Version 4 is the current release of software for the Pi4. The Pi runs a
system-on-a-chip with an ARM kernel. A recent news release says that
from Version 5.5, the Linux kernel supports the Pi4, the Pi 400 and a
lot of other new hardware. I was surprised to learn that the Microsoft
Surface has an ARM processor. The architecture, which I had thought was
now a historical curiosity, seems to be making a strong comeback.
Mageia are developing an ARM version of the distro, but a note says that
it won't work on a Raspberry Pi.

On Tue, 15 Jun 2021 14:18:35 -0400, Doug Laidlaw <laidlaws@hotkey.net.au> wrote:

> Version 4 is the current release of software for the Pi4. The Pi runs a
> system-on-a-chip with an ARM kernel. A recent news release says that
> from Version 5.5, the Linux kernel supports the Pi4, the Pi 400 and a
> lot of other new hardware. I was surprised to learn that the Microsoft
> Surface has an ARM processor. The architecture, which I had thought was
> now a historical curiosity, seems to be making a strong comeback.
> Mageia are developing an ARM version of the distro, but a note says that
> it won't work on a Raspberry Pi.

I'm running Mageia 8 on a Raspberry Pi 4b.

The install images are on the mirrors, for example ...
http://mirror.math.princeton.edu/pub/mageia/distrib/8/aarch64/install/images/

Running kde4/plasma everything is working except sound over hdmi.

Regards, Dave Hodgins

--
Change dwhodgins@nomail.afraid.org to davidwhodgins@teksavvy.com for
email replies.

On 16/6/21 6:12 am, David W. Hodgins wrote:
> On Tue, 15 Jun 2021 14:18:35 -0400, Doug Laidlaw
> <laidlaws@hotkey.net.au> wrote:
>
>> Version 4 is the current release of software for the Pi4.  The Pi runs a
>> system-on-a-chip with an ARM kernel.  A recent news release says that
>> from Version 5.5, the Linux kernel supports the Pi4, the Pi 400 and a
>> lot of other new hardware.  I was surprised to learn that the Microsoft
>> Surface has an ARM processor.  The architecture, which I had thought was
>> now a historical curiosity, seems to be making a strong comeback.
>> Mageia are developing an ARM version of the distro, but a note says that
>> it won't work on a Raspberry Pi.
>
> I'm running Mageia 8 on a Raspberry Pi 4b.
>
> The install images are on the mirrors, for example ...
> http://mirror.math.princeton.edu/pub/mageia/distrib/8/aarch64/install/images/
>
>
> Running kde4/plasma everything is working except sound over hdmi.
>
> Regards, Dave Hodgins
>
Interesting. I assume that your HDMI cable carries a sound channel. My
monitor has only a mini socket for sound input, and the Pi400 has no
sound output available, except via USB. I don't know about Bluetooth
for sound; I had some USB speakers lying around. For analog sound, I
have to uncomment a line in the config.txt file every time. In the 400,
that setting can be accessed from the desktop.

On Wed, 16 Jun 2021 13:05:55 -0400, Doug Laidlaw <laidlaws@hotkey.net.au> wrote:

> On 16/6/21 6:12 am, David W. Hodgins wrote:
>> On Tue, 15 Jun 2021 14:18:35 -0400, Doug Laidlaw
>> <laidlaws@hotkey.net.au> wrote:
> Interesting. I assume that your HDMI cable carries a sound channel. My
> monitor has only a mini socket for sound input, and the Pi400 has no
> sound output available, except via USB. I don't know about Bluetooth
> for sound; I had some USB speakers lying around. For analog sound, I
> have to uncomment a line in the config.txt file every time. In the 400,
> that setting can be accessed from the desktop.

https://bugs.mageia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=24084
It's apparently working in the older rpi systems, but not the rpi 4b.

It works in Raspbian os, but not in Mageia 8, so it's not a hardware problem.
As arm support in Mageia is considered experimental, it's not a high priority.

Regards, Dave Hodgins

--
Change dwhodgins@nomail.afraid.org to davidwhodgins@teksavvy.com for
email replies.

On 6/15/21 11:18 AM, Doug Laidlaw wrote:
> Version 4 is the current release of software for the Pi4.  The Pi runs a
> system-on-a-chip with an ARM kernel.  A recent news release says that
> from Version 5.5, the Linux kernel supports the Pi4, the Pi 400 and a
> lot of other new hardware.  I was surprised to learn that the Microsoft
> Surface has an ARM processor.  The architecture, which I had thought was
> now a historical curiosity, seems to be making a strong comeback. Mageia
> are developing an ARM version of the distro, but a note says that it
> won't work on a Raspberry Pi.

This the hazard of clinging to interest only in the topics
that concern you. The Raspberry Pi has been of great interest
to project builders and is ubiquitous in maker circles. Linux Pro
Magazine here in the USA which is Linux Magazine overseas has
projects either continuing or new in every issue and before Covid+19
there was a magazine devoted to it.

bliss - boots & runs a Pretty Cool Linux Operating System aka pclinuxos.

--
bliss dash SF 4 ever at dslextreme dot com

On 16/6/21 6:12 am, David W. Hodgins wrote:
> On Tue, 15 Jun 2021 14:18:35 -0400, Doug Laidlaw
> <laidlaws@hotkey.net.au> wrote:
>
>> Version 4 is the current release of software for the Pi4.  The Pi runs a
>> system-on-a-chip with an ARM kernel.  A recent news release says that
>> from Version 5.5, the Linux kernel supports the Pi4, the Pi 400 and a
>> lot of other new hardware.  I was surprised to learn that the Microsoft
>> Surface has an ARM processor.  The architecture, which I had thought was
>> now a historical curiosity, seems to be making a strong comeback.
>> Mageia are developing an ARM version of the distro, but a note says that
>> it won't work on a Raspberry Pi.
>
> I'm running Mageia 8 on a Raspberry Pi 4b.
>
> The install images are on the mirrors, for example ...
> http://mirror.math.princeton.edu/pub/mageia/distrib/8/aarch64/install/images/
>
>
> Running kde4/plasma everything is working except sound over hdmi.
>
> Regards, Dave Hodgins
>

Just as a postscript, the article was written a year ago, when Kernel
5.5 had just been released and was not yet in any major distribution.
Mageia 8 currently uses Kernel 5.10.43.

On 17/6/21 3:05 am, Doug Laidlaw wrote:
> On 16/6/21 6:12 am, David W. Hodgins wrote:
>> On Tue, 15 Jun 2021 14:18:35 -0400, Doug Laidlaw
>> <laidlaws@hotkey.net.au> wrote:
>>
>>> Version 4 is the current release of software for the Pi4.  The Pi runs a
>>> system-on-a-chip with an ARM kernel.  A recent news release says that
>>> from Version 5.5, the Linux kernel supports the Pi4, the Pi 400 and a
>>> lot of other new hardware.  I was surprised to learn that the Microsoft
>>> Surface has an ARM processor.  The architecture, which I had thought was
>>> now a historical curiosity, seems to be making a strong comeback.
>>> Mageia are developing an ARM version of the distro, but a note says that
>>> it won't work on a Raspberry Pi.
>>
>> I'm running Mageia 8 on a Raspberry Pi 4b.
>>
>> The install images are on the mirrors, for example ...
>> http://mirror.math.princeton.edu/pub/mageia/distrib/8/aarch64/install/images/
>>
>>
>> Running kde4/plasma everything is working except sound over hdmi.
>>
>> Regards, Dave Hodgins
>>
> Interesting. I assume that your HDMI cable carries a sound channel.  My
> monitor has only a mini socket for sound input, and the Pi400 has no
> sound output available, except via USB.  I don't know about Bluetooth
> for sound; I had some USB speakers lying around. For analog sound, I
> have to uncomment a line in the config.txt file every time.  In the 400,
> that setting can be accessed from the desktop.

What is the difference between aarch64 and ARMV7, and which one do I
need? It is a whole new vocabulary. The download site says that
officially, there is no installer, just a basket of packages.

On Fri, 18 Jun 2021 09:27:23 -0400, Doug Laidlaw <laidlaws@hotkey.net.au> wrote:
> What is the difference between aarch64 and ARMV7, and which one do I
> need? It is a whole new vocabulary. The download site says that
> officially, there is no installer, just a basket of packages.

The armv7 label is used for 32 bit arm cpu systems, aka aarch32. Having a 64 bit
arm cpu makes the rpi 4b an aarch64 system.

The arm devices do not support booting from anything other then the files in a
regular partition. No iso boot support. The Mageia images were created based on the
live iso images. Just copy the image to the sd card, and resize the partition
and filesystem if desired. On first boot, it asks for the user id, network setup,
etc. Once the network is working rpmdrake can be used to install any regular Mageia
package.

Regards, Dave Hodgins

--
Change dwhodgins@nomail.afraid.org to davidwhodgins@teksavvy.com for
email replies.

On 19/6/21 1:38 am, David W. Hodgins wrote:
> On Fri, 18 Jun 2021 09:27:23 -0400, Doug Laidlaw
> <laidlaws@hotkey.net.au> wrote:
>> What is the difference between aarch64 and ARMV7, and which one do I
>> need?  It is a whole new vocabulary.  The download site says that
>> officially, there is no installer, just a basket of packages.
>
> The armv7 label is used for 32 bit arm cpu systems, aka aarch32. Having
> a 64 bit
> arm cpu makes the rpi 4b an aarch64 system.
>
> The arm devices do not support booting from anything other then the
> files in a
> regular partition. No iso boot support. The Mageia images were created
> based on the
> live iso images. Just copy the image to the sd card, and resize the
> partition
> and filesystem if desired. On first boot, it asks for the user id,
> network setup,
> etc. Once the network is working rpmdrake can be used to install any
> regular Mageia
> package.
>
> Regards, Dave Hodgins
>
Thanks. flashing it now.