Linux on a WINTEL Mini PC 2GB DDR3 32GB eMMC, Windows 10 Pro, Mini Computer, Intel Atom Z8350 Processor

Installation
1

Sorry for this long topic, but maybe someone’ll google it in the future :slight_smile:

Hej folks
has anybody ever tried this friend here:


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It’s super cheap (i bought a week before for about 75eur) i guess and i already ordered just before googling “how-to-linux” this guy.
I found some discussions but not really helpful ones.

I thought “mini computer” == mini computer
and there is not to much difference but now i guess i’m totally wrong :confused:

So i tried some first steps and i saw that it is possible to enter the bios.
I start with this really first questions:

  • which linux should i try?! Later there should be docker on it and of course homeassistant!
  • should i start with linux on the eMMC or better on an external ssd?
2

I am running Ubuntu server 19 on a Z83 (similar CPU) with 4 GB RAM / 64 GB eMMC / 64 GB SSD and it works well. The only thing you have to add is an HDMI dongle, as the mini PC does not boot without a display connected. The OS is installed on eMMC, maria db is writing to SSD.

/dev/mmcblk0p1                     523248      7716    515532   2% /boot/efi
/dev/mmcblk0p2                   58726364  12553132  43160320  23% /
/dev/sda1                        61278020   1479460  56656112   3% /usr/share/hassio

image

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3

yeah thanks :slight_smile:
I’ve heard something scary about eMMC… you guess it’s a reliable choice to put the OS on it?

And now
please excuse this super noob question:
How do i know which architecture i’m able to use? I mean, is it possible to use the 64bit ubuntu server with my hardware?? :grimacing: :man_facepalming:

4

I try to remember, but I think you have to have a 64 bit EFI to run a 64 bit Linux, not sure though.
There are several variations of these boxes, the one I have with 4 GB memory had a 64bit Windows on it.

5

ok… got it
so i boot through the installed windows and check the system before i start… lets have a look this evening :slight_smile: thx!

otherwise do you think it’s also a good choice to start from the scratch with 32bit… i mean ubuntu server is not available in version19 for example and the future availabilty is also not given for 32bit

6

Well, if you just have 2 GB of memory, 32bit should be fine. The cheap 2GB boxes most likely have a 32bit EFI shell, don’t know if or how this can be changed.

The specs on the link you shared advertise both models (2GB/4GB), and it reads Windows 10 Pro (64-Bit), so you may be lucky.

Running Ubuntu you may run into issues with Wifi and Audio, I don’t need that so I did not really care/investigate.

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7

I’ve the cheapest one with 2GB ram… first idea is to start with HA only and i wanna try another thing than a rasp with ssd

Five minutes ago i did the win10 registration process and had a look to this screen:

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LUCKY ME i guess
now i’m downloading the ubuntu x64 version 19 and i hope i have some effort :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

8

Just one more remark: I have set the CPU governor to performance. The default seems to be powersave, which keeps the clock at 480 Mhz most of the time.

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9

this is possible in the bios?

10

No, this is a Linux setting.

sudo systemctl disable ondemand

and reboot.

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11

wooohoooo super happy!
Thanks a lot @hsepm

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hard start, because i thought its possible to do the install without internet connection.
In the end i did everything again. Crazy… a big difference and without internet in the server installation process you aren’t able to use eth0 controll or ifconfig in the end

Next steps learning how to docker and how to setup a HA by hand… i’m used of hass.io and so i’m spoiled hard
Crazy way for a linux noob i fear :slight_smile:

12

update:

With the help of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=583&v=ekVfLXnoM7k&feature=emb_logo

i managed to run docker and hassio in less than 15min
pretty crazy how complex the setup is O.o didn’t epect that and without the video i would be lost after installing ubuntu

at the moment the system is suuuper fast and i’m looking forward to have fun with this minipc

@hsepm do you think i’ve to swap some memory at the beginning out of this eMMC? I mean is it a problem to write on the internal flash if the memory is enough?

13

IMHO eMMC memory is more reliable and faster than SD cards, but SSDs are even faster and more reliable. That is why I copied /usr/share/hassio to an SSD. I’m using an USB3toSATA connector.

It is just a gut instinct to have hassio and maria db on an SSD. There is a lot of write operations to the db.


$ sudo hdparm -tT /dev/mmcblk0p2

/dev/mmcblk0p2:
 Timing cached reads:   1972 MB in  2.00 seconds = 987.83 MB/sec
 HDIO_DRIVE_CMD(identify) failed: Invalid argument
 Timing buffered disk reads: 338 MB in  3.01 seconds = 112.40 MB/sec

$ sudo hdparm -tT /dev/sda1

/dev/sda1:
 Timing cached reads:   2022 MB in  2.00 seconds = 1013.22 MB/sec
 Timing buffered disk reads: 1198 MB in  3.00 seconds = 399.27 MB/sec

Another advantage is that the SSD can be backed up / cloned by connecting it to a desktop PC.

1 Like
14

OK
here is some update by me :slight_smile:

starting this wintel china mini computer with a nuc image isn’t possible i guess
spend today more than 6hours on this and i didn’t managed it

Strange because i expected it should be nearby the same… but it isn’t

atm i’m running on the emmc and as well i was running out of space (no purge in recorder e.g.)
i had a few super bad days because of that in the end i thought i’ve a memory problem because the logs looked like this… memtest86 did the last check and than i expected to have a space problem as well i had 5GB left
not enough i guess

sooooo now i would be pretty lucky to get some step by step help or hints to
A) copy and link database only to a externa ssd
B) copy whole filesystem to a externa ssd

i tried today witch cfdisk to get a externa usb3 drive and a empty ssd into the game but in the end i got stuck