How to install Zorin OS on a Nexus 10

Hi,

I have an “old” Nexus 10 tablet where I would like to remove android and replace it by Zorin OS. I have been looking around and I don’t find a good tutorial to install a linux distribution on a tablet…
If anyone has clues to help me doing this, I’ll be more than happy to read about it.

I’ve seen several tutorials for installing Ubuntu touch, but I think it won’t apply for a more “classic” linux distribution.

Thank you for your help.
Best,

Guillaume

Hi, Guillaume.
Should be the same process as for any other computer: https://zoringroup.com/forum/4/14562/

This I would love to see working in a video demonstration. I bet it will work great.

Carmar, thank you for your answer. I guess the process shoud be the same, but my problem is to find the way to boot the installer on the tablet :confused:

JI070577, I’ll be more than happy to do a demo if I manage to get there.

After additional research I found the answer to my question. It's not possible to install Zorin OS on a Nexus 10, yet.

In its current version Zorin OS is not adapted to tablets with a mobile-style ARM processor, such as the Nexus 10 (processor : Exynos 5250 from Samsung). However, it seems that the next version Zorin OS 16 should be released with a support for ARM architecture (See Azorin answer from the old forum thread here: Future of 32bit support zorinos Lite? - Old Zorin Forum archive).

we’re confident that we’ll introduce support for a new architecture in time for the release of Zorin OS 16: ARM.

Hopefully, I'll be able to install Zorin OS 16 on my old Nexus 10 :crossed_fingers:

It is actually possible, yes and Yes, I have done it.
Tedious? Very.
And yes, I am currently running it…
On My Samsung Galaxy s7 phone.
I would be happy to post pictures.
It is pretty entertaining to see a mouse cursor moving around on my phone screen and Whisker Menu.

But is it practical enough to go through all the work? Ah… That is the question.

That being said, there is an easier way.
Dex is good for Galaxy S8 or above. Do a ducksearch for Dex Samsung.
For other Android- (Check compatability in the Google Play Store) you may also check out “Debian No Root” app which works Very Well, too.
Another app that works quite well is Andronix; you must also install VNC Viewer and Termux alongside of it. You install teh distro you want using Termux. You MUST Read the documentation in order to problem solve and enable all the things to operate it. It is a bit heavy on the setting up but once up and running, it works very well. It is not as heavy an installation is what your OP requests.
Hope this helps.

1 Like

How did you install zorin OS onto the android tablet? Do you have a link with the steps? or a video tutorial?

I have neither, though I can write a guide. I would warn before I go to that kind of trouble that the device must be rooted first. You may have more luck, but I had to try the Button Combination to press to get the right boot sequence like fifty times…

Before going into that nightmare, I will post instead about something Kcaps turned my attention to sometime back:
DeX for Samsung:

Another option is Sentio:

Lastly; Debian NoRoot:
I cannot post this link because the Forum Word Filter is blocking it; but you can do a quick net search for “debian noroot” and find it easily.

All of the above usually come with necessary troubleshooting to resolve a variety of problems.

Here is a quick picture I took of my old Galaxy S6 running Zorin Lite with my Azenis Theme on it:

i have an unlocked android 64bit arm device

Hi mirkog, welcome to the forum. You may wish to note this: Making an Arm version - #9 by AZorin