How to install Armbian on the Odroid XU4
Do you own an Odroid XU4? Are you trying to install a Linux OS on it but don’t know what to use? Consider Armbian! It’s an excellent project that offers up stellar support for microcomputers such as ones in the Odroid line.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to get Armbian up and running on the Odroid XU4. However, before we begin, ensure you have a fast SD card ready to go, as Armbian requires a speedy installation medium.
Downloading Armbian for the Odroid XU4
If you want to get your hands on Armbian for the Odroid XU4, you will need to download the OS from Amrbian.com, the official website. As of now, there are many different releases of Armbian. In this guide, we’ll go over how you can get your hands on every release of the OS so that you can get the most out of the Odroid XU4.
Stable downloads
On the Armbian main website at the download page for the Odroid XU4, there are two downloads that are featured prominently. These two downloads are what the developers of Armbian prefer you use. These releases are Armbian Focal, an OS image based on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS ARM, with the 4.14.y kernel. The other download is Armbian Buster, an OS built upon Debian 10 ARM, again with kernel 4.14.y.
If you’re new to the Odroid XU4 and you need to get an operating system that won’t fail on you, and has a wide variety of stable software, these are the two distributions you should grab.
To get your hands on the Ubuntu release of Armbian for the Odroid XU4, click this link here, and the download will immediately start.
Want to run a stable release of Debian 10 on your Odroid XU4? Click on this link here to grab the latest release of Armbian Buster (!! file download link). By downloading this particular OS, you’ll have the peace of mind that your OS is rock solid and reliable, as Debian is highly considered one of the most stable Linux distributions out there.
Other downloads
While the main operating systems that Armbian promotes are Armbian Focal and Armbian Buster, they’re not the only things you can install on your Odroid XU4. If you don’t want to use the Focal or Buster release, there are tons of other choices.
To get your hands on the other choices available, do the following. First, head over to the Odroid XU4 Armbian page. Then, scroll past the two OSes (Focal and Buster) in the “SUPPORTED” area. Underneath that, there is a “Check other downloads options” button.
Click on the “Check other download options” button to reveal the massive amount of OSes that are available for installation on the Odroid XU4. Currently, downloads include Armbian Bionic, Armbian 11 server, Armbian10 minimal, Armbian 10 server, Armbian Focal server, and others.
Installing Armbian on the Odroid XU4
As the Odroid XU4 is a microcomputer, the OS must be flashed to an SD card, rather than installed onto a drive like a typical computer operating system (think Ubuntu or Windows). Still, even though the installation process is different from a traditional computer, that doesn’t mean that it is hard. Setting up Armbian on the Odroid XU4 is pretty simple, thanks to modern tools.
The best way to set up Armbian on your Odroid XU4 is with the Etcher SD Card/USB flashing utility. Why? It’s a cross-platform tool that is easy to understand. And, it has the same user interface no matter what OS you use it on.
To start the installation process, download the latest release of the Etcher app from Etcher.io. Then, launch it on your computer and follow the step-by-step instructions below to get Armbian set up.
Step 1: In the Etcher application, locate the “Flash from file” button, and click on it with the mouse. After selecting this button, a pop-up window will appear. In the pop-up window, browse for your release of Armbian Focal, Armbian Buster, or whichever release you’ve’ downloaded.
Step 2: Insert the SD card into your computer’s card reader and allow Etcher to detect the device. If your device is not detected automatically, locate the “Select target” button, and click on it with the mouse.
Inside of the “Select target” menu, click on the SD card. Selecting the SD card inside of this menu will allow Etcher to use it for flashing purposes.
Step 3: Find the “Flash!” button, and click on it with the mouse. When you click on this button, Armbian will be flashed to the SD card. Keep in mind that this process may take a couple of minutes. When the flashing process is complete, disconnect the SD card from your reader, close Etcher, plug it into your Odroid XU4, and power it on.
When the Odroid XU4 is powered on, connect a keyboard, mouse, as well as a monitor. Then, go through the initial setup for Armbian to enjoy your device!
