Help installing Linux on an old ASUS E200H (possible/reliable?)

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LordGrep

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Hi,
I have an old ASUS E200H which originally came with Windows 10. It worked for about a year and then it could not be updated due to limited disk space (32Gb). I tried to put Linux Mint on it (I think version 18), but it did not operate correctly and had serious issues. However I'm not sure that I correctly wiped the disk drive.

I would like to know if there is a any Linux distribution/version that will work reliably on this basic machine. Also I would need to know the full details of what partitions to set up if the installer is not going to do this appropriately. I looked online for information on this topic and I did not find much. There is this page where the author installed Arch, but he said some issues developed later:
Asus E200HA Arch Linux Installation Guide – sorashi – developer
I would be interested in trying this, but I'm not familiar with Arch and these advanced configurations.

If the E200H can't be resurrected then I'm going to have to frisbee it.
 
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In order for the system to recognized the installed Linux OS, since this has a 32GB EMMC card you must ensure the system is using UEFI boot mode as well as enabling Firmware TPM BEFORE installation. Secure boot MUST be off. Legacy Option ROM should be disabled. After install, the system will recognize the OS and boot properly after the TPM check which will only occur at the very first bootup and never occur again
 
OK, I'll give it a go, but I may need to come back here to finish it. I'm not sure what distro to go with. I know that Linux Mint XFCE is lightweight, but would version 20 be too new for the E200HA? And should I stick with something more of its era, like version 18? Or does it not matter?
 
LordGrep said:
OK, I'll give it a go, but I may need to come back here to finish it. I'm not sure what distro to go with. I know that Linux Mint XFCE is lightweight, but would version 20 be too new for the E200HA? And should I stick with something more of its era, like version 18? Or does it not matter?
Click to expand...
Mint Xfce is fine or Xubuntu
 
I made a bootable USB by following these instructions:

Hackerbox.io - Creating a bootable USB from an ISO image in OSX (High Sierra)

Creating a bootable USB from an ISO image in OSX (High Sierra)
hackerbox.io

I went into the BIOS on the ASUS. There were no UEFI options, although it has a compatibility mode, whatever that is? There is fast boot and secure boot, both of which I disabled. An error flashed up in the middle of the screen immediately when booting from the USB. It disappeared quickly but I think it was a file error. And then when the OS has loaded from the USB the 32Gb internal drive is not visible in the Disk utility. So I'm not sure why that is going wrong. What shall I do?
 
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LordGrep said:
I made a bootable USB by following these instructions:

Hackerbox.io - Creating a bootable USB from an ISO image in OSX (High Sierra)

Creating a bootable USB from an ISO image in OSX (High Sierra)
hackerbox.io

I went into the BIOS on the ASUS. There were no UEFI options. Just fast boot and secure boot, which I disabled. An error flashed up in the middle of the screen immediately when booting from the USB. It disappeared quickly but I think it was a file error. And then when the OS has loaded from the USB the 32Gb internal drive is not visible in the Disk utility. So I'm not sure why that is going wrong. What shall I do?
Click to expand...
With the USB booted up fully open the terminal and type in
Code: 
dmesg | grep mmc
and see if it comes up with anything

Also when you wrote the ISO to your USB did you write it in UEFI mode or Legacy mode - for Buntu Based distro's it is best to use Start Up Disk Creator or Etcher for making a bootable USB Drive

Etcher is here - https://www.balena.io/etcher/ it is available for Win, Mac, Linux
 
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For entirely different purposes, I was just recently digging into this. You probably have a 32 bit UEFI. You still can get a 64 bit OS onto it, but that's not always true and can take some work.

You'll be looking for agFM. (Look here to start to get an understanding: https://www.easy2boot.com/uefi-mbr-a1ive-grub2-file-manager/, if you don't already know.) Or so I'm told. I can only go by what I was told.

I never bought any of those little computers, so I've got zero experience with 'em.
 
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LordGrep said:
Hi,
I have an old ASUS E200H which originally came with Windows 10. It worked for about a year and then it could not be updated due to limited disk space (32Gb). I tried to put Linux Mint on it (I think version 18), but it did not operate correctly and had serious issues......
Click to expand...

After years of same problem as your (no space for Win 10 update, then several attempts with bunch of distros, tweaking, running from USB stick with some scripting like https://github.com/Grippy98/Asus-E200HA-Linux-Post-Install-Script), FINALLY I came to the Linux Mint 20 "Ulyana" - Cinnamon (64-bit) and it works - p-e-r-f-e-c-t-l-y. Out of the box installation, no scripts and tweaks, no sound problems, I've just did fresh installation on my Asus E200H with overriding Windows 10 and it works out of the box!
After a years of unusable piece of hardware, now I have small computer for simple things such web browsing, emailing and similar. Of course, you cannot expect something more from this hardware, but at least it is more usable, stable and faster than under Win 10.
 
Did you check the integrity of the .iso file?

Did you start the installer once the os booted to the desktop of Mint?

During the installtion the partition manager (usually gparted) should show the HDD in the upper right hand corner.
 
mastoja said:
After years of same problem as your (no space for Win 10 update, then several attempts with bunch of distros, tweaking, running from USB stick with some scripting like https://github.com/Grippy98/Asus-E200HA-Linux-Post-Install-Script), FINALLY I came to the Linux Mint 20 "Ulyana" - Cinnamon (64-bit) and it works - p-e-r-f-e-c-t-l-y. Out of the box installation, no scripts and tweaks, no sound problems, I've just did fresh installation on my Asus E200H with overriding Windows 10 and it works out of the box!
After a years of unusable piece of hardware, now I have small computer for simple things such web browsing, emailing and similar. Of course, you cannot expect something more from this hardware, but at least it is more usable, stable and faster than under Win 10.
Click to expand...
I had the same experience, however the microphone using the headphone jack doesn't work even though sound plays and no audio using the Mini HDMI, just video.
 
Lord Boltar said:
You can click on the speaker in the taskbar and select audio mixer and make the adjustment on input devices and select headset microphone
Click to expand...
TY for the suggestion Lord Boltar! I'd been looking through the sound settings before and missed the adjustment before you suggested this.
 
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