OS Installation

[Chrono]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong that no matter what method I try, I can't install a new OS on the PinePhone? Right now I'm using the "Method Using Factory Installed Tools" and I'm following these steps:

1. Format the micro SD card.
   
2. Download the .img.gz or .img.xz file (depending on the distro).
   
3. Extract it so it becomes a .img file.
   
4. Copy that disc image file to the micro SD card.
   
5. Insert the micro SD card on the PinePhone's top slot.
   
6. Start up the phone.
   
7. Select the directory where the micro SD card is mounted; in my case it's "cd ~/mnt".
   
8. Run the following command: "sudo dd if=MOBIAN.img of=/dev/mmcblk2 bs=1M". I obviously tried to install Mobian this last attempt.
   

But, as with all my previous tries, it failed. In this case, the terminal tells me that there is no such file or directory and indeed, after checking the directory's contents, there are no files. However, after connecting the card to my PC, the file is still where it is supposed to. I've tried using other SD cards I have that are from the same brand, Kingston, and it doesn't make a difference. I suppose I could buy a new one from a different company but I don't want to spend money on one unless I'm sure the issue relies on the micro SD card.



Any feedback would be tremendously appreciated as it's been a relatively long while since the phone arrived and I'm still stuck on the postmarketOS beta.

[bcnaz]

Have you tried Balena Etcher to flash your sd card(s)  ?

Using Etcher, you simply flash your sd card, insert into your Pine phone, and your selected OS should automatically boot from the sd card.
Then log-in using that OS'es default log in.

The phone will always boot first from an sd card that is bootable.

Etcher does the extracting for you.

You may wish to format your sd card to ext4 first, though it should not be necessary.

[Chrono]

Have you tried Balena Etcher to flash your sd card(s)  ?

Yes.

Etcher does the extracting for you.

Wasn't aware of this. Maybe this is why, in those instances, the phone kept booting to the postmarketOS beta. I'll do it now without extracting the file myself and report back.

You may wish to format your sd card ext4 first, though it should not be necessary.

It will do no harm trying that out so I will.

[bcnaz]

I DO suggest running from the sd card(s) for test driving the operating systems.

When you are ready to install an operating system permanently, the bootstrap method looks like it actually simplifies that process pretty much.
There is an excellent tutorial on how to use that on the forum and I believe also in the phone wiki.

[Veraendert]

To dd from running OS is a bad idea. If you absolutely want to install to EMMC (as already mentioned, if you want to test drive a distribution just flash to SD) use this guide: https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=9444

[Chrono]

I just flashed PureOS to the SD card and after booting the phone up, nothing changed. I still am stuck in the postmarket OS beta.

I DO suggest running from the sd card(s) for test driving the operating systems.

When you are ready to install an operating system permanently,  the bootstrap method looks like it actually simplifies that process pretty much.
There is an excellent tutorial on how to use that on the forum and I believe also in the phone wiki.

Got it. Thanks for the suggestion.

To dd from running OS is a bad idea.

I see. I will stick to test driving the OS using the micro SD card.

If you absolutely want to install to EMMC (as already mentioned, if you want to test drive a distribution just flash to SD) use this guide: https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=9444

I've already tried that method and the phone still boots to the postmarketOS beta.

[Veraendert]

What OS are you using? Since you do have a Terminal it's some Linux distribution, i suppose?

[Chrono]

What OS are you using? Since you do have a Terminal it's some Linux distribution, i suppose?

Ubuntu on Oracle VirtualBox on Windows 10. If this setup may be related to the issue I'm facing, I am definitely willing to replace Windows 10 with a Linux distribution since I was going to do that in the near future anyway.

[Veraendert]

Windows probably simply doesn't let you access the SD at all. But i'm unable to debug anything Windows-related. You could of course boot Linux from an USB stick and then flash from there.
But it's definitely easier to use Etcher (or anything else that does the trick) with Windows directly to flash to the SD.

[Chrono]

Windows probably simply doesn't let you access the SD at all. 

Would this be the case if after flashing the SD card and ejecting it, there are, for example, PureOS-related folders visible on both, Ubuntu and Windows 10?

You could of course boot Linux from an USB stick and then flash from there.

I'll give it a try.

But it's definitely easier to use Etcher (or anything else that does the trick) with Windows directly to flash to the SD.

Haha, I did use balenaEtcher on Windows 10 to flash the SD card and the now nightmarish postmarketOS logo still showed up after booting up the phone.