Installing Freedombox on Minix NEO Z83-4 Pro

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peterjohnson

New member
Hello Everyone

Hope you're all feeling OK today. I would like to install Freedombox on my Minix Z83-4 Pro but I am having some issues.
If you're not sure what Freedombox is, please check here.

I have downloaded the appropriate image (I believe NEO Z83-4 Pro is Intel/AMD 64-bit hardware) and written it to a bootable USB with Etcher. The image is located here.

I am having an issue whereby I cannot boot from a USB to install Freedombox. I really want to reuse the Minix device as my Freedombox. Any help would be greatly appreciated, if anyone has tried this before or installed a different OS on the Z83-4 Pro via USB, please let me know.

I have also posed on the Freedombox forum here
 
Have you updated the BIOS?
https://theminixforum.com/index.php?threads/neo-z83-4-bios-v1-8.68/

MINIX – Martin said:
In comparison to the BIOS V1.7, V1.8 added "Booting the operating system from a USB device(USB stick or external HDD)".
Because of the limitation of the internal eMMC(only 32GB) of NEO Z83-4, some users expect to install the OS into an external HDD or a USB stick with larger storage space.

Please note, this feature is ONLY available when you use the USB 3.0 port (NOT USB 2.0 port) on the NEO Z83-4.

For example, you can install an OS into an external HDD or USB stick (USB thumb), and attach this external HDD or USB stick to the USB 3.0 port on the NEO Z83-4, start the NEO Z83-4 and press F11, select the external HDD or USB stick option to boot that OS.
Click to expand...
 
"I forgot to mention that the manufacturer offers two “official firmwares”, Windows 10 Pro and Ubuntu 18.04. I’m not sure if they somehow modified these so they can boot on the device"
Only that they include the correct drivers.
 
Hi Villa

Villa said:
Have you updated the BIOS?
https://theminixforum.com/index.php?threads/neo-z83-4-bios-v1-8.68/
Click to expand...

No I did not try yet, I will do that now.

Villa said:
How come over there you are jamesramez not peterjohnson?
Click to expand...

I prefer to use pseudonyms on forums.

Villa said:
"I forgot to mention that the manufacturer offers two “official firmwares”, Windows 10 Pro and Ubuntu 18.04. I’m not sure if they somehow modified these so they can boot on the device"
Only that they include the correct drivers.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the clarification
 
peterjohnson said:
I have updated the BIOS but I cannot boot from the USB
Click to expand...
My understanding is first you need to install Debian to install FreedomBox.

Edit: OK, I re-read the reply to your post over on Freedombox forum and realise what sunil was saying. I guess as there is no ‘legacy boot’ mode, afaik, then your options are to wait for a UEFI based image or install Debian.
 
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