Other options for Linux on Raspberry Pi include Debian, Ubuntu, and openSUSE.
Other options for Linux on Raspberry Pi include Debian, Ubuntu, and openSUSE.
Hi All, this is my first post in quite awhile. I recently purchased an OrangePi Zero 2W and it should be arriving some time this week. Here's the official link for those interested. Anyway, the OrangePi website claims the board supports a whole host of different operating systems, but OrangePi just provides a somewhat sketchy shared Google Drive folder with the Linux ISOs that they list as compatible. I was wondering if anyone has any knowledge on re-spinning an ISO for an ARM SBC. I know the processor on the SBC I bought is an Allwinner H618 with 4GB RAM, but I don't know how to bundle the necessary drivers, or if the generic Ubuntu ARM ISO will work out of the box. Ideally, I'd like to use something pretty lightweight like the Lubuntu distro since I have had good luck with it on official Raspberry Pi boards, but that goes back to the same question; how to I include the necessary drivers or will they be available out of the box? It also looks like the GPIO for the OrangePI Zero 2W is pin-compatible with the Raspberry Pi, so GPIO drivers would also be nice since one of the features I occasionally use on name-brand Pi's is the UART console so that I can interface with the board without a network connection. Eventually I would also like to configure a self-hosted WiFi AP so that a client can connect directly to the SBC using something like VNC, but the UART console can do a similar thing but without a GUI. In summary, I guess what I'm looking for is some insight into bundling WiFi & GPIO drivers for my OrangePi Zero 2W into an already existing Linux ISO. Thanks for any input
the shady platform support has kept me from trying other pi boards. with arm boards, the issue isn't the drivers but getting the os to boot properly. based on my experience with official pi boards, raspberry-based alternatives aren't as reliable as raspbian. for instance, i once ran manjaro on a raspberry board and it would freeze after about 30 minutes.
I located some documentation on OrangePi's GitHub, though it doesn't reference the Zero 2W since it was likely released last month around the time I ordered it. Based on the specs, it appears similar to the Zero 2, as the Zero 2 uses an H616 while the 2W uses a H618—both quite comparable. I also discovered some official firmware repositories on OrangePi's site. It seems I just need to do a bit more reading.
RPi4B costs $35 and functions smoothly with FreeBSD 14.0-CURRENT.
There exists a DTS for the H618, though it targets the Zero 3 instead of the 2W. The file at the provided link appears to be based on the Zero 3's H616 base with some adjustments. It likely builds upon the standard Zero kernel, possibly modifying certain components. You might consider installing a newer kernel distribution or crafting your own DTS tailored to your hardware and requirements.
Sorry for the delayed updates, everyone. The delivery window for the OrangePi Zero 2W is nearing its end, and tracking still indicates it's in California after reaching the U.S. I might be wrong, but it seems almost identical—perhaps just a slight change in the board design. Someone posted online that the OrangePi Zero 3 ran kernel 6.5-rc with minor adjustments, which would be encouraging if the board actually arrives. If not, I might have to settle for a standard Pi 4 4GB instead. I'm also wrapping up my computer engineering degree, but I haven't yet compiled a Linux kernel and don't know where to begin. All my background is in lower-level embedded programming, so I haven't worked much with that. According to OrangePi's documentation, they provide instructions for compiling the kernel and creating a bootable image, though it might use an older version. Ideally, I'd want Debian 12 or similar, as the Mali G30 SoC's Panfrost Mesa3D driver was included in that release. **EDIT** I’d really like to get involved with kernel development, but I’m not sure where to start. Since starting with kernel 6.5, it looks like the H618 should boot, so any distro built around that kernel should work—unless the bootloader doesn’t recognize the OS. That’s a tough question, as operating systems and kernels aren’t my area of expertise.
I just checked the OrangePi GitHub and saw their Kernel 6.1 branch with the official DTS for the OrangePi Zero 2W. I’m not sure what to do next, but that’s okay. They list the processor as an Allwinner H618 in the DTS, though it’s actually a H616. The main difference noted is the larger L2 cache on the H618. Any advice on what to do now?
Choose any kernel version you prefer, place the DTS in the correct directory, launch the terminal, run "make menuconfig" there, adjust settings as needed (especially device options), and then execute "make all". This should walk you through the process, though it might be a bit confusing. I'm away for a few weeks, but I hope this helps. Feel free to reach out if you encounter any issues.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I understand the cross-compilation challenge you faced. It looks like the issue might stem from the architecture settings. You were using ARCH=arm instead of ARCH=arm64, which could be causing the GCC errors. Adjusting that should resolve the problem. Let me know if you need further help!
Hello. I'm looking for assistance in configuring a 3.5 RPi LCD on the OrangePi Zero 2W. I've checked various outdated guides but still can't display an image on that touch screen. I followed the LCD link: http://www.lcdwiki.com/3.5inch_RPi_Display and tried different distributions from the Orange Pi page, like Debian 12 Ubuntu Arch, though it only detects the connection. Thanks.