Arch on Single Board Computer?

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Arch on Single Board Computer?

Postby Angela2801 » Mon Feb 11, 2019 8:44 am

I have seen a few posts suggesting but am unsure on this. Does anyone know if there is a cheap single board computer you can install Arch on?

I know there is Arch Linux ARM but this is not supported by the Arch community. I am essentially wanting something like a Pi to learn Arch with on actual hardware opposed to in a virtual environment but have no old hardware I can use.
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Re: Arch on Single Board Computer?

Postby TheSaint » Tue Feb 12, 2019 12:49 pm

This might give an interest.
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Re: Arch on Single Board Computer?

Postby summers » Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:30 am

As the other thread says, yes there are cheap boards starting at about $5. But the question you have to ask is what do you want on the SBC?

Do you want to attach a keyboard and display?

Do you want a huge control over input and output interfaces?

Do you want to use it as a NAS?

Do you want it to be a router?

Each of these questions push you in a different direction, and different hardware solution. But all are possible. So you need to think a bit first and explain your needs ...
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Re: Arch on Single Board Computer?

Postby moonman » Thu Feb 21, 2019 5:33 pm

Is OP looking for something like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KJMDD9S/
Essentialy SBC with x86(-64) cpu. There are tons of them, and I am pretty sure ArchLinux will run on all of them.

However, I don't see how you can't lean Arch on an ARM board running an ArchLinuxArm. The biggest differences will be a different bootloader, possibly a non mainline kernel (depends on the board, some will run mainline just fine, some will have limitations) and specific proprietary drivers.
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Re: Arch on Single Board Computer?

Postby summers » Sat Mar 09, 2019 5:20 pm

Well although you can use arch to be a router, its probably not the best route.

For a router you usually want many Ethernet ports. These are usually hardware designed specifically as routers. Most ARM SBC only have a single ethernet port. Some two ports, and a very few 4 ports.

Routers, even cheap ones tend to have 4+ ports, are very cheap, but limited resources, both memory and flash disk. This said though most run linux. If you want to get access top the linux on the device then https://openwrt.org/ is the direct to look. This is designed specifically for very limited resource routers, that are primarily routers. As its design for this, it sets up routing very easilly; and well. So its a good direction to look.

Its not to say that you can't do routing using Arch. My NAS backup has arch on it. Connected to it via its usb ports are a small farm of beagle devices (well two actually); the beagles bring up an ethernet port on the usb. The arch on the NAS then routes for them, as its directly connected to my ADSL router than connects to WAN.

Now I've spent far more time setting up routing on the NAS than the router (Router has openwrt installed), and the routing is less capable (havn't yet got IPv6 to work); but was an interesting learning experience.

So anyway, my advice if after a router, is first take a look at openwrt forums. See if that offers what is needed.
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Re: Arch on Single Board Computer?

Postby TheSaint » Sun Mar 10, 2019 12:52 am

Is OP trolling ? A bit of concern would be fine.
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Re: Arch on Single Board Computer?

Postby grendalf » Thu Apr 18, 2019 2:41 am

I have seen Arch run on Raspberry pi cluster. This inspired me to start looking for a single board computer to work with. So far i have a Parrallella and a hikey970. Both of which are not yet specifically supported by ArchArm I have found older downloads for the parallella that seem to be similar to the Zed board. I am willing to work with anyone that is working on these boards for Arch.
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