Live USB Boot/Hard Drive install on UEFI 32bit for Acer Switch/One, Asus T100

[awqwerty]

PROBLEM: Installing amd64 Kali 2.0 to HD via live-usb

Cause: UEFI 32-bit bootloader on atom 64-bit laptop (I have already disabled secure boot and cannot disable legacy)


I'm trying to do an HD install but I'm unable to boot Kali 2.0 x64 Live over USB. I've been researching this and trying to solve my problem for a few days now. I've got an Acer One 10 and it seems like this problem also affects the Switch 10 and Asus T100 computers. I think I've ALMOST solved the problem but I'm stuck at the last step. I referred partly to this thread for the Kali side of the problem:

https://forums.kali.org/showthread.p...all-Kali-Linux

For a solution, I found this along with several other links about similar issues with these laptops:

https://gist.github.com/franga2000/2154d09f864894b8fe84

I've already disabled secure boot.

The bootloader does not support legacy mode in these devices so I must boot using EFI. Processor is 64bit with a 32-bit UEFI bootloader (so bootx64.efi the solution for Kali 1.0 won't work) . I tried using RUFUS using GPT but the x64 Kali iso does not work with that (returns an error). I tried the UBUNTU solution outlined in that link that details the problem and created my own bootia32.efi. I put that into the livecd folder of EFI\BOOT\ BINGO! I got into a grub command line on USB boot. Next, I tried to create a grub.cfg from the x64 ISO and that's where I got stuck. I tried modifying the old Kali 1.0 grub.cfg menu from the above link however the commands "linuxefi" and "initdrefi" are not recognized commands (in bootia32.efi) so I'm unable to see if it will work. I tried just using linux and initdr commands in grub.cfg but that returned a frozen blank screen.

Should I modify bootia32.efi (and how) so those commands would work or is there another grub.cfg approach I should take to the one in the Kali thread (above)?

Here's my current grub.conf:

if loadfont /boot/grub/font.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=auto
insmod efi_gop
insmod efi_uga
insmod gfxterm
terminal_output gfxterm
fi

set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray

menuentry "Kali Live" {
set gfxpayload=keep
linux /live/vmlinuz boot=live quiet splash ---
initrd /live/initrd.img
}

There was also a post on here about using REFInd to circumvent the bootloader altogether which I just found, I'll try it later to see how that pans out:

https://forums.kali.org/showthread.p...allation/page2

** Update ^^^ Tried this method... didn't work with full version x64 (after selecting kali - black screen and hangs on boot) Going to try Kali lite 64 next ^^^^

Any help or thoughts on this would be appreciated; also probably helpful to others buying atom 64bit laptops that still insist to use 32-bit UEFI.

[awqwerty]

So I haven't gotten any replies on here but I've been working on it on my own for quite some time. I've got an update about this and I should be able to put a guide together once I have some free time.

The short version of what I've been able to do - 32bit USB Boot/Install HDD Install with my own bootia32.efi Grub2 bootloader and grub.cfg file. I tested it using rEFInd and was able to get it up and running.

if loadfont /boot/grub/font.pf2 ; then
	set gfxmode=auto
	insmod efi_gop
	insmod efi_uga
	insmod gfxterm
	terminal_output gfxterm
fi

set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray

menuentry "Kali Install" {
   set gfxpayload=keep
   linux   /install/gtk/vmlinuz boot=install noconfig=sudo username=root hostname=kali persistence splash ---
   initrd  /install/gtk/initrd.gz
}

menuentry "Kali Install" {
   set gfxpayload=keep
   linux   /install/gtk/vmlinuz boot=install noconfig=sudo username=root hostname=kali persistence splash ---
   initrd  /install/gtk/initrd.gz
}

I tried using this guide but the 64-bit Iso would simply not boot (hangs after grub) no matter what I did (using this guide or otherwise). What I was able to get from the guide were the keyboard and wireless card working.
https://gist.github.com/franga2000/a09bd6e8d56407248964

For the touchscreen - Xinput seemed to work.

I did not get the MicroSD card reader setup (I'll explain below)

I did run into another problem during HD Install - my free storage was only around 9gb and because the system did not support microSD card booting. When buying this laptop, I thought I could just delete the recovery partition and have around 15 GB total for my Kali install however Windows will not boot on this laptop without the recovery partition because it's tied into the main operating system using WIM in order to actually conserve extra space on the already small 32bg eMMc.

I really wanted some more space for a full install, so from this point, I switched gears to try a Virtual Box installation from windows (using microSD). This system comes with 2gb of ram so I dedicated 1GB and 64mb video memory and once I setup the extra extensions pack from the virtual box website and enabled PAE I was able to get a full install (32-bit) using virtual box. I had to remove gnome because it was too sluggish for my tastes. KDE seemed significantly better but LXDE was slightly better still so I chose to go with that. (INSTALL GUEST ADDONS!!)

Next hurdle - Touchpad for tablet mode. Gnome's onscreen default keyboard was definitely the best but I lost that once I moved to KDE/LXDE. I tried a variety of other onscreen options that seemed to work only so/so in terms of real applicability (window issues when rotating/resizing just a general pain in the ***). I still wanted to be able to use Kali in tablet mode when I felt like it. My solution seemed to work pretty well. When using this in tablet mode SWITCH TO SEAMLESS MODE! and take advantage of your windows onscreen keyboard to avoid all compatibility/rotate/resize/issues. I customized my panel to just an application launcher button to show up on top of windows and used applications windowed when on the go. I switched to desktop mode when docked and turned off seamless mode.

As for wireless card monitor/injection I used the keyboard dock for a slim fit USB wireless dongle. In tablet mode I used an OTG cable along with the dongle.

My final thoughts on this whole ordeal - Yes this system can work.

Despite the above trouble, I did just recently end up deciding to return this laptop because of two issues:#1 the laptop (specifically the Acer One 10) charges WAY too slowly so I was unhappy with that (obviously unrelated to Kali). #2 32GB was fine if I were installing one OS or the other but having both the way I wanted them required virtualizing Kali which meant splitting my 2gb ram to get anything workable and having to use an OTG dongle/external wireless card all the time. I could have just used a USB boot with a slim usb drive I guess and keep the machine but instead I decided to return it for a different model that has 64bit support out of box. I really love the portability of the 10" netbooks/ 2-1 tablets (I've actually been using my 12 year old Acer Aspire One with backtrack/kali (I upgraded with each release) as the only OS installed on it for about 10 years and it's still kicking - I'm typing this on it now at work) so I've ordered a new version Asus T100HA with 4gb Ram 64gb (37 usable) and 64-bit support out of the box (no 32-bit BIOS). I should receive that in a few days and have another update on how that install goes.

Sorry for the long story but hope this helps people in similar situations! I'll post my working grub.conf later for anyone looking for USB boot/HD Install issues.