Gentoo on mobile devices?

jcarpenter2 · n00b Joined: 15 Mar 2017 Posts: 21

I would like to install Gentoo onto my pocket computer. Thinking about buying one of these https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Devices.

fedeliallalinea · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2018 6:02 am Post subject:

See this project https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Project:Android
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jcarpenter2 · n00b Joined: 15 Mar 2017 Posts: 21

Should have been more specific: I have zero interest in binary blobs such as Android. I can't control them, and I especially can't use them. It isn't as if Google constructed a particle accelerator, smashed some quarks together, and thus discovered Android smartphones; no, rather Android can be explained in terms of the four fundamental forces, mainly electromagnetism. I will run Gentoo on my pocket computer and no other operating system, or I will deprecate my pocket computer and phase it out of my life.

Thanks though, good link

fedeliallalinea · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2018 3:29 pm Post subject:

Android is basically a linux OS with some google components.
But I think you can install LineageOS

John R. Graham · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2018 3:44 pm Post subject:

I'm probably going to experiment with Ubuntu Touch and try to slip Gentoo in underneath. Works on the Nexus 5.

- John
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bazylitor · n00b Joined: 04 Oct 2018 Posts: 5

I don't know if it's a good topic but I have a bunch of chinese and cheap android phones that are not listed as working/not working. I do not know how (yet) but I can test if Gentoo can run on them.

My list of less known devices:
- Energizer Energy S550
- Doro 8040 - something like *** Link removed by Neddyseagoon
- Oukitel K6000 Plus
- AGM A8

Let me know if I can help. I would be happy to contribute.

cheers

John R. Graham · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2018 2:13 pm Post subject:

Hi bazylitor,

I've removed commercial links from your post as they are against Forum Guidelines (deemed to be SPAM) and because, well, Google exists. If you really want to help, start by learning to install Gentoo on a more traditional platform. From that, you'll develop some of the skills necessary to tackle the more challenging platforms like phones.

- John
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josephg · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2018 9:04 pm Post subject:

The sad thing about Android mobile devices with a heart of linux is the unsustainable aspect. Linux was great at reviving old and dead hardware. Whereas android devices become paper-weight soon as Google releases a new version. Neither google nor the manufacturer have an interest in making sure that their older (but perfectly functioning) hardware doesn't end up in landfills.

I have a few Android devices lying about, and I am loathe to throw them away. One of the reasons I got on the gentoo bandwagon was because of my perception that I could get gentoo to run any device. I have been following Gentoo Prefix with a keen interest, but my understanding is a bit lacking in taking things forward.

Hopefully, with more people becoming interested and more devices becoming available (or useless otherwise), we might see more of a push in the direction of mobile devices with linux becoming more mainstream.
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jcarpenter2 · n00b Joined: 15 Mar 2017 Posts: 21

josephg · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:33 am Post subject:

khayyam · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 2:15 pm Post subject:

jcarpenter2 ...

I have an OQO Model E2. It's in storage right now, but unlike android/iPhone devices, it's just a PC ... stick in a sysrescuecd USB and boot. Once you get use to the kbd (which is small, but full featured) it's not difficult to CLI (and so no tablet/phone UI is needed ... mine has i3wm, and urxvt, as the UI).

I've heard they are cheap, but I can't say, mine came when a friend was getting rid of it and said "want this?" I've not used it much, but everything works HW wise (so I'm told), never used the broadband. Wireless works fine, and it has USB2.0 for any other perpheral you might need (eg, ethernet).

I need to dig it out, but I've been expecting to move, and will be shortly, and so that should happen in the not too distant future. I have /proc/cpuinfo, dmesg, lsmod, lspci outputs on this machine so if you want more specific HW info just ask.

best ... khay

sao98021 · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:21 pm Post subject:

so i bought a moto e5 plus the other day, broke my stylo.

phone has a 32gb internal storage so i wanted to put gentoo prefix in it, i had it on my old phone.

so, rooted, busyboxed.

but when i go to launch prefix i get

moult · Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2018 5:34 am Post subject:

I've been running Gentoo in a chroot since 2014. It's been rock solid and I've run it on many android devices without issue. Most recently I've installed it on a Samsung S7. I install all my command line tools (tmux is a must!) and also install a light WM like Fluxbox along with X, and compile a browser like Midori in case I need to do some javascript inspection on a website.

It works great along with a bluetooth mouse and keyboard (although I rarely use the mouse, just the keyboard given that I am comfortable on a CLI). I'd definitely recommend this setup.

I wrote some notes on how to install it here:
https://thinkmoult.com/installing-gentoo-android-chroot.html

This is a video I took of me running Fluxbox on it: https://peertube.social/videos/watch/ad395c9b-9702-4060-ac05-4c94b64956ab

And then if you want eye-candy this video shows The GIMP, Blender, Midori, and Enlightenment WM all running on Gentoo on Android. https://peertube.social/videos/watch/525aa253-5ef2-410f-b4e0-2c401064005d
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Shapito · n00b Joined: 01 Jul 2022 Posts: 1

death-magnet · n00b Joined: 01 Jul 2022 Posts: 9

I have been wanting to experiment with setting up a full environment within termux. My phone is my internet connection, so completely wiping it and going for a full install just isn't going to happen.

I just haven't got around to doing it. Been having too much fun tinkering with gentoo on the old laptop.