Linux on 7" mini netbook ARM-VT8500 ?

[Joe of loath]

Linux yes (posting from Debian on my WM8505 netbook), flash no. these netbooks don't have the grunt to decode AVIs, let alone flash video, even ignoring the lack of decent flash player for Linux+arm.

[zeveroth]

So I have the via wm8505 smartbook from sylvania. I installed a android 1.6 os. My only problem for the most part is that it only stays on when the poewr adapter is plugged in. As soon as I unplug it, it shuts down thinking that there is no battery life. The smart book was working fine, if you consider wince and it's super crappy overall preformance "fine", before I installed the android os. I did this b\c my daughter could not use facebook options well on wince and some other internet stuff she uses on the desktop. Android seems to eliminate all her problems, but has killed the idea of portability. Any way to fix this would be great.

As a note: I have read that the power issue has something to do with the OS thinking that is is supporting a touch screen. Seeing this is not a touch screen smart book, is there any way to fix this?

[zeveroth]

sorry double post.

[zeveroth]

So I am guessing this is a dead thread? 2 days and no response from anyone?

[abrasive]

Unless you can dig into the android FS and find whatever code is responsible for low-battery shutdown - or find a different Android variant that reads battery differently - there's not much to be done. Many of the netbook style machines don't actually sense battery in any meaningful way. I guess another option, if you're electronically inclined, would be to try and locate and rip up the charger sense line. Wouldn't recommend it... PS. I'm amazed this thread even still exists, after over 1 year and 1100 posts... Why doesn't anyone use the Wiki (bento-linux.org) and forums (http://devio.us/~nextvolume/via_arm/) that sprung up to help?

[DonutFUN]

It's not a dead thread, it is updated every at least 2 weeks or so I'd say.
I don't know anything about your problem otherwise I'd help

[dario_]

Hey Wendy

I've tried to install it and it just comes up with the "Smart book" screen. and stops, no loading bar, no text, nothing don't know why

I notice the same issue on my vt8500 netbook, WendyB, maybe something wrong in the script?
I also report that there is a SD/MMC card driver ready for use at

http://groups.google.com/group/vt850...83acbcd4aaafef

but i suspect it's only for wm8505.... it needs to be tested on vt8500. Can it be useful?

[WendyB]

I was very busy last week

The version I'm working now at least should support both VT8500 and WM8505 and different screen resolutions.

So, if you get a black screen my guesses are:

• Your netbook is a wm8505
• your netbook has different resolution (not 800x480)
• the bootloader has trouble reading the kernel image from SD card (SD card is SDHC, or wrongly formatted/partitioned)

[WendyB]

Unless you can dig into the android FS and find whatever code is responsible for low-battery shutdown - or find a different Android variant that reads battery differently - there's not much to be done. Many of the netbook style machines don't actually sense battery in any meaningful way. I guess another option, if you're electronically inclined, would be to try and locate and rip up the charger sense line. Wouldn't recommend it... PS. I'm amazed this thread even still exists, after over 1 year and 1100 posts... Why doesn't anyone use the Wiki (bento-linux.org) and forums (http://devio.us/~nextvolume/via_arm/) that sprung up to help?

You're right. This thread is not the most convenient place to discuss this thing, but the other forum isn't very often updated.

[zeveroth]

Thanks for teh help everyone. I will dig deeper and If I come up with anything useful, I will post it back on here. I just wish someone other than me had this problem. lol

EDIT: So I may have found a solution to my power problem with the android 1.6 os that I installed on my smart book.

http://sites.google.com/site/gyplace/home/informatica/how-to-install-android-on-smartbook-smartmedia-wm8505-and

I am confused on how to comment the files as the post describes. A quick skim through and you will see what I am talking about.