Asus T100T & Linux
I was recently given an old Asus T100T and just as an exercise I decided to install either MX-21.3 64-bit or antiX 22 64-bit. The original OS was Windows 8.1.
NB It is very important to note that this Asus T100T (and similar models) have 64-bit CPUs, but are crippled by 32-bit UEFI firmware.
Items to note before progressing further:
1. To access the BIOS, hold down the F2 key, press the power button and wait for the BIOS screen to appear. Then disable Secure Boot.
2. To boot a live Linux distro, first insert the bootable USB drive and keep tapping the Esc key after powering up. This will bring up the Boot Menu. Select USB.
3. I detest touchpads at the best of times and since the Asus T100T has only a single USB 3.0 port, I strongly advise purchasing a cheap USB multiport adapter, such as this Pipestation USB Hub (4-in-1):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BQLRXS...055811_TE_dp_1
4. The wifi must be activated before the actual distro installation, otherwise failure will occur:
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=336841
The wifi uses a Broadcom BCM4324/5 SDIO (BCM43241B4) card.
Both MX Linux and antiX have the necessary bootia32.efi file in their ISOs by default.
MX Linux recognises the Broadcom card immediately, so it is simply a matter of entering the network key for the wifi.
In contrast, with antiX it is necessary to use the 3 commands below at the very beginning of the installation. Failure to activate the wifi beforehand will result in a failed installation.
To fix the wifi for antiX:
Open a terminal and type:
(Username login = demo, username password = demo. For root access, password = root).
Then copy these 3 commands separately into the terminal:
Then go to Connman in antiX:
Menu > Applications > Internet > Connman UI > Wireless > Connect > Enter Passphrase > OK.
The above commands must be repeated after the installation of the distro (i.e. at the first boot of PC with antiX installed).
For MX Linux and antiX with previously fixed wifi:
Boot from the MX installation drive.
Select MX-21.3.
Then separately select language, keyboard and timezone.
Next, click on "Return to Main Menu" at the bottom of the options list.
Do not click on the Install icon.
On the left-hand side, between the speaker/sound icon and the paperclip icon is the network icon.
Click on this and you should be asked for your wifi key. Type it and press Enter.
First use GParted from within the MX/antiX Installer (the HDD icon is below the blue clockwise arrow) {see attached "HDD_icon_GParted"}.
Using GParted, format the drive as GPT for UEFI:
Gparted > Device > Create Partition Table > Advanced > msdos > gpt > Apply.
Delete all (if any) existing partitions on sda (sdb is the MX boot drive). .
First, create an esp partition (500MB) formatted as FAT32, click on Apply. Leave the remainder of the drive as unallocated for now.
Next and most importantly, right-click on the FAT32 partition > Manage flags > Select boot and esp. (see attached ESP flagged screenshot).
Next, create 3 Primary partitions (not Logical) in the unallocated space as follows:
sda2 is the root (system) partition (say 10GB). Format the Primary partition as ext 4.
sda3 is a Primary swap partition (say 500MB) Do not format it. Do not use ext4. Use linux-swap.
sda4 is the Primary home partition for the remainder of drive. Format the partition as ext4.
Click on Apply and wait for all the operations to complete.
Newly created partitions:
sda1 .500MB .FAT32 ..flagged as boot/esp
sda2 .. 10GB . ext4
sda3 500MB .linux-swap
sda4 rest of drive ...ext4
(See attached 4 partitions example with different sizes).
Exit GParted (double-click on red icon in top left corner), click on Shutdown, then boot again from the installation drive (MX or antiX).
Repeat connecting to the wifi and then click on Install.
Make sure to select Customise the disk layout.
Click on Next and the Choose partitions screen should be shown.
Configure the 4 partitions previously created by GParted (see attached "mx_installer" screenshot):
Configure the size, use and format for each of the 4 partitions in sda using the black Down arrows.
****Before applying the partitioning, click on Show details and make sure only the 4 HDD/SSD drive partitions for sda (ESP, root, swap & home) are marked as active.
Check that no partitions on the MX installation drive (sdb) are also marked!
The sdb partitions should be blank.
There should only be 4 partitions for sda selected in "Show details", not 5 or more!.
When satisfied that the partitions resemble the configuration in the attached mx_installer screenshot, click on Next.
NB Do make sure that GRUB is installed on ESP (sda1).
Follow the rest of the instructions in the MX Linux Installer to enter username and password etc.
NB At 94% completion, the Installer seems to be stuck!
It is simply waiting for operator input. Press Next, enter what is required and continue to complete the installation.
Shutdown and remove the MX drive and reboot.
NB It is very important to note that this Asus T100T (and similar models) have 64-bit CPUs, but are crippled by 32-bit UEFI firmware.
Items to note before progressing further:
1. To access the BIOS, hold down the F2 key, press the power button and wait for the BIOS screen to appear. Then disable Secure Boot.
2. To boot a live Linux distro, first insert the bootable USB drive and keep tapping the Esc key after powering up. This will bring up the Boot Menu. Select USB.
3. I detest touchpads at the best of times and since the Asus T100T has only a single USB 3.0 port, I strongly advise purchasing a cheap USB multiport adapter, such as this Pipestation USB Hub (4-in-1):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BQLRXS...055811_TE_dp_1
4. The wifi must be activated before the actual distro installation, otherwise failure will occur:
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=336841
The wifi uses a Broadcom BCM4324/5 SDIO (BCM43241B4) card.
Both MX Linux and antiX have the necessary bootia32.efi file in their ISOs by default.
MX Linux recognises the Broadcom card immediately, so it is simply a matter of entering the network key for the wifi.
In contrast, with antiX it is necessary to use the 3 commands below at the very beginning of the installation. Failure to activate the wifi beforehand will result in a failed installation.
To fix the wifi for antiX:
Open a terminal and type:
Code:
sudo su
Then copy these 3 commands separately into the terminal:
Code:
sudo mount -t efivarfs efivarfs /sys/firmware/efi/efivars cp /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/nvram-* /lib/firmware/brcm/brcmfmac43241b4-sdio.txt sudo modprobe -r brcmfmac && sudo modprobe brcmfmac
Menu > Applications > Internet > Connman UI > Wireless > Connect > Enter Passphrase > OK.
The above commands must be repeated after the installation of the distro (i.e. at the first boot of PC with antiX installed).
For MX Linux and antiX with previously fixed wifi:
Boot from the MX installation drive.
Select MX-21.3.
Then separately select language, keyboard and timezone.
Next, click on "Return to Main Menu" at the bottom of the options list.
Do not click on the Install icon.
On the left-hand side, between the speaker/sound icon and the paperclip icon is the network icon.
Click on this and you should be asked for your wifi key. Type it and press Enter.
First use GParted from within the MX/antiX Installer (the HDD icon is below the blue clockwise arrow) {see attached "HDD_icon_GParted"}.
Using GParted, format the drive as GPT for UEFI:
Gparted > Device > Create Partition Table > Advanced > msdos > gpt > Apply.
Delete all (if any) existing partitions on sda (sdb is the MX boot drive). .
First, create an esp partition (500MB) formatted as FAT32, click on Apply. Leave the remainder of the drive as unallocated for now.
Next and most importantly, right-click on the FAT32 partition > Manage flags > Select boot and esp. (see attached ESP flagged screenshot).
Next, create 3 Primary partitions (not Logical) in the unallocated space as follows:
sda2 is the root (system) partition (say 10GB). Format the Primary partition as ext 4.
sda3 is a Primary swap partition (say 500MB) Do not format it. Do not use ext4. Use linux-swap.
sda4 is the Primary home partition for the remainder of drive. Format the partition as ext4.
Click on Apply and wait for all the operations to complete.
Newly created partitions:
sda1 .500MB .FAT32 ..flagged as boot/esp
sda2 .. 10GB . ext4
sda3 500MB .linux-swap
sda4 rest of drive ...ext4
(See attached 4 partitions example with different sizes).
Exit GParted (double-click on red icon in top left corner), click on Shutdown, then boot again from the installation drive (MX or antiX).
Repeat connecting to the wifi and then click on Install.
Make sure to select Customise the disk layout.
Click on Next and the Choose partitions screen should be shown.
Configure the 4 partitions previously created by GParted (see attached "mx_installer" screenshot):
Configure the size, use and format for each of the 4 partitions in sda using the black Down arrows.
****Before applying the partitioning, click on Show details and make sure only the 4 HDD/SSD drive partitions for sda (ESP, root, swap & home) are marked as active.
Check that no partitions on the MX installation drive (sdb) are also marked!
The sdb partitions should be blank.
There should only be 4 partitions for sda selected in "Show details", not 5 or more!.
When satisfied that the partitions resemble the configuration in the attached mx_installer screenshot, click on Next.
NB Do make sure that GRUB is installed on ESP (sda1).
Follow the rest of the instructions in the MX Linux Installer to enter username and password etc.
NB At 94% completion, the Installer seems to be stuck!
It is simply waiting for operator input. Press Next, enter what is required and continue to complete the installation.
Shutdown and remove the MX drive and reboot.
Total Comments 1
Comments
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Thank you beachboy2.
I was/am in the middle of trying different permutations of code as recommended by colorpurple but I suspect there is a problem with the notebook, and your suggestion re the WiFi might be the answer. However, I have a problem. Where and how do I enter the network key? I can only enter the bios and grub on the notebook with or without the live USB. So I can't seem to be able to open a terminal window.
I had deleted Windows 10 ages ago so my Notebook is like a carcass which I have to revitalise!Posted 03-25-2023 at 08:08 PM by RenH 
