X1E-78-100
Setup - general steps
- Create a backup USB medium (>32GB) using the tool Wiederherstellungslaufwerk
- Shrink C partition, using Disk manager of System Control, add 2 partitions for Linux root and home
- install Debian to WSL-2
Install Linux parallel to Windows
These steps are the ones I remember to have performed to get Linux running.
Please use these with care; the list of actions may be incomplete or may simply not work on any other device.
Disable secure boot on HP Omnibook X 14
- On windows, go to Einstellungen / System / Wiederherstellung
- Then click on Erweiterter Start / Jetzt neu starten (2x)
- The system reboots into BIOS Setup Utility
- Then set Boot Options / Secure Boot / Disabled
- Optionally, you may disable the USB power while sleep+off (This prevents the USB-C hub to drain battery)
- Then Save Changes and Exit
- Then type the displayed 4digit code and press Enter
- Then reboot into Windows
Prepare a USB memory stick
To create a bootable memory stick, download an image from here: https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/ubuntu-24-10-concept-snapdragon-x-elite/48800
Copy this image to a memory stick:
sudo dd if=Downloads/oracular-desktop-arm64+x1e.iso of=/dev/sdb bs=4M conv=sync status=progress
WARNING: Adapt the command before using it; if /dev/sdb is the wrong disk, you destroy your computer. Check e.g. with sudo fdisk --list for the right of= disk.
Install Grub and Linux (1st try)
Possibly you can go directly to my 2nd try...
- On windows, go to Einstellungen / System / Wiederherstellung
- Then click on Erweiterter Start / Jetzt neu starten (2x)
- Wait: The system reboots into BIOS Setup Utility
- Then: Run Problembehandlung / Erweiterte Optionen / UEFI Firmware Einstellungen / Neu Starten
- Then: UEFI Menu appears
- DO NOT RUN THE BOOTMANAGER (It will not run the installer)
- Instead, change the boot order under Setup
Install Grub and Linux (2nd try)
- On windows, go to Einstellungen / System / Wiederherstellung
- Then click on Erweiterter Start / Jetzt neu starten (2x)
- Wait: The system reboots into BIOS Setup Utility
- Then: Run Ein Gerät verwenden / USB ROM Drive
- Then the installer on USB drive boots. Select "Try or install Ubuntu"
- Do a manual install
- allow to install 3rd party software
- do not change the /boot disk-options, only set root and home partitions
Decrypt NTFS
I do not know if this is needed - but I did the following:
- On Windows, deactivate Bitlocker in "Einstellungen" / "Datenschutz und Sicherheit" / "Geräteverschlüsselung"
- This then takes a while
Run qcom-firmware-extractor
You need an internet connection.
- Plug an USB cable to your USB-A port (!) and connect it to you mobile phone
- Enable USB Tethering on your mobile phone
- On a command shell, run
- sudo apt update
- sudo apt install qcom-firmware-extract
- sudo qcom-firmware-extract
- Reboot your PC
Quite a lot of peripherals on a USB-C hub may work now, like external keyboard, mouse, monitor, ethernet.
Update your system
- sudo apt upgrade
- Reboot your PC
Repair your system after a firmware update
Months later, when running Windows, it may update your firmware on shutdown. This may reset the disabling of secure boot.
I expect a that a clean way to prevent issues is, to sign grub. I found a guide for that - but never tried: https://www.reddit.com/r/archlinux/comments/10pq74e/my_easy_method_for_setting_up_secure_boot_with/
Screen stays completely black
- Attach a power supply to the rear USB-C port. An orange LED should light up
- Wait 5 minutes (I found that instruction and waited that time - maybe not necessary?)
- Do a hard reset by pressing the power on button for 20 seconds
System is not booting
The screen states:
ERROR Verification failed (0x1A) Security Violation
- Press [OK] (there is no other button)
- I guess you can ignore the [MOK] menu - i tried quite a lot of options there - no success.
- Reboot the system
- Can be skipped: Directly after reboot, constantly hit the [F1] key to get system information.
- Directly after reboot, constantly hit the [F9] key to select a boot manager.
- Only the Windows boot manager will work - the other is not signed.
- Windows boots regularly (maybe one can directly press F1/F8 now - i did another booting round)
- On Windows, run Einstellungen / System / Wiederherstellung
- Then click on Erweiterter Start / Jetzt neu starten (2x)
- While windows is booting (the hp logo is shown) constantly hit F1 and F8 (i guess one is sufficient - I do not know which one)
- Select Problembehandlung / Erweiterte Optionen / UEFI Firmware / Neustart
- The system reboots again
- Select Setup Utility / Boot Options / Disable Secure boot
- Select [Exit] / [Save Changes and Exit]
- The system shows "Operating Mode Change"
- To disable secure boot, you now have to enter the 4-digit PIN that is displayed and press Enter.
- Your system boots again (I hope)
- One may re-run [sudo qcom-firmware-extract] and reboot linux with the new, updated firmware.