pinebook to pro upgrade path?
#1
New member here... might as well jump in ...

Is the chassis of a Pinebook pro, essentially the same as the current $99 Pinebooks?

My question is somewhat backward... Really, I'm looking to see if I purchased a PB now, while waiting for a Pro to be shipped.... Could I incrementally upgrade the Pinebook, to a pro, by swapping out components?  I am thinking of getting a Pinebook for 2 of my grand daughters, and may want to update the main board, then memory, maybe the keyboard and monitor, over time. 

I'm sure the concensus would be to just cut to the chase, and get another Pro, rather than messing around with the upgrades. 

Curious as to how interchangeable the bits are, however . 

I Wich I had placed a pre-order for the Oro, when I first heard if it!

Thanks in advance,


Dennis
Dennis Hoshield
PBPro/ANSI/Manjaro
#2
(11-08-2019, 08:57 PM)dhosh Wrote: New member here... might as well jump in ...

Is the chassis of a Pinebook pro, essentially the same as the current $99 Pinebooks?

My question is somewhat backward... Really, I'm looking to see if I purchased a PB now, while waiting for a Pro to be shipped.... Could I incrementally upgrade the Pinebook, to a pro, by swapping out components?  I am thinking of getting a Pinebook for 2 of my grand daughters, and may want to update the main board, then memory, maybe the keyboard and monitor, over time. 

I'm sure the concensus would be to just cut to the chase, and get another Pro, rather than messing around with the upgrades. 

Curious as to how interchangeable the bits are, however . 

I Wich I had placed a pre-order for the Oro, when I first heard if it!

Thanks in advance,


Dennis


Sorry to disappoint, but I am fairly certain this is not possible. I don't think the components of the Pinebook and Pinebook Pro are interchangeable.
#3
I'm not really suprises... Different resolution screen, probably different keyboard footprint, etc. It would be cheaper just to purchase a new one, anyway!

Thanks!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Dennis Hoshield
PBPro/ANSI/Manjaro
#4
(11-08-2019, 09:36 PM)dhosh Wrote: I'm not really suprises... Different resolution screen, probably different keyboard footprint, etc.  It would be cheaper just to purchase a new one, anyway!

Thanks!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

They WILL be making a update board for the ole Pinebook,  it will bring it up to almost a new Pro, but will be compatible with their existing screens, that requires some add on heat sinks as the newer boards will generate more heat.
 The new Pros have a metal case that helps dissipate the heat.
 Not sure when the upgrade will be available as they are kind of busy at this moment,  but the upgrades are on the horizon.
  Luke has already disclosed this.
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#5
Wow... good news! That would be great. Incremental upgrades are very nice. One of the reasons I was looking at them was obviously the price, but also the frustration with having a perfectly running antique Dell laptop that 8 or so flavors of Linux wouldn't run on, and an early Chromebook with the same issue. Those were both given to me to try and get a working laptop for my grandkids. I was going to pull out a Raspberry Pi 2 in a home brew wood case , but a laptop would be better for them.

Thanks!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Dennis Hoshield
PBPro/ANSI/Manjaro
#6
(11-09-2019, 05:25 AM)dhosh Wrote: Wow... good news! That would be great.  Incremental upgrades are very nice. One of the reasons I was looking at them was obviously the price, but also the frustration with having a perfectly running antique Dell laptop that 8 or so flavors of Linux wouldn't run on, and an early Chromebook with the same issue.  Those were both given to me to try and get a working laptop for my grandkids.  I was going to pull out a Raspberry Pi 2 in a home brew wood case , but a laptop would be better for them.

Thanks!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Hmm  I have not encountered any problems running almost every distro of Linux on old Dells and HP's.....
 If it ran Windows, it will run even better with Linux especially Ubuntu as it comes with tons of 'private' drivers for the wifi.
  Straight Debian can be a little work installing wifi drivers, but Debian 'non-free' will run on a 'live' dvd or install.
  Especially easy on the older computers, laptops for even a novice,
    the newer ones you just need to be more familiar with entering the bios.
  Just some of the cheap Android computers and laptops were designed to be hard or near impossible to convert, but Google had them designed that way...  They did NOT want the Linux people converting them..!

  >Before I bought my new Pinebook Pro,  every computer I used Linux on,   was a Windows computer that I installed Linux on.

   My favorite cheap laptop is the Dell D-531,  You can use it as-is or cheaply upgrade the cpu, the hard drive with a new sata
   SSD (Starting at $28. for a 256gb)  increase the ram for a few bucks....
   In its day it was an enterprise laptop.  It will run slow with Windows 10, But it will fly with the newest Linux distros.!

   The new Pinebook Pro is nice !  But,  Most computers can run Linux, most distros you can try first with a live dvd,
       Then install it if you like it.
      LINUX = CHOICES
         **BCnAZ**
               Idea
   Donate to $upport
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#7
That's what I thought... The laptop I tried was a Dell D600. Doesn't want to boot to USB (even though it has an option to in bios), ad none of the CD flavors would boot, as the CPU didn't support 64 bit virtualization. Didn't work with 32 bit flavors of OS es, either. The Chromebook is a Samsung something or other-500-sonething or other... 2012 vintage. I can get into Dev mode, but tried CloudReady, and a couple light Linux flavors..... I am not finding steps to allow it to boot from USB, that work on this model.

Don't want to hijack my own thread, though. :-)

I ordered. PBPro, but wanted to get one of the $99 PBs, but they are out of stock, and apparently unable to preorder. (Sigh)....

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Dennis Hoshield
PBPro/ANSI/Manjaro
#8
**
I have only used usb to install a few times, amostly dvd's
Guess most Chromebooks do not have disk drives...
Maybe your Dell has a 32bit cpu, though you could probably get a 64bit cpu for $5 to $25.00
My 17" Asus had a 32bit cpu for years, I upgraded it just a year or two ago, think I paid $17.00 they even gave me the heat sink grease for free with it.
      LINUX = CHOICES
         **BCnAZ**
               Idea
   Donate to $upport
your favorite OS Team
#9
Yes, the Dell does have a 32-bit processor. I hadn't thought about upgrading the CPU. I'll have to pull it apart and see if it is a swappable one, or not. Desktops usually are, but the laptops I thought were usually wave soldered in place. Maybe not? Thanks!


Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Dennis Hoshield
PBPro/ANSI/Manjaro
#10
The Dells I have worked on are fairly simple to get into, probably is due to clean the cooling fins and fan while you have it open.
Ebay has the better prices and selection for cpu's - ram, while Newegg is great for inexpensive sata 2.5" laptop ssd's. (sata 3 is interchangeable with sata 1)
(I got a 128gb for $18. and a 256gb for $28. both work great.)

*****
OH, I looked up the Dell D600, a Pentium M Huh ?
I don't know if you can get a 64bit cpu for that....
The Dell D531 I mentioned at least came with a Core - 2 - Duo, those were available with ether a 64 bit or 32 bit.
A D600 I assumed was after the D531, I guess not.
( I once picked-up a D531 with 2.0ghz Core-2-Duo that ran for $25 free shipping) (EBay)
*****
      LINUX = CHOICES
         **BCnAZ**
               Idea
   Donate to $upport
your favorite OS Team


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