Simplified dualboot Android and Ubuntu Utopic Unicorn 14.10

Post date: Oct 27, 2014 6:41:45 AM

Itching to dualboot Android and Ubuntu Utopic Unicorn 14.10 on your RK3288 but don't want the hassle of having to fiddle with paper-clips to press tiny buttons and insert cables that don't seem to fit whilst squeezed behind your TV in a dark and dusty place?

Well if you've got an RK3288 device and an SD card then you might want to try my latest 'easy-as' solution.

From either a Windows PC or Linux PC download the Ubuntu Utopic Unicorn file-system from https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B99O3A0dDe67bVViMlpTaEdfTXc, uncompress it and write it to a reasonable fast (class 10 or better) SD card using 'Win32 Disk Imager' or 'dd' respectively.

Next ensure your RK3288 device is 'rooted' by installing Bob (Finless) White's EZ Root tool (see http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?17382-NEW-gt-3288-EZ-Root-Tool) which will also install a 'reboot' application. Then install a terminal emulator application e.g. 'Terminal Emulator for Android' by Jack Palevich (see https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jackpal.androidterm).

Finally download the following three shell scripts (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B99O3A0dDe67ajhaeDFrcGtEWWs, https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B99O3A0dDe67NEtsY0pHNy0tWm8 and https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B99O3A0dDe67X2JGRWlmNGszOEU) and the Linux kernel (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B99O3A0dDe67WmxjalRrRWE2N1E).

Now start a terminal session and enter 'su' to get root access. Change directory to where you downloaded the scripts (e.g. 'cd /sdcard/Download'). Save the binaries currently loaded on your 'recovery' partition by entering 'sh aSAVE-RECOVERY' and then put the Linux kernel onto this partition by entering 'sh aFLASH-RECOVERY'.

Then insert your SD card and select 'reboot to recovery' from the reboot application. Up should appear a login screen which you can access with the password 'p'.

Enjoy the Ubuntu experience.

Each time you boot your device you'll start in Android. To boot to Linux use the 'reboot' application and 'reboot to recovery'. You can always restore your original recovery partition by running 'sh aRESTORE-RECOVERY' from within Android.

Just remember you'll be at the bleeding edge of technology with this solution and there will be bugs and some things won't work perfectly (or even correctly)!