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How to get closest to standard linux experience on android 5.1 tablet?
user3028938
Member
It is an older tablet and was budget at the time. I just want to use it for the massive energy saving compared to my laptop as I am off-grid so very limited power in these low solar periods.
I plan to use it as a desktop, fitting the normal keyboard and other usb devices via micro usb to usb converter.
I calculated I would get a 70% reduction in consumption to use this tablet instead of the laptop so would be a great power saving.
Doing more research around this though it looks extremely difficult to get a full linux OS running, without android at all since the devices are made to be locked into android.
It will not be a supported device for any of the android open source OSes like lineage and such.
There are also linux distro android releases such as debdroid, droidian and mobian, but again these are very restrictive in what devices they support.
Open to suggestions there to be able to have full linux on there but from what I read it will be all but impossible.
The route I am thinking of now is to flash the stock android with an AOSP version, so that it gets rid of the proprietary BS of google - and then use one of the methods of running linux in android from there, which there are several. Apparently they use chroot or similar methods to run linux within android.
Comments
Didn't you start a thread on basically the same topic around 10 days ago?
https://lowendtalk.com/discussion/213884/what-is-the-most-linux-like-experience-i-can-get-using-an-android-tablet
Lol, apparently so. Your memory clearly better than mine.
My two cents:
It's unfortunate in terms of e-waste, but old Android tablets -- especially if not from a major brand -- are fairly locked down in terms of hardware support. Basically, one uses them for as long as feasible/possible as they were intended to be used, and then it's over. (Unless one is very adventurous and willing to make significant compromises)
Lightweight laptops are still the best option for Linux