Quote:
Originally Posted by acatto
Been using Slackware for years, installing from ISO images that some others did, x86/x64 only though.
I have now a Hackberry A10, higher end version of Raspberry Pi but almost the same, it's ARM of course.
How do I get the regular Desktop version of Slackware to install on it ?
There's no CD/DVD, no ISO, I can only depend on some 'Image' that I can DD against my /dev/flashdrive.
Where is that Image ?
I've seen Slackware ARM, it's so difficult, so hardcore nasty hard.
Just like the ISO, can't there be the equivalent straigh-simple DD version image ?
Or can't Slackware do that ?
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That's how ARM is at the moment - for every distribution. There is no one-size-fits-all as far as installation and kernels go.
As it happens I do supply 'mini root filesystems' (see the web site) but as with any pre-supplied installation, you need to do spend some time configuring it manually to get it configured for your device.
This is one of the reasons I'm not into supplying images - I want the regular Slackware installer to be used, and updated where need be to permit installation on to new hardware types.
If you look at the history of ARM - it's not surprising why it's not 'easier'. ARM came from Acorn Computers' desktop based systems which have their own OS ('RISC OS') on ROM - only later (early/mid 90s IIRC) was Linux ported to it. From then on ARM was used in embedded devices such as mobiles or to power specific appliances such as the Corel 'Netwinder'. Linux was always shoe-horned onto the device by ARM Linux enthusiasts.
It's only in the last few years that ARM has become more mainstream.
So yes there's a little bit of work to do, but if you had one of the supported platforms such as those listed on the Slackware ARM web site, you'd find there was adequate documentation to follow and it's reasonably easy; but for any unsupported device, you will indeed have to do some work - as you would with any other ARM Linux distribution.
Of course once it's installed and running, it's Slackware and is (for me) indistinguishable from my x86 installations (apart from the ARM machines are less snappy than my x86 systems).