Software projects/OS/SOLEIL

Disclaimer

• Same as here.
• The release thread is located here: http://boards.openpandora.org/index.php/topic/10894-application-soleil/
• The build system is GPL V3.

Helping this project

• Same as here.

What is SOLEIL ?

• In french, Soleil means Sun.
• SOLEIL is a Slackware-based operating system.
• The Pandora version of SOLEIL is based on SL4P, Slackware for Pandora, itself based on Slackware ARM.

Ok, but what is SOLEIL ?!!?

• It's the core of a mobile network. In a few seconds, you can use your Pandora to act as:
  • a firewall/gateway/router
  • a DNS server
  • a DHCP server
  • a NFS server
  • a Inetd server
  • a distcc server, networked distributed compilation system for faster ARM compilations
  • a PXE boot server to start simultaneously multiple x86 32 bits and 64 bits PC. Currently supported are:
    • Slackware 32 and 64 bit installers
    • Dyne:bolic, a Linux home studio for making music
    • System Rescue CD, a Gentoo-based Linux to repair filesystems, recover data etc.
    • GParted, a Debian-based Linux for partitioning and formatting hard drives, SSD, SD cards etc.
    • Ghost for Linux (G4L), a powerful hard drive clone/backup utility
    • OpenBSD (the most secure free operating system) installer
    • Gc-linux, Linux for the Nintendo GameCube
    • MemTest, different versions of a RAM testing tool
    • Hardware Detection Tool, for quickly make an inventory of the booted PC's hardware
  • And the main feature is to act as a PXE boot server to start two persistent versions of Slackware, 32 bits and 64 bits

• You can watch video demos there: http://slackware.openpandora.org/pandora/index.php?dir=videos%2FSOLEIL

Media choice

• SOLEIL runs on a SD card. 32G or more are recommended if you plan to install all features. A minimal install will run on 16G although no minimum size plan is clearly defined for now.
• The SD card must support Linux filesystems, see this SD compatibility chart.
• I myself recommend the SanDisk Extreme, Extreme PLUS or Extreme Pro cards.

Accessories choice

• Although there's ways to do without, you'll need one or two USB to Ethernet adapters.
• I myself recommend those (2013). They can be connected to each other without the need of an external power supply:
  • For letting USB host ports available - http://www.logitec.co.jp/products/lan/lantxu2h3/index.php
  • For Gigabit ethernet at the lowest current drain - http://www.trendnet.com/products/proddetail.asp?prod=275_TU2-ETG
• As far as I know, most adapters will work

Installation

• Follow the SL4P procedure: http://pandorawiki.org/Software_projects/OS/Slackware#Installation
• Instead of grabbing the SL4P release, get SOLEIL rootfs here: http://slackware.openpandora.org/pandora/index.php?dir=SOLEIL%2FSOLEIL-14.1%2Frootfs
• Older releases (unsupported): http://slackware.openpandora.org/pandora/index.php?dir=SOLEIL%2FSOLEIL-14.0%2Frootfs

Rootfs versions

• There's two rootfs, minimal and maximal.
• Note that maximal version may not be available for download because of the reason below.
• Minimal (16G SD card) only contains a 32 and 64 bit Slackware PXE, and all extra features can be installed as long as you have internet. Be careful to use a 32G SD card if you want to install extra features.
• Maximal (32G SD card) contains all features.

Setup

• Once the rootfs is installed on the SD card, you have to setup a "Master" client PC. Edit /etc/dhcpd.conf, and replace the 00:00:00:00:00:00 MAC adress with the one from this "Master".
• The Master PC has a full read/write access to the NFS, Network File System.
• Connect only the ethernet adapter that will be connected to the LAN. It will be named eth0 and this is important as the network setup is static.
• Boot the Pandora. Once you see the Xfce desktop, SOLEIL is ready.
• If you have a two adapter setup, shut down the OP, plug the internet-side adapter (will be eth1), and boot again.
• If you made a mistake with the ethernet names/order, edit /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules .

Wi-Fi gateway

• If you plan to redistribute Internet gathered by the Pandora's wlan0, you'll have to make a few changes:
• edit /etc/rc.d/rc.SOLEIL and change

sh /etc/rc.d/rc.firewall.eth1.eth0 start

into

sh /etc/rc.d/rc.firewall.wlan0.eth0 start

• Reboot, then in order to get an IP on wlan0, activate Wi-Fi, then:

ifconfig wlan0 1.1.1.1
iwlist wlan0 scan
iwconfig essid "your_essid"
dhcpcd wlan0

Installing the extra features in the minimal rootfs

• Get internet, be root using su - , then, if you want to install GParted:

cd /etc/SOLEIL/installers
sh 4.1-x86-GPARTED.sh /

• You can also install extras from a PC's card reader. If the SD root partition is named "SLACK" as mentioned in the SL4P wiki, and mounted under /media/ then:

sh 4.1-x86-GPARTED.sh /media/SLACK

• Same for G4L, System Rescue CD, Dyne:bolic, OpenBSD and gc-linux
• For the 32/64 bit Slackware installers, use this:

sh 3.3-x86-COPY-SLACK-ISOS.sh / 14.1 x86_32

or

sh 3.3-x86-COPY-SLACK-ISOS.sh / 14.1 x86_64

• Replace / with /media/SLACK if you're on a PC with the SD in the card reader.

Switch back to normal Slackware mode

• It's pretty simple:

chmod -x /etc/rc.d/rc.SOLEIL
chmod +x /etc/rc.d/rc.networkmanager

• And reboot.
• Invert the chmod's to come back to SOLEIL.

Differences with SL4P

• There is no started network manager, all IP addresses are configured statically.
• The previously mentioned services are running.
• USB host is enabled by default.
• The default kernel has more networking features, and most debug functions removed.

SOJA

• SOJA is a graphical Java program interfaced with a PostgreSQL database.
• It helps you to fix default booted OSes according to the client's MAC address.
• It has bugs since 14.1 JDK/jdbc updates and is not operational for now.