Installing Ubuntu on a Windows CE 6.0 EzBook PC (ez-72a)

Question

I recently inherited a cheap EzBook PC and decided it might be fun to throw Ubuntu on it. I have a USB all setup but for the life of me can't get it to boot from USB! I've looked online and can't seem to find the motherboard details anywhere to access the BIOS and more applications won't work on Windows CE so I'm stuck. Is there an obscure Windows CE installer out there? It's really frustrating when I can't get to the BIOS - and I don't have a manual.

If anyone knows anything I'd appreciate it!

Answer 1

There is no BIOS on that machine because it's not an IBM compatible PC. It's an ARM device. Even if you could get the usb to boot, the PC versions of Ubuntu (i386 and x64) wouldn't work because the chip is completely different. You'll need an arm build, which luckily for you is almost done:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ARM/OMAP

Unfortunately, the process for creating an image is very specific to each piece of hardware and unless your a programmer it might be a case of waiting until someone makes an image you can install.

Answer 2

As Martin already pointed out, EzBookPc is based on an ARM Processor. Therefore it's a prerequisite to install a special Release for ARM processors. AFAIK there is no guide on how to install this on an EZBook PC. I think this is a very challenging and interesting but not easy task. Another point to start from when it comes to distributions for ARM processors may be Anytux.org. Good look :)

Answer 3

Although you cannot run Ubuntu on the device you can actually Install an alternative operating system.

Things Needed:

1. EZBook PC
2. 2GB (or more) SD Card
3. 5 Minutes of time

You can install Android 1.6 (Donut) on the ezbook by following these instructions.

First Download this file --> script.zip

After you download the android installer script you will need to unzip it.

Once unzipped go into the folder. Inside you will see a second folder called script. Copy this folder to the root of your SD card Note: You need to actually copy the second folder "script" to the root directory not it's contents

Once copied insert the SD card into the EZBook PC (Make sure the EZBook is off)

Turn on the EZBook

You will see a screen that says preparing upgrade. It will re-format the internal drive and partition it for android. Once the process is finished you will be prompted to remove the SD card. Remove the SD card and wait for the unit to shut down.

Once the unit shuts down completely turn it back on and enjoy your new android Operating system!

Answer 4

I don't know about this netbook specifically, but there are a lot of 7 inch mini laptop clones. It depends on the CPU if it can run ubuntu. The VIA VT8500 based ones can run a version of Debian, so you should be able to upgrade them to ubuntu. If the CPU is a VIA WM8505 however, only an Android version is known to work (gives DMA errors with regular Linux).

Here is a very helpful (yet overly lengthy) discussion on the Ubuntu forums:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1349626

VT8500 EasyPC Linux: http://bento-linux.org/wiki/vt8500-easypc-linux

WM8505 Android: http://devio.us/~nextvolume/via_arm/viewtopic.php?id=4&t_id=40

Curiously however I've just discovered some other WinCE 6.0 netbooks advertised with Ubuntu support. However the page doesn't say much more than that: http://www.aliexpress.com/store/311455/210395452-345450693/7-inch-Mini-ubuntu-netbook-support-WIFI.html (Disclaimer: I'm in no way affiliated with that shop.)

Second disclaimer: I own one of these netbooks, but I didn't get around to go through the Debian install procedure. (Not used it since, because WinCE and its MSIE are.. Words cannot explain it.)