Installation on PineTab 2 not persistent

[davidoclubb]

Hi all, sorry if this is off topic but I've tried installing Ubuntu Touch on my PineTab 2 and although it appears to install fine, it's not persistent. So as soon as I reboot it just goes back to Arch.

Any idea on what I'm not doing right on the install? What I see of the OS seems to look gorgeous, it's a bit frustrating I can't actually use it hahaha :beaming_face_with_smiling_eyes:

[Moem]

@davidoclubb said in Installation on PineTab 2 not persistent:

sorry if this is off topic

It was, but now it's a new topic and it's fine.

[davidoclubb]

@Moem Thanks very much, I'm new to this caper

[Moem]

That's okay, we're here to help!

[DenMoore]

@davidoclubb Its all new to me as well. Got it going by flashing UT to a sd card. The pinetab 2 sould boot from card first. Sometimes for reasons unknown to me, it will boot from the eMMC instead. Then use the supplied UART adapter which seems to make it boot from sd card.
Cheers

[arubislander]

@davidoclubb How are you 'installing' UT on your PT2? From the sound of it you got UT on the SD card and when you reboot you reboot to MMC, or the other way around.

[Lakotaubp]

@davidoclubb We also have this Telegram group https://t.me/utonpine for all things Pine which may get a quicker answer.

[davidoclubb]

@Lakotaubp @DenMoore @arubislander Thanks very much everyone, really appreciate the feedback. I think I see my problem...I had assumed that the system would install to the hardware rather than stay as a 'live' install on the SD card, so I removed the SD card....which explains the issue entirely.

That's a bit of a problem for my use case which is loading up the SD card with videos so my kids can watch films while we're on long car journeys ️

Is there any way of installing direct to the 'motherboard' (for want of better technical vocab)?

[DenMoore]

@davidoclubb Yes, I followed the instructions from here https://pine64.org/documentation/PineTab2/
Hope this helps, Cheers

[davidoclubb]

@DenMoore Thankyou - will try with the UART adapter ️

[davidoclubb]

@davidoclubb Hi all, I'm still having no success with persistent install on emmc. I took a look at Jumpdrive that somebody mentioned in a Telegram group but a bit reluctant to use methods that might cause a brick of my existing system in case I can't recover.

I would be really grateful if somebody could let me know whether they had success with installing any OS (not just UT, but ideally UT!) to the emmc, and the steps they took. Many thanks in advance :folded_hands:

[DenMoore]

@davidoclubb Took a few attemps but this is what worked for me. Using the link provided earlier, under Installation Instructions you will find 'Command-line tools'. I used the .dd one. Do take note of the 'Note' re image extenstion and device name.
In Summary

• Used balenaEtcher to flash UT image to sd card
  on PC
• On tablet run UT via sd card & download latest
  UT image
• Re name image
• Check eMMMc name using lsblk command
• Then sudo dd.... etc
• Power down, remove card
• Reboot
  I am sure there are easier ways but I am no expert so can only tell you what worked for me.
  Hope this helps

[Bolly]

Hello,

This does not work?

https://ubports.com/es/blog/ubports-blogs-y-noticias-1/post/pinephone-and-pinephone-pro-3889

If not, you can get more information in this group.

https://t.me/utonpine/28789

[Lakotaubp]

@davidoclubb The telegram group link is really the best place to get answers and advice if nothing here works.

[davidoclubb]

@Lakotaubp Thanks everybody, I will try again with the suggestions by @DenMoore and @Bolly. I have also posted in the Telegram group but didn't get a response there. If I'm successful I will post my methodology here.

Really appreciate the support!

[Lakotaubp]

@davidoclubb Might be a bit slower due to the weekend and Oren has been at the UBports Touchdown and giving a talk at FOSDEM in Brussels the last few days.

[davidoclubb]

@Lakotaubp I have solved my issue, although in the end it worked for a Gnome arch installation rather than Ubuntu Touch. However the methodology would be the same.

As 'normal', install UT to your SD card. Boot into the 'live' version, and download and extract the UT image. Install Gnome Disks or similar to enable you to access all components of the tablet, including the emmc.

Click on the emmc and use the menu to select 'restore image to drive'. Select the extracted image of UT and proceed; next time you boot without the SD card installed, it should boot from the emmc as a fresh new Ubuntu Touch installation (at least this was my experience with Gnome, I can't see why it would be different for UT).

My sincere thanks to BagMan who guided me through this for Gnome/Arch on the Pinetab 2.

[davidoclubb]

@davidoclubb Not sure if it's possible to mark this as solved, but if so can somebody with the right level of admin do it please?

[Lakotaubp]

@davidoclubb Use the cog wheel top right, then ask as question. When solved same again but mark as solved. Have done it this time.

[davidoclubb]

@Lakotaubp Fab, thankyou!