.org/iso/linuxcnc-2.7.14-wheezy.iso.zsync 59 ---- 60 61 .zsync in Windows 62 63 There is a Windows port of zsync. It works as a console application. It can be 64 downloaded from: 65 66 https://www.assembla.com/spaces/zsync-windows/documents 67 68 === Verify the image 69 70 (This step is unnecessary if you used zsync) 71 72 . After downloading, verify the checksum of the image to ensure integrity. 73 + 74 ---- 75 md5sum linuxcnc-2.7.14-wheezy.iso 76 ---- 77 + 78 or 79 + 80 ---- 81 sha256sum linuxcnc-2.7.14-wheezy.iso 82 ---- 83 . Then compare to these checksums 84 + 85 ----- 86 md5sum: bdd85ad00f05d7c67e5037a72bae4934 87 sha256sum: 079ba1fae48861b0814187b8048d6f2f299f943427d8c4806b65519f3a560d48 88 ----- 89 90 .Verify md5sum on Windows or Mac 91 92 Windows and Mac OS X do not come with an md5sum program, but there are 93 alternatives. More information can be found at: 94 https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HowToMD5SUM[How To MD5SUM] 95 96 == Write the image to a bootable device 97 98 The LinuxCNC Live/Install Image is a hybrid ISO image which can be written 99 directly to a USB storage device (flash drive) or a DVD and used to boot 100 a computer. The image is too large to fit on a CD. 101 102 .Writing the image to a USB storage device in Linux 103 104 . Connect a USB storage device (for example a flash drive or thumb 105 drive type device). 106 . Determine the device file corresponding to the USB flash drive. 107 This information can be found in the output of `dmesg` after 108 connecting the device. `/proc/partitions` may also be helpful. 109 . Use the `dd` command to write the image to your USB storage device. 110 For example, if your storage device showed up as `/dev/sde`, 111 then use this command: 112 + 113 ----- 114 dd if=linuxcnc-2.7.14-wheezy.iso of=/dev/sde 115 ----- 116 117 .Writing the image to a DVD in Linux 118 119 . Insert a blank DVD into your burner. A 'CD/DVD Creator' or 'Choose Disc Type' 120 window will pop up. Close this, as we will not be using it. 121 . Browse to the downloaded image in the file browser. 122 . Right click on the ISO image file and choose Write to Disc. 123 . Select the write speed. It is recommended that you write at the lowest 124 possible speed. 125 . Start the burning process. 126 . If a 'choose a file name for the disc image' window pops up, just pick OK. 127 128 .Writing the image to a DVD in Windows 129 130 . Download and install Infra Recorder, a free and open source image 131 burning program: http://infrarecorder.org/ 132 . Insert a blank CD in the drive and select Do nothing or Cancel if an 133 auto-run dialog pops up. 134 . Open Infra Recorder, and select the 135 'Actions' menu, then 'Burn image'. 136 137 == Testing LinuxCNC 138 139 With the USB storage device plugged in or the DVD in the DVD drive, the 140 shut down the computer then turn the computer back on. This will boot 141 the computer from the Live/Install Image and choose the Live boot option. 142 Once the computer has booted up you can try out LinuxCNC without installing 143 it. You can not create custom configurations or modify most system 144 settings like screen resolution unless you install LinuxCNC. 145 146 To try out LinuxCNC from the Applications/CNC menu pick LinuxCNC. Then select 147 a sim configuration to try out. 148 149 To see if your computer is suitable for software step pulse generation 150 run the Latency Test as shown <<latency-test,here>>. 151 152 == Installing LinuxCNC 153 154 To install LinuxCNC from the LiveCD select 'Install (Graphical)' at bootup. 155 156 == Updates to LinuxCNC (((Updates to LinuxCNC))) 157 158 With the normal install the Update Manager will notify you of updates 159 to LinuxCNC when you go on line and allow you to easily upgrade with no 160 Linux knowledge needed. 161 It is OK to upgrade everything except the operating system when asked to. 162 163 [WARNING] 164 Do not upgrade the operating system if prompted to do so. 165 166 == Install Problems 167 168 In rare cases you might have to reset the BIOS to default settings if 169 during the Live CD install it cannot recognize the hard drive 170 during the boot up. 171 172 == Alternate Install Methods 173 174 The easiest, preferred way to install LinuxCNC is to use the Live/Install 175 Image as described above. That method is as simple and reliable as we 176 can make it, and is suitable for novice users and experienced users alike. 177 178 In addition, for experienced users who are familiar with Debian system 179 administration (finding install images, manipulating apt sources, changing 180 kernel flavors, etc), new installs are supported on following platforms: 181 182 [options="header"] 183 |=================================================================== 184 | Distribution | Architecture | kernel | Typical use 185 | Debian Jessie | amd64 & i386 | Stock | simulation only 186 | Debian Wheezy | i386 | RTAI | machine control & simulation 187 | Debian Wheezy | amd64 & i386 | Preempt-RT | machine control & simulation 188 | Debian Wheezy | amd64 & i386 | Stock | simulation only 189 | Ubuntu Precise | i386 | RTAI | machine control & simulation 190 | Ubuntu Precise | amd64 & i386 | Stock | simulation only 191 | Ubuntu Lucid | i386 | RTAI | machine control & simulation 192 | Ubuntu Lucid | amd64 & i386 | Stock | simulation only 193 |=================================================================== 194 195 The RTAI kernels are available for download from the linuxcnc.org 196 debian archive. The apt source is: 197 198 * Debian Wheezy: `deb http://linuxcnc.org wheezy base` 199 * Ubuntu Precise: `deb http://linuxcnc.org precise base` 200 * Ubuntu Lucid: `deb http://linuxcnc.org lucid base` 201 202 The Preempt-RT kernels are available for Debian Wheezy from the 203 regular debian.org archive. The packages are called `linux-image-rt-amd64` 204 and `linux-image-rt-686-pae`. 205 206 === Installing on Debian Wheezy (with Preempt-RT kernel) 207 208 . Install Debian Wheezy (Debian version 7), 209 either i386 or amd64. You can download the installer here: 210 https://www.debian.org/releases/. One version that is tested is the net 211 install 'debian-7.9.0-i386-netinst.iso'. Be careful and don't download Debian 212 8. 213 214 . After burning the iso and booting up if you don't want Gnome desktop select 215 'Advanced Options' > 'Alternative desktop environments' and pick the one you 216 like. Then select 'Install' or 'Graphical Install'. 217 + 218 WARNING: Do not enter a root password, if you do sudo is disabled and you won't 219 be able to complete the following steps. 220 221 . Run the following in a <<faq:terminal,terminal>> to bring the machine up to 222 date with the latest packages. 223 + 224 ---- 225 sudo apt-get update 226 sudo apt-get dist-upgrade 227 ---- 228 229 . Install the Preempt-RT kernel and modules 230 + 231 ---- 232 sudo apt-get install linux-image-rt-amd64 233 or 234 sudo apt-get install linux-image-rt-686-pae 235 ---- 236 237 . Reboot, and select the Linux 3.2.0-4-rt-686-pae kernel. When you 238 log in, verify that `PREEMPT RT`is reported by the following command. 239 + 240 ---- 241 uname -v 242 ---- 243 244 . Open Applications Menu > System > Synaptic Package Manager search for 245 'linux-image' and right click on 'linux-image-3.2.0-4-686-pae' and select 246 'Mark for Complete Removal'. Do the same for 'linux-image-686-pae'. Reboot. 247 248 . Add the LinuxCNC Archive Signing Key to your apt keyring by running 249 + 250 ---- 251 sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keys.gnupg.net --recv-key 3cb9fd148f374fef 252 ---- 253 254 . Add a the apt repository: 255 + 256 ---- 257 sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://linuxcnc.org/ wheezy base 2.7-uspace" 258 ---- 259 260 . Update the package list from linuxcnc.org 261 + 262 ---- 263 sudo apt-get update 264 ---- 265 266 . Install uspace (a reboot may be required prior to installing uspace) 267 + 268 ---- 269 sudo apt-get install linuxcnc-uspace 270 ---- 271 272 273 === Installing on Ubuntu Precise 274 275 . Install Ubuntu Precise 12.04 x86 (32-bit). Any flavor should 276 work (regular Ubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, etc). 64-bit (AMD64) 277 is currently not supported. You can download the installer here: 278 http://releases.ubuntu.com/precise/ 279 280 . Run the following to bring the machine up to date with the latest packages 281 in Ubuntu Precise. 282 + 283 ---- 284 sudo apt-get update 285 sudo apt-get dist-upgrade 286 ---- 287 288 . Add the LinuxCNC Archive Signing Key to your apt keyring by running 289 + 290 ---- 291 sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keys.gnupg.net --recv-key 3cb9fd148f374fef 292 ---- 293 294 . Add a new apt source 295 + 296 ---- 297 sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://linuxcnc.org/ precise base 2.7-rtai" 298 ---- 299 300 . Fetch the package list from linuxcnc.org. 301 + 302 ---- 303 sudo apt-get update 304 ---- 305 306 . Install the RTAI kernel and modules by running 307 + 308 ---- 309 sudo apt-get install linux-image-3.4-9-rtai-686-pae rtai-modules-3.4-9-rtai-686-pae 310 ---- 311 312 . If you want to be able to build LinuxCNC from source using the git repo, 313 also run 314 + 315 ---- 316 sudo apt-get install linux-headers-3.4-9-rtai-686-pae 317 ---- 318 319 . Reboot, and make sure you boot into the rtai kernel. When you log in, 320 verify that the kernel name is 3.4-9-rtai-686-pae. 321 + 322 ---- 323 uname -r 324 ---- 325 326 . Run 327 + 328 ---- 329 sudo apt-get install linuxcnc 330 ----