topic Re: What to do with an old Android Tablet in Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc

What to do with an old Android Tablet

shutter — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 15:01:35 GMT

Bought myself a new(ish) tablet to replace my old tech one..

New one is Android 11.. and old one is Android 4.2.1.

The old one still works well, but many new apps are not geared down to 4.2.1 ! hence the replacement.

So. What can I do with the old one.... I`d like to try and install a linux O.S. if it is possible. Having searched on Google about this, some sites say it "can" be done ... some say it "can`t" be done... and others give info on "maybe" ..

but it all boils down to how "clever" the person doing it, is.... On a cleverness scale of this dimension, I would put myself at abot 2 out of 10. which is pretty low !. and a lot of the stuff that I read on "can" and "maybe" sites I only had a very vague idea of what was being said, in relation to rooting and replacing stuff on the Tablet, to enable anothe O.S. to be implanted/installed on it.

So, Useful ideas, suggestions, linkys and step by step tutorials, welcome. please

Re: What to do with an old Android Tablet

RichardB — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 15:41:48 GMT

Hi Shutter,

I think you will be lucky to install an alternate OS on a tablet.

However, you could look at:

https://ubuntu-touch.io/en_GB/

You could check if the Android could be updated by using LinageOS but it only supports a limited set of devices:

https://wiki.lineageos.org/

Regards

Richard

Re: What to do with an old Android Tablet

shutter — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 15:49:05 GMT

@RichardB Thanks for your input...

I think I already checked Lineage and my old android 4.2.1 is just a tad too old for it to work on it..

Ubunto Touch.. sounds like a good one... BUT the nearest I can get to a "suitable device" in their listings is a Lenovo 10 which, I think is a fairly recent unit not long off the production lines !.

( my machine is a Lenovo A300 - H. ) (8inch screen)

I don`t mind spending a lot of time on messing about trying this out... it will give me something to do, and I may learn some stuff along the way... if it breaks the tablet in the proces... so be it... I will have had some fun before it dies ! .

Re: What to do with an old Android Tablet

Baldrick1 — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 16:31:06 GMT

Moderator's note: Ths is a serious question not deserving of frivolous responses.

Re: What to do with an old Android Tablet

RichardB — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 16:09:29 GMT

Hi Shutter,

There are a few guides on how to install a regular linux disto on a tablet.

https://robots.net/tech/how-to-put-linux-on-a-tablet/

No guarantee of success but it would be an interesting exercise!
Please post the progress on here 🙂

Regards

Richard

Re: What to do with an old Android Tablet

shutter — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 19:01:43 GMT

@RichardB OK.... thanks very much for the info and linky... something to read up on tonight, and maybe progress over Xmas, when there`s nowt on the telly !

Have a good Christmas.

cheers

Re: What to do with an old Android Tablet

shutter — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 14:59:38 GMT

@RichardB Progress report !...... there is none ! .

Spent a few hours googling various links and stuff,but it seems that 4.2 and my limited experience are too little to be of any use in trying to re-use the tablet with another O.S. on it

Instead... My Great Grand Daughter ( 17th birthday today) came and visited us.. so I did a factory reset and passed it on to her, she can use it for her college stuff as she is working towards a career in Animal Welfare

At least it is not going into landfill. So I am happy with that.

Thanks to all for input.

Case and thread now closed.