Checking the numbers

Doghouse – Devices

Article from Issue 302/2026
Author(s):

Component changes can affect functionality; the answer lies in checking and tracking serial numbers.

Recently I met with a group of students who were trying to "upgrade" some Android computers to run GNU/Linux. They were trying to use a general Linux distribution that was ARM based to run on these small boxes and were having troubles.

They would put the distribution on one box and the USB keyboard and mouse wouldn't work. Then they put the same distribution on another box, and while the USB keyboard and mouse would work, the video wouldn't work at all. On a third box, the video, mouse, and keyboard would work, but the storage wouldn't show up.

They didn't know what was going on. The model numbers of all of the boxes were the same. Why wouldn't the distribution work across all of them?

[...]

Use Express-Checkout link below to read the full article (PDF).

Buy this article as PDF

Express-Checkout as PDF
Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)

Buy Linux Magazine

SINGLE ISSUES
Print Issues
Digital Issues
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Print Subs
Digisubs
 
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
Get it on Google Play

US / Canada

Get it on Google Play

UK / Australia

Related content

  • Doghouse: Managing Expectations

    "maddog" advises designers and developers to state their project goals up front and in writing, to avoid confusion and conflict later.

    more »
  • maddog's Doghouse

    After 25 years of waiting for open hardware, Maddog predicts the era of closed, proprietary chips as the only option is drawing to an end.

    more »
  • Doghouse: Two Business Models

    Since the death of Steve Jobs, a lot has been written about him. I never met the man in person, but I admired the work Apple did in creating well-designed products.

    more »
  • maddog's Doghouse

    In conjunction with Caninos Loucos, maddog helps develop a hardware platform for the Brazilian IoT project.

    more »
  • Doghouse – Linux on Laptops

    Maddog examines the complicated relationships between laptop manufacturers, computer stores, and Linux users.

    more »
comments powered by Disqus
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters

Support Our Work

Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

Learn More

News

Tag Cloud

Administration Community Events Hardware Linux Linux Pro Magazine Mobile Programming Security Software Ubuntu Web Development Windows free software open source