DIY : transparently emulate an amiga 4000 on ubuntu linux that boots like if you were on a real amiga (20s) [update 2019 06 14]

Hits: 12519

First version of this article from 2016 12 26 (it was a merry XMAS article 🙂 ). Compatible with:
  • Ubuntu 12.04LTS
  • Ubuntu 16.04LTS
  • Ubuntu 18.04LTS

goal

Having an emulated amiga 4000 (040+256Mb RAM) that launch itself without doing anything

everyone seems to have some little emulated amiga, so here is my way. it allows me to test many things i couldn’t be able to test on my real amiga 1200

i like to do things by myself, and share my knowledge with peoples, so this is manual configuration, from the installation of your OS to the end point

if you want to have an already configured solution, maybe it’s better for you to get Amikit or WinUAE, or Happiga (if you own a raspberry pi).

this amiga launch in less than 25s, but i think I can make it even faster

it boots up in 20s after some tweaking

prerequisites

my X500 wonderfull case that hosts my emulated A4000
  • you need rom files and workbench files to be able to have an amiga running under an emulator
  • personnaly I have Amiga Forever 2010, so i have everything that I need.
  • a spare computer, with some good processor, some memory, and a nice case
  • personnaly, I have a celeron G1620 + 8Gb RAM + SSD 128Gb + a WONDERFULL X500 Plus amiga like case, perfect to host my emulated amiga
  • an iso file of ubuntu 16.04LTS or 12.04LTS

note

it uses fs-uae (which is now very fast if compared to itself 3 years ago – in 2013). it is better than wine+winuae now.

all those steps are made for ubuntu 16.04LTS

host OS install and configuration

YOUR TUTORIAL IS BELOW, remember it’s a huge work to write those tutorials, please show me your support in registering ! You will then access all the free downloads and all the tutorials.

  1. download ubuntu server https://www.ubuntu.com/download/server
  2. put it on a usb key using unetbootin (https://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/unetbootin)
  3. boot on this usb key, then follow the install steps
  4. follow this article to install a light version of openbox (written for 12.04LTS Ubuntu, but it can still be used under 16.04LTS)
  5. don’t forget to update/upgrade

Install those aditional packages :

sudo apt-get install lib32ncurses5 lib32z1 ubuntu-restricted-extras

install the good drivers for your gfx card

sudo ubuntu-drivers devices

sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall

for 12.04, follow : https://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/gestionnaire_de_pilotes_proprietaires

install OpenGL

sudo apt-get install mesa-utils

sudo apt-get install freeglut3

then *reboot*

install fs-uae

https://fs-uae.net/download#ubuntu

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:fengestad/stable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install fs-uae fs-uae-launcher fs-uae-arcade

install workbench + roms

do it with

fs-uae-launcher

OR

  1. follow “this article” to take it from Amiga Forever and install workbench files
  2. You can also install it using the normal Amiga OS3.9 procedure (this is what I did). I’ll write an article on this soon.
  3. test your config and save it

configure openbox

follow this article to pimp the openbox environement, and modify

/home/yourusername/.config/openbox/autostart

add this to the end :

fs-uae /Documents/FS-UAE/Configurations/nameofyourconfig.fsuae – fullscreen &

autopen user session

sudo nano /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d/12-autologin.conf
[SeatDefaults]
autologin-user=yourusername
autologin-user-timeout=delay

Like in those articles :

Update 2019 06 19

It changed on Ubuntu 18.04LTS.

You must edit the file

/etc/gdm3/custom.conf

And make it look like this (replace [yourusername] with the user you want to autologin)

[daemon]
#WaylandEnable=false
AutomaticLoginEnable = true
AutomaticLogin = [yourusername]

https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-enable-automatic-login-on-ubuntu-18-04-bionic-beaver-linux

change lightdm wallpaper

To set the default background and stop the switching edit

/usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas/10_unity_greeter_background.gschema.override 
[com.canonical.unity-greeter]
draw-user-backgrounds=false
background='path-to-your-jpg'

then run

sudo glib-compile-schemas /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas/

Follow this article to change the logo for an amiga logo.

more

Workbench installation

you would prefer install it from OS 3.9 official CDROM or Amiga Forever CD. This is what I did, it works very well.

You will also install BB1, BB2 and BB3&BB4 (boing bags), from there : http://lilliput.amiga-projects.net/bbag4.htm

FS-UAE processor parameters

to make the emulation really firing fast :

  • emulate a 68040 without MMU but with “JIT” enabled. Try both 68040+MMU, and this, you’ll see…
  • Use fs-uae-launcher to modify the parameters of your configuration.
  • FS-UAE keyboard layout : personnally, I don’t play (or just a little), so I don’t need joysticks. If you emulate a joystick with the keyboard, you loose the use of arrow keys. So, unactivate the joysticks to get the arrow keys working.
  • Emulate a 68060 : if you want to emulate a 68060, you need special libraries to be installed inside your workbench system before it can work. Find them on phase5 website : http://phase5.a1k.org/index.php?driverslibraries

still to come

more tweaking (splash screen, plymouth…)

splash screen and grub settings : https://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/superbootmanager

a little video ?

Author: jess

for a long time amiga, aros & demos lover and musician (linux musician, drummer, modules in protracker and octamed, recording and mastering in ardour)