Pinebook Pro unboxing and learning how to read
1,422
Publicado 2022-11-08
Update:
proceed with caution for tow-boot modification, here is a doc about it.
tow-boot.org/getting-started.html
The process below worked for me but it may not work for you. If you have any problems there is a pine64 discord channel for pinebook.
for info on installing Tow-Boot checkout this post, I did it on mine. forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=17529
After that I was able to download a Manjaro ARM Team Plasma image, write it as described here
forum.manjaro.org/t/installing-manjaro-from-sd-to-…
and it booted right up from eMMC
Side note I have been able to run Tauri with both Debian and Manjaro
Original video description
It seems the Manjaro ARM Team image which I wrote to the eMMC needs Tow-boot for it to work and I didn't have that setup.
Battery life note: PostmarketOS loses battery with the lid closed. It started around 80%+ and overnight it went down to 40%+.
My physical impression of the laptop, I like the build quality, probably the highest quality thing on it is the display. The display is great. Without the metal casing on the bottom the plastic chasis is weak (need to be careful if opening the laptop without bottom cover). Keyboard is alright. Trackpad is the thing I don't like the most... the PostmarketOS addresses it and I ran a keyboard/trackpad firmware update (read about this regarding keyboard in the Wiki). It's better now but the issue was fast/overshoots target.
This came with KDE Manjaro, I wanted to flash an OS myself and yeah I soft bricked it. I was able to fix it though later on.
I'm still working on finding a Manjaro image that will boot from SD Card and write to eMMC. I wanted Armbian (some kind of apt-based package manager). I may go back to Kali if it is easy to fix the WiFi, I do have ethernet usb-c dongles...
Right now I'm using PostmarketOS because that's the one that would boot and worked as is. Only issue I have is I don't have VS Code working on it and something related to running Tauri (rust cross platform desktop app). Armbian booted but I couldn't get past init/busy box... (laptop keyboard wouldn't write) I did not try an external keyboard at the time.
Update: VS Code is available on PostmarketOS
pkgs.alpinelinux.org/package/edge/testing/aarch64/…
I'm going to use this to develop some things (C/GTK, I wanted Rust/Tauri and then React).
So I'll make more videos. I know I'm two years late to the party but I felt fomo so I got one since they're not expensive.
0:00 - reminiscing, nostalgia, random devices I have
1:30 - the package/unboxing
3:30 - size comparison
6:15 - turn it on
9:00 - default os
10:40 - typing
11:20 - trackpad issue
12:30 - begin softbrick
13:35 - internals of pinebook pro
15:00 - new eMMC switch (or old?)
15:55 - Kali save me from the Matrix
16:36 - alignment of eMMC
18:05 - booting armbian
19:35 - manjaro-arm-installer on pinephone pro
21:34 - PostmarketOS
23:40 - try to install VS Code, run rust/tauri, react
25-08 - pics
Todos los comentarios (5)
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0:00 - reminiscing, nostalgia, random devices I have 1:30 - the package/unboxing 3:30 - size comparison 6:15 - turn it on 9:00 - default os 10:40 - typing 11:20 - trackpad issue 12:30 - begin softbrick 13:35 - internals of pinebook pro 15:00 - new eMMC switch (or old?) 15:55 - Kali save me from the Matrix 16:36 - alignment of eMMC 18:05 - booting armbian 19:35 - manjaro-arm-installer on pinephone pro 21:34 - PostmarketOS 23:40 - try to install VS Code, run rust/tauri, react 25:08 - pics
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Good to see you have it working again. Hope it will continue to work for you.
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Thanks for your post. This looks like a really well-built machine for the price. I just ordered one two days ago with the NVMe accessory dongle so I can have a little extra storage space for media to watch when I'm travelling. I plan on keeping the native pre-installed Manjaro OS since it seems to be well supported, even though I'm not as familiar with arch-based distros. Looking forward to spending a lot of time using this machine.
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If you haven't already installed it, replacing U-boot with Tow-boot will improve your life significantly.
