Linux on 7" mini netbook ARM-VT8500 ?

[OooBuntuRox]

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

Updating to include links to hardware information and more Bento Linux info:

Interesting articles from a site called: your warranty is void .com

Hardware Inside the box! :
http://www.yourwarrantyisvoid.com/20...book-from-cvs/

Comments on Windows CE or Linux:
http://www.yourwarrantyisvoid.com/20...ook-revisited/

OooBuntuRox,

Update: I think my problem is that I am incorrectly or unsuccessfully extracting my compressed files. I am getting the script folder in the fat partition without trouble but I am using windows7 and 7Zip (or P7Zip) to do that. When I use Linux to extract my ext files I am getting an error. I think it is due to file permissions. I keep getting an error. The files appear to extract but I don't think they are writing to the disk correctly. There are error messages with each file.

[jl2]

"Dont buy one" is good advice. I got a Tosh TE2100 for a lot (75%) less. However there is the thrill of the chase to consider.
Make 2 directories, one 30 or 40MB fat, the other a big linux, ext2 or 3 or 4, does not matter.
unpack the fatpart, copy the extpart (I hope my recall is correct) into/onto the small FAT dir.
Insert into SD slot. power on. away you go.
If you get your script dir, then things are working up to that point.
That way you do not risk your UBOOT or anything else inside the WM rom.
Then install whatever you need. stay away from gnome. It will cripple your netbook. That leaves openbox & lxde & icewm & jwm. wicd for your network. and disable syslog. your other friend is mc
** I am using a modroid wifi driver in my Abrasive-Debian install ** It works so I dont know what they are talking about. ** i just checked on a modroid netbook, and wifi works **
Sound crashes the system. I even try a usb sound dongle, still crashes. Apart from that, it works.
To extract a tar file tar -xf tarfile.tar To uncompress it add z,j, or J depending on how it was compressed. tar -zxf tarfile..gz :: -jxf tarfile.bz2 :: -Jxf tarfile.xz
What sort of error? like no space left on device? or permission denied???? no space means you are on sda1, not sda2. permission meas you have to be root.

[jl2]

you have to be root otherwise you get permission denied, or operation not permitted when you do tar -zxf extpart.tgz
in fact i remember now, root is necessary to give the correct permisisons to the files. Otherwise it will not work.

[OooBuntuRox]

These things suck

Yup. I thought there would be hardware hacks to stack memory, etc. A year later, Nope! Still a paperweight. I like the size and the weight. I got it to work fine with CE6 (stock OS). Well, fine as far as connecting o wifi, checking email. But it is a dog for browsing the net, youtubing, etc.

Like Tim Taylors son (of tool-time) used to say: You might as well throw it up against the wall now and save yourself a lot of headaches.

[OooBuntuRox]

you have to be root otherwise you get permission denied, or operation not permitted when you do tar -zxf extpart.tgz
in fact i remember now, root is necessary to give the correct permisisons to the files. Otherwise it will not work.

I was trying to extract it using the gui. I looked for an as admin option. I was avoiding the command line because I knew I'd screw up the path. Is there an easy way to sudo in the gui?

Also Ubuntu has encryption installed. I wasn't sure if that might be affecting it.

[OooBuntuRox]

"Dont buy one" is good advice. I got a Tosh TE2100 for a lot (75%) less.

I know. I got a used lappy for $25. Its the weight and no spinning hd platters that I like on the smartbook. Flip it any which way you want while using the smartbook.

However there is the thrill of the chase to consider.

Thats about what it boils down to. I thought I'd learn or gain something from it. Aside from learning patience, I haven't learned much from it.

Make 2 directories, one 30 or 40MB fat, the other a big linux, ext2 or 3 or 4, does not matter.

directories or partitions? I think you mean partitions. Thanks. I may have given up on it. A lot of people put them back to stock from what I see. I wouldn't have mind android on it if you could work with it easier. A lot of icons were locked to the desktop and didn't work either.

unpack the fatpart, copy the extpart (I hope my recall is correct) into/onto the small FAT dir.
Insert into SD slot. power on. away you go.
If you get your script dir, then things are working up to that point.
That way you do not risk your UBOOT or anything else inside the WM rom.
Then install whatever you need. stay away from gnome.

...less and less reason for me to pursue this..

It will cripple your netbook. That leaves openbox & lxde & icewm & jwm. wicd for your network. and disable syslog. your other friend is mc
** I am using a modroid wifi driver in my Abrasive-Debian install ** It works so I dont know what they are talking about. ** i just checked on a modroid netbook, and wifi works **

...beyond my current abilities. I wouldn't know where to begin.

Sound crashes the system. I even try a usb sound dongle, still crashes. Apart from that, it works.
To extract a tar file tar -xf tarfile.tar To uncompress it add z,j, or J depending on how it was compressed. tar -zxf tarfile..gz :: -jxf tarfile.bz2 :: -Jxf tarfile.xz
What sort of error? like no space left on device? or permission denied???? no space means you are on sda1, not sda2. permission meas you have to be root.

I think it was probably permissions or similar. I was extracting them with the gui on one box, ten copying the files to the sd card. But I am certain the errors occurred during the extract. I went back and looked/ tried it several times.

Now I see there is an WM8650 out there. And one of these Sylvanias that comes stock with Android on it.

I may come back to it at a later time... or just get something different that is still light. I played with pandigital, then got rid of it. I may have settled on a netbook for now.

Thanks everyone. OooBuntuRox

[nick1221]

Is there an operating system that would work on my computer with a WM8505 processer? A link to the download with instructions would be perfect. Because I can't seem to find one.

[karamel4e]

Hello,

My first post. I have one of these netbooks - Jay Tech UMPC 9901 with WinCE installed. Following the instructions in this threat I am trying to put some other OS on it. I decided to start with the live Debian (not to break the windows for now). I managed to start it with an SD card only (not the USB). It is working fine. It drops me to the "wiliam" prompt. What I'd like to do now is install X11. Unfortunately, I do not know how to configure the network adapters in CLI. I've done this once or twice in ubuntu previously but most of the commands are "command not found". Not sure what to do now. In this threat, it is said to use "modprobe rt3070sta" to enable wifi. When I write this I get no error message.

In other words, could you please tell me how to connect to internet?

Thanks

[sdse78]

Is there an operating system that would work on my computer with a WM8505 processer? A link to the download with instructions would be perfect. Because I can't seem to find one.

I'm looking for the same thing myself. Abrasive if you're still on the forum could you please offer up some help.

I found your files here. http://projectgus.com/files/abrasive...505_linux/1.0/

However, when I format my SD card FAT it seems it cannot be found.

I get this message "Can't find extpart.tgz on SD card!"

It's there so what is the problem? Why can't it read the file?

[jl2]

http://devio.us/~nextvolume/via_arm/...t_id=12&page=1
search wondermedia abarasive
you have to be root.
my card has a small fat part, with a script directory, and a big ext part which has the OS . i also have a swap part, and another ext part for keeping some files which might be useful in the future, if we have a big flash crash.