Libre Computer has just announced the general availability of EtherealOS for the company’s Amlogic SBCs, namely AML-S905X-CC (Le Potato), AML-S805X-AC (La Frite), AML-S905X-CC-V2 ( Sweet Potato), AML-S905D3-CC (Solitude), and AML-A311D-CC (Alta).
EtherealOS is described as a lightweight internet-booted operating system designed for performing tasks such as file and disk manipulation, operating system deployment, light browser tasks, and more. It includes a limited set of tools compared to a full operating system, and it’s basically an OS to install other operating systems directly from the Internet, in a way similar to Khadas OOWOW or Radxa ROOBI OS.
The difference is that EtherealOS apparently supports upstreamed operating systems, namely Debian (debian-12.11.0-arm64-DVD-1.iso / debian-testing-arm64-DVD-1.iso), Fedora (Fedora-Workstation-Live-42-1.1.aarch64.iso), and OpenSUSE, besides images optimized by Libre Computer based on Debian, Ubuntu, and Raspbian.
The video below shows how the terminal GUI in EtherealOS can install Debian to the eMMC flash of one of the company’s single board computers.
As I understand it, EtherealOS is “integrated” on all Libre Computer’s Amlogic boards, except the AML-S905X-CC. possibly because it’s missing an SPI flash, so it would have to be booted from a microSD card? I could not find any code or download links for EtherealOS, unless I realized it’s just embedded in the latest “spiflash” firmware images for the boards found at https://boot.libre.computer/release/, and the source code for the “Libre Computer Deploy for EtherealOS” project is hosted on GitHub.
Libre Computer is one of the best SBC companies when it comes to upstreaming and software support, but I wish the documentation were easier to navigate, and not hosted on a forum-like platform. Besides the Amlogic boards, Libre Computer will also release EtherealOS for two Rockchip-based SBCs in Q4 2025: Renegade ROC-RK3328-CC (“not integrated”) and Renegade Elite ROC-RK3399-PC.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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If it ever gets ported to newer AMLogic SOC’s, then I think that it could well gain attraction and momentum.