Subject: Please Help: Install on Asus X205TA / efivars problem

From: "Marcus Rohrmoser" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2020 00:26:54 +0200

when trying to install 
http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v3.12/releases/x86_64/alpine-extended-3.12.0-x86_64.iso 
on this little machine, there's the peculiarity, that the CPU is 64 bit 
while the UEFI is 32 bit.

So the download above doesn't boot (from an USB stick) - it's all 64 
bit.

When I unpack the iso to a FAT USB stick and transplant the 
efi/boot/bootia32.efi from the x86 iso, the box boots but doesn't load 
drivers and /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/ is empty.

How can I get the drivers to work?

Or should I rather install e.g. Ubuntu and replace the whole OS - how 
would I?

Any hints appreciated, dmesg attached.

P.S.: The x86 image boots fine, but lacks some packages dear to me (e.g. 
opam).

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From: PICCORO McKAY Lenz <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2020 07:00:58 -0400

your case is particular.. first of all you have some solutions.. but i just
said the most working here, will need combination of targets to install

1) alpine UEFI does not boot as is in your special case, and i do not use
shit! so need a first installed linux, use a minimal debian install target
that builds all needs partitions, of course.. avoid home and rest and use
only one for "home+usr+var" of all the system with umm 1G (just minimal
needs to use grub etc)
2) after debian install, you will have your 3 minimal partitios (boot,
systems swap) when system only will have 1G etc, then install alpine linux
as dual boot user case, but as of documented UEFI points for.. i mean,
reuse the boot and swap partitions of course, dont let alpine put their own
bootloader.. just put need files to work and start the os
3) boot again the Debian and then tne up the alpine boot ..

that's all in resume, of course detailed steps are more complicated
special to the alpine boot file case... *i'm interested in documenting your
case in the alpine wiki installer pages.. we are working at the *
https://t.me/s/alpine_linux telegram groups

Lenz McKAY Gerardo (PICCORO)
http://qgqlochekone.blogspot.com

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From: "Marcus Rohrmoser" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 2020 09:41:40 +0200

On 20 Jul 2020, at 13:00, PICCORO McKAY Lenz wrote:
> use a minimal debian install … just minimal needs to use grub
> then install alpine linux as dual boot

I see, so I add a debian partition to maintain the bootloader. I shall report here, give me a few days.