EasyOS Dunfell 2.6 released for the Raspberry Pi4

January 19, 2021 — BarryK

EasyOS, compiled for an aarch64 (64-bit ARM) CPU, with 5.10.4 Linux kernel, compiled entirely from source in a port of the Dunfell release of OpenEmbedded, is available for the Raspberry Pi4. Version number is 2.6, but this is the first release for the Pi.

EasyOS for the Pi4 might be a bit beta-quality in places, but overall quite a nice experience. The "beta bits" I will of course keep working on -- as there is an "update" icon on the desktop, it will be easy-peasy to update.

Write the image to a good-quality and fast microSD-card (Class 10) or USB-stick (example: SanDisk Ultra), at least 8GB so that you have plenty of space for anything in the future. Though, a minimum of 2GB will work. As to the host board, even a Pi3B with 1GB RAM will work, or rather "just work" -- I recommend at least a Pi4 with 2GB RAM -- I have the 8GB RAM board.

Get it from here, in English, French (fr), German (de) and two Norwegian builds (nb and nn):

http://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/aarch64/releases/dunfell/rpi4/2.6/

If you don't know how to write an image file to a Flash drive, see here:

https://easyos.org/install/how-to-write-easyos-to-a-flash-drive.html

Here are the release notes:

http://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/aarch64/releases/dunfell/rpi4/2.6/release-notes-2.6.htm

Extra points to add to those release notes:

EasyOS Dunfell-series was compiled entirely from source packages, in a port of OpenEmbedded. Hence, the online package repository is small. If you want access to a bigger package repository, click on "sfsget" and install RasPup.
If you want to compile source code, click on "sfsget" and install the 'devx'.

RasPup is a Linux distribution, in the Puppy Linux family, for the Pi, from Pi0 to Pi4. It is 'armhf', meaning 32-bit, and will run in a container in EasyOS, giving access to the Debian DEB repository. Note though, some packages might not work in the very secure restricted container environment.

I have created a somewhat developer-oriented page to show how I converted RasPup to run in a container:

https://easyos.org/dev/how-to-run-a-linux-distribution-in-a-container.html

In fact, you will find it very interesting to browse through recent blog posts that show how EasyOS on the Pi has evolved:

EasyOS works on Raspberry Pi 3B with 1GB RAM — January 17, 2021
Norwegian language PETs for EasyOS — January 17, 2021
How to run any Linux distribution in a container — January 17, 2021
Current status of EasyOS on the Pi4 — January 15, 2021
SeaMonkey 2.53.5.1 compiled on Raspberry Pi4 — January 13, 2021
EasyOS using VC4 graphics acceleration on Pi4 — January 13, 2021
Pi4 slow USB drive fixed — January 13, 2021
Passive heatsink for Pi4 — January 12, 2021
EasyOS 64-bit running faster in Pi4 — January 10, 2021
First bootup EasyOS aarch64 on Pi 4 — January 10, 2021
Uploaded aarch64 packages compiled in OE — January 09, 2021
Kernel 5.10.4 compiled for the Raspberry Pi4 — January 08, 2021
Compiling on ARM board is like watching grass grow — January 07, 2021
Raspberry Pi 4 first impressions — January 04, 2021
Ordered USB Type-C to 5.5x2.1mm adapter — January 04, 2021
OE compile for Raspberry Pi 4 — January 03, 2021

Feedback welcome at the forum:

https://easyos.org/forum/

Have fun!

EDIT:
First bug report! See forum thread:

https://easyos.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=321

It is a minor bug, the handling of key combinations inside a container. You can fix it manually, before running a container. Open this file, /usr/local/easy_containers/ec-chroot, in the Geany text editor, and cut out the bold red highlighted text, line 196:

   #20210116 rufwoof: add -no-host-grab  ref: https://easyos.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=321 ref2: https://xorg-devel.x.narkive.com/ixVv99dS/patch-xephyr-option-to-disable-grabbing-the-host
   #Xephyr :${CNTxephyr} -fullscreen -title "${EXE}" -name "Xephyr${CNTxephyr}" -dpi "$DPI" -nolisten tcp &
   Xephyr :${CNTxephyr} -fullscreen -no-host-grab -title "${EXE}" -name "Xephyr${CNTxephyr}" -dpi "$DPI" -nolisten tcp &

Save the file, and you have restored key behaviour to how it was before.

Tags: easy