Windows XP Look-a-Like on a Raspberry Pi

(in case I have to do this again!)

1. Download latest Q4OS (q4os-3.14-rpi.r4.zip was ~900M compressed download, 1.9G image) 

   • Q4OS Raspberry Pi Setup Guide (pretty thin)

   • Q4OS Forums (very good/responsive!)

2. Flash to SD card using Etcher (or similar) - Approx 10 mins 

3. Initial boot, Update and Desktop  Profiler - Approx 45 min

   • Automatically resizes file system

   • <odd!?  mine stopped here in terminal session - did a sudo reboot to kick it on>

   • Login as pi/raspberry

   • Forced feeds some scaling dialog - yada yada, I just hit OK

   • Detects WiFi now!  Set up ssid/pass at this point as needed

   • Automatically sets language

   • Forces password change for user pi

   • Runs Desktop Profiler:  Select "Full featured Desktop, Office Suite ..."   Approx 30 mins 
     // This took a looong time.  It looked like a big update included here ... lots of packages flying by!!  //

4. Some post-install cleanup (notes to self, season to taste) - Approx 5 mins

   • Raspi-config via GUI or Terminal session (Konsole)

     • System Options:

       1. Set Hostname

       2. Boot to Desktop

       3. Wait for Network at Boot
          // Mostly to avoid confusing the 90+ year old users when system appears up/ready //

       4. Enable Splash Screen

     • Display Options

       1. Set Resolution to 800x600 for my Mom (large/square LCD)

     • Interfacing Options:

       1. SSH Server on

       2. VNC Server Enabled // Optional //

     • Localization

       1. Check all options - I had to set Timezone and WiFi Country

<Forced reboot here>

Software install via Q4OS Package manager (or apt)

1. Install favorite editor (nano is installed by default but Ilike joe)

2. Make sure Chromium Browser was installed
   // Firefox did not do well, it did not stream grampa's radio station, also noticeably slower than chromium //

3. Microsoft Fonts aka "ttf-mscorefonts-installer" package 

4. Games - MANY to choose from!

   • A  boatload of games were JUST THERE on this release ... I don't recall installing:
     Programs:/ q4os-Programs/q4os-Games!

   • sgt-puzzles - includes Blocks (aka "Same Game") 

   • Snood = xbubble

   • Aisleriot Solitaire (pretty close to MS Solitaire)

5. Misc

   • xpdf - Open source pdf viewer 

   • I watch over GramPi using remote.it - Raspberry Pi Install @  https://docs.remote.it/software/device-package/installation

     • apt install remoteit

     • http://find.remote.it  - and Clink on Register!  Nice!  Much easier than it used to be!

Log/Notes on things that were tweaked since deployment.  

2023

• My buddy attempted the recipe but struggled with VERY slow internet access (browser). 
  He fixed it by disabling IPv6 ... just like this:

  1. Open a system file for editing and use the down arrow to go to the bottom of the file (mouse doesn't work).

sudo nano /etc/sysctl.conf

• 2. Copy the following lines from a text file and paste them at the bottom of sysctl.conf file:
     
     ######################################################
     # Disable IPv6
     ######################################################
     net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 = 1
     net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 = 1
     net.ipv6.conf.lo.disable_ipv6 = 1

  3. Cause the changes to the sysctl.conf file to become active.
     
     sudo sysctl -p

  4. Boot the computer.

2022

• Prepared new (buster) version of GramPi on new 32g microsd.    Minor touch-ups in recipe, mostly simplifications

• Forgot chromium bookmarks & passwords on first attempt.  This article came in HANDY:
  https://linuxconfig.org/easy-way-to-import-export-passwords-on-chrome-chromium-browser-using-flag-switches

• Skipped VNC for now ... researching why I can't  access options: 
  Stuck on this one, posted for help https://www.q4os.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3979
  
  Message="Unable to configure options for VNC Server".   
  Popup detail:
  "This requires super user access when running in service mode as the
  changes will affect all users of this system.  Either you do not have a
  suitable method configured to gain superuser privileges (e.g. sudo),
  you are not authorized top do this, or you supplied invalid credentials"
  
  Journal looks like this ...
  "Mar 29 07:30:45 GramPiV2 vncserver-x11-serviced[486]: <11> 2022-03-29T12:30:45.931Z GramPiV2 vncserverui-service[786]: ServerUi: Error showing options dialog: Elevation not supported: no terminal found"

• <more to come>

2019

• 1/31/19:  Added a pdf viewer - xpdf package.  Odd that this one slipped thru the cracks

2018 

• WiFi did not come up after reboot and wasn't controllable via NetworkManager gui - lots of fiddling

  • Fixed in latest version (2.6 Nov 2018) 

  • If you downloaded before fix ... here's the forum thread:  https://www.q4os.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2406
    in a nutshell: "We probably found the root of the issue, as the "dhcpcd5" package conflicts with network manager.
    Please try to run in terminal:  $ sudo apt purge dhcpcd5

  • purging dhcpcd5 did the trick for me!  

• One more WiFi issue - No internet connection in morning ... Turned off WiFi Power Save mode via sudo iwconfig wlan0 power off 

• Don't forget to export Thunderbird Address Book before you ditch old PC!  

• Timezone did not get set during the config/tweaking - right click on taskbar/time

• Complaints about slow Mail (Thunderbird) ended up being Thunderbird asking/compacting folders every time it started - even IMAP.  

• Turned off "Ask to Compact" option.   Will play with Clean up ("Expunge") Inbox on Exit option.

• Ended up setting "empty trash on exit" - seemed to make more sense for IMAP Account

• Added Remot3.it for Raspberry Pi so I can monitor or tweak remotely.  SSH and VNC.  This ended up being EXTREMELY helpful during COVID-19 Lockdowns in 2020!