Installing Ubuntu on Asus eee 901

Ubuntu Full install | Ubuntu full install 2 | Ubuntu install to SD Card | Simple install via USB

The Xandros system that comes with the eee 901 is great but you may want to put on a full linux distro such as ubuntu. In addition, assuming you're not a civil servant, you may want to encrypt the drive on the eee 901 to prevent any miscreant getting to your data should you loose your eee. Heres how.

Ingredients:

• 1xdesktop box with ubuntu or some other debian based distro
• 1x Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04 ISO - Download from ubuntu
• 1xUSB stick - 1gb or greater
• 2x files from HERE - initrd.gz and vmlinuz
• syslinux - sudo apt-get install syslinux
• parted

Cooking time: 30mins

Recipe:

1. Plug in USB stick to desktop

2. Open a console and enter: sudo syslinux /dev/sdX where X is the drive and partition of the usb stick, ie sdd1

3. You should now have a file in the stick's root called ldlinux.sys

4. Set the boot flag for the stick - sudo parted /dev/sdX
(parted) set 1 boot on
(parted) print [to ensure its been set]

5. Extract the main ubuntu iso and find the folder isolinux and copy the CONTENTS to the root of the stick.
6. Copy the the two files, vmlinuz and initrd.gz, to a new file in the stick's root called 'install'
7. Copy the main ubuntu*.iso image to the root of the stick.

Now you should have a stick with:
...the contents of the isolinux folder (from the main ISO) in the root of the stick,
..a folder called install containing the vmlinuz & initrd.gz files,
.and the main ubuntu*iso also in the root.

Thats the USB stick done.

Power on your eee 901 WITH THE STICK PLUGGED IN and press f2 to get into the Bios. Go to the boot tab and set the boot priority to 'Removable Dev..' On the same tab, go into the 'Hard Disk Drives' options and set the usb stick as the first bootable device.
Save the bios changes and reboot with the usb stick plugged in.

All things being equal you should now be met with the Ubuntu install page.
Installing encrypted ubuntu will now be just like that of a desktop and you can follow this good guide HERE. Remember to set the partitions correctly and NOT to include a swap file if you want to avoid excessive read-writes to the built in SSD, you can always set this up later if you want to try using a class 6 SD card as a swap file.

Once installed you'll need to drop in a modified kernel to correct the things that don't work out of the box such as wifi, sound, hot keys and other things. The customized kernel comes from www.array.org/ubuntu and the writer has worked tirelessly to fix all the problems. Everything now works as it should.

Ive just run through this procedure again to ensure it all works, but if you have any problems with the booting from the stick, just have a fiddle with the bios - There's the option to set the 'Boot priority' but in addition the hard drive priority also needs to be set.

Enjoy!