The EeePad Transformer is probably the best Android device out there period for running native Ubuntu, especially if you have the keyboard dock. For those of you Ubuntu lovers, you will be happy to learn that you can indeed run native Ubuntu on your EeePad Transformer.
How to Install Native Ubuntu on EeePad Transformer! (Windows)
First, you will need to download these files, which will have all the files you need to install native Ubuntu on your EeePad Transformer:
Download EeePad Transformer Ubuntu Files
Second, you will need a microSD card for your Transformer bigger than 2GB.
Third, unzip tfubuntu.zip and copy the whole “Ubuntu” folder into the root directory of your microSD card on the Transformer.
Fourth, put your Transformer into APX mode by turning your tablet off, then powering it on WHILE HOLDING DOWN the Volume Up button for about 3 seconds.
Fifth, make sure you have APX drivers installed, if not, watch my video to install it, the drivers are located in usbpcdriver directory in tfubuntu folder.
Sixth, copy over the whole tfubuntu folder into the root directory of your computer.
Seventh, open up a command prompt and type:
cd \tfubuntu
Then type:
flash.bat
to flash Ubuntu boot image.
Hold down the Power button to reset your Transformer, you should now boot into Ubuntu.
To revert back to Android, get back into APX mode and type:
restore.bat
In the near future, we should have an easier method to dual-boot but for now, this can be used to switch back and forth between Ubuntu and Android.
To connect to wifi on Ubuntu, you will have to have some linux knowledge.
My home network uses WPA2 Personal for WiFi encryption so here’s how I connected to my WiFi:
Open a shell in Ubuntu and type:
wpa_passphrase your_essid your_ascii_key
Where your_essid is your router’s SSID and your_ascii_key is your WPA2 password.
This will produce something like this:
network={
ssid=”test”
#psk=”12345678″
psk=fe727aa8b64ac9b3f54c72432da14faed933ea511ecab1 5bbc6c52e7522f709a
}
Take a note of the bolded line as we need it for later.
Create a file /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa.conf and enter the following in the file:
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
eapol_version=1
ap_scan=2
network={
ssid="YourSSID"
scan_ssid=1
proto=RSN
key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
pairwise=CCMP
#Try uncommenting line below if this doesn't work.
#group=TKIP
psk="YourPSK"
Replace “YourSSID” with your router’s SSID.
Replace psk=”YourPSK” with the value you got earlier.
For other WiFi encryption methods, I highly suggest you to see this page here.
Next, enter the following in shell:
sudo wpa_supplicant -i eth0 -D wext -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
Then enter:
sudo dhclient eth0
That should get you connected via WPA2 Personal.
Subscribe via RSS
Nice one! I haven’t looked into source for the kernel for this device (seeing as how I don’t own an EeePad Transformer) but if there is an open source kernel I’m sure you can manage to compile a kernel module that would talk to the speakers for sound! Have fun!
Hey Max,
thanks for your superb transformer tutorial, just have a problem to DL your Tfubuntu.zip.
Perhaps you can recheck it!
thx in adavance…greetz from germany, keep it up!
I can’t download it complete.
It shows 424MB.
i would like to try this but link is down
ok finally got it to even start but again it says that it is a total of 424 mb and not 1.32gb. Also 25kb/s is really not good
So, is possible to use a 3g usb modem with the transformer and ubuntu?
Hi,
the downloadlink seams to be broken? I could not download the file – it never starts to download. Can you reupload it?
I ask again, can you use a 3g modem with eepad?
The DL link is broken
check it, please
For all those who dont know how to donload tfubuntu.zip: click on “view source code” and search “display: none”. then just copy the href atribute and add it to downloadandroidrom.com
boot loop when linux is installed…
same thing happened to me is there a way to fix?
Alrighty problem is that i had honeycomb 3.2
tho. Thanks
BEWARE, it worked with honeycomb 3.1
Same issue, I can’t fix it and it’s impossible to restore. Screen just turns crazy
What is the sudo password to the ubuntu system?
sudo password = astf101
took i few hours to figure that one out
Hi!
I’m using 3.2 and also boot loop when linux is installed. but when i try to restore, my screen goes crazy.
Any idea?
Thanks.
i got honeycomb 3.1 and after installing the ubuntu using the flash.bat it stucks on a loop of bootings…
De download is from a site which you have to pay for otherwise you wating 4 days and not all downloaded…I do not trust a download this type. Be careful!
can someone mirror this
message me if u want mirrior
Hi!
I mentioned a problem in how to overclock device. Well, it seems that my device has a big problem. I can’t install native ubuntu as well, and the restore.bat is not working, the only way to get my device back to life is the rootkit which I have from rooting. I think the problem is with that thing. I used my digital camera to get what’s wrong (because it restarted itself in 1 second) the problem:
VFS:Mounted root (vfat filesystem) readonly on device 179:9.
Failed to execute /init. Attempting defaults…
Kernel panic – not syncing:No init found. Try passing init option to the kernel
Do you think it would work to modify the kernel? because I really don’t want to do that, but if that’s the only way I must do it. The next thing I’m going to try is format my sd to ext2 or ext4, and hope.
So if you can help me, pls.
RiseR
I’m changed to 3.1 so that it doesn’t boot loop, however now i’m stuck in the ubuntu loading and it outputs “waiting for SD Card”
Hi
can you check windows 8 on transformer ?
thanks for ubuntu
Hi, tried out this, but nothing really happens on my transformer. I followed you’re guide from both the movie and this written guide. In my command window I get the message “WHOO HOOO Ubuntu installed!” but still nothing on my transformer. The only difference I can find from how I did it to yours is that in your movie I saw that when you click in on your SD card you got all you’re normal android files there. While I have 2 directories on the transformer: “Internal Storage” and “SD card”. Not sure if this matters at all, but that’s the only part I find different from yours.
Else it’s a great guide and thank you for sharing!
Hi.. thank you so much for your article. Good stuff.
I have spent a couple of weeks on the Internet trying to find a way to install a custom compiled Kernel on an A-pad. Your article is the first that seems to get close to what I am trying to do.
Let me give you some background. I am an American that lives in China part time. I have a very good source here for getting A-pads. I just took delivery on two.. both with the Cortex A-8 CPU, Telechips, TCC-88xx. 1 with 4G of Nand and the other with 8G. CPU clocks at 1Gz and the Ram is 512 MB DDR. So they are pretty nice machines. Capacitive touch-screens that look and work well.
I ordered one without an Android OS. It still has some firmware on it and boots up to an Android screen and will go in Fastboot mode.. but that is about it. The other is fully functional with Android.
THIS IS WHAT I AM ASKING? Is it possible for you to share some technical details with help me on how port a custom Linux distro to the machine?
Basically, I have the source code for the Telechips Kernel and Firmware.. I am a decent Linux hack and pretty good at compiling and cross-compiling. I believe I can build the Operating System for the machine.. I JUST DON’T KNOW HOW to install it on a ARM machine that uses Flash memory instead of a harddrive. I am really a dunce when it comes to understanding “flashing the rom”.. bla, bla, bla.. LOL
Can you help me with such technical facts:
1) How to install the image on the NAND flash partition?
2) How to get it to boot?
Would you be willing to help? I could offer a little money.
I also believe there would be many people out there that would be interested in turning their A-pads into little mini-workstations capable of running Linux and X-windows.. There are many x86 small distros that could be recompiled with the ARMv7 architecture to run on these machines if someone could pave the way.
These tiny hand-held computers could have all kinds of business uses for people who need something easy to use and portable. I have a couple of applications right now that I developed in Qt C++ that would work really well on a small Linux distro.
Anyway, I have no use for a portable phone.. basically I need a Linux install that can boot into bash and I can go from there.. Installing Linux applications would be easy after that.
Please let me know your thoughts?
Sincerely,
Bob Campbell
Jiashan, China and Tucson, AZ (AZ native)
I really wantto try this install but my serial is b70*********. I tried roting it before andit said it work. Rebooted and it was stuck in a restart loop. Exchanged it for a new one. Researched it and found out that serial numbers higher then b60 cant be rooteded. The steps for this install are the same as rooting, and im scared it will brick my device again.
If people are having boot loop issues still, remember how the author mentioned a microSD card of 2gb or larger? Copy the Ubuntu folder from the download onto your microSD and that *should* solve the boot loop, it did for me at least
Quick ? – does it have to be a microSD or will an 8gb SD card work?
Hey can you make a torrent of the tfubuntu.zip please. I have a bad connection and cannot download the whole 1.38 GBs in one sitting. Thank you.
Hi,
first many thanks for this superb howto!!
Now, I’ve bought a Asus slider, which is a very sexy one, and I tried to do the workaround with this device. I succeeded copying the Ubuntu folder into the Micro-SD, I’ve instsalled the Driver, as you showed in your tutorial. No problem so far, I started the device in the APX-mode (the device is recognized by the computer – Win7-64bit) but when I try to start flash.bat, I get the following messages:
- Command send failed (usb write failed)
Then automatically nvflash starts, and the messages are:
- failed executing commant 14 NvError 0×30012
- command failture: partition download failed
Does anybody of you experts have a hint for me?
thx a lot!
Cheers, Ramon
Got same problem. I suppose it happens due to (at my case) my tablet disconnects (I hear the sound) a few seconds after I run flash.bat. Anyone got any ideas?
(TF101 Android 4.0.3)
Pingback: نصب Ubuntu بر روی eee pad
Link is not working properly.
it won’t let me fully download it.
Please check it.
I am running Honeycomb 3.2. I keep getting boot loops. I installed ubuntu directory onto a microSD card. Now it won’t let me boot it into apx mode. HELP!!!!!!!!
boot loop in linux mode I can’t restore
hey man i’m having the same problem. where you able to restore back to android?
What is the easiest way to add a blog to my existing website?
boot loop in linux mode I can’t restore
Help. after flash.bat goes in loop mode.
If I do restore.bat the terminal says everything has been restored, but screen is all fuzzy and nothing seems to work it.
What can I do now?
Thanks
Could you up tfubuntu.zip in megaupload or in an other board please because it wasen’t possible to dl with your ling
after i typed flash.bat in cmd and said succes on the tablet screen … i reboot eeepad but when eeepad rebooted the pc try to setup Asus android mtb device and eeepad rebooted tandem (Infinity times) … sorry i know english a little .:D
Anyone get the camera(s) to work? I’ve successfully installed ubuntu, but can’t access the cameras
what would i need to make this work on a thinkpad tablet? now that we got root this should be doable?
Is this a full working ubuntu, meaning will it be able to keep updating to newer distributions? Has anyone tried Unity on it? should be quite touch friendly
Will this work with the TF201?
Think the ability for you to get this on the Transformer Prime is probably a deal breaker. I’ve got the Galaxy Tab 10.1 right now but looking to upgrade to the Prime. Getting Ubuntu on a tablet like this (especially the dock) can drastically increase productivity.
Also, what is the status of being able to dual boot without a PC? Any nice scripts written for automatically resolving the wireless issue?
So….I am stuck at the boot of linux and cant use the restore.bat trick to get back… what should I do? Plz help!
restore.bat works but when starting the device after running it, the screen is just full of colorful lines (like when running X Windows with wrong settings), obviously Android is running on the backgroud but the screen is broken. What could be the reason for this and how to fix it?
Could I use a USB flash drive instead of a SD card?
It would be much easier for me at least cus I dont own a SD card :/
Alex, I don’t think USB drive works. I assume the boot image has hardcoded path to Ubuntu image. That is probably also the problem with the people who are working with “wrong” (==newew) Android image that has some differences in the folder structure.
Does anyone have resources for creating boot image for newer Android version? Also the “restore” image would be useful. And why not also an image for booting from USB drive and/or internal flash.
Thanks for the reply diidu :>
And by the way… Can I use it on a icecream sandwich (4.x.x) version of android?
p.s
I found a old SD card but it was 1.9gb :/
Oh yeah you said a micro SD card with “at least 2gb” but the the ubuntu folder weights over 2.5gb…
Change it to “at least 3GB Micro SD card”
Really unceratin that this would work with IceCreamSandwich on a TF300
or brick it beyond all recognition
but can’t download the zip file, so moot point, eh?
Has anyone been able to install native ubuntu on the TF300? What files did you use? Thanks.
yes ı want it too
I am looking to install native ubuntu on my tf300, any luck yet? I just want linux so I can run dashdaq-pc on my tablet to display the gauges in my car on my tablet.
Is there any support for the Asus TF700T? I’m currently running Android 4.1.1. Thanks in advance.
i’m trying to install it on tf300t but no luck yet
if someone has done it pls tell 
hi Anston ı m gonno buy this tablet. and ı am interested in this issue.which step is “unlucky” ?
hey, ı wan to run windows 8 on this tablet.yea you did it. but ı want to run VIRTUALBOX to windows 8. does this device runs slow??? please any idea for… ???????
and sorry my bad englısh…
C:\Users\mEHDI\Downloads\Compressed\tfubuntu>”nvflash.exe” –download 6 boot-new
.img
Nvflash started
UnKnown device found
C:\Users\mEHDI\Downloads\Compressed\tfubuntu>echo “WHOO HOO! UBUNTU Installed!”
“WHOO HOO! UBUNTU Installed!”
C:\Users\mEHDI\Downloads\Compressed\tfubuntu>echo “*****************************
******************************************************”
“*******************************************************************************
****”
C:\Users\mEHDI\Downloads\Compressed\tfubuntu>echo “Don’t forget to check out Eee
PadHacks.net and AndroLinux.com for more tablet hacks!”
“Don’t forget to check out EeePadHacks.net and AndroLinux.com for more tablet ha
cks!”
C:\Users\mEHDI\Downloads\Compressed\tfubuntu>echo “*****************************
******************************************************”
“*******************************************************************************
****”
C:\Users\mEHDI\Downloads\Compressed\tfubuntu>
sorry :-s
my device is TF300TG 32GB
i Installed driver from XDA forums..
but this method maybe need other driver :-s
APX? I can’t turn my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T Android JB 4.2 nVidia Tegra 3… but I can turn to Recover while holding down the VOLUME DOWN button, it shows “downloading USB Driver mode” and nothing works, it boots JB! Help me plz!
er it stays frozen on :
Nvflash started
[resume mode]
but first time it starts too quickly to read. it’s not on console, but in program’s own window.