Budget roon core build - feedback requested

Roon Software Discussion
41

@JeremyAH
The output is that connection timed out. I found the problem is it will not let me use ssh unless it is attached to a monitor. Any advice n getting around this? If a monitor is attached, it works.

42

It sounds like @spockfish knows more about this topic than me, but if you only have to connect the monitor for ssh to work (and not have to login or connect a keyboard) it sounds like the video driver might be holding up the boot process.

Edit: I meant to post this earlier, but have had a busy afternoon

dmesg | less

Should give you any errors on startup without the monitor attached (but you’ll obviously have to connect the monitor later on to key this command in!).

43

Sorry to be pedantic, but could you paste the log here?

44

@spockfish I’ll do that tonight for the ssh attempt, but it is nothing more than the connection timed out.

There is no login to show when the monitor is not connected because there is no connection to make (it times out) and there is nothing to see (no monitor).

fg

45

Then … I’m not sure if I understand you correctly.

You’re running the ssh command from a different computer than the one your running Roon on right? And from my understanding you’re having trouble connecting with that server if you don’t have a monitor connected. So how does this not make it possible to see the log of the the ssh computer from which you are (trying to) connect FROM?

Regards

46

SSH works from my remote computer when a monitor is connected to the server. It doesn’t and times out when the server runs headless and a monitor is not connected.

I’ll give you a log from the remote. But with nothing to connect to it just says the connection timed out. There is no way to see where the server is getting stuck because there is no monitor on the server and no way to ssh in.

47

I understand that it doens’t work, but ssh -v will show verbosity and tell what’s wrong when connecting to your system. Just paste the output of the ssh command over here.

48

@spockfish

Here you go:

[MacBook-Air-3:~] fritzg% ssh 192.168.1.176 -v
OpenSSH_6.9p1, LibreSSL 2.1.8
debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
debug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 21: Applying options for *
debug1: Connecting to 192.168.1.176 [192.168.1.176] port 22.
debug1: connect to address 192.168.1.176 port 22: Operation timed out
ssh: connect to host 192.168.1.176 port 22: Operation timed out
[MacBook-Air-3:~] fritzg%

49

ok…

So right now the situation is as follows:

if you start the machine without monitor physically connected you can’t log in via ssh.
if you start the machine with monitor physically connected you can login via ssh.

Correct?

50

@spockfish Correct.

51

Ok. I think I know what the problem is. Just now I read that you we’re using a Mac Mini. And that machine will not boot without a monitor physically connected :frowning:

Bizar, but at least we know that it is the hardware and not Ubuntu. However, I found out that it is ‘relatively easy’ to fix it by making a dummy monitor. Look here: https://soledadpenades.com/2009/02/10/mac-mini-as-a-headless-server/

And you can even buy them online if this is too much of a hassle: http://www.amazon.com/CablesOnline-Graphics-Display-Detection-VE-D01/dp/B00EAY13GC

Good luck!

Regards

1 Like
52

Interesting, I had no idea the older Mac mini’s wouldn’t boot without a monitor attached. @fritzg just how old is this baby?!

53

Mine boots fine without a monitor, on OSX at least. It’s a 2012 model I think. I do have an HDMI dongle but thats just to get a better resolution using VNC - its not necessary for booting.

54

It is a late 2007 Mac Mini. It boots fine in OSX without a monitor, but not in Ubuntu.

55

hmmm. that’s still weird, as I expected it to be a firmware issue.
Especially since you installed Ubuntu server edition I’m surprised to say the least.

56

Exactly. I figure there must be a config fix of some kind.

57

is your Ubuntu booting (with monitor connected) to a text screen or do you get a graphical login?

58

It boots to a text screen. It’s Ubuntu server.

59

I successfully installed Roon Core on my late 2007 Mac Mini with the Mac version of Ubuntu Server 14.04. Thanks to those here who helped me get wireless running and this old machine booting without a monitor (A DVI adapter did the trick).

RoonServer runs, but is obviously hampered by the aging hardware. Importing albums takes a while and playback is all but impossible if scanning is happening in the background. When playing only, hi-res stutters over RAAT and doesn’t play at over Airplay. Lossless plays over both, but plays without delay over RAAT.

I won’t be using it in this config and will be setting it up as a RoonBridge for the porch. This experiment also gives me confidence to try my own NUC build if I choose, though I may just go ahead and buy a Mac Mini when the new models come out and sell the 2015 HD version that is now my RoonServer.

Again, thanks for all the help.

1 Like
60

Glad you got it working :slight_smile: