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General => On Topic => Topic started by: pelouk on October 03, 2019, 06:06:33 AM

Title: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: pelouk on October 03, 2019, 06:06:33 AM

I've just been asked

by a friend who is interested in installing LL

an Asus E406SA and wants to know if this is possible. The laptop is marketed as a Cloudbook and runs Windows 10 S - i.e. the so-called stripped-down version of W 10. The machine is 64 bit with 4gb RAM and a fixed hard disk of 64Gb.


Has anyone had experience with this? Thoughts?

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: Jerry on October 03, 2019, 03:52:04 PM

Why not run it in Live mode and find out?

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Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: minesheep on October 03, 2019, 05:18:06 PM

4gb of ram is enough. I think 16gb of storage is enough, but that decreases windows space by 16 gb. Also 16gb is not so much to save anything more than OS and programs. fresh install uses under 8gb but after swapfile, APT cache some programs it will quickly fill up to something like 12gb leaving 4 gb for user data files. If the laptop is UEFI only then it will need to use of experimental UEFI build. Windows itself need about 35gb of space based on my own experience so installing LL on that automatically means that everything goes to low space.
If your friend wants to not have low space notifications everywhere it can also be installed on external usb drive or even sd card

https://www.linuxliteos.com/forums/tutorials/how-to-install-linux-lite-to-usb-stick-not-ready-yet!/ (https://www.linuxliteos.com/forums/tutorials/how-to-install-linux-lite-to-usb-stick-not-ready-yet!/) Warning shocking clear instructions!

If it runs ok on live mode then space can be the only problem and it is not when using external drive/common sense

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: pelouk on October 03, 2019, 06:25:50 PM

Trying it in live mode is certainly a first step (thanks Jerry).


I think his greater concern is available hard disk space. This could work as an option but what size of external disk (say a flash drive}, as minesheep suggests, would you recommend to both run LL and cope with file storage?

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: firenice03 on October 03, 2019, 07:29:35 PM

The size disk equal to the $$$ you want to spend...
LOL... I kid...


The kangaroo in my sig has Win10 on its internal and has a microSD 32gb with LL on it.. Its been running for a while, I dont save to it unless temporarily.[size=78%] [/size]
It was more a test system but works well.


I'd go 64 or 128 as maybe a min...Depending, if saving pics music etc etc...
Could use cloud storage to make up the difference.


I'd go with a faster SD card versus the cheapest.. Think mines a u10 and I don't notice any slowdowns.

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: pelouk on October 04, 2019, 06:40:47 AM

Thanks firenice03.  Sounds like a 64 or 128 SD might be the solution. Is it possible, though to have a SD containing, say, LL4.6 and still be able to save files to that SD?

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: firenice03 on October 04, 2019, 08:27:12 AM

Quote from: pelouk on October 04, 2019, 06:40:47 AM

Thanks firenice03.  Sounds like a 64 or 128 SD might be the solution. Is it possible, though to have a SD containing, say, LL4.6 and still be able to save files to that SD?

@pelouk
It's treated like an internal disk... You would install the OS to the SD, files could be saved within the OS as normal.
- Would you want to pull the SD and put it in something else as storage???
   - I wouldn't; though I haven't tried... maybe if you split the SD disk into a separate partitions having 1 solely for storage - I wouldn't want to write to the LL partitions unless via the booted OS...

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: pelouk on October 04, 2019, 08:52:20 AM

OK, got it.


My buddy has been following this thread with me and reckons your suggestions would fit his needs (and his budget!!).


One final question:  You mention high quality SDs. Any recommendations??


Thank you again.

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: firenice03 on October 04, 2019, 10:21:03 AM

Mine is a Class 10 - - U1


Here's an idea what to look for -- Scroll to Speed
https://www.techspot.com/guides/1591-microsd-buying-guide/ (https://www.techspot.com/guides/1591-microsd-buying-guide/)


A quick Amazon search for "SD card U1" about $20 will get you 128gb PNY or SANDisk card...

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: pelouk on October 04, 2019, 11:15:10 AM

That was a very useful link.

Can I take it that the higher the speed the better?

Also, I have a vague memory of reading somewhere that SANDisk cards are not best suited to use for LL distros. Is that so?

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: TheDead on October 04, 2019, 06:43:18 PM

"Standard" Sandisk can be quite slow yes, the Sandisk "Ultra" models are usually the fastest models, i.e. Higher class.
There is no special drivers for SD cards so any brand Class 10+ should be OK, I guess... but you can ask your Magic 8-ball! ;)

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: minesheep on October 04, 2019, 07:15:58 PM

I can do benchmark later on my sandisk ultra 16gb vs 64gb

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: minesheep on October 05, 2019, 04:43:12 PM

Yes ultra 64 gb read 30-40MB/s write 20-30MB/s they are slow except the access time which was 1,2 ms = OK. When benchmarking the drive my data was in it.
Empty 16gb drive was bit slower to write no difference on read or access time (0,98ms)
same empty drive but with 1mb samples and 1000 of them no difference
So even the ultra models are pretty slow, but I have used them for full installation so if patience is not a problem then 32 gb sandisk ultra is enough
Bonus: the boot time of 35MB/s reading flash drive is douple (about 10 minutes) of the boot time with internal non ssd drive (about 5 minutes I think) when non ssd drive can read about 70MB/s

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: minesheep on October 05, 2019, 04:52:54 PM

Quote from: firenice03 on October 04, 2019, 08:27:12 AM

Quote from: pelouk on October 04, 2019, 06:40:47 AM

Thanks firenice03.  Sounds like a 64 or 128 SD might be the solution. Is it possible, though to have a SD containing, say, LL4.6 and still be able to save files to that SD?

@pelouk
It's treated like an internal disk... You would install the OS to the SD, files could be saved within the OS as normal.
- Would you want to pull the SD and put it in something else as storage???
   - I wouldn't; though I haven't tried... maybe if you split the SD disk into a separate partitions having 1 solely for storage - I wouldn't want to write to the LL partitions unless via the booted OS...

It is possible to have two partitions on same SD card one for storage and one for data. I don't recommend you trying to use the same SD as camera for an example it will almost 100% sure fail and the OS became overwritten or formatted in some way, but in manual usage like usb flash drive it is possible to have two partitions (OS and data). Be carefull avoid using small partition to write a lot of data this can wear out the card faster if possible format your "data" partition as f2fs it may gain performance boost or longer lifespan for doing so.

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: TheDead on October 08, 2019, 09:02:02 AM

I don't know if this is a general fact but maybe USB Keys are faster (onboard circuit, etc.) .I use these to boot Linux Distros and even Windoze 10 :
https://www.sandisk.com/home/usb-flash/ultra-usb (https://www.sandisk.com/home/usb-flash/ultra-usb)Says "up to" 100MB, but maybe more in the 80MB read and 20MB write depending on tests.
If you can aford it, there is also these bad boys :https://www.sandisk.com/home/usb-flash/extremepro-usb (https://www.sandisk.com/home/usb-flash/extremepro-usb)
200MB+ read / 200MB+ Write. I personnaly got around 150/150 most of the time in USB3.
So maybe SD cards to look for could be the "Extreme" models then... ?

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: pelouk on October 09, 2019, 06:10:06 AM

@TheDead, Thanks for your input. It seems, though, I've got a hurdle to cross before even buying the right SD/USB drive.
As a first step, I thought I'd use a USB drive on which I already had a copy of LL 3.8 just to see what it looked like.

I couldn't get my laptop to boot to that drive. I've followed the steps in BIOS, made the changes to boot order, saved them and exited but my laptop still persists in booting to Windows. I guess I must be doing something wrong but I can't get a screen shot of the BIOS to show you where I', at.

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: TheDead on October 10, 2019, 08:01:59 AM

Hi,

Getting back to what was said in the thread... :
" If the laptop is UEFI only then it will need to use of experimental UEFI build."

When I look at the laptop specs, I'm pretty sure that is accurate. a Win10 laptop with a 64GB emmc "drive".
Are you using the3.x  UEFI build? If so I would maybe try the version 4 UEFI test build. The laptop being recent.
Sorry gotta go work, but link to UEFI builds download shouldn't be too far in the forums... Cheers!

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: pelouk on October 10, 2019, 10:01:42 AM

Thanks.  It was good of you to take the time when you're rushing to work.


I don't think my machine is UEFI only because I can enter BIOS by the usual route ( hold f2 key on start-up)  and can navigate through the tabs. I've disabled security control and fast startup;   Ive enabled CSM and made my usb drive the number 1 option on start up then saved and exited.


Damn thing still boots up to Windows!!

Title: Re: Dual boot on an Asus E406SA
Post by: TheDead on October 11, 2019, 08:16:54 AM

Hi,
Not for the same Asus but there is an Option in Asus BIOSes in "Boot" called "Hard Drive BBS Properties".Note : You have to be in "Advanced" BIOS mode, not the nice graphics interface. The Advanced mode is the ugly text one ;)
You have to choose your USB key from there.
From :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us1VEhzFQPU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us1VEhzFQPU)
I also though of something... I had some trouble in the past using some USB3 keys.On some combination of USB3 key versus USB computer controller I had (rarely) to use a USB2 key.
Ok... that what I have for now :-/