Cosmo Linux Beta
Linux installation guide
The first step to install Linux on your Cosmo is to make sure you are running the latest Android firmware, currently v19. You can check the Android version by tapping Settings -> System -> Advanced -> About Phone and scrolling to the end of the page as in the following screenshot.
Next you will have to download the Linux firmware, which will need to be installed into the microSD card on your Cosmo. Insert a microSD card on your cosmo and make sure it is formatted as MS-DOS(FAT32).
You can find the download archive at this address: http://support.planetcom.co.uk/download/cosmo-customos-installer-beta.zip
Once you downloaded the zip archive you will have to extract its content onto your microSD card:
- Open Files by Google and locate the ZIP archive
- Tap the file to reveal the cosmo-customos-installer folder
- Long tap on that folder, select Extract to... and finally select the microSD card as desitination. Your microSD card should now contain a folder named cosmo-customos-installer with several files inside it.
Next, you will have to boot into recovery mode. To do that, simply turn ON your Cosmo while keeping pressed the volume up button on the outside cover. The volume up button is the one on the fingerprint sensor, which points UP when the unit is open. The unit should boot into recovery mode and you should be able to see the Android logo, but nothing else - as in the following screenshot.
At this point, keep the ESC key pressed (top left key on the keyboard) and press the volume up button from the outside cover again, then release both keys. This following menu will be displayed.
The main requirement when installing Linux is to reserve space for it. In order to do this you will have to re-partition your device, which will lead to the loss of all your data. Once you reserve some space for Linux you can update Android or Linux independently, without loosing your data again. To change the partition table of your Cosmo use the option "Change the partition table of your COSMO", as in the picture below.
You will have 5 options to choose from:
- Reserve all space for Android
- Reserve 90GB for Android and 30GB for Linux
- Reserve 60GB for Android and 60GB for Linux
- Reserve 30GB for Android and 90 GB for Linux
- Reserve all space for Linux
If you select to reserve some space for Linux, 4 additional partitions will be created:
- EMPTY_RECOVERY_BOOT_2 - This partition can be used to store an image that runs in recovery mode, such as TWRP
- EMPTY_NORMAL_BOOT_3 - This partition can be used to store Debian/KDE or Rooted Android
- EMPTY_NORMAL_BOOT_4 - This partition can be used to store Debian/KDE or Rooted Android
- In addition, an extra partition will be created with the custom size selected by the user, which will be used to store the root file system.
Once the storage for Linux has been reserved, you can install a custom OS on your Cosmo, by choosing the related option as in the picture below.
