Original AYN Odin Base and Pro Get Experimental REG Linux Support

Anyone still have their original AYN Odin Base or Pro lying around collecting dust? Well, you might want to dig it out! Of course, check for a spicy pillow first, because REG Linux has arrived!

Before I get too far ahead of myself, I should probably explain what REG Linux actually is. This is a bit of a mouthful, and I’m not even sure I understand all of it myself, but I’ll do my best to break it down.

According to the project’s Wiki:

“REG Linux is an immutable Linux system designed for retro-gaming devices, based on Buildroot with a custom init and rescue system, and tuned for ARM, AArch64, RISC-V, and x86_64 platforms.”

Got all that? Let’s simplify things.

An immutable operating system protects its core system files from modification during normal use. In theory, this helps keep things stable and makes updates more predictable, while still letting you manage your games, settings, and save files.

Think of it this way. You can add games, tinker with settings, and save your progress, but the underlying operating system is largely left alone. Basically, you’re free to mess around without accidentally messing up the important stuff. I make plenty of mistakes myself, so this sounds ideal for a guy who’s all thumbs.

Another benefit is consistency. Everyone running the same version starts with essentially the same operating system, which means fewer opportunities for things to go sideways because someone changed a critical system file.

Of course, immutable doesn’t mean indestructible. Games can still crash, updates can still break things, and experimental hardware support can come with its own set of headaches.

Now, back to the Odin!

Thanks to the REG Linux team, owners of the original AYN Odin Base and Pro have another operating system to play around with. We’re talking about the original Snapdragon 845-powered handhelds from 2022, not their newer, shinier siblings. Spoiler, one of those might be the next handheld of the month!

I always enjoy seeing older hardware get a second lease on life. You should see my uncle getting around with his new knees! When it’s the community putting in the work to make it happen, it’s even better.

According to an announcement in AYN’s official Discord, REG Linux can boot from a microSD card. Sounds too easy, right? You know there’s always a catch. Yup, there’s a little more to it than popping in a card and hitting the power button.

For starters, this currently only works with the Odin M0 model. You can check yours by heading into Settings and looking under About. You’ll also need to flash a bootloader file, so this isn’t exactly a plug-and-play affair. Definitely give the official installation instructions a read before diving in. Or twice. It can’t hurt. Take some notes while you’re at it.

And before you go dusting off that Odin, remember that this is still a work in progress. HDMI output isn’t working yet, Samba network shares are currently unavailable, and AYN notes that audio should start working after the second boot.

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Caution: This installation table provides a general overview and is not a complete installation guide. Please follow the official REG Linux Wiki for detailed instructions before proceeding.

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