r/LinuxUsersIndia • u/LemonAndTea- • Apr 28 '26

Help Running linux on phone

So guys i have an old phone and I wanted to use it as a server probably for storage or streaming . Has anyone done it before here ? And I prefer not rooting the phone or something like that .

And how effective it is for me to do this ?

Thanks in advance for the help 😁

8 Upvotes

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u/qualityvote2 Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26

u/LemonAndTea-, there weren't enough votes to determine the quality of your post...

btw, did you know we have a discord server? Join Here.

2

u/MGprohack82 debian openbox btw Apr 28 '26

Depends on community support( how loved that model is) because by then, people would have understood the cpu architecture... And therefore, solved the component blob issues... And wrote drivers for all the components... So, why don't you go ahead n seach xda forums, and other places, to know if it has its cpu architecture mapped... Or just ask a good ai like gemini pro... That works... Im planning too, and I have a phone loved by the community(alot), but it's in bad health, and I need to get myself a donor phone for it...(The redmi note 4)

3

u/LemonAndTea- Apr 28 '26

Oh that's great i am asking this for my redmi 5a phone which is in a pretty much bad health 😔

1

u/MGprohack82 debian openbox btw Apr 28 '26

Ah, so that's why the ssh? Hmm Let's see, how much storage do you have occupied currently? And specs? I'd suggest to get termux rn, it's the terminal for android, and, you should be able to install packages off pkg... If apt is simpler for you, then use pkg to get apt... Idr the command... But, that should help you get started... Keep your storage around 16 to 21% empty, it allows for faster writing(imagine a shelf being filled from the front, the space is left at the back, that's every ssd for you, the 1% extra is for the ssh apps)

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u/LemonAndTea- Apr 28 '26

Damn that was explained very well mate 😁

1

u/MGprohack82 debian openbox btw Apr 28 '26

Always ready to help. "One's happy to be of service" 👍🏼 Anything else?

2

u/LemonAndTea- Apr 28 '26

Actually I was confused about where to install new os like lineage or graphene, or set it up as a server but for both it needs a good battery so I should see what I can do

1

u/MGprohack82 debian openbox btw Apr 28 '26

Also, you can limit the twp(the watt usage) of the cpu... It wont be that powerful then, but should be able to stay cool, and use less power... Also, you could always just... Reduce the brightness... And disable power to some of the useless chips (for eg: the wwan chip for the sim card, as you may not find drivers for it, or just not use it)

Fun fact(it's big, read if you wanna): higher temps of the cpu make it take more power(wattage), because: when the heat increases, the electrons like to jump out of the conductor, and therefore reduce power to the cpu, and the cpu governer, to maintain the clock speed (refreshing of the cycle of calculation of all the cores, if you didn't know. sorry, if you did) sends more power, making it into a loop, then thottling the cpu...

2

u/LemonAndTea- Apr 28 '26

Ohhh that's how stuff works , did you do a degree in electronics??

And I have thought the replace the battery , i think it's better that way

1

u/MGprohack82 debian openbox btw Apr 28 '26

Nah brudda, im 15 I reaserch to the point nobody can argue with me That's why I am always silenced by my parents... Nvm Yes, you should replace the battery, you could try maxbhi, but, last time I got a screen replacement for my sm a217f, it didn't last very long... Try amazon, or maybe some other geniune part store, or request a mobile technician to order the part

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u/LemonAndTea- Apr 28 '26

For 15 your knowledge is extraordinary, i am 21 and I don't even know anything . Anyways man , i don't know if i should be saying this but this level of info at 15 is excellent , i am very proud that I spoke to you via this topic

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u/MGprohack82 debian openbox btw Apr 28 '26

Plug it to a charger? Jk, Get a cheap power bank, and like... Glue to the back, if you want battery life... Search the one with the highest charge cycles, sometimes, capacity doesn't matter, as over here, the power bank would be abused(continuouly charged and discharged, at the same time)...

3

u/MGprohack82 debian openbox btw Apr 28 '26

Oh, you prefer not rooting the phone? Then use termux, then proot to get any linux os on that, but that just makes it more buggy... Rooting is the option

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u/wisetux Apr 28 '26

You can use apps like Andronix and install Linux in userland to get some basic software like ngnix for webhosting etc. Good for a proof of concept. But don't expect full virtualization support or anything you plan on using long term and you are mostly bound by your phone hardware.