How to install puppy in intel compute stick?

[linuxnovo]

Just purchased a leftover compute stick which comes with Ubuntu 14.04 preinstalled. The Specs:

Part Number
BOXSTCK1A8LFC
Processor
Intel Atom Quad-core Z3735F 1.33 GHz
Processor Main Features
64 bit Quad-Core Processor
Memory
Soldered down Single-channel DDR3L 1.35V, 1333 MHz, 1 GB
Storage
8 GB eMMC storage device soldered down
Operating System
Linux Ubuntu 14.04 LTS version
I thought I would try stick computing. However, the system comes with a giant operating system. I would like to install a puppy linux 64 in its place. I could find no information on how to do this. I wanted to put in a legacy BIOS. I want a smaller OS. Has anyone done anything in this direction. At present, I have not been able to boot from the usb to start with.

Apparently, this thing has a 64 bit bootloader which will only boot approved OSs.

Any help or a direction for finding help would be most helpful.

[bigpup]

Is the bios a UEFI bios?
Can you access the bios setup to get to optional settings for the bios?
If yes.
Disable secure boot and or use legacy boot.
Can you change boot device option to maybe use a USB flash drive plugged into the side of this thing?

If yes.

Plug a USB flash drive into it with a live or bootable version of Puppy on it.

See if it will boot Puppy this way.

If yes.

It is working like a normal computer, so you should be able to install Puppy the normal ways.

The following is general info.
The partition layout of the internal storage could require different procedures.
So, how is the internal storage partitioned and what is on each partition?

Boot with the Puppy USB flash drive.
Use the Puppy Universal Installer to install Puppy.

To delete Ubuntu.
From a running Puppy USB flash drive.
Use Gparted to reformat the partition(s) Ubuntu is on.
(this will get the partition back to a clean file system)

The boot loader being used is probably the one that comes with Ubuntu.
Ubuntu's bootloader is not going to recognize Puppy, so use the Grub4dos bootloader config to install Grub4dos bootloader and use it to boot with.

[cthisbear]

Specs:

https://www.amazon.com/Intel-Corp-BOXST ... B00W7KAABK

:::::::

Seems it can be done.

Maybe this...using other versions.

Ubuntu using Unity (a graphical shell for the GNOME desktop environment)

Lubuntu using LXDE (the Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment)

Xubuntu using the Xfce desktop environment

Kubuntu using KDE's Plasma desktop environment

Ubuntu GNOME using the GNOME desktop environment

Ubuntu MATE using the MATE desktop environment

https://communities.intel.com/thread/103128

" thanks for your work and information.
But I uses openSUSE since more than 15 years, so I tested my

ComputeSticks STCK1A32WFC and STCK2m364CC

with openSUSE Tumbleweed, which I installed with ImageWriter on a USB-Memory-Stick.

If "EFI secure boot" is enabled in EFI BIOS, they ask if the key should be installed.

After this the USB-Memory-Stick boots and I can install the OS on the Compute Stick.

On the STCK1A32WFC I installed it parallel to the Windows 10 on a fast (> 90MB/s) mikro-SD-Card an on the other in the internal memory. "

:::::::::::

It may not be your model but the principle would be the same I think.

I would endeavour to backup Ubuntu anyway before testing.
Puppy should fly compared to most others.

Hopefully others will chip in like bigpup who is usually on the ball.

Welcome to Puppy.

Chris.

[Mike Walsh]

I must admit, I'm curious about these things.

As I understand it, they're designed for streaming applications, plugged into the side or back of a smart TV. So; if you're running a Linux OS on them, how on earth d'you control them? Mouse, keyboard functionality, and so forth?

I guess 'twould be possible if they're equipped with Bluetooth. It's about the only way I can think of that you could control it...

Going by the specs in Chris's link, the only 'slot' available is a MicroSDHC/SDXC card. I guess you could install Pup to a microSD card (I know other Puppians have done this kinda thing), but you'd need to follow bigpup's advice and install Puppy's own Grub4DOS. GRUB2 definitely won't recognise Puppy; I found this out for myself 3 or 4 years ago!

Grub4DOS, on the other hand, will recognise, and boot, just about anything...


Mike.

[bigpup]

This looks like the keyboard to use.
https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-920-007 ... OGK/ref=pd

Looks like it has a USB port.
You would think the specs would just say it.
The demo video says it is a USB2 port.

[linuxnovo]

Thanks so much for the replies. I was hoping someone had already done this with this model. You have given me some directions to try.
I just wonder how much the manufacturer has locked down this particular model. Will work on this and get back to you. Thanks all!

Located this from Intel:

https://communities.intel.com/thread/112196

This post was for model: STCK1A32SC I have STCK1ABLFC. There seem to be differences, former is 32 bit and latter is 64 bit.

STCK1A32SC specs are:

http://ark.intel.com/products/91064/Int ... -STK1A32SC

STCK1ABLFC specs are:
https://ark.intel.com/products/86613/In ... STCK1A8LFC

Quite a different setup, but I would think that answer from Intel would be the same for both model, Check the Puppy forum. So here we are!

Have been busy the last few days will get to trying some things. Thanks again ALL.

[linuxnovo]

Function ahead on this project. I have made a bootable usb with unetbootin using puppy precise 5.7. It boots from both of my desktop computers one a 32 bit and the other an i3 with 64 bits. Both of these boot successfully.

Tried the usb on a multi port and enabled the usb in the bios. This uses f2 key. f10 is used to get to the boot menu. Menu only allows booting and recover for the preinstalled Ubuntu.
This machine has uefi and tried to disenable the shell uefi.no success will keep trying different things.

I am writing this on the installed ubuntu 14.0.

[mikeslr]

Hi linuxnovo,

In your experimenting, you may want to try some of the Puppies icake identified as being able to boot from uefi: http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 421#879421. Precise wasn't among them. But see also limbomusic's discoveries. http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 608#943608. For most things having to do with UEFI, follow the links from this thread: http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 159#858159.

mikesLr

[linuxnovo]

well, worked the day on this. I am using the f10 key to boot into the efi shell. The shell is an expanded bios that has scripting and programming aspects. It is a small operating system in itself. When I boot into this shell, I can find my usb with precise 5.7 created with unetbootin.. The problem is to make efi boot the os. or a os. I am still locked out at this point. But efi should be able to boot the precise, I hope.

[Terry H]

Getting Linux to run on Intel Atom Quad-core Z3735F has been problematic since they were released. The RTL8723BS driver requires a patched kernel. Also sound over HDMI requires patching. The vendors who sold these compute sticks with Ubuntu used an OS image created by a User community developer named "Linuxium". He did a lot of work to get them functioning.

You may get a puppy to boot, but it won't have the above components working at the moment and probably some other issues. You will need to have a newer kernel.

The RTL8723BS wifi chip is now included in the 4.11.x kernel mainline. The HDMI sound and I believe other issues are covered in the just released 4,12.x kernel. So if you can get a puppy with this newest kernel, you may get it working.

[linuxnovo]

Thanks TerryH. Oh the whole thing is so complex and looks like the stick is quite a custom job. I fear it maybe beyond my abilities, The ubuntu preinstalled just does not work well. To begin with, it has the Unity desktop and really has some heavy stuff like libre office and chrome. Discouraged, but still motivated:

Remember "Bastogne nuts" :



To the German Commander.

NUTS!

The American Commander

Nuts!

[bigpup]

What do you see if you boot and hit F2 or F10?
Give details.!!

Can you get into any settings for the UEFI bios?
Something that gives option to disable secure boot and/or use legacy boot?
My UEFI bios requires secure boot disabled to even get option to boot from USB.

Booting using a USB hub could be causing problems.
It is a self powered hub?
The USB port on this computer is probably limited on how much power it can supply.

[cthisbear]

Might have found something helpful here.

How to install Ubuntu on the Intel Compute Stick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMhRD7SaLiA

Hub and mouse shown

He hits F2

Then hits F10 key

Keep looking.

Ian Morrison, an Aussie gave him the instructions.

https://plus.google.com/+IanMORRISON

Might help more.

https://linuxiumcomau.blogspot.com.au/2 ... stick.html

Read read read.

"""""""

Ubuntu on the Intel Compute Stick (2GB/32GB model)

Got a hub etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgC67Z9IxLw

Chris.

[linuxnovo]

Thanks Chris for doing some research on the net. Will have a look at what we have via the youtube vidieos. Thanks again.

Must remember that there are two sticks in this model. One with windows and having 2gb of ram and the one I have with ubuntu with only 1gb of ram. I think it is easier to put the Ubuntu on the 2gb Ram and replace the Windows than visa versa.

Have come to the conclusion that, perhaps, the easiest approach would be to boot into the native Ubuntu and use the debian commandline apt-get -remove -purge to cut down the Ubuntu to what I want. Which, of course, takes us beyond the puppy linux forum. The system currently in there has a factory reset where you can reload the original Ubuntu. So we can freely destroy at will. The is like the factory reset in the settings apt on an Android system I would think.

The point is to get a small linux system on this thing. Ubuntu has always been too large for me.

[rufwoof]

Have come to the conclusion that, perhaps, the easiest approach would be to boot into the native Ubuntu and use the debian commandline apt-get -remove -purge to cut down the Ubuntu to what I want. Which, of course, takes us beyond the puppy linux forum. The system currently in there has a factory reset where you can reload the original Ubuntu. So we can freely destroy at will. The is like the factory reset in the settings apt on an Android system I would think.

The point is to get a small linux system on this thing. Ubuntu has always been too large for me.

For Debian there's this https://wiki.debian.org/ReduceDebian. I got mine down to a around a 90MB sfs filesize (Jessie) but that's command line only. From that I just apt-get install xorg jwm pcmanfm which provides X, window manager and filemanager ... and pcmanfm can also manage desktop icons (pcmanfm --desktop). Which bloats it up to around 150MB sfs. Mines currently more like 650MB ... but that's with office, video editing, audio editing ...etc also installed. As part of the cleansing I did install localespurge https://packages.debian.org/jessie/admin/localepurge and also zero sized all man and doc's (so man live-boot for instance pulls up a empty page) ... as you can get all of that online anyway.

[linuxnovo]

Well, in looking at the setup from keying in f2 on boot. I found that the UEFI will only boot two oses:

Windows with 32 bit
Linux 14.04 64 bit

Even though the UEFI Shell recognizes my usb with puppy Linux install with unetbootin. It will not boot it.

Taking the alternative approach: Reduction

I used apt-get to remove chromium browser and libreoffice.

Now this stick has a factory reset that returns default settings like an android settings. So you can experiment all you want. I tried to remove the Unity desktop and replace it with lubuntu desktop. It would not make the desktop on reboot. So at this point I have a system with Unity only.

Following Alan Turing, any turing machine should be able to do what anyother turning machine does.

So given that this system is a custom job, you could clean everything and start from the beginning after blowing away all software. As Terry H above has indicated, this blows away all the code that was created for this thing.