Native Linux for Asus tf701t

Trel725 · Apr 13, 2015

Linux for Asus tf701t

DISCLAIMER:
You can brick your device. Be careful

Github repo

There are three available versions of Linux distros for this tablet:

1) Xubuntu 14.04 by Geometry

2) Arch Linux

3) Debian Wheezy

Kernel for Arch and Xubuntu by Geometry

The recommend distro is Xubuntu. It is the most stable, has the best hardware support (Bluetooth and Wifi works properly) and user-friendly. Now touchscreen not supported. Hardware accelerated video works via console nvgstplayer. Look here for further information.
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Arch Linux is pretty good, too. It has the best touch support, UI is xfce4 with touchscreen patches. Bluetooth not works, wifi is a little buggy. Hardware accelerated video do not works. Included Chromium with touch support.

root password: 1234qwerty
user : test, password: changeme
Rootfs:

https://mega.co.nz/#!b8w3VJaJ!SpD1GTIkNiiAmYiCUxmhOYjX6NYN8IeFPhiY6N9Xtkc

Installation:
Download rootfs archive, copy it to your tablet. You can previously extract tar from bz2 by command (if you're using Linux)

Code:

bzip2 -d ./arch.tar.bz2

That is not obligatory, but faster than unpacking on tablet.
Then, open terminal emulator and type

Code:

su
cd /data/media
tar -xf {path to your rootfs archive}

You should see archlinux directory in /data/media

To try Linux (without any changing in Android):
Download attached file arch_bind.img, and boot it via fastboot by command:

Code:

sudo fastboot boot {path to arch_bind.img}

If you're using Windows have a look here

If you like it, you can flash linux kernel instead of recovery:

Code:

sudo fastboot flash recovery {path to arch_bind.img}

You'll not be able to go into recovery, but instead get a complete another OS

You can get your recovery back just by re-flashing it.
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Alternatively you can install rootfs on external memory, such as MicroSD or usb stick (usb and dock SD is not very good idea because data corrupting is possible due to bad connection between dock and tablet).
Just unpack archive to your SD (I'm afraid it won't works under Windows, but I'm not sure). Be careful, you should get a rootfs on SD, not the dir archlinux.

After that, boot or flash in same way as mentioned above, but use arch_ext.img.
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Debian Wheezy - the first, legacy distro. Is not very stable, but has some interesting features. Description below:

Thanks to Rabit, author of Linux for tf700

royredman · Dec 14, 2014 at 7:44 PM

This is really exciting. I am a beginning computer science major and would love to see this running native Linux. Do you have any other partners that can help you out with working on this awesome project?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

royredman · Dec 15, 2014 at 3:55 AM

I'm sure @sbdags would be curious about hearing this.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

Trel725 · Dec 15, 2014 at 6:47 AM

royredman said:
Do you have any other partners that can help you out with working on this awesome project?

Noone helps me. I need a help because I don't have enough knowledge and time. So, if anyone helped me this project would get a great kick ass

YayYouFixedIt · Nov 21, 2012 538 66 0

Trel725 said:
Noone helps me. I need a help because I don't have enough knowledge and time. So, if anyone helped me this project would get a great kick ass

You're making good progress. Just keep at it. People will appreciate it. If I had a dock I would take a look at it. Thanks.:good:

Trel725 · Dec 15, 2014

YEAHH!!
I got it, load X server that work correctly! GUI works, mouse works, dock tablet works!!!
It works without any recovery and chroot, direct. I caught this parameter in /sys. That is /sys/class/graphics/bits_per_dpi , if I write 16 in it, screen is initialize!

PROOFS!

zaelin · Feb 14, 2011 49 7 0

Looking good, nice to see some Unix up and running.

YayYouFixedIt · Nov 21, 2012 538 66 0

Can you put a higher number then 16? like 24? or 32? Or does that not make any sense?

Trel725 · Dec 16, 2014

YayYouFixedIt said:
Can you put a higher number then 16? like 24? or 32? Or does that not make any sense?

I don't know, I think that is not color depth, because colors are normal. I think that is something system because in normal running android that is 0 in this file.

This evening I will post a preview linux, that you can boot.

YayYouFixedIt · Nov 21, 2012 538 66 0

Trel725 said:
I don't know, I think that is not color depth, because colors are normal. I think that is something system because in normal running android that is 0 in this file.

This evening I will post a preview linux, that you can boot.

Awesome. Yes I looked at that directory and in android I see fb1 its bits per pixel and is set to 32. Might be something else. Good Job.

Trel725 · Dec 16, 2014 at 7:30 PM

That is the rootfs packed by squashfs. Just unpuck it to sdcard, insert card and boot my kernel (n first post). Wait a minute and log in by name and password ubuntu. Then go to root mode (sudo su) and type

Code:

X vt1 & sleep 5; brite; DISPLAY=:0 xfce4-session

You'll get a simple xfce desktop preview. Now I am testing Unity but it pretty buggy. You can install ubuntu-desktop by chroot from android and try it.

I am afraid I can't enough time, so to finish this project I really need a help.

https://mega.co.nz/#!WhR2DbYZ!s5byPlazuY0XLY_z_9JDF1VF-QfLzsGtNKE8RkV-BlM

sudoaptget · Dec 18, 2014 21 0 0

Trel725 said:
That is the rootfs packed by squashfs. Just unpuck it to sdcard, insert card and boot my kernel (n first post). Wait a minute and log in by name and password ubuntu. Then go to root mode (sudo su) and type

Code:

X vt1 & sleep 5; brite; DISPLAY=:0 xfce4-session

You'll get a simple xfce desktop preview. Now I am testing Unity but it pretty buggy. You can install ubuntu-desktop by chroot from android and try it.

I am afraid I can't enough time, so to finish this project I really need a help.

I would really like to help as I just purchased a tf701t myself and want linux on it but I'm afraid I don't know nearly enough about android devices to help much

I'm gonna do alot of research to learn how it all works ...I might be able to help you then

I have one question: Could it be possible to (if knowledgeable) to configure Linux Mint 17 64-bit on the tf701t with enough know-how?

This project has alot of potential my friend so don't quit now

YayYouFixedIt · Dec 19, 2014 at 2:39 AM

sudoaptget said:
I would really like to help as I just purchased a tf701t myself and want linux on it but I'm afraid I don't know nearly enough about android devices to help much

I'm gonna do alot of research to learn how it all works ...I might be able to help you then

I have one question: Could it be possible to (if knowledgeable) to configure Linux Mint 17 64-bit on the tf701t with enough know-how?

This project has alot of potential my friend so don't quit now

No no. Unless you know something I dont Linux mint is for x86 32bit architectures. As well as the x86 64 bit architectures. The tf701 is an arm 32 bit architecture. Theres likely no way you could put a x86 64bit compiled os on a 32 bit embedded arm device.

sudoaptget · Dec 19, 2014

YayYouFixedIt said:
No no. Unless you know something I dont Linux mint is for x86 32bit architectures. As well as the x86 64 bit architectures. The tf701 is an arm 32 bit architecture. Theres likely no way you could put a x86 64bit compiled os on a 32 bit embedded arm device.

ok I guess I'm going about this the wrong way

I did some research into Arch Linux ARM distro and it's looking promising... Can Arch Linux ARM work with the tf701t? If so, can you provide any info on how to install Arch Linux on the device?

I'm a complete noob when it comes to tablets haha

Edit: I realised I might be highjacking this thread, so I apologise for that and I'll stop asking questions here. Anway I'm excited for any future updates on linux on these devices topics.

YayYouFixedIt · Nov 21, 2012 538 66 0

Yes ArchLinux arm, Gentoo, Kali, Debian, Ubuntu, Ubuntu touch and others supporting arm but besides this theres no proper solution to get it on this tablet yet afaik.

Trel725 · Dec 19, 2014 at 12:19 PM

I am going to share kubuntu 14.04 soon, but I am not like it. Now I am working on Debian.

sudoaptget · Dec 18, 2014 21 0 0

Trel725 said:
I am going to share kubuntu 14.04 soon, but I am not like it. Now I am working on Debian.

I'm not a fan of ubuntu or any subsidiary flavours such as kubuntu I'm afraid. But I am curious to see what your Debian will be like

Point Linux distro (debian) is the most stable distro of any linux distro and somewhat similar to 10.10 ubuntu (maverick) before canonical turned ubuntu sour. Unfortunately it looks like its only 86x 64bit

I'll try making an arch linux ARM for tf1071t. But some guides or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Trel725 · Dec 19, 2014 at 7:52 PM

Debian tworks well. Much better then *buntu. I removed ubuntu, and I going to release Debian 0.1 rotfs.
Summary:
Wifi - works
Screen - works
Input - dock and usb mouse works, touchscreen and touchpad - bot
Sound - strange, woks in browser, but not player.

sudoaptget · Dec 18, 2014 21 0 0

Trel725 said:
Debian tworks well. Much better then *buntu. I removed ubuntu, and I going to release Debian 0.1 rotfs.
Summary:
Wifi - works
Screen - works
Input - dock and usb mouse works, touchscreen and touchpad - bot
Sound - strange, woks in browser, but not player.

Fantastic

You're a legend! I was wondering if I can get a copy of the debian to install on my tf701t for testing purposes?

I can try get the player working....

Trel725 · Dec 20, 2014 at 12:11 PM

That is rootfs https://mega.co.nz/#!7oAiRSLB!57byiZho_oXXzUiWlAaHbeUF7Ykm3NOrUz3oGaEWD08
It contains simple debian. You should remove /etc/init/tf701.conf becouse it crash booting. When system boot you can log in by user root and password 1234qwerty (sudo not installed), then echo 16 > /sys/class/graphics/fb0/bits_per_pixel and then type myx. That is simple script which will boot graphical enviroment.

Native Linux for Asus tf701t

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