Just bought a Sylvania Smartbook, SYNET07WICV, after reading the comments below concerning this product and Linux, is there any new news on how to erase windows and replace with ubuntu?
Michael
First Cup of Ubuntu
Just bought a Sylvania Smartbook, SYNET07WICV, after reading the comments below concerning this product and Linux, is there any new news on how to erase windows and replace with ubuntu?
Michael
A Carafe of Ubuntu
Originally Posted by Spider-Web
I am getting a 404/ not found error on this link. I'm also a bit skeptical about clicking on a blind link to china unix. Lots of malware and hacking over there. No?
A Carafe of Ubuntu
I haven't succeeded with it yet. I did read an article some time back that claimed the newer versions of Ubuntu would include ARM versions in Ubuntu.
A Carafe of Ubuntu
Additional Comment: I was able to load Android 2.2 along the way but there are many icons that don't function. I'm not very impressed or interested in using Android.
Is it possible to take advantage of the Android installation and use it's layout to install Linux over it?
Thanks, OoobuntuRox
UPDATE: I found the links below. Some look like they have promising info but they are talking about extracting a tar.z file. I'm lost there. I haven't work with tar files. Can someone try this out and pitch in with the rest of resolving this? They instructions say you can install debian. That may be close enough. Once that is done, maybe ubuntu can be substituted. I am also wondering about a distro called DSL (dam small linux). Maybe that offer a solution too.
http://projectgus.com/files/abrasive...ux/1.0/INSTALL
WM8505 Debian - abrasive <abrasive@axdf.net> april 2010
How to INSTALL to your WM8505 based netbook: WARNING - this will destroy all user data - no warranty is given as to whether it will work, make your hair catch fire, or melt the screen off your netbook! 1. Create a single, large FAT partition. 2. Extract the 'fatpart.tgz' archive to the partition 3. in the 'script' folder so created, replace 'scriptcmd' with 'scriptcmd.install' 4. copy 'extpart.tgz' into the root When you are done, there should be 1 folder (script) and 1 file (extpart.tgz) in the root of the SD card. Boot from the card, wait a while. It will ask you to remove the card, at which point it will reboot into your new Debian install!
http://projectgus.com/files/abrasive...nux/1.0/README
WM8505 Debian - abrasive <abrasive@axdf.net> april 2010
Creating a bootable SD card: You need at least a 256MB card. 1. Format the card with partitions: 1. FAT (32MB will do) 2. EXT2 (rest of the card) 2. extract fatpart and extpart to the FAT and EXT2 partitions, resp. Card will boot to a text console, and won't touch any existing install (eg. WinCE). Handy notes: to reduce console spam on tty1, run dmesg -n 1 to enable wifi, modprobe rt3070sta to disable, rmmod rt3070sta (see also wi-on and wi-off scripts under 'useful') sound is untested in this release the kernel sets the system time from the RTC, but not vice versa; the driver interface is unknown configure the time with 'date' and use /sbin/wmt-rtc --sys2hw release includes apt-get, you should set up /etc/apt/sources.list for a local mirror you may wish to mkdir /var/log/apt wpa_supplicant is included also. mtd(block)7 is a small (~300mb) flash partition; mtd9 is the rest of flash (~1.7gb) X11 works fine; if you have a large enough card. apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-fbdev xfonts-base xinit and your favourite wm. the package scripts get the X conf wrong, you need to add: Driver "fbdev" to the Device section in /etc/X11/xorg.conf (a working xorg.conf is under 'useful')
http://projectgus.com/files/abrasive..._linux/useful/
MISC links:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...cessor-756154/
http://www.armedslack.org/
http://www.armedslack.org/doku.php?id=installation
http://devio.us/~nextvolume/via_arm/viewtopic.php?id=4&t_id=193
http://projectgus.com/files/abrasive...505_linux/1.0/
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...cessor-703336/
Updating to include Instructions on extracting Tar files
Extracting Tar Files:
http://www.unix.com/unix-dummies-que...-tar-file.html
in order to extract a tar file use the command
tar - xvf filename
and to zip it give
tar -cvf filename
Last edited by OooBuntuRox; June 22nd, 2012 at 06:01 AM. Reason: Updates
First Cup of Ubuntu
I have a friend who has a functioning Debian distro that uses an Android kernel.
He's supposed to send me a copy of his SD card.
A Carafe of Ubuntu
Is it something you can share? I have the WM8505 not the VT8505. I wonder if it will work.
I have the Bento version working about half way. Bento boots up to the point where it searches for the SD card then just sits there with the progress bar scrolling.
OooBuntuRox
Last edited by OooBuntuRox; July 1st, 2012 at 10:51 PM.
First Cup of Ubuntu
SD card has to be R/W Some of these books are upside down & you have to set it RO WM is another name for VT
A Carafe of Ubuntu
Yeah, the card is W/R and I was sure to leave the lock tab off. I figured that the os would try to write temp files to the sd card. Yes, the card slot is upside down. RO? Are you saying it needs to be locked to avoid disk writes?
Regarding VT vs WM, I am surprised to hear that they are the same. One site I went to made a big deal out of making sure you have the correct image and weather you had VT or WM. It had easylinux listed for VT and Bento Linux listed for WM. I opened the CMD file and I am wondering if the reason it doesn't boot is because the search path isn't set correctly. I'm not sure how to verify what my actual SD device path is though. I think it may be flash3 or similar. even if it is, I'm not sure how to update linux. Do I have to do a built as part of any updates? Or, can I update the cmd file like DOS autoexec.bat and config files?
It seems that most people have there sd boot cards working about 50 to 75% of the way.
have to go. OooBuntuRox,
So what do you say Iggybeans. any chance you can share that working image of the sd card?
Last edited by OooBuntuRox; July 4th, 2012 at 01:38 PM.
First Cup of Ubuntu
Some boards have a bug, and you have to set your SD card RO to make it RW...
Also, if you crash or poweroff you might need to run e2fsck on the card (sda2) before it will boot. That sounds like what is happening to you.
If you want droid, try modroid if you can find it. It was on Megaupload.
The problem is not Via or WonderMedia, the problem re easy & bento is the CPU .
When it boots, and you are on the net, apt-get update followed by apt-get upgrade It is debian. Expect the first upgrade to be biggish.
A Carafe of Ubuntu
Thanks for your help.
I looked into modroid. people are complaining that it knocks out the wifi. I don't want to loose wifi. It also seems that an 8605 and 8705 have been released since this 8505 So its getting harder to find people devoted to working on them. a few sites are now closed and simply say "DON'T BUY ONE".
I came across an interesting site called: http://www.yourwarrantyisvoid.com
It has a section on the hardware internals. I'm going to ad the links to the long list that I have gathered so far. When I get it all figured out, hope to edit and drop the extraneous information.
Regarding bento Linux, There may be a few things with the SD card I am using. I partitioned an 8gb SD card with a few 2 GB partitions. I may drop to a smaller card to see if it helps. Each time the card hangs, I do a full format and set t up again. I may have a swap area on it. I have since heard that can cause problems. So I have to remove it if it's there. But the configuartion of linux I am using may be affecting the image too. I am going to try a different Linux box (basic, no security, etc) and start from scratch.
Thanks, OooBuntuRox
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