Translation(s): none

DebianOn is an effort to document how to install, configure and use Debian on some specific hardware. Therefore potential buyers would know if that hardware is supported and owners would know how get the best out of that hardware.

The purpose is not to duplicate the Debian Official Documentation, but to document how to install Debian on some specific hardware.

If you need help to get Debian running on your hardware, please have a look at our user support channels where you may find specific channels (mailing list, IRC channel) dedicated to certain types of hardware.

Introduction

The Teres-I is a DIY open hardware laptop sold by Olimex. Olimex has stated that they intend the Teres-I to be very modular, allowing main boards built around different SoCs interchangeably. However the only main board available at the moment is based on the Allwinner A64 SoC with 2GB RAM and 16GB eMMC internal storage. The CPU is supported by the arm64 architecture in debian. armhf should work too, but is untested.

The laptop is sold with linux (ubuntu + vendor supplied kernel) preinstalled. There is not full source code available for the vendor kernel, which means that users of the preinstalled system are permanently stuck with an old version of linux. On the other hand since a linux system is available no external computer and no cross-compilation is required to bootstrap a debian system.

While debian should run fine from the eMMC internal storage, most people install debian to an external microSD card (there is one slot available) to have both systems available. That's also what is described in this guide. (This guide is still work in progress.)

Overall Status

To get an overview of mainline kernel support, see the status matrix of the linux sunxi community.

Core Components

[ATTACH]

Boot Standard Kernel:

[OK]

Detect mmc:

[OK]

Extra Features

CPU Frequency Scaling

[X]

Hibernation

[?]

Sleep / Suspend

[!]

Xorg

[OK]

- OpenGL

[?]

- Resize-and-Rotate(randr)

[?]

Switch to External Screen

[X]

Mouse

- Built-in (Touchpad)

[OK]

Wireless/Wifi

[X-]

Keyboard's Hotkeys

[?]

Legend :
{OK} = OK ; {X} Unsupported(No Driver) ; /!\ = Error (Couldn't get it working); [?] Unknown, Not Test ; [-] Not-applicable
{i} = Configuration Required; X-( = Only works with a non-free driver and or firmware

Installation

The laptop is sold as a kit for self-assembly. Here we assume that it is completely assembled and confirmed working correctly with the preinstalled system.

The easy way: Using an image

There is a ready image available for directly writing to your microSD card. For links, further information and discussion see the dedicated thread at the olimex forum.

The manual way: Bootstraping

The debian kernel package (starting with 4.16) and arm64 userspace packages work out of the box, but you will need to get or compile yourself a custom device tree file and bootloader.

partitioning

device tree

arm trusted firmware (bootloader stage 2)

u-boot (bootloader stage 1 & 3)

debootstrap

Using debian installer

There is no support in the official installer yet. However it might be possible to copy the arm64 installer files and a suitable device tree file onto a microSD card with a bootload from external sources. If you try that approach, please share your experience.

Troubleshooting

If the screen remains blank or the system doesn't boot (is stuck in u-boot or initramfs) you can connect a serial console. The serial console is multiplexed with the headphone output. Instructions how to make or buy a proper connector are at the olimex forum.

Configuration

Display

Audio

Mouse

Power Management

WiFi

Modem


System Summary

lsusb

lsusb -v | grep -E '\<(Bus|iProduct|bDeviceClass|bDeviceProtocol)' 2>/dev/null

USB Host controllers entries (without OHCI, UHCI, EHCI) are removed too.

Resources

Attachments

Some configuration files and sample outputs.

  • [get | view] (2018-04-07 09:22:19, 0.2 KB) [[attachment:boot.txt]]
 All files | Selected Files: delete move to page copy to page

Credits



CategoryLaptopComputer