Linux installation on x86 tablet?

[German_John]

Hey folks,

I've been wanting to get a Linux-based touch screen device for a while, to play around with it, try different distros on it and so forth.

Seeing that touch screen laptops are just a bit too expensive, I've thought about a Windows tablet. I even found a very cheap Intel based one (€90, about USD100 I guess). However the retailer couldn't tell me whether it would be possible to change the OS on it.

So I'm asking here. Is the bootloader locked by default, or could I theoretically access it with a USB keyboard and then go on as if I were using any normal x86 computer, or is there some trick or issue to it?

 

In case you need the device: it's the i.onik 75655. Also, if there's any recommendations as for distros to try, so far I've set eyes on the usual suspects (SUSE, Ubuntu, Android x86, Mint...) please feel free to tell me!

 

Cheers in advance,

Jonas

[DarrenP]

Hey folks,

I've been wanting to get a Linux-based touch screen device for a while, to play around with it, try different distros on it and so forth.

Seeing that touch screen laptops are just a bit too expensive, I've thought about a Windows tablet. I even found a very cheap Intel based one (€90, about USD100 I guess). However the retailer couldn't tell me whether it would be possible to change the OS on it.

So I'm asking here. Is the bootloader locked by default, or could I theoretically access it with a USB keyboard and then go on as if I were using any normal x86 computer, or is there some trick or issue to it?

 

In case you need the device: it's the i.onik 75655. Also, if there's any recommendations as for distros to try, so far I've set eyes on the usual suspects (SUSE, Ubuntu, Android x86, Mint...) please feel free to tell me!

 

Cheers in advance,

Jonas

The problem you're going to face when loading a Linux OS onto a tablet that isn't built for it is driver support. I doubt you'll be able to install Linux on that tablet, just because I doubt you'll find drivers. 

[German_John]

The problem you're going to face when loading a Linux OS onto a tablet that isn't built for it is driver support. I doubt you'll be able to install Linux on that tablet, just because I doubt you'll find drivers. 

Ah, shoot, didn't think of that. Thanks a lot though! And sorry that I kept you waiting.

[simson0606]

Ah, shoot, didn't think of that. Thanks a lot though! And sorry that I kept you waiting.

ubuntu has really decent driver support, not sure about suse or mint. and android x86 support isn't that great