Is it possible to install Elementary OS on an Intel Compute stick or equivalent low spec hardware. Not old hardware, but a mini fanless PC of some sort that you can currently buy on the market. Also would there be compatible drivers to support that device?

Intel Compute stick Compatible OSs (Ubuntu and Linuxium): http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/boards-and-kits/intel-compute-stick/000005899.html

Surely other distros would be compatible also.

At the moment of writing, Elementary OS doesn't support ARM, so no android or Rasberry Pi:
Support for ARM processors and Raspberry Pi?

Elementary OS Recommended Specs: https://elementary.io/en/docs/installation#recommended-system-specifications


I found a way to install Elementary OS on Chromebooks:

Any problems installing elementary OS Freya on an Acer Chromebook 15 CB5-571-C4T3?

I want install elementary OS on Chromebook any help?

  • I use elementaryOS on Acer Cloudbook 11 (dual core 1.6 GHz Celeron with 2 GB RAM) and it's quite snappy. I use it mostly for some ssh, office work, reading pdfs, light R scripting and internet (chromium is probably the heaviest app I have installed, Epiphany works also well, but doesn't support plugins that I use for research). Swapping on eMMC drive is quite fast so it almost feels like I have twice as much RAM. – jena Feb 3 '17 at 22:01

If it supports Ubuntu then it supports Elementary OS as well (Loki is based on Xenial).

I believe that it should work properly.

However, I see that some models support only 32-bit systems - Loki is only for 64-bit. (That nmght be the problem)

When it comes to drivers - it is possible that there are no drivers for e.g. Sound card, but in most cases there are all drivers.

As I know these intel sticks have USB ports, so maybe just try elementary live from USB and see if it works properly.

I remember that I had one of these sticks and I had problem with preinstalled windows 10 - after first start it downloaded updates that were bigger than disk space so it got stuck in 'broken mode'. I used ubuntu then to run it somehow, but finally I returned it to the store, because it had a problem that it would reset all the time as if there were some power off cuts.

  • I was going to +1 your answer, but I don't have enough points to do so. You get a 'check mark' if that counts for anything. I appreciate you chiming in with some kind of an answer. Since neither of us know for sure if it will work or not, and I have no knowledge of linux, I'll have to take your word and accept your answer. Thank you, I appreciate it. – Jeff Luyet Feb 2 '17 at 6:44

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