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A December 2022 blog report documented attempts to prepare an $8 Ox64 RISC-V board to run Linux. The writer got serial output after working around several flashing problems, but the report did not confirm a Linux boot; Ethernet, Wi-Fi and SD-card support were also reported as unavailable at the time.
A December 2022 report on the $8 Ox64 RISC-V board described getting the device to communicate with a computer over a serial connection, but did not show Linux running on it. The writer reported that Ethernet, Wi-Fi and SD-card support were not working at the time, making the low-cost board an early-stage project rather than a ready-to-use Linux computer.
The report said the Ox64 uses a three-core RISC-V processor and was being explored as a small machine capable of running Linux. The writer cautioned readers that setup was not straightforward: programming was done through the board’s UART TX/RX pins, rather than by connecting it to USB as with some development boards.
The author encountered several obstacles while trying to flash firmware. The vendor’s Dev Cube utility crashed on the writer’s Ubuntu Wayland desktop, and a CH340G USB-to-serial adapter failed during the handshake. The writer then used an Adafruit KB2040, based on the RP2040, as a serial bridge and switched from Dev Cube to the open-source bflb-mcu-tool.
Even that required a change to the tool, according to the report: the writer edited its UART interface code to remove DTR and RTS handling. After flashing a low-level BL808 firmware file, the board sent diagnostic text to the computer, including messages about memory initialization and the M0 core starting. That established serial communication and a firmware test, not a successful Linux boot.
Low Price, Early Development
The report illustrates the difference between a low advertised board price and the work needed to make a development board useful. At $8, the Ox64 attracted interest as an inexpensive way to experiment with RISC-V hardware, but the writer’s experience involved a separate serial bridge, command-line tools, firmware files and code changes.
For readers considering the board, the practical point is that the report did not establish a simple, working Linux experience. The missing peripheral support named by the author—networking and SD-card access—would limit common uses even if the operating system could be brought up. The account is useful as a snapshot of the bring-up process, not as independent verification of the board’s full capabilities.
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From Flashing to a Linux Boot
The blog post was framed as an account of trying to run Linux on the Ox64, rather than a product announcement or a completed test. Its title referred to an $8 Linux computer, but the text itself described an incomplete effort and explicitly left the operating-system stage for later. The author said they believed additional firmware for the D0 core and an operating system image would still need to be flashed.
The post also pointed readers to a planned follow-up, saying an update was available as “Part 2.” The supplied source material does not include that follow-up’s contents, so it cannot establish whether the author later booted Linux or resolved the peripheral issues. The evidence here is limited to the December 2022 account and its reported test output.
““At the time of writing, ethernet, wifi and SD-Card are not working.””
— The Ox64 report’s author
Linux and Peripherals Unverified
The supplied report does not confirm that the Ox64 booted Linux. It records output after flashing a low-level firmware file, then says more work remained, including flashing to the D0 core and loading the operating system. It is also unclear from this material whether the author completed those steps in the linked follow-up.
The stated status of Ethernet, Wi-Fi and SD-card support applies to the author’s account at the time of writing in December 2022. The source provided here does not document later software or hardware changes, nor does it independently test the board’s specifications or price. Readers should not treat the post as a current compatibility report.
Follow-Up Needed to Confirm Boot
The next evidence needed is a report showing whether the author completed the remaining firmware steps and reached a Linux boot, along with the operating-system image and configuration used. The original post points to a Part 2 follow-up, but its findings are not included in the source material for this article.
Any assessment of the board’s present-day usability would also require newer documentation or tests of its networking and storage support. Until that information is available, the confirmed result in this account remains narrow: the writer overcame several flashing hurdles and obtained serial output from the Ox64.
Key Questions
Did the report confirm that Linux ran on the Ox64?
No. The writer reported serial output after flashing low-level firmware, but said additional steps were needed before trying the operating system. A Linux boot was not confirmed in the supplied account.
What was the Ox64 board’s reported price?
The blog described it as an $8 board. The supplied material does not independently verify the price or say whether it included accessories or shipping.
What setup problems did the author encounter?
The report describes a Dev Cube crash on Ubuntu Wayland, a failed handshake with a CH340G adapter, and the need to use an RP2040-based serial bridge and modify the bflb-mcu-tool UART code.
Which features were reported as unavailable?
At the time of the December 2022 post, the author said Ethernet, Wi-Fi and SD-card support were not working. The source does not establish their status after that date.
