Using Arduino on a live PCLinuxOS CD

I was surprised to see that the Arduino app was in our new repository of PCLinuxOS.

If you are lucky/smart and have PCLinuxOS2010 installed, scroll down to the 2 minute arduino install procedure.

I joined the forum here thinking I'd see some other PCLinuxOS users, because most of our apps are requested from our own forum.

The last posts here were from a now outdated version of our Linux distribution.

Just released days ago is the PCLinuxOS 2010 main, and various flavors to suit likes and machines.

If you have always wanted to try Linux, but been afraid to mess up yours or your spouse's machine, fear not.

You can run and program your arduino from a live linux cd without touching your hard drive.

Remove the cd and reboot, and your machine is untouched. Of course installing and dual-booting PCLinuxOS in a machine with Mac/Windows is a common setup for PCLinuxOS users.

I am writing this from a laptop running off the live cd without a hard drive.

First make yourself a Live CD. Get the iso from here: KDE Desktop ยป PCLinuxOS
The download button is under the disclaimer.

Burn this image using your favorite cd burner, remembering to burn it as a cd image.

Boot your machine with the live cd, setting your machine to boot from cd if not already set to.

It is a good idea to select the media test from the menu first. This compares the burn with its inherent md5sum checker.

If all is well, it is best to reboot, rather than go from there after passing the test.

Reboot, and see if you can start from the default first menu. (It will self start there in a few seconds).

If you just end up with a black login screen, reboot and chose vesa safeboot.

It will ask you to select your keyboard locality, USA being default. Hit enter.

You will now be logged in as a guest, and if on a desktop and a cat5 cable connected, will be connected to your LAN/internet.

If on a laptop, with a cat5 cable the same should happen.

If not, or on a wireless, click on the network shortcut on the desktop.

Find your wifi and connect, but it is easier to connect a cable in some cases.

Now go to bottom of screen and hover mouse over the icons on bottom of screen until you find 'synaptic package manager'.

Click it open, and it will ask you for root/administrator password, which on the live cd: type in 'root'.

click on RELOAD, it will tie in to our app repository, and update the apps and updates.

I would normally say to click on 'mark all upgrades', but when running on live cd, there may not be enough room in live memory to hold it. So don't for now.

Scroll down the left side of app names to 'arduino', select it, or just double click it to install.

It will give info that it is downloading a bunch of other stuff with it, the Arduino dependencies needed.

Wait for it to download and install, and wait for the menu list to come back.

You can now close that window.

Plug in your arduino to the usb port.

Go to the app launch, the circle to bottom left, it is like the MS start. Then to 'more applications' then 'development', then arduino.

The sketch app will come up. In my case I checked the serial port, and it already showed my usb0, and under the type or arduino it was on my duemilanove 328.

You are ready to go!

Carry the disk and your Arduino around, and you won't need your laptop.

If you need to save any work, plug in a usb key and save to that.


Installing Arduino Application in an installed PCLinuxOS 2010 Distribution

Go to the synaptic package manager at the bottom of screen in the task launch bar.

Select reload, and ideally mark all upgrades, to keep your system current.

Before hitting reply, click on arduino on the left hand list of apps.

Click on 'apply' and wait for menu list to come back.

Close Synaptic.

Go to PC app launch circle->More Applications->Development->arduino.

Pick your usb port and type of arduino.

Enjoy!

I may be going to the Boston Arduino get together this week, so I'll bring some live cd's to show.

Jim