I have a Ubook that’s new, never used. Unfortunately for me the Ubook does not have hardware/drivers compatible with Linux so I cannot use it.
The Ubook has a 1 TB SSD and the bluetooth mouse and pen that came with it. Original box.
I’d like to sell to anyone in the US. If interested please make me an offer I cannot refuse.
Thank you.
Hey friend, which distribution have you tried? No luck with bleeding-edge kernels?
Mint 19. But I’m not the only one who has not been able to load Linux. There is another list participant who has tried several distributions none of which loaded.
It seems as if the Linux kernel can’t instantiate on the Ubook’s hardware and it shuts down very quickly after attempting to boot any version from a USB stick.
I used to use a Ubuntu-mate in a Intel Atom z3775 processor and I had to perform some tweaking such injecting newer kernels prior installing.
Can you edit your comment and add the link for this thread? I’d like to make some tests. What’s the uBook processor anyway?
According to the info on this page it’s an Intel Core m3 processor
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/504797406/chuwi-ubook-goes-anywhere-does-everything
The link for this thread is:
Hope that’s what you’re requesting.
Thank you.
Have you disabled secure boot in Windows?
Basic steps: Access UEFI BIOS settings and disable “Secure Boot” option, then change “Boot List option” as “Legacy”, and enable “Load Legacy Option Rom”, then follow a traditional method to boot computer from USB device or CD-ROM.
I have not disabled secure boot. I know nothing about Windows so I’ll try your suggestions and report back.
Thank you.
1.Download a 64-bit ISO here: http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-mate/bionic/daily-live/current/ . This link is generated daily with up-to-date packages.
2.Mount the ISO file and extract to an USB stick. You may mount the ISO with Windows 8/10 native image mounter.
3.Override the boot mode to your USB stick and try booting it up. I don’t know which button does this in your equipment, for Hi10Plus (my equipment) it’s the F7.
4.If it enters in GRUB, choose Try before installing. If the live session boot successfully, you have good chances on this working on.
5.Test it for some time, check WiFi. If it works, you may continue tweaking your installation downloading the intel-microcode and specific kernels, if necessary.
6.I would suggest to install a current stable kernel asap. Download the required deb packages here: https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v5.3.6/ .The last stable kernel (current, 2019-10-16) is the 5.3.6.
6.1 Download the following files:
6.2 Open a Terminal with Ctrl+Alt+T, you’ll be at Home folder. Access the Download folder with the command:
cd Download
Then, install these kernel files with the command:
sudo dpkg -i *.deb
6.3 Reboot. If it works, you’ll be able to login etc. If it does not work, you’ll need to use the version which came with the ISO file and remove this kernel.
If it does not work:
Thanks for this detailed reply. I very much appreciate your time putting together the suggestions. They’re bit complicated for me to follow and I’m hoping you can clarify.
1.Download a 64-bit ISO here: (http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-mate/bionic/daily-live/current/). This link is generated daily with up-to-date packages.
2.Mount the ISO file and extract to an USB stick. You may mount the ISO with Windows 8/10 native image mounter.
I don’t understand why I need to mount the downloaded ISO file. Why not just transfer it to a USB stick and then try to boot with that? What am I missing here?
And I do not use Windows so I have no familiarity with Windows 8/10 native image mounter. I’d be trying to do this by moving files from my Linux desktop to the Ubook.
3.Override the boot mode to your USB stick and try booting it up. I don’t know which button does this in your equipment, for Hi10Plus (my equipment) it’s the F7.
I am guessing by this you mean enter BIOS and change the boot order to put the USB stick first. Yes? No?
5.Test it for some time, check WiFi. If it works, you may continue tweaking your installation downloading the intel-microcode and specific kernels, if necessary.
Sorry, this one is way over my head. What is “intel-microcode” and which “specific kernels” if necessary? How do I know if either/both are necessary? Where would I find “intel-microcode?”
6.I would suggest to install a current stable kernel asap. Download the required deb packages here: (https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v5.3.6/).The last stable kernel (current, 2019-10-16) is the 5.3.6.
Are you saying here that the kernel that comes with the ISO should be overridden in favor of a newer version? Are there issues with the kernel that comes with the ISO? Your instruction 6.3 says if after going through all the steps to get a new kernel Ubuntu doesn’t load then go back and use the kernel that came with the ISO.
I looked at the suggested URL. So many packages. How do I determine which I need? Or do you mean go to the URL in step 6 and download these:
6.1 Download the following files:
linux-headers-5.3.6-050306_5.3.6-050306.201910111731_all.deb
linux-headers-5.3.6-050306-generic_5.3.6-050306.201910111731_amd64.deb
linux-image-unsigned-5.3.6-050306-generic_5.3.6-050306.201910111731_amd64.deb
linux-modules-5.3.6-050306-generic_5.3.6-050306.201910111731_amd64.deb
Then…
6.3 Reboot. If it works, you’ll be able to login etc. If it does not work, you’ll need to use the version which came with the ISO file and remove this kernel.
If it does not work:
While booting at GRUB, select: “Advanced options for Ubuntu”
Four options will appear, two for our respective 5.3.6 kernel, and the other version which comes in the installer.
Not being familiar with Ubuntu how would I remove these two versions of the
5.3.6 kernel? Or are you just saying to go back and select one of the other two kernels?
And if there are two other versions displayed (that came with the ISO) which would I choose?
Thanks for your help. All of this is quite complicated to get to a newer version of the kernel. I would hope that using the original kernel it would be clear that Ubuntu does or does not load.
If yes, then maybe(??) I can get Ubook to accept Mint 19.
We shall see.
Stay tuned. This may take me a few days.
Q: Not being familiar with Ubuntu how would I remove these two versions of the
5.3.6 kernel? Or are you just saying to go back and select one of the other two kernels?
A: The Ubuntu fresh install comes with one version of the kernel. I believe it’s currently shipped with 4.6 version. Keep in mind that using a newer already considered stable version of this kernel may provide the appropriate patches in order to have drivers to your equipment. Linux development is mostly done by free collaborative contribution and stuff takes time to get done. Since 4.6 is really old and you’re using an equipment with a new processor, eMMC, SSD, camera etc , in which these components were manufactured way after 4.6 release, it may not come with patches/(kernel extensions or drivers) for a fully working environment.
Q: And if there are two other versions displayed (that came with the ISO) which would I choose?
A: Two versions where? On the website? The website shows a 64-bit and 32-bit version. You should stick to 64-bits. 32 bits may not even boot up.
Comment: Thanks for your help. All of this is quite complicated to get to a newer version of the kernel. I would hope that using the original kernel it would be clear that Ubuntu does or does not load. If yes, then maybe(??) I can get Ubook to accept Mint 19.
A: Have you managed to copy the files to USB and successfully boot? If not, try using this tool: ‘Lili USB Creator’, it will assist you creating a bootable USB stick.
A: Linux Mint is a distribuition of Ubuntu, it’s like a variant. Most Ubuntu variants basic difference is in which desktop environment and window manager comes preinstalled. I prefer the MATE desktop environment because resembles GNOME2.0 which looks like the Apple OSX desktop layout.
But you can always download any distribution Live CD image from ubuntu cdimage channels. Oh, I’m wrong. It seems Linux Mint is now a complete off-fork of Ubuntu. Anyway, try downloading a Mint ISO and doing this. If it doesn’t work, try using Ubuntu-mate from the link I sent you before. If you do not like the theme, you can always install Linux Mint packages and ‘convert’ it to Mint.
Oh, you wrote regarding kernels in your reply 6.3:
If it does not work:
While booting at GRUB, select: “Advanced options for Ubuntu”
Four options will appear, two for our respective 5.3.6 kernel, and the other version which comes in the installer.
I assumed of the four two were 5.3.6 and the other two were from the original ISO. Wrong assumption? 
I will try over the next few days and report back with the results.
Thank you.
Yes, I wrote that regarding the kernel.
Man, just create a USB bootable stick and try if the Live session boots. Try a Linux Mint ISO 1st. If it works, cool. Else, try Ubuntu from that link I’ve sent you (updated iso images).
Only after that you may try installing an newer kernel (5.3.6).
Oh… I guess you missed my previous thread about Ubook not loading a “live” version of Mint 19 from a USB stick.
The thread is titled: Installing Linux (preferably Mint 19) on Ubook?
I have already been through the process starting with changing the boot order in BIOS. Nothing worked.
And I am not the only one who has been unable to load Linux. This post is in the same thread:
[andrea.bruera]
Anybody had any luck installing Linux on the UBOOK? In my case it’s absolutely impossible to boot any Linux distributions, not even to the distro installer, no matter what usb key preparation tool I use. It always shuts the UBOOK down while loading the system.
If anybody knows what to do in order to successfully boot, please let me know.
So it’s also other distributions of Linux that Ubook won’t load. I will try it with Ubuntu and report back in a few days.
Thank you for your assistance. 
I know this is an old thread and I hope that the original poster (gilweber) was able to find a 2-in-1 which suited his needs back in October 2019…but for anyone who has one of the Intel Core m3 processor Ubooks and has not been able to successfully install Linux- Try the following:
Make a bootable USB C (it has to be USB C- Not USB A) installation of Ubuntu 21.04, via Rufus, and set the USB stick as the first bootable device within your Ubook’s BIOS.
Ubuntu 21.04 should run fine on the m3 processor based Ubook, but you will probably want to disable the auto screen rotation (which doesn’t appear stable) via: sudo apt remove iio-sensor-proxy
Best of luck to all of the Kickstarter supporters,
Rich
