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.

Models covered
Pinebook

https://www.pine64.org/pinebook/

- Screen size (11" or 14") - 16GB eMMC, 2GB RAM

Overall Status

Core Components
Boot Standard Kernel:
LAN network card:	[-]
Detect CD/DVD:	[-]
Detect hard drives:
Extra Features
CPU Frequency Scaling	[!]
Hibernation	[!]
Sleep / Suspend	[!]
Xorg
- OpenGL	[?]
- Resize-and-Rotate(randr)	[?]
Switch to External Screen	[?]
Mouse
- Built-in (Trackpoint)	[-]
- Built-in (Touchpad)
Modem	[-]
Wireless/Wifi
Bluetooth (bookworm or later)
Keyboard's Hotkeys	[?]

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

Important Note

Needs linux-image-4.19.0-1-arm64 (or newer), u-boot-sunxi (>= 2019.01+dfsg-3) and arm-trusted-firmware (from ≥buster).

Partition table must be msdos (guided partitioning in installer opts for GPT layout by default). Otherwise u-boot-install-sunxi fails. u-boot (2019.01+dfsg-3) only supports fat & ext{2,3,4}.

Boot loader must be installed manually under buster. install u-boot-sunxi and run u-boot-install-sunxi /dev/mmcblk2.

The default console is /dev/ttyS0, so to see messages at boot time, /etc/default/flash-kernel must be adjusted by setting console=tty0.

When configuring a system with full-disk encryption, this must be done at installation time (via a shell, right before the "Finish the Installation" step), otherwise the password prompt to decrypt the drive at boot time cannot be seen.

Preparing a bullseye install image

The bullseye installer image will boot and install directly onto the internal eMMC drive. First, get the files: https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/bullseye/main/installer-arm64/current/images/netboot/SD-card-images/

And flash them to an SD Card using:

zcat firmware.pinebook.img.gz partition.img.gz | sudo dd of=/dev/your-mmcblk-dev bs=1M

Configuration

Display

LCD Works with simplefb framebuffer.

Audio

Works.

Mouse

Trackpad works.

Power Management

(not covered yet)

WiFi

Driver that also contains the firmware: https://github.com/steev/rtl8723cs/tree/new-driver-by-megous

Bluetooth

non-free firmware-realtek-rtl8723cs-bt is needed for operation.

System Summary

lsusb

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

Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
  bDeviceClass            9 Hub
  bDeviceProtocol         0 Full speed (or root) hub
  iProduct                2 
Bus 005 Device 005: ID 090c:037c Silicon Motion, Inc. - Taiwan (formerly Feiya Technology Corp.) 300k Pixel Camera
  bDeviceClass          239 Miscellaneous Device
  bDeviceProtocol         1 Interface Association
  iProduct                2 
      (Bus Powered)
Bus 005 Device 003: ID 258a:000c  
  bDeviceClass            0 (Defined at Interface level)
  bDeviceProtocol         0 
  iProduct                2 
      (Bus Powered)
Bus 005 Device 002: ID 05e3:0608 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
  bDeviceClass            9 Hub
  bDeviceProtocol         1 Single TT
  iProduct                1 
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
  bDeviceClass            9 Hub
  bDeviceProtocol         0 Full speed (or root) hub
  iProduct                2 
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
  bDeviceClass            9 Hub
  bDeviceProtocol         0 Full speed (or root) hub
  iProduct                2 
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
  bDeviceClass            9 Hub
  bDeviceProtocol         0 Full speed (or root) hub
  iProduct                2 
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
  bDeviceClass            9 Hub
  bDeviceProtocol         1 Single TT
  iProduct                2