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Nextbook Flexx 11 Tutorials

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By Kitsumi, Junior Member on 23rd August 2015, 04:07 AM
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Nextbook Flexx 11
A 200-250$ 2-in-1 laptop.
  • CPU: 1.83 GHz Intel Atom Z3735F Quad-Core
  • RAM: 2 GBs
  • SSD: 64GBs
  • Screen: 11.6" Touchscreen
  • Ports: 1 x MicroHDMI, 1 x MicroUSB 2.0, 2 x USB 2.0
  • Micro SD Card slot
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23rd August 2015, 04:07 AM
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Installing every linux based OS(Android, RemixOS, Linux Distros)
Prerequisites:
  • A bootia32.efi file (Found in attachments)
  • A copy of your favorite linux distro
  • Rufus, UNetbootin, or a USB disk image write of your choice.
  • A flash you can wipe, and boot from
  • A little bit of time

Step 1: Setting up
First thing you'll need to do is use your image writer to write the iso to your USB.
MAKE SURE YOU SELECTED THE RIGHT USB DRIVE!
I cannot stress this enough, if you don't want to lose everything on another flash drive, or your hard drive, check and make sure you are using the right drive letter.
Do not restart now. We need to add some files to it.
Extract bootia32.efi and copy it to /boot/efi on your flash drive.

So this was some instructions I made for booting it, but this is much more complicated than it should be. You can totally disregard this spoiler.
Step 2: Booting
Plug your USB into your nextbook (if you haven't already) and turn it on/reboot it.
As its powering on, hold ESC to get into the boot options.
Click "Boot Manager" and select your USB drive.
IF IT DOESN'T SHOW UP, FORMAT YOUR USB DRIVE TO FAT32 AND GO BACK TO STEP 1.
Now, 2 things may happen, it may boot up perfectly, and from there, just follow the steps to install.
If it doesn't boot properly, we'll need to type a few commands.

Step 2.1: Grub Command Line.
So if it doesn't boot up properly, which chances are it wont, you'll be dropped into a command line.
This is grub, if you didn't know, and to boot we need to locate the drive its on.
First press FN+Ins to turn off NumLk, then type,
Code: 
linux (hd
now if you press tab, it should list everything you have attached, for example:
Code: 
hd0, hd1, hd2, hd3
The usb will most likely be hd0. So now you should have
Code: 
linux (hd0,
If you press tab again, it will list off all of your partitions, or autofill one in.
Now you should have either:
Code: 
1. linux (hd0,msdos1)
2. linux (hd0,gpt1)
Now, if you have this, type this(replace hd0,gpt1 with what you got):
Code: 
set root=(hd0,gpt1)
then type


(new)Step 2: Creating a boot file.
So, now that you have the files copied over, you need to name the drive.
Right click your drive, and click Rename... (Remember the drive name, its important)
After you renamed your drive, create a folder at DriveLetter:/boot/grub
In that directory, create a file named grub.cfg

Now depending on your linux version, you'll have either syslinux, or grub already.
If grub: The file should already be there, so you can move on to step 3.
If syslinux: Find the isolinux.cfg or syslinux.cfg (probably in /syslinux or in /isolinux)


It will look something like:
Code: 
label LinuxVersion
    kernel /kernelFile
    append initrd=/initrdFile (more options)
We're going to use these options to create our grub.cfg file.
Use this as a template.
Code: 
menuentry 'LinuxVersion' {
	search --set=root --label THIS_IS_WHERE_THE_LABEL_YOU_SET_EARLIER_GOES
	linux	/kernelFile (more options)
	initrd	/initrdFile
}
Step 3: Boot into your new OS.
Reboot your PC. When it turns back on, hold ESC.
You should be brought back to the BIOS area.
Press "Boot Manager" (you will need a mouse for this), and select your USB drive.
If you did everything correctly, it should boot.

Step 4: Go wild!
You should be booted, GO CRAZY!
There are a few problems with most distros, including:
  • No Wifi
  • No Bluetooth
  • No Gyroscope
  • No Audio

There are drivers online for these, but you need to be able to patch a kernel, and build/install a driver.

Is the guide not working?
Go ahead and ask some questions, don't be afraid of help.
Attached Files
File Type: zip bootia32.zip - [Click for QR Code] (261.5 KB, 468 views)
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23rd August 2015, 04:08 AM
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Useful resources:
Thats all the links for now. I will add more as I find them (hopefully to fix audio, power button, and rotation)

Huge thanks to Ian Morrison for the Ubuntu iso.
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23rd August 2015, 09:25 PM
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TAG
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20th October 2015, 09:49 PM
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Any chance you're going to do the linux?




Reserved

I'm guessing that is where the linux how to, is going.
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22nd November 2015, 01:36 AM
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Dude.. You gonna finish this?
set code=(hd0,msdos1)
Then type

Type what? Need a complete tutorial here...
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28th November 2015, 12:38 PM
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I'm so sorry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chaosmstr

Dude.. You gonna finish this?
set code=(hd0,msdos1)
Then type

Type what? Need a complete tutorial here...

I apologize for the delay, busy with school and all.
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28th November 2015, 10:19 PM
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You can't leave us hanging like this!
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3rd December 2015, 07:27 PM
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I'm not sure about OP here, but I have the smaller model of this device being the Flexx 10. Now I haven't tried to boot Android on it, but I have successfully booted Linux Mint with it.

First I would recommend using a USB OTG capable flash drive (they are available at office stores, walmart, and so on and so forth,) or an OTG adaptor instead of using a full sized usb. The reason for this is stability of the booted system as the connection of the keyboard dock does not appear to be extremely reliable. This may vary by model or device but I would still recommend it as you may need the full sized USB ports later.

Now instead of using Unetbootin, I used Rufus. I used the settings of GTP for efi and bios to write the image to the drive. I didn't mess with any other settings there. After that I had to get a file called bootia32.efi and then add it to the /efi/BOOT/ before the system would even try to recognize it. From there it was just waiting patiently while it booted. (use the instructions in the earlier post to get to the boot options of the UEFI) It took it a while to boot as I suspect the USB speed was rather slow.

As I didn't really have time to really mess with it and get to the point of install, I will list the issues I came across.

1: Automatic rotation of the screen did not work.
2: wifi (RTL8723BS SDIO)
3: bluetooth
4: sound

everything else seemed to work just fine though, even the volume rocker, windows button and power button on the tablet section reacted and did things. not entirely useful, but they did work.

Edit: forgot to mention that if you go through with the install, you will have to finish the install by doing some grub modifications to make it boot without a live disk. just a heads up.
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6th March 2016, 02:54 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hmfan

I'm not sure about OP here, but I have the smaller model of this device being the Flexx 10. Now I haven't tried to boot Android on it, but I have successfully booted Linux Mint with it.

First I would recommend using a USB OTG capable flash drive (they are available at office stores, walmart, and so on and so forth,) or an OTG adaptor instead of using a full sized usb. The reason for this is stability of the booted system as the connection of the keyboard dock does not appear to be extremely reliable. This may vary by model or device but I would still recommend it as you may need the full sized USB ports later.

Now instead of using Unetbootin, I used Rufus. I used the settings of GTP for efi and bios to write the image to the drive. I didn't mess with any other settings there. After that I had to get a file called bootia32.efi and then add it to the /efi/BOOT/ before the system would even try to recognize it. From there it was just waiting patiently while it booted. (use the instructions in the earlier post to get to the boot options of the UEFI) It took it a while to boot as I suspect the USB speed was rather slow.

As I didn't really have time to really mess with it and get to the point of install, I will list the issues I came across.

1: Automatic rotation of the screen did not work.
2: wifi (RTL8723BS SDIO)
3: bluetooth
4: sound

everything else seemed to work just fine though, even the volume rocker, windows button and power button on the tablet section reacted and did things. not entirely useful, but they did work.

Edit: forgot to mention that if you go through with the install, you will have to finish the install by doing some grub modifications to make it boot without a live disk. just a heads up.

Sorry I'm coming back so late, I've been busy with life.
The Wifi issue can be fixed by building the driver (https://github.com/hadess/rtl8723bs)
The bluetooth wont work on most OS' because it relies on some windows drivers to work.
I might be able to find a driver for screen rotation/audio.
Another issue is the power doesn't get registered, and the touch screen is VERY flaky.
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7th March 2016, 01:37 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kitsumi

Sorry I'm coming back so late, I've been busy with life.
The Wifi issue can be fixed by building the driver (URL removed per post restrictions.)
The bluetooth wont work on most OS' because it relies on some windows drivers to work.
I might be able to find a driver for screen rotation/audio.
Another issue is the power doesn't get registered, and the touch screen is VERY flaky.

I didn't really notice that power one as I did not use it long, but I think that is just an atom thing. My old n270 based aspire one does that too.

Really though, the way I would use it, I wouldn't miss screen rotation or the bluetooth, but the touch screen is the nuisance. What I noticed with it is that when the screen is forced into proper orientation (by use of screen rotation in the settings, you know without using the command line) is that the touch screen doesn't follow the new orientation correctly. It appears to have the portrait resolution set to the top left of the screen in landscape. That said, it works fine in portait. Or at least managably.
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