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Dear Armbians, here are the latest highlights Armbian Configuration Tool Enhancements New Label for Issue Tracking To simplify the bug-tracking process and improve prioritization, a new label called “not armbian-config” has been introduced. This label helps users identify and address issues that are unrelated to the Armbian configuration tool. Contributor: @igorpecovnik Commit: 0f24c12 Automatic Documentation Updates Armbian’s documentation system has been upgraded to ensure automatic updates. This improvement guarantees that users always have access to the most accurate and up-to-date information. Contributor: @igorpecovnik Commit: d70cdbf Improved First Login Experience The first login experience for users has been significantly enhanced. A refreshed logo now appears alongside key information, creating a more welcoming and informative introduction to Armbian. Contributor: @igorpecovnik Commit: 95722fe Enhanced Software Module Support Updates to the installation scripts for tools like OpenHab, Uptime-Kuma, and Webmin ensure better compatibility with the latest versions. These enhancements improve usability and streamline the configuration process. Contributor: @Tearran Commit: 5c95bc9 Help Messages for Module Usage New help messages have been added for various modules, such as Pi-Hole. These messages offer clear guidance on usage, making it easier for users to get started. Contributor: @Tearran Commit: f0f0d93 Expanded Configuration Options for Modules Additional configuration options have been introduced for modules, offering users greater flexibility to tailor their setups to specific needs. Contributor: @Tearran Commit: 02c9205 Style and Usability Improvements Menu and Template Refinements Several adjustments have been made to menus and module templates, resulting in a cleaner, more intuitive user interface. These refinements enhance the overall user experience. Contributor: @Tearran Commits: 3bc6f39, 8495ebe, 88b8672 Additional Style Tweaks Continued style polishing has improved alignment and visual presentation, ensuring a consistent and professional look throughout the system. Contributor: @Tearran Commit: a1c98d6 Build System Enhancements Automated Synchronization for Board Configurations The Armbian build system now includes an automatic synchronization feature for board configurations, ensuring consistent support across all supported boards. Contributor: @igorpecovnik Commit: 0de1801 Rockchip Kernel Updates Kernel updates for Rockchip platforms, including RK3588 and Rockchip64, have been introduced. These updates add support for kernel version 6.12, expanding compatibility and performance. Contributor: @amazingfate Commits: 8db8e19, 02a4741 Core3566 Platform Support Support for the Core3566 platform has been added, further extending Armbian’s compatibility with a wider range of hardware. Contributor: @btbxbob Commit: 9763862 LVDS Device Tree for MBa8MPxL-RAS314 A new device tree for LVDS displays on the MBa8MPxL-RAS314 board has been introduced, enhancing display capabilities. Contributor: @schmiedelm Commit: ed57514 Updated nftables Configuration Improvements to nftables settings have been implemented, providing enhanced network security and performance. Contributor: @schmiedelm Commit: 266e2c5 WIREGUARD build switch deprecation Armbian ships Wireguard support by default with all its images. Therefore the “WIREGUARD” build switch has been officially deprecated to align with evolving standards and best practices. Contributors: @EvilOlaf, @igorpecovnik Commits: 0afd94a, c07fd49 Documentation Improvements Removal of WireGuard References All documentation related to the deprecated WIREGUARD build switch has been removed to avoid confusion and maintain accuracy. Contributor: @igorpecovnik Commit: c07fd49 Guide Updates and New Examples Several user guides have been updated, and additional examples have been added to help users navigate recent changes in Armbian software more effectively. Contributor: @Tearran Commit: 4d8da80 Stay Connected with Armbian Stay up-to-date with all the latest developments by visiting the Armbian GitHub Repository. Whether you are testing rolling releases or contributing to the project, Armbian offers a unique opportunity to explore the forefront of Linux on ARM devices, driven by a passionate community of developers and users. The post Armbian Weekly Highlights first appeared on Armbian. View the full article

As we approach our next point release, the focus shifts entirely towards bug fixing and stabilization. Feature development is on hold this month to ensure that core functionalities like network connectivity, video output, and booting processes are solid. We aim to resolve as many issues as possible during this period. However, we encourage users to report any recognized problems here so that they can be addressed in future updates. Target for next release We are targeting kernel v6.6 for our current builds and v6.12 for edge builds, while vendor kernels will remain at their latest versions – 6.1.y for Rockchip 35xx and 5.15.y for Meson64 legacy. Video acceleration for Rockchip 35xx should now work in Chromium with both vendor and edge kernels on Noble Gnome builds, with potential compatibility on other platforms. We focus on providing stable builds where we have active maintainers who are well-versed in the current status of images. If you’re interested in contributing, consider stepping up. For Aspiring Maintainers (tl;dr;): Review the status of the board(s) you want to maintain, including vendor, current, and optionally edge kernels. Address issues as early as possible, ideally before the last week of the month. Once ready, release the updates in one go. Update the board configuration from .csc to .conf here and add yourself as a maintainer. Adjust extensions if needed here. Release Deadline: November 23rd If there’s something you can’t manage, please open a ticket. Thank you for your contributions and dedication. Stay well and safe! The Armbian team The post Release is coming! first appeared on Armbian. View the full article

Dear Armbians, welcome to this week’s newsletter! Here, you’ll find updates on the latest release and community contributions. New Additions and Improvements Raydium Display Compatibility Orientation and Timing Enhancements: Raydium displays now read orientation and timing directly from the DTS (device tree source), improving display support for more consistent visuals. (Contributor: @ginkage) PWM Fan Fix for RetrOLED CM5 Cooling Optimization: PWM fan frequency adjustments bring improved cooling management for RetrOLED CM5 devices, increasing device longevity and performance. (Contributor: @ginkage) SHELLFMT Tool Upgrade Developer Tooling Update: SHELLFMT_VERSION has been updated from 3.9.0 to 3.10.0, streamlining shell formatting and enforcing a unified style across Armbian projects. (Contributor: @igorpecovnik) Enhanced GitHub Workflow Automation and Workflow Updates: A new log cleaner, revised naming conventions, and an improved labeling system have been added to GitHub Actions. These refinements streamline the development process for contributors. (Contributor: @igorpecovnik) Documentation and Build System Updates Boot Configuration Simplification Duplicate Entries Removed: The BOOTPATCHDIR variable was refined to eliminate duplicate entries, leading to a more organized boot process and better maintainability. (Contributor: @mr-toolcraft) U-Boot Update Mainline U-Boot 2024.10: Switched to the latest mainline U-Boot, incorporating the newest bootloader features for enhanced compatibility across supported boards. (Contributor: @mr-toolcraft) Kernel Config Synchronization Automatic Config Updates: Kernel configurations are now automatically rewritten to include new updates, ensuring consistency across various Armbian builds. (Contributor: @igorpecovnik) Linux-UEFI Edge Config Update Configuration Refinement: Updated linux-uefi-arm64-edge.config for improved ARM64 device support under UEFI, enhancing compatibility and user experience. (Contributor: @bmilde) Armbian Config and Board-Specific Updates User Experience Fix First-Run Warning Correction: A bug causing unsupported userspace warnings on first run has been resolved, leading to a smoother initial setup experience. (Contributor: @igorpecovnik) Automatic Board Config Synchronization Real-Time Updates: Board configuration statuses now synchronize automatically, reducing manual intervention and keeping configurations up to date. (Contributor: @igorpecovnik) OnePlus Kebab Edge Build Adjustment Edge Build Disabled: The edge build for OnePlus Kebab has been disabled to improve stability and optimize resource allocation. (Contributor: @amazingfate) RK3576 Boot Improvements Switch to boot.scr: Booting on the RK3576 platform has been updated to use boot.scr instead of extlinux, and an additional boot fix has been applied, resolving previous booting issues. (Contributor: @amazingfate) Join the Armbian Community Armbian thrives on community involvement. Your contributions are essential to the ongoing development and success of Armbian. Whether you’re interested in development, documentation, testing, or other areas, we welcome your support. Thank you for being a part of Armbian! The Armbian Team The post Armbian Weekly Highlights first appeared on Armbian. View the full article

Dear Armbians, welcome to this week’s newsletter! Here, you’ll find updates on the latest release and community contributions. New Additions and Improvements 1. TQMa Configuration Update Enabled SQUASHFS_XZ: This feature uses XZ compression to optimize storage, which is particularly useful for systems where space is limited. XFCE AccountsService Support: XFCE now includes user profile management, enhancing usability and personalization for those using this desktop environment. 2. Rockchip64-6.11 Kernel Enhancements WiFi/BT Patch for Orange Pi 3B v1.1: The UWE5622 WiFi and Bluetooth are now supported on Orange Pi 3B v1.1, offering more connectivity options. Kernel Patch Rewrite: This update brings increased stability to Rockchip devices through a refined patching approach. Documentation and Linux Rockchip Updates Our Armbian Documentation has been updated with a focus on clarity and accessibility. These refinements are aimed at providing smoother setup experiences for both new and advanced users, making Armbian more user-friendly. Additionally, recent changes in the Armbian Linux Rockchip repository bring improved compatibility and performance optimizations for Rockchip-based boards. Updates include kernel refinements, enhanced driver support, and stability improvements for a better user experience on Rockchip hardware. Armbian Config: The Next Geneneration Bash Configuration API Armbian Config Next generation with API capabilities offers versatile configuration management with JSON, TUI, CLI, and API support. This feature simplifies system setup, network configuration, and software installation, making deployment across environments more flexible. Armbian Config Next generation is especially beneficial for larger-scale configurations, enhancing automation support. Check it out on GitHub. Italian Mirror for Armbian Hosted by Atomo Networks Thanks to Atomo Networks, we now have a new, low-power Armbian mirror based in Italy. This addition enhances access speeds and availability for south European users, providing a more sustainable and reliable download experience for community members. This is part of Armbian’s commitment to building a strong global support network. Workflow Automation and Pull Request Improvements To streamline development, Armbian has implemented several updates: Refined PR Labeling: Labels are now applied to opened, reopened, and synchronized PRs, making it easier to track status quickly. Automated Status Sync: Board configuration statuses are now synchronized automatically. Approval Workflow: Approved PRs get a “Ready to Merge” label, while new PRs are tagged “Need Review” for prioritized handling. The maintainer function has been centralized in the main build repository, simplifying management. Join the Armbian Community Armbian thrives on community involvement. Your contributions are crucial to sustaining this vibrant ecosystem. Whether you’re an experienced developer or just getting started, there’s always a way to contribute. Thank you for your continued support. The Armbian Team The post Armbian Weekly Highlights first appeared on Armbian. View the full article

Dear Armbians, welcome to this week’s newsletter! Here, you’ll find updates on the latest release and community contributions. Armbian Rolling Releases: What You Need to Know Armbian offers rolling releases for users seeking the most up-to-date features and bug fixes. These rolling releases are available at the bottom of the official Armbian download pages. However, it’s important to remember that while these versions are functional, they are not as thoroughly tested as the stable releases and therefore are not recommended for production environments. If you need to switch between stable and rolling releases, check out armbian-config. Recent Changes The Armbian team has been hard at work making significant updates. Here’s what was changed in the past week (detailed): Rockchip64 Bootable in VMs A major update now makes Rockchip64 bootable in virtual machines (VMs). This enhancement is a big step forward for developers and users working with Rockchip-based boards in virtualized environments. Kernel Module Compression Changes A contribution to the Armbian kernel changed the forced uncompressed modules option for kernels version 6.12 and above. This update should streamline kernel management and improve overall system performance. HexagonFS Firmware for Elish Added An important addition to the firmware repository includes HexagonFS firmware for the Elish platform. This new firmware broadens hardware compatibility, helping users integrate newer hardware more seamlessly into their Armbian setups. Khadas Rewards Community Contributors We are excited to announce that Khadas has generously rewarded outstanding contributors to the Armbian community! Khadas Mind Standard goes to @Heisath Khadas Mind Premium goes to @iav Their hard work and dedication have helped improve Armbian for all users, and we thank them for their efforts! If you’d like to become a contributor or participate in future reward programs, don’t hesitate to get involved in the Armbian community and make your mark. Congratulations once again to @Heisath and @iav! Things to Keep in Mind Rolling Releases Are for the Bold Rolling releases are intended for users who are comfortable with potential instability in exchange for access to the latest features and updates. They undergo limited testing, so it’s crucial to check the automated tests before making the switch to ensure it meets your system requirements. Stay Up-to-Date For users who prefer stability over cutting-edge features, the stable Armbian Linux release continues to offer well-tested and robust builds that are ideal for production systems. The post Armbian Weekly Highlights first appeared on Armbian. View the full article

We are excited to introduce the next generation of the Armbian Config tool! This redesigned and lightweight tool is central to managing single-board computers, offering a wide range of features for both hardware-specific and general system configuration. Key Advantages: Extremely lightweight with minimal dependencies Redesigned from scratch for better performance and flexibility JSON-based menu structure with options for TUI, CLI, or API Quick Recap The armbian-config tool has been essential for configuring single-board computers, combining our long-term expertise in Linux and the embedded world. However, the old version had become bulky and difficult to maintain, prompting us to redesign it from the ground up. This new version offers better performance, flexibility, and robustness. We’re calling on the community to help test and complete it before the upcoming release! You can help by installing the developer version for testing: echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/armbian.gpg] https://armbian.github.io/configng stable main" \ | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/armbian-development.list > /dev/null sudo apt update && sudo apt install armbian-configng Then, execute: sudo armbian-configng Check help with: sudo bin/armbian-configng --help Note: This is a developer version meant for testing purposes only. Users: We Need Your Feedback! This tool is not yet production-ready, and we expect issues to arise. We encourage you to submit bug reports and feature requests as you encounter them. Our team will address these based on priority and feasibility. Submit Bug Report Request a Feature Developers: Show your talent! We’re looking for developers to contribute to this project! If you have skills in application design, function development, or code improvement, we’d love to have your input. This new tool has been completely redesigned, so it’s more than just copy-pasting from the old armbian-config. As a token of our appreciation, contributors of non-trivial code will be entered into a draw to win a mini PC or a high-end desktop workstation. Stick around to help maintain the tool, and we can even discuss monthly compensation. Head over to GitHub to contribute: https://github.com/armbian/configng Propose changes by opening a pull request! Thank you for your support!

Expanding Your Smart Home Horizons In the ever-evolving landscape of smart home technology, Home Assistant (HA) has emerged as a powerful open-source platform, enabling users to seamlessly connect and automate their smart home devices—from TVs and fans to cameras, thermostats, lights, and sensors. Home Assistant’s unified web-based user interface offers a user-friendly experience, allowing both beginners and tech-savvy users to build intricate automations that bring their smart homes to life. Traditionally, Home Assistant’s Operating System (HAOS) is optimized for popular mainstream hardware such as the Raspberry Pi and x86 platforms. However, one of the key limitations of HAOS is its restricted environment. As an embedded Linux system, HAOS is designed to run Home Assistant and little else, making it difficult to install additional applications alongside it. While this ensures a streamlined experience for Home Assistant, it also limits the flexibility and functionality that power users might desire. This is where Armbian steps in, breaking down the barriers imposed by the official HAOS. Armbian offers a unique advantage by providing Home Assistant on top of a full-fledged operating system—Armbian Minimal. This not only allows Home Assistant to run on a vast selection of ARM-based devices supported by Armbian but also opens the door to a more versatile and expandable smart home setup. With Armbian, you can enjoy the best of both worlds: the power and simplicity of Home Assistant combined with the flexibility of a complete operating system. Whether you’re using a Raspberry Pi, a Rockchip, an Allwinner, or any other ARM-based device, Armbian with preinstalled Home Assistant provides a robust solution for your smart home needs—without the downsides of a restricted embedded environment. For more information and to get started, check out Armbian download pages for your device. References: Applications distributed as Armbian appliance Community support forums Support Armbian development The post Armbian with Preinstalled Home Assistant first appeared on Armbian. View the full article

As we continue to evolve, Armbian is proud to introduce our latest release, packed with enhancements, new hardware support, and important upgrades that will further solidify the stability and performance of your systems. Key Highlights RK3588 Boot Loader Upgrades: Enhanced stability for RK3588 hardware with the latest bootloader upgrades. This ensures a more reliable experience across supported devices. 4K60p Video Acceleration: Experience smoother visuals with 4K60p video acceleration, now available on Gnome and KDE desktop builds. Kernel Bump to 6.10.y: All kernels have been updated to 6.10.y, bringing improved performance, security patches, and broader hardware support. BigTreeTech CB1 Platinum Support: Armbian now fully supports BigTreeTech CB1, offering a robust platform for your 3D printing projects. Expanded Desktop Options: We’re thrilled to bring you Gnome, XFCE, Cinnamon, and KDE Neon desktop environments. Choose the desktop that best suits your needs. ZFS 2.2.5: The latest ZFS version (2.2.5) is now supported, optimized for kernel 6.10. Long-Term Support (LTS): We’re committed to keeping older devices like the Odroid C1, NanoPi NEO, BPi M1, ClearFog, Helios64 and TinkerBoard in great shape with ongoing updates and support. ThinkPad X13s Enhancements: Several upgrades have been rolled out for the ThinkPad X13s, enhancing its compatibility and performance with Armbian. 3D Support on Debian-Based Systems: 3D acceleration is now supported on Debian-based Armbian builds, improving the overall user experience. New Board Support: We’ve expanded our hardware support with new boards, including Libre Alta and Solitude, Radxa E25, Rock 5C, RISCV64 BananaPi F3, and more. Deprecation and Cleanup: Significant code cleanup and the demotion of deprecated support, ensuring a leaner and more efficient codebase. We are moving towards mainline-only support for many devices. Ubuntu Noble: Ubuntu Noble is entering its final testing phase as a build host supported target, bringing us closer to a full release. Detailed change logs Platinum Support and Community Contributions Our focus remains on boards with platinum support, where vendors assist us in mitigating costs, ensuring top-tier support and contributing to open-source efforts. If you’re looking for the best-supported boards, we highly recommend selecting from this category. Armbian remains a community-driven project. We cannot maintain this large and complex ecosystem without your support. Whether it’s rewriting manuals, BASH scripting, or reviewing contributions, there’s a place for everyone. Notably, your valuable contributions could even earn you a chance to win a powerful Intel-based mini PC from Khadas. Production Use Recommendations For production environments, we recommend: Opting for hardware labeled with platinum or standard support. Utilizing stabilized point releases around Armbian Linux 6.10.y. Becoming an Armbian support partner to gain access to professional services. Recognizing Our Contributors We extend our deepest gratitude to the remarkable contributors who have played a pivotal role in this release. Special thanks to: @ColorfulRhino, @igorpecovnik, @rpardini, @alexl83, @amazingfate, @The-going, @efectn, @adeepn, @paolosabatino, @SteeManMI, @JohnTheCoolingFan, @EvilOlaf, @chainsx, @viraniac, @monkaBlyat, @alex3d, @belegdol, @kernelzru, @tq-schmiedel, @ginkage, @Tonymac32, @schwar3kat, @pyavitz, @Kreyren, @hqnicolas, @prahal, @h-s-c, @RadxaYuntian, and many others. Our dedicated support staff: Igor, Didier, Lanefu, Adam, Werner, Metka, Aaron, and more, deserve special recognition for their continuous efforts and support. Join the Armbian Community Armbian thrives on community involvement. Your contributions are crucial to sustaining this vibrant ecosystem. Whether you’re an experienced developer or just getting started, there’s always a way to contribute. Thank you for your continued support. The Armbian Team The post Armbian 24.8 Yelt first appeared on Armbian. View the full article

As we approach our next point release, the focus shifts entirely towards bug fixing and stabilization. Feature development is on hold this month to ensure that core functionalities like network connectivity, video output, and booting processes are solid. We aim to resolve as many issues as possible during this period. However, we encourage users to report any recognized problems here so that they can be addressed in future updates. Target for next release We are targeting kernel v6.6 for our current builds and v6.10 for edge builds, while vendor kernels will remain at their latest versions—6.1.y for Rockchip 3588 and 5.15.y for Meson64 legacy. Video acceleration for Rockchip 35xx should now work in Chromium with both vendor and edge kernels, especially on Jammy and Noble Gnome builds, with potential compatibility on other platforms. We focus on providing stable builds where we have active maintainers who are well-versed in the current status of images. If you’re interested in contributing, consider stepping up as a maintainer by reviewing the expectations and responsibilities. For Aspiring Maintainers (tl;dr;): Review the status of the board(s) you want to maintain, including vendor, current, and optionally edge kernels. Address issues as early as possible, ideally before the last week of the month. Once ready, release the updates in one go. Update the board configuration from .csc to .conf here and add yourself as a maintainer. Adjust extensions if needed here. Release Deadline: August 23rd If there’s something you can’t manage, please open a ticket. Contributor Awards As a token of appreciation, two active contributors to the Armbian build framework will receive high-end x86 workstations from Khadas. Thank you for your contributions and dedication. Stay well and safe! The Armbian team The post Release is coming! first appeared on Armbian. View the full article

Armbian’s developer community is the backbone of our success, dedicated to maintaining and updating a wide range of devices. To ensure our long-term sustainability, we need ongoing contributions that support our core infrastructure, including the build framework, OS components, and more. Introducing the Armbian Contribution Reward Program: We are thrilled to launch this initiative to recognize and reward the incredible contributors who help keep Armbian running smoothly. This program not only celebrates your hard work but also clarifies the roles of hardware manufacturers and the larger community in maintaining software support. How to get to the pool? Who can participate? Pull requests authors that will complete their work awarded with a special tag GIVEAWAY Active community members that will be nominated by anyone and approved by at least one moderator Regulars and first time contributors are both welcome! You qualify by contributing to: Armbian build framework improvements, bug fixes, completing stalled work, Enhancements to Armbian documentation, adding missing build framework commands Contributions to Armbian build automation components Active participation in Armbian community management (e.g., forum management) You can find more ideas in our forums and contribution pages. On October 15th, we’ll hold a random draft to select a winner from the pool. Rewards: One lucky winner will receive premium and one standard Khadas Mind portable workstation, both with dock, generously donated by Khadas. Khadas Mind Premium specifications: Exceptional Performance: Khadas Mind Mini Computer is powered by the Newest 13th Gen Intel Core i7-1360P 12-core CPU (Intel Iris Xe Graphics eligible, graphics max dynamic frequency 1.5GHz) with 4 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores 16 threads, max turbo frequency 5.0GHz,18MB cache, which makes it effortlessly handles resource-intensive tasks and multitasking. Whether business operations or creative design, this high-performance chip takes your efficiency to the next level. Effortless Expansion: Khadas mind desktop mini-computer has a built-in dual channel 32GB LPDDR5 5200MT/S RAM+1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 2230 SSD, through the additional M.2 NVMe 2230 SSD slots cleverly hidden beneath the magnetic cover plate expandable up to 2TB. Built-in Standby Battery: If you need to change workstations, simply unplug and go, or if there is a sudden power cut, it automatically enters sleep mode so you never lose a day’s work. On reconnection, Mind wakes up instantly, ensuring seamless continuity between different workspaces. Ultra Compact and Lightweight: Weights only 450g, and measuring 146x105x20 mm, just 1/4 the size of an A4 paper, it fits in your pocket and saves space on your desk. Highly Efficient Heat-Dissipation System：Mind boasts a custom-designed VC liquid cooling heatsink paired with pure copper fins and a magnetic levitation fan. With dual inlet and single outlet airflow design, Mind can well meet the office and other purposes in terms of heat dissipation, the temperature is within a reasonable range. Versatile and fast transfer interface: USB-C × 2, HDMI 2.0 (18Gpbs) × 1, USB-A 3.2 Gen2 (10Gpbs) × 2 . The HDMI interface supports 4K/60Hz display, the full-featured USB-C interfaces support both 8K/60Hz and 4K/240Hz display, and additional interfaces can be added via Mind Link. Besides, it also supports up to four 4K 60Hz displays on different monitors. How to Get Involved: Dive into any of the eligible areas and make a significant impact on Armbian. Your contributions not only support our community but also give you a chance to win an amazing reward. For more details about the reward, visit Khadas product page! Let’s join forces to keep Armbian thriving and growing! The post Armbian & Khadas are rewarding contributors first appeared on Armbian. View the full article

Dear Armbians, This week, we bring you a roundup of exciting developments and updates from the Armbian community. From kernel enhancements to device-specific improvements, there’s plenty to dive into. Plus, we announce the winners of the Radxa Rock 5 ITX giveaway! Read on for all the details. Kernel and Device Tree Updates: sunxi-6.1: Fixed a kernel loading issue by reversing commit 75317a0. linux-rk35xx-vendor.config: Added support for RTW89_8852be module. linux-rk35xx-vendor.config: Updated kernel configuration settings. arm64: dts: rockchip: Introduced support for radxa-e52c board. Documentation and Configuration Enhancements: firstlogin: Implemented quoting for values to handle spaces (#6942). Desktops: Corrected missing packages in desktop environments. wifi: Included rtl8852bs driver to support entire device families. minor fixes (#446): Addressed various minor issues for documentation improvements. networking: Enhanced networking documentation introducing NetPlan as common configuration point. Add DNS and route to network config (#442): Improved network configuration guide by adding DNS and route setup instructions. Device-Specific Updates: rockchip-rk3588 / edge: Removed redundant patch and updated to latest release. mainline-kernel: Updated to version 6.10-rc7 for improved compatibility and features. thinkpad-x13s: Updated to jhovold’s work-in-progress branch for sc8280xp-6.10-rc7. odroidm1: Ensured function names consistency and updated to u-boot v2024.07. u-boot: Embedded armbian artifact version into CONFIG_LOCALVERSION for local configuration. Bananapi M5: Upgraded u-boot to final release version v2024.07. radxa-e52c: Added comprehensive support for the new radxa-e52c board integration. Read more: https://github.com/armbian/build/releases Radxa Rock 5 ITX Giveaway Winners: Congratulations to the winners! 1st prize: Alexandre B., France 2nd prize: Jan-Hendrik W, Germany 3rd prize: Steve H., USA We wish them happy hacking with their new Radxa Rock 5 ITX boards. That wraps up this edition of the Armbian newsletter. Stay tuned for more updates, tutorials, and community highlights in the coming weeks. Remember to join our forums and follow us on social media for the latest news and discussions. Thank you for being part of the Armbian community! The post Armbian Leaflet #27 first appeared on Armbian. View the full article

Dear Armbians, Some fresh news for you! Smaller and Leaner Minimal Images Our minimal images have been further optimized, now featuring the smallest possible footprint while maintaining core OS functionality. We’ve decoupled networking from the main build framework, enabling the use of systemd-networkd, essential for keeping images lean. Network Manager is still present on server and desktop images and an option for those who need it. For more details, refer to our updated Network Management documentation. We have recompiled minimal images for all stable build targets and push out bugfix v24.5.3 update. Armbian on Bananapi F3 We’re working on supporting the Bananapi F3, powered by SpacemiT K1 8 riscv64. Follow our progress and contribute to the development on GitHub. Video Acceleration Fix and New Images We’ve fixed video acceleration in Chromium on Khadas Edge 2 and recreated Orangepi 5 images, now supporting 32GB memory variants. Enhanced Build Framework Our build framework now logs all updates, from framework changes to kernel updates, documentation, and more. Monitor weekly changes on our GitHub releases page. Improved Download Pages We’ve significantly improved the UX of our download pages, making it easier to select the correct images for your needs. Images are now categorized for clarity. Contributor Campaign Soon, we’ll launch a new campaign rewarding contributors who improve Armbian’s build framework or OS. Regular contributors are automatically included. Become a regular contributor today and win a modern and powerful desktop workstation from Khadas. FLOSS Weekly Podcast Feature Armbian was recently featured on FLOSS Weekly, discussing various aspects of the distro, from vendor kernels to the ARM boot process. Listen to the episode here. Stay updated, contribute, and help us make Armbian even better! The Armbian team! The post Armbian Leaflet #26 first appeared on Armbian. View the full article

Dear Armbians, Armbian point releases are times when our entire team works diligently to stabilize our highly complex ecosystem. We understand that, despite our best efforts, there will always be some issues that may not work perfectly. We estimate that resolving bugs and adding new features for each release takes thousands of hours to be completed. This is what the Armbian and its community contributes on top of the vanilla Linux code, which is aggregated at common points, usually referred to as mainline. The code, contributed by many individuals, is intended to be stable. However, given the complexity of the Linux kernel and its maintenance by a diverse group of people, there are no uniform standards, and code quality can vary. Nevertheless, it remains the best we have. Stay Updated with Nightly Builds We are not far from the previous point release, and if you wish to stay updated with daily changes, you are welcome to do so. To switch to nightly automated builds, follow these steps: Run sudo armbian-config Select System and then, Nightly Please note that this is not recommended for production environments, as these builds are not thoroughly tested. However, in most cases, they should work well. Before making this switch, we recommend checking our automated tests. If they are passing, you should be in a good position. Some features might still have issues, and we encourage you to engage with our developer community to help resolve them. Our team is too small and will always remain too small to address all issues alone, we can’t fix problems arising from the contributions of thousands of people. Only with your assistance we can achieve this. If you require a specific feature to work or if you want to take some of our burden away, consider sponsoring our developers, who are professionals dedicated to this work. Switch to Recent Kernel Versions If nightly builds are not sufficiently current for you, you can switch even further – to the most recent kernel versions. This option is only for those willing to take risks: Run sudo armbian-config Select System and then, Other This will provide options for kernels that you can switch to for your hardware. For example, most hardware in the previous release came with kernel v6.6, and here you will be able to roll back to the previous 6.1 or try the most recent 6.9.y / 6.10.y. Please be aware that you are entering a bleeding-edge area where stability may be compromised, but you might find that everything works well. Happy hacking! Best Regards, The Armbian team The post Armbian Leaflet #25 first appeared on Armbian. View the full article

Dear Armbians, We’re excited to announce a new Armbian release: Armbian 24.5.1 Havier! This release focuses on stability and UX improvement, with an emphasis on stable builds and the hardwares we support the most. The changelog of this release is just massive! Key highlights Reproducible Armbian OS and Armbian build framework are tightly connected. Framework can build custom Debian or custom Ubuntu. Armbian Ubuntu is made from LTS or latest packages and is cleaned from all Canonical packaging including snapd. By default, we provide the latest critical packages also in the LTS package base. Armbian Jammy and Noble comes with highly optimized, specially built for each hardware platform, on top of mainline kernel 6.6.y or from SoC vendors, ZFS 2.2.4 and always the latest deb packaged Chromium, packed as .deb, comes with 3D and video acceleration where possible, VS Code, Thunderbird, Firefox, preinstalled Linux Userspace x86 and x86_64 Emulator on aarch64 hardware and several others. Armbian provides cleaned, improved, but stays close to the standard Debian and Ubuntu experience. To keep 100% compatibility, we tend to keep things that work well as they are. We stick to a minimalistic approach – less is more. Excellent Hardware Support Armbian excels in providing exceptional hardware support for single board computers. Our team maintains a large and diverse selection of hardware. We specialize in Rockchip flagship SoC RK3588, and Allwinner devices, we look forward to adding more Qualcomm devices. Our highly productive developer community integrates everything into the fast and user-friendly Armbian build framework (SDK). Rolling builds We are aware that many of you would like to run the latest code. For this reason, we provide daily rollercoaster aka rolling builds with Debian Testing / Trixie or Ubuntu Oracular, also with desktops which are under heavy development, such as KDE Plasma. We delayed releasing those in our stable channel as they are too immature. Unofficial Images In addition to platinum or standard support, where we usually have at least one person behind, Armbian provides many unofficial images for boards that are not fully tested and supported at https://github.com/armbian/community. Most of those images work just fine, but are untested. If none of the ready-made images suits you, build your custom version of Armbian image. Perhaps you want to start your own Linux distribution? By using Armbian, this becomes very easy! We provide complete tooling. Home Assistant and Other Tools Do you want to speed up installation of your Home Assistant to almost any device that is out there? We provide ready to run images for many, but you can build your own in no time with the help of the build system and its extension framework. Which is in use to automatically build Home Assistant, OpenHab and Armbian Security (Trixie with Kali Linux tools). This provides a clean security oriented experience. Recommendations for Production use For production environments, we recommend: hardware that has platinum or standard support label. For devices with these labels, we have people who are maintaining the code and we offer professional support. using stabilized point releases around Armbian Linux 6.6.y and user space Jammy and Armbian Bookworm. becoming Armbian Silver or Gold support partner to get access to professional services and help us pay common software support bills. How Armbian cover the bill? 1% of software development, that comes without fun factor, is covered by the community donations. Any loss we are trying to mitigate with the help of partners. Sadly, a large part of the R&D bill still remains unpaid. We are mitigating this by dropping support on areas where loss is the biggest. If we do not receive enough volunteer help or funds from professional support, support degradation will become noticeable 6-12 months after we stop maintaining certain sections. If you would like that we continue investing our precious time on the same level, perhaps on different levels, you need to step up and help. Remarkable Contributors We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the individuals who have contributed immensely to the growth and success of Armbian. The Armbian superstars of this release: @rpardini @igorpecovnik @ColorfulRhino @amazingfate @paolosabatino @efectn @hqnicolas @chainsx @belegdol @viraniac @FantasyGmm @lanefu @kernelzru @JohnTheCoolingFan @alexl83 @pyavitz @brentr @Tonymac32 @aiamadeus @monkaBlyat @SteeManMI @hzyitc @The-going @EvilOlaf @iav Support Staff: Didier, Lanefu, Adam, Werner, Aaron and many others have dedicated their expertise and time to provide support and guidance. We also extend our gratitude to our esteemed partners. Your contributions and support are invaluable in shaping the Armbian community and its success. Thank you for your continuous support to the Armbian community! The Armbian team The post Armbian 24.5.1 Havier first appeared on Armbian. View the full article

Dear Armbian Community, We are excited to announce that our new release is approaching quickly, with an estimated release date of May 25th. Our team is working actively on the final touches, focusing on stability and fine-tuning advanced features such as 3D and video acceleration. We’re utilizing the best available methods, as there are multiple options to consider. We are adjusting our build targets to include stable, rolling and application-specific builds. Stable Releases: For those who prefer a more reliable and tested environment. Rolling Releases: For the latest updates and experimental features. Applications: Optimized builds for specific applications. We will continue to support Jammy (old stable Ubuntu) while gradually introducing Noble as the latter has numerous bugs from upstream user space applications. Official Partnership with Radxa: We are thrilled to announce a new official partnership with Radxa. This collaboration will enhance support for their newly released RK3588 boards, bringing more robust and reliable options to our users. Community Engagement and Giveaways: One of our current giveaways is nearing its end, but don’t worry – a new one is here! Stay tuned for more exciting opportunities. Focus Areas: As we approach the release date, we ask for your help, especially in the areas of desktop acceleration and desktop environments. While we have covered base OS system features well, your contributions and feedback are invaluable. Community Poll Results: We recently conducted a poll to understand our community’s involvement in open-source projects. Here are the results: I’m an active contributor: 28.6% Contributed occasionally: 31.7% Not yet, but I’d like to: 28.6% No, why?: 11.1% These results are based on 63 votes and show a vibrant and engaged community, with a significant number of active and occasional contributors. For those who haven’t contributed yet but would like to, we encourage you to get involved. Your participation can make a significant difference! Thank you for your continued support and contributions. Together, we can make Armbian even better! Best regards, The Armbian Team The post New Release Approaching Fast! first appeared on Armbian. View the full article

Dear Armbian Community, At Armbian, we’re committed to providing stability without compromising on cutting-edge features. With that in mind, we deliver four point releases per year alongside our daily rolling releases, ensuring you have access to the best of both worlds. We’re gearing up to roll out new point release images featuring the latest kernel and packages by the end of May! Focus on Testing and Bug Hunting It’s time that we all shift our focus towards testing and bug hunting. Let’s prioritize closing any pending issues that require minimal effort, reserving the rest for post-June 1st. Notable Changes in the Pipeline Enabling Ubuntu Noble builds while keep providing highly stabilised and optimised Jammy based userspace On Debian side, we are keeping Bookworm We keep well maintained and proven desktops: XFCE, GNOME, and Jammy based KDE Neon Most popular Rokchip SoC is getting vendor kernel upgrade to 6.1.y with a focus on delivering a fully functional desktop experience. We will refresh well maintained Home Assistant, OpenHab and Kali images for various boards. Addressing all known issues in our sources. Get Involved! We encourage everyone in the community to actively participate: Check open Jira tickets on our participation page, Report or browse open issues on our GitHub repository, Review, close, or tag your pull requests here, Propose new images for dedicated applications, If maintaining contributions becomes overwhelming, consider this alternative. Someone else may pick it up for the next release. Spread the word about our latest release on various forums. What Else Are We Missing? Your input matters! You are welcome to share any additional suggestions or ideas you believe could enhance our community. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to the Armbian project. Warm regards, The Armbian Team View the full article

Greetings Armbian Community, We’re thrilled to share our latest strides in enhancing partnerships, expanding support, and advancing innovations within the Armbian ecosystem. Here’s a roundup of recent developments: 1. Strengthening Partnerships in Shenzhen: We’ve embarked on a mission to fortify our collaborations with partners in Shenzhen, aimed at fostering better support for our community. During our visit, we engaged with both existing and potential partners to deepen our ties and enhance the services we offer to you. Read more 2. Platinum Support and Giveaway for Bananapi M7: We’re excited to announce the launch of platinum support and a special giveaway for the latest Bananapi M7, a collaborative effort between Bananapi and ARMSOM. This initiative aims to provide unparalleled assistance and rewards to our valued users. Learn more 3. Expansion of Community Build Framework: Our community interaction has led to the integration of several new boards, including SakuraPi and H96 TV box, into our build framework. Additionally, we’ve upgraded u-boot on 32-bit Rockchip devices and successfully ported Khadas Edge 2 to kernel 6.1. Moreover, FriendlyElec NAS now runs on mainline-based kernels, enriching our ecosystem with more versatile options. 4. Ongoing Upgrades and Future Ventures: In the pipeline, we have several exciting upgrades underway. We’re working on upgrading the Odroid XU kernel to version 6.6 and adding support for Orangepi 5 PRO. Furthermore, we’re introducing mainline kernel support for Orangepi Zero 2W, and our team is eagerly diving into the development of the new Radxa Rock 5 ITX board and Rock 5C. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to elevate the Armbian experience! Best regards, The Armbian Team View the full article

Dear Armbian Community, We’re thrilled to announce that Armbian development is currently at full throttle, with significant improvements to our build framework and daily bug fixes. Our community of regular contributors has grown, and we’re witnessing increased utilization of the build framework. Here are some highlights of what’s been happening lately: Framework Enhancements: We’ve been diligently working on enhancements to our build framework, focusing on areas such as kernel config management, libc generation, kernel debugging, and kernel security checks. Hardware Support: In collaboration with Sinovoip, we’ve added new platinum supported hardware which brings higher level of support. In collaboration with Radxa, we’ve integrated the new Zero 3E/3W boards into our build framework, expanding our hardware support. Additionally, we have several boards in staging: Bananapi M4 Zero, Rock S0, and several community added targets: Orangepi Zero 2W, FriendlyElec CM3588 NAS, X96 Mate TV Box. Home Assistant Integration: We’ve incorporated additional fixes for Home Assistant, further enhancing Armbian-powered Home Assistant deployment. Updated images with these fixes have been released. If you encounter any issues, please report them here. Rockchip Kernel Updates: Following recent upgrades of Rockchip vendor kernels, the entire Rockchip family now benefits from the first open-source panthor driver implementation. While this marks significant progress, it’s important to note that these images are experimental and may contain bugs. Download them from the board download pages under “Daily/Rolling releases from CI pipeline.” Code Review Initiative: In light of recent incidents, such as the backdoor discovered in a widely used open-source tool (xz), we recognize the importance of robust code review processes. We’re actively seeking community members who can contribute to improving our code review practices. If you’re passionate about open-source and want to make a difference, consider applying to become a code reviewer here. Thank you for your continued support and contributions to the Armbian project. Together, we’re building a stronger, more secure open-source ecosystem. Warm regards, The Armbian Team View the full article

Dear Armbian Community, Here are the latest news! With each new Armbian release, we bring you plenty of improvements. However, we also encounter some new bugs along the way. While some are our own doing, most come from various sources. Much of the software we distribute is common and maintained by third parties upstream, with our main focus on single board computers. Challenges and Improvements During the first week after the release, we faced some problems with the package repository. Our system is highly automated, but sometimes things don’t go smoothly. While trying to improve things, we accidentally caused a delay in updates for two weeks. We’re working hard to fix these issues and make our processes smoother for the future. Rockchip Kernel Developments We’ve been busy improving Rockchip vendor kernels, and we’re currently working on porting and testing their new 6.1.y release. KDE Plasma Desktop Integration Even though we were in the final stages of our release cycle, we managed to include the brand new release of the KDE Plasma desktop. Now, all supported boards come with KDE Plasma Neon v6.1 desktop images, based on the Ubuntu package base. These images offer the latest stable Armbian kernels and LTS package base, without the bloatware or Snap, giving you the best desktop experience. Documentation Enhancement Initiative We’re committed to improving our documentation. We’ve updated our Pull Request templates to make it easier for people to contribute. If you’re interested in helping us improve our documentation, join our upcoming Documentation Follow-up Meeting for more collaboration. Stay tuned for more updates and improvements! The Armbian team. View the full article

Dear Armbian community, We’re excited to announce the latest Armbian release,24.2, codename: Kereru! This update comes with a plethora of changes, making the Armbian experience even better. Highlights of Completed Actions Closed Projects In recent developments, we’re proud to announce the completion of several projects geared towards refining the Armbian experience. Notably, we’ve resolved DNS resolution issues associated with Debian Bookworm, ensuring smoother connectivity for users. Furthermore, our team has optimized the performance of HDMI consoles on Khadas VIM1S and VIM4 devices, alleviating previous sluggishness. Additionally, we’ve successfully tackled the complexities of Rockchip patch maintenance, streamlining operations for enhanced stability. Moreover, our hardware compatibility has been expanded with the inclusion of Xiaomi Mi10, Orangepi Zero3 and ASUS Tinker-Edge-R, broadening the range of potentially maintained devices. Lastly, users of Khadas VIM1S & VIM4 can now benefit from the latest kernel advancements with the implementation of the latest Amlogic kernel 5.15.y drop. Closed Tasks In our ongoing commitment to improving Armbian’s functionality, we’ve achieved significant milestones in various tasks. Among these accomplishments is the introduction of a new feature enabling the convenient display of download links, enhancing user accessibility. Furthermore, we’ve seamlessly integrated Odroid M1 into the rockchip64 family, ensuring a cohesive user experience across devices. Additionally, the integration of Ubuntu 24.04 Noble into our build framework provides users with expanded options for operating systems. Moreover, we’ve prioritized kernel updates, ensuring that all current kernels have been upgraded to 6.6 LTS, incorporating the latest enhancements. Furthermore, the addition of Home Assistant extensions further enriches Armbian’s functionality, while security measures such as LVM support, CRYPTROOT, and enhanced system configurations bolster system integrity. Lastly, the introduction of Cloud-init support underscores our commitment to user convenience and choice, while the inclusion of support for Radxa Rock S 0 expands device compatibility options. Solved Bugs In our ongoing efforts to provide a seamless user experience, we’ve diligently addressed various bugs and issues. Notable resolutions include rectifying network interface card failures on Orangepi One+, ensuring consistent connectivity for users. Additionally, we’ve successfully resolved issues with Edge Kernel disrupting WiFi and Bluetooth support for RockPI-S devices, restoring functionality. Furthermore, errors related to package removal and systemd unit enablement have been rectified, minimizing potential disruptions during system maintenance. Moreover, desktop compatibility issues with the Cinnamon desktop on Vim4 have been resolved, ensuring a smooth user experience across devices. Additionally, optimizations have been made to reduce image loading times on Khadas VIM1S/VIM4 Bookworm, enhancing overall system performance and responsiveness. The complete list of actions have be accessed here. Remarkable Contributors, Supporters and Partners We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the individuals who have contributed immensely to the growth and success of Armbian. Remarkable Contributors: @adeepn, @alex3d, @amazingfate, @belegdol, @brentr, @chainsx, @efectn, @EvilOlaf, @glneo, @h-s-c, @hzyitc, @iav, @igorpecovnik, @lanefu, @msdos03, @paolosabatino, @prahal, @pyavitz, @rpardini, @schwar3kat, @SteeManMI, @tdleiyao, @Tonymac32, @viraniac, @xlazom00 Support Staff: Didier, Lanefu, Rafal, Adam, Werner, and many others have dedicated their expertise and time to provide support and guidance. We also extend our gratitude to our esteemed partners. Find out more about them here. Your contributions and support are invaluable in shaping the Armbian community and its success. Thank you for your continuous support to the Armbian community! The Armbian team View the full article

Dear Armbian Community, Here are the latest news! Documentation We recently held a productive meeting to revamp our Build framework documentation. Our primary focus is on making the build framework internal help the ultimate source of truth. The existing pull request draft with hard-coded entries will be transformed into a JSON format, laying the foundation for comprehensive technical documentation. (meeting video) Build Framework features Explore the power of our build framework feature “extensions” – an easy yet robust way to create custom-builds with pre-installed applications. We’ve started providing Armbian with Home Assistant Supervised for selected boards, offering a hassle-free automated pre-installation for a full-blown experience. Mobile-Friendly Desktop Environments With an expanding array of hardware, we are on the lookout for developers interested in bringing up and maintaining mobile-friendly desktop environments such as Gnome mobile, Phosh, KDE mobile, etc. If you’re passionate about this, please get in touch for potential collaboration. Geolocation Router Upgrade In the past few weeks, we upgraded our Geolocation router to a JSON-driven system. We are actively addressing politically induced access issues, particularly in Ukraine/Russia regions. We aim to resolve these problems swiftly and continue providing a seamless service. In case you want to implement it for your services or just to peek how it works, sources are available. Upcoming Release: 24.02 We are gearing up for the 24.02 release, focusing on bug fixes and strategic decisions on board support. Our revised board support rules aim to narrow our focus, ensuring better support for selected hardware. Stay tuned for an improved Armbian experience. Vendor Appreciation We believe in acknowledging vendors who support non-profit open-source movements. A heartfelt thank you to our partners: Khadas, Sinovoip, Ampere Computing, BiQu, Texas Instrument, Mekotronics, JetHome, LibreComputer, Pine64, Mixtile, for their ongoing support, all small supporters from Forums, GitHub and LiberaPay sponsors. We extend our gratitude to the entire Armbian team, volunteers, and professional staff for their dedication and hard work. Stay connected, stay open-source! Best Regards, The Armbian Team View the full article