156 replies to this topic

[Cookie]

With the EOL of Win7 many pc user do not want to share all their personal data with MS by "updating" to Win10.
After a fresh full install of W10 I registered a 1.5GB upload in the task manager...

Win7 was the last MS OS you owned, you could buy a new pc and move the old OS to it. W10 is bound to a single HW constellation.

So for me the decision is clear to not use W10 for my daily tasks as banking, e-mail and net-surfing!

But wich of the many linux distros is the best for an old Windows user since Windows 3.1?
A distro that comes with an easy to install iso file you can test "live" without installing.
I testet Ubuntu, Sparkylinux, Manjaro, Debian, Mint and many others.

The last 2 distros standing were Manjaro and Mint:

Manjaro is a rolling release, what means, it is allways up-to-date with the newest software and OS kernel.
Mint is a more conservative distro, with an older but saver kernel, security is up-to-date of course.

The decision to take mint cinnamon was finaly fallen when
I succeeded to get Teamspeak working with the onboard sound to earphones and the GPL sound over HDMI to the speaker.

So if you want to move from W7 to a new OS just don't hurry,
easiest and savest way is to get a small 128/250GB SSD and make a fresh install.
Or
If you have some space left on your old HDD or SSD you can install it besides W7.

If you want to use the old HDD or SSD make shure to save all the data on an external drive.

One of the main things is the browser settings and links and PWs,
I use firefox and the first thing is to get it working in my new OS means copying a single folder! (profile xxxxxx.default)

First steps:

Get an USB stick and write the .iso on it

- linuxmint-19.3-cinnamon-64bit.iso -> https://linuxmint.com/
- Win32 Disk Imager -> https://sourceforge....in32diskimager/
- 4/8 GB USB stick (I prefer USB3 as it is extremely faster)

Run it by pressing F9 or F11 during the booting
Test the OS...

to be continued

Edited by Cookie, Jan 20 2020 - 09:23 AM.

[Cookie]

Installing

Linux Mint 19.3 Cinnamon

Best for GPL is to use a NVidia GPU
as it has proprietary drivers that supports the openGL version that is used by the OGLV2 rasterizer we use!!!
AMD and intel GPU do work too but you only can use Direct3DV2 rasterizer.
Modern Games like AC work perfect with AMD GPU RX 580 here!

Run the pc and let it boot from USB

on the desktop you find the installer - run it - follow the steps.

Decide to do a single or parallel install.

Check the thirdparty software box! to get the proprietary drivers for the NV GPU

Let it do it's work, after less than 5min you have a new OS ( just did it)

Restart the pc

Now you get the welcome window follow it step for step (the first 3 are most important)

choose the best  NV proprietary driver

after this do a restart

now the browser, firefox for me, start it once and close it.
open the personal folder- hit ctrl-h - to make hidden files visible!
go to .mozilla and copy the name of the xxxx.default-release folder
rename the saved from windows profile folder to it and put it in there - voila you have your old firefox!

Now we go to https://easylinuxtip...t-cinnamon.html wich is allways a first help for me

I use it to learn about the use of the terminal

and to set the numlock at startup!


After this you have a working OS!

Attached Files

•  Bildschirmfoto vom 2020-01-20 16-14-48.png   167.29K   46 downloads

Edited by Cookie, Jan 20 2020 - 11:34 AM.

[Cookie]

Installing wine -  the windows environment for GPL

open the software center and search for "wine" -> install it

then open the terminal and write winecfg

close all windows

now open your personal folder - now you find .wine folder (hidden) unhide (ctrl+h) -- open it

go to .wine/drive_c and copy your saved GPL folder into it

now run GEMPackage_2.5.0.32.exe

delete the GEM.ini in .wine/drive_c/users/Public/Documents/GEM+

open GPLSecrets folder

- open igor.ini for the path
- put your old options folder in GEM+
- copy the last GPL Setup Manager folder in it

now run GEM+2 and find a fitting size

Attached Files

•  Bildschirmfoto vom 2020-01-20 16-56-55.png   183K   80 downloads
•  Bildschirmfoto vom 2020-01-20 17-10-36.png   202.16K   84 downloads
•  Bildschirmfoto vom 2020-01-20 17-20-28.png   211.33K   85 downloads
•  Bildschirmfoto vom 2020-01-20 17-30-06.png   349.44K   76 downloads

Edited by Cookie, Jan 20 2020 - 10:42 AM.

[Cookie]

Setting up the G27 wheel + fanatec pedals

open a terminal and write wine control

open the game controller and  disable the G27 (js)

you can test the ffb too, but it's strong!


PS
the last pic is the result of this install

Attached Files

•  Bildschirmfoto vom 2020-01-20 17-35-49.png   166.99K   109 downloads
•  Bildschirmfoto vom 2020-01-20 18-16-24.png   1005.11K   103 downloads

Edited by Cookie, Jan 20 2020 - 11:20 AM.

[zockr]

Hi Axel,

all you´re doing here is just GREAT!

Linux Mint and GPL runs fine here at my home since years - on my PC-workstation (AMD Phenom II X4 965 with an AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series-grafics) and on my old Macbook (late 2008) with a NVIDIA GeForce 9600M "graphics processor with 512 MB too!

Definitely a recommodation for everybody not wanna have his pants down..

tim

[fajanko]

Thank you, Axel!
Last time I tried GPL on Linux I had problems with getting force feedback work. But it was many years ago. Too bad I'm stuck to Windows 10 at the moment...

[JMF]

I got the best results from Mint too. Manjaro had real problems with oglv2 but I think that has more to do with amd radeon and wine-staging. I never got around to seeing if GPL using oglv2 could work with Manjaro and wine-stable.

I'd recommend copying a windows install of GPL for Linux. I started from nothing once and every time I ran another exe for installing mods or tracks GPL got buggier until it was useless. I thought about filing a bug report to winehq but they request that only one program be installed in the wine prefix. That got me thinking that each time I ran another exe in linux it was making GPL buggier.

[mcmirande]

Great Axel!!

I have Manjaro with Gnome on an intel i7 Laptop with integrated "gpu" and it works very good with directX, although the fps go slightly under 36 at the end of full grids.

I can add that the G27's H stick works only with "fairshift" and this is the main reason I still don't use Linux for racing online. Sadly gplshift don't survive Wine... But if you're ok being slower than everybody else "fairshift" does perfectly what's intended to do.

Thanks Axel for the post!

Marcos

[Cookie]

Marco I found that even the smallest NVidia GPU makes a big difference.
I just bought a GT 1030 for 50€ for my office pc, in my laptop a NVIDIA NVS 4200M makes GPL run in 60fps full HD like a charm!

I will test the H shifter with mint...

Edited by Cookie, Jan 21 2020 - 06:46 AM.

[mcmirande]

Great, Axel!

Let us know how go your tests with the H

Marcos

[M Needforspeed]

clear tutorial, Axel .Informative and useful . Your topic has to be a sticky one

[TurboMan]

Followed. Interesting for future, as i don't want to move to Windows 10.

[zockr]

About managing Steering Wheels on Linux:

"pyLinuxWheel" and "Oversteer", two open source tools
look here:
https://www.gamingon...-on-linux.14796



How to install easy:

1. Download "pyLinuxWheel"-App
https://odintdh.itch.io/pylinuxwheel

2. Put the App-file somewhere in your home-directory

3. In your Filemanager right-cklick it -> Properties -> give "Execute-Permission"

4. Install App with doublclick
(You'ĺl get an error Message saying " some udev-file is missing")

->5. on your Desktop create an empty file called "99-logitech-wheel-perms.rules"

6. Open that file with Texteditor and past the following lines into it:
(Source: https://github.com/b...el-perms.rules)

# Match kernel name of device, rather than ATTRS{idProduct} and ATTRS{idVendor}
# so we can access the range file and leds directory. Set rw access to these
# files for everyone.
# Avoid blanket matching all Logitech devices, as that causes issues with mice,
# keyboards, and other non-wheel devices.
# Logitech G920 Driving Force Racing Wheel
SUBSYSTEMS=="hid", KERNELS=="0003:046D:C262.????", DRIVERS=="logitech-hidpp-device", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'cd %S%p/../../../; chmod 666 range'"
# Logitech G29 Driving Force Racing Wheel
SUBSYSTEMS=="hid", KERNELS=="0003:046D:C24F.????", DRIVERS=="logitech", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'cd %S%p/../../../; chmod 666 alternate_modes combine_pedals range gain autocenter spring_level damper_level friction_level ffb_leds peak_ffb_level leds/*/brightness; chmod 777 leds/ leds/*'"
# Logitech G27 Driving Force Racing Wheel
SUBSYSTEMS=="hid", KERNELS=="0003:046D:C29B.????", DRIVERS=="logitech", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'cd %S%p/../../../; chmod 666 alternate_modes combine_pedals range gain autocenter spring_level damper_level friction_level ffb_leds peak_ffb_level leds/*/brightness; chmod 777 leds/ leds/*'"
# Logitech G25 Driving Force Racing Wheel
SUBSYSTEMS=="hid", KERNELS=="0003:046D:C299.????", DRIVERS=="logitech", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'cd %S%p/../../../; chmod 666 alternate_modes combine_pedals range gain autocenter spring_level damper_level friction_level ffb_leds peak_ffb_level'"
# Logitech Driving Force GT Racing Wheel
SUBSYSTEMS=="hid", KERNELS=="0003:046D:C29A.????", DRIVERS=="logitech", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'cd %S%p/../../../; chmod 666 alternate_modes combine_pedals range gain autocenter spring_level damper_level friction_level ffb_leds peak_ffb_level'"
# Logitech Driving Force Pro Racing Wheel
SUBSYSTEMS=="hid", KERNELS=="0003:046D:C298.????", DRIVERS=="logitech", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'cd %S%p/../../../; chmod 666 alternate_modes combine_pedals range gain autocenter spring_level damper_level friction_level ffb_leds peak_ffb_level'"
# Logitech Driving Force Racing Wheel
SUBSYSTEMS=="hid", KERNELS=="0003:046D:C294.????", DRIVERS=="logitech", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'cd %S%p/../../../; chmod 666 combine_pedals range gain autocenter spring_level damper_level friction_level ffb_leds peak_ffb_level'"
# Logitech Momo Force Racing Wheel
SUBSYSTEMS=="hid", KERNELS=="0003:046D:C295.????", DRIVERS=="logitech", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'cd %S%p/../../../; chmod 666 range gain autocenter spring_level damper_level friction_level ffb_leds peak_ffb_level'"
# Logitech MOMO Racing USB
SUBSYSTEMS=="hid", KERNELS=="0003:046D:CA03.????", DRIVERS=="logitech", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'cd %S%p/../../../; chmod 666 range gain autocenter spring_level damper_level friction_level ffb_leds peak_ffb_level'"
# Logitech WingMan Formula Force GP USB
SUBSYSTEMS=="hid", KERNELS=="0003:046D:C293.????", DRIVERS=="logitech", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'cd %S%p/../../../; chmod 666 range gain autocenter spring_level damper_level friction_level ffb_leds peak_ffb_level'"
# Logitech Racing Wheel USB
SUBSYSTEMS=="hid", KERNELS=="0003:046D:CA04.????", DRIVERS=="logitech", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'chmod 666 %S%p/../../../range'"
# Logitech WingMan Formula GP
SUBSYSTEMS=="hid", KERNELS=="0003:046D:C20E.????", DRIVERS=="logitech", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'chmod 666 %S%p/../../../range'"
# Logitech WingMan Formula (Yellow) (USB)
SUBSYSTEMS=="hid", KERNELS=="0003:046D:C202.????", DRIVERS=="logitech", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'chmod 666 %S%p/../../../range'"

7. Save & exit Texteditor

8. Copy File with Filemanager into:
/etc/udev/rules.d/..
(you'll be asked for Root-PWD)

9. Restart Linux

10. Start "pyLinuxWheel.App"


Cheerz,
Tim

Edited by zockr, Apr 04 2020 - 09:41 AM.

[Cookie]

Hm, G27 works fine for me out of the box

I only would need the range aspect to set the rotation to 500°
but
Roberto Teso posted a range script file some time ago that works perfect
and
I learned about the Undocumented wheel lock settings of the G25/7 that work in linux too -> https://www.gtplanet...s-guide.286646/

I would not step back from FFB2!

Of course I will test the pyLinuxWheel.App and report

Edited by Cookie, Apr 01 2020 - 08:29 AM.

[zockr]

After some testing: Cookie you are right!
-disabling ffb2-option is a very bad idea because the wheel is lagging without it
(setting the wheelrange aspect ratio was exactly what I was looking for)

[mcmirande]

Thanks Tim (zockr)!

Do you know if the Logitech H-shifter would work with those apps?

Cheers, Marcos

[mcmirande]

I''m sorry. Repeated post :/

Edited by mcmirande, Apr 09 2020 - 08:19 AM.

[zockr]

@Marcos: Sorry, I think no -there´s nothing relating to it.

[Cookie]

Here is the "range" file:

Quote

#!/bin/bash

RANGE=450

for F in $(ls /sys/module/hid_logitech/drivers/hid\:logitech/*:*/range); do
   sudo chown your_name $F
   echo $RANGE > $F
done

;xset -dpms ; xset s off
;export WINEDEBUG=-all
;export LAST_PWD=$PWD
;cd /home/your_username/.wine/drive_c
;/usr/bin/wine "/home/your_username/.wine/drive_c/Program Files(x86)/;GPLSecrets/GEM+/GEMP2.exe"
;cd $LAST_PWD
;xset +dpms ; xset s on
exit 0

In order to made functioning the script you have to:

Modify your_range and your_username to your needs.
Verify and modify all paths according to your installation.
Save the modified file, naming rungem.sh or any else you like.
Copy rungem.sh to /usr/local/bin and from there change attribute to make executable.
Put a symbolic link on desktop to your commodity.

Now you can simply double click the symlink to run GEM+ with your wheel range automagically set.

Edited by Cookie, Apr 02 2020 - 04:50 AM.

[ginetto]

Cool
Axel, can you please mark in RED the parts that might need to be changed in the post above?
Thank you!