Ubuntu 14.04 and 15.04 on MK808b Plus

[DanielSB]

In case you want to put this on a 4GB MicroSD (e.g. if like me you want to get rid of the Mate GUI stuff and use Ubuntu as a headless server), here's how:

1. Get the image file; I got _ubuntu-mate-15-04-s805-standard-0_95_Beta.img.xz
2. Extract it:
   xz -dk _ubuntu-mate-15-04-s805-standard-0_95_Beta.img.xz
3. Have a look at the partition layout:
   fdisk -lu _ubuntu-mate-15-04-s805-standard-0_95_Beta.img
4. Note the "Start" value of partition 2. For this image, it started 518144 blocks in.
5. Map the partition to a loop device, (note where I'm putting in the start value from before, and replace if you have a different image):
   sudo losetup -o $((518144*512)) /dev/loop1 _ubuntu-mate-15-04-s805-standard-0_95_Beta.img
6. Shrink the fs to the minimum size possible (about 2.3GB):
   sudo e2fsck -f /dev/loop1
   sudo resize2fs -Mp /dev/loop1
7. Make partition 2 smaller in the img file:
   fdisk _ubuntu-mate-15-04-s805-standard-0_95_Beta.img
   [press d]
   [press 2, enter]
   [press n]
   [press p, enter]
   [press 2, enter]
   [type "518144" (or your value from before if it differs), enter]
   [type "+3G", enter]
   [press w, enter]
8. Copy the image file to your MicroSD card. It's important to know the correct device name, so you don't overwrite some other disk. You can run "dmesg" in a terminal after plugging it in, and check the last line that mentions something about a disk being inserted. On my system, I got "[ 2306.856080] sd 3:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI removable disk", which means my SD card is available at /dev/sda. /dev/sda is pretty much always the main system root drive, but as I'm running a Live CD in a VMware Fusion virtual machine which has no hard drives, my SD card became /dev/sda. Yours is probably sdb, sdc or something like that.
9. Make sure that no existing partitions on your SD card aren't mounted, in case they were automatically mounted (replace "sda" with your device):
   sudo umount /dev/sda*
   (Ignore error messages about stuff not being mounted)
10. Use dd to write the image file (again, replace "sda" with your SD card):
    sudo dd if=_ubuntu-mate-15-04-s805-standard-0_95_Beta.img of=/dev/sda bs=1M
11. After a pretty long (depending on how fast your SD card is) while, dd will error out, complaining about no space being left on the SD card device. This is fine.
12. Now we need to expand the partition to the biggest size your SD card allows (again, replace "sda" where applicable):
    sudo partprobe
    sudo fdisk /dev/sda
    [press d]
    [press 2, enter]
    [press n]
13. [press p, enter]
    [press 2, enter]
    [type "518144" (or your value from before if it differs), enter]
    [press enter to accept the suggested last sector]
    [press w, enter]
    sudo e2fsck -f /dev/sda2
    sudo resize2fs -p /dev/sda2
    sudo sync
    sudo eject /dev/sda
14. Enjoy.

[astateofmind]

you might have a different clone than mine, one that uses a different nic/module.

[yushir]

astateofmind Thanks for the file!. It seems, though, I end up requiring the module for 8188eu. Do you have the instructions to compile/download this module somewhere?

[astateofmind]

http://www.filedropper.com/showdownload.php/8723bs the module for ubuntu.

[sammaz]

- Wifi is not detected, I am using the module 8188.eu and still seems trouble getting a proper one to run under linux.
Get this : http://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811.../dp/B00FW6T36Y
Works great in 5Ghz @ 433Mbps in Openelec\Android\Linux Ubuntu

- Setting the output to 1080p leaves a big black space in the output (though it gets detected as 1080p by the window manager, so I wonder it's something related with the framebuffer
This resolves after you power on\off again...give it a few reboots

- Audio output via the A/V output doesn't seem to work (applied the fixes stated above, but looks like it's only for HDMI).
Correct. HDMI only


- Internal NAND is not recognized if booting from SD Card.
This is by design to leave your Openelec\Android NAND untouched

[yushir]

Got it to boot without trouble on an HD18Q, Android boots also without problems. However, I did found the following issues:
- Ethernet is not detected - I assume it requires the same module as the wifi one (though Ethernet is included in the S805 specification...)
- Wifi is not detected, I am using the module 8188.eu and still seems trouble getting a proper one to run under linux. Could I get your upload reuploaded astateofmind ? Thanks
- Setting the output to 1080p leaves a big black space in the output (though it gets detected as 1080p by the window manager, so I wonder it's something related with the framebuffer
- Audio output via the A/V output doesn't seem to work (applied the fixes stated above, but looks like it's only for HDMI).
- When booting, there's a 6-try delay trying to start the Wifi - I assume it's the Broadcom driver that needs to be taken out.
- Internal NAND is not recognized if booting from SD Card.
- Hotplug of USB devices (e.g. mouse or keyboard) isn't detected properly.

PD: Has anyone tried loading all these drivers by using DKMS? That would solve a lot of problems imho.

Some of the issues posted here are present, some are new. Could you please give me a hand on this?

[bednarpe]

Is there any possibility to run Ubuntu on this piece of HW?

Managed to boot Ubuntu using Finless rom as setup. Of course without wifi.
Although I am much happier with Linux with out wifi then Android with wifi, I would appreciate pointers to working drivers.

[bednarpe]

I have acquired mk808b+ clone (rtl wifi) and in my case is anything other than gnu/linux on this unworkable (do not care about multmedia, just board form factor).
After initial bricking I have found original android image which I can flash over usb. On top of that I can flash OpenELEC 6.0.1.1 (couldn't find recommended 5.95.5.2 for NAND anywhere) using sdcard.
But when I am trying to install minipc ubuntu I will get m201 != m202 error, which I am unable to resolve.

I am not android developer, nor do I know boot&recovery details.
I have tried change the version check and resign package using signapk, which resulted in verification error. Original CWM does not have settings to disable this check.
I have attempted to use dd to flash bootloader and logo img files inside zip to /dev/* counterparts in OpenELEC installation (which I have deamed to be the core work of applying update by looking into same file where version check is located) which resulted in bricking (usb flashing still luckily applicable).

Is there any possibility to run Ubuntu on this piece of HW?

[Neal1812]

Not sure whether this thread is still active but still... Thanks Sammaz and Loboris for the clear instructions for installing Ubuntu MATE on MK808B plus. I have managed to install it on my MK808B plus stick.

Trouble is I'm unable to get wifi to work. I tried "killall wpa_supplicant" but it does not seem to find the process. I have a Tronsmart MK808B+ with Broadcomm ap6210 chip. Just wanted to check whether anyone has found a solution yet.

I was wondering whether to get a USB wireless adaptor or a USB to RJ45 adaptor like http://www.geekbuying.com/item/High-...et-314264.html.

Any thoughts?

Many thanks!

[clarkss12]

One question for whomever knows: I am currently on finless rom. If I install openelec on nand and Ubuntu on sd card, will I be able to install back finless? I would like to try Ubuntu on the stick but if it doesn't meet my needs, can I install back Android? Not stock but this custom rom? It was pretty easy install from sd to nand over stock Android

Sent from my x600 using Tapatalk

It works for OpenELEC, so I am sure it will work for Android.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtbFOPkASaQ

[fudimenti]

One question for whomever knows: I am currently on finless rom. If I install openelec on nand and Ubuntu on sd card, will I be able to install back finless? I would like to try Ubuntu on the stick but if it doesn't meet my needs, can I install back Android? Not stock but this custom rom? It was pretty easy install from sd to nand over stock Android

Sent from my x600 using Tapatalk

[equinoxe123]

Does anyone have the driver 8188eu.ko (kernel 3.10.70 #14)? I want to try in Inphic Spot i5

[r2d2]

I have found that mouse is actually working, only microusb male to usb female adapters are not working. Problem with non-booting android still exists.

[r2d2]

So I did as written here, Ubuntu mate is booting, but mouse is not working. And android now is not booting, just asking for update or erasing. Any help?

[symbios24]

Hello i`m interested into buying a MK808b Plus but as i see there are two different models one with s805 and one with m805, is linux - ubuntu mate working in both models?
thanks