How to Install Ubuntu Linux on the HTC HD2 (Legacy SD Card Guide)

Ubuntu Linux on the HTC HD2 is a legacy community port, not a current Ubuntu installer. The historical method boots phone-specific Linux files from a microSD card with HaRET, launched inside Windows Mobile. It leaves Windows Mobile installed, but is suitable only for archival experimentation. The main hurdle today is finding a complete, trustworthy original package.

The illustrations below are conceptual mockups, not screenshots captured from a working HD2.

How the HD2 port works

This build depended on an HD2-specific kernel, root filesystem, and startup configuration. A generic Ubuntu image will not boot just because Ubuntu supports ARM processors. Ubuntu’s supported architectures documentation describes maintained CPU architectures; it does not provide an HD2 image. HaRET is a Windows CE/Windows Mobile application that hands off to Linux.

The original XDA v0.3 release thread and the HD2 Linux development thread are the relevant historical references.

This walkthrough covers card-based boot only. Do not combine it with MAGLDR, cLK, NAND-flashing, or Android installation steps from adjacent HD2 threads; those use different boot paths.

What you need

• An HTC HD2 that still boots Windows Mobile, a compatible microSD card, and at least 3 GB free as the old guide specified.
• The complete archive for one HD2 Ubuntu release, including its README, HaRET executable, and matching startup configuration.
• A backup of anything important on the card. Do not format or repartition it unless that release’s README explicitly instructs you to.

I could not verify a currently maintained, trustworthy download of the original bundle. Continue only if the original developer release page still provides an intact package and a checksum you can compare. Do not substitute a random mirror, repack, or torrent for missing files.

The old v0.2 article also lists a Radio ROM requirement. Do not flash or update radio firmware just to try this SD-card boot. Follow such a requirement only if the exact release’s own documentation clearly requires it for your specific HD2 variant.

Install and boot Ubuntu

1. Check the release. Confirm the archive is for the HTC HD2, read its README, and compare its checksum if one is published. Keep the kernel, root filesystem, HaRET, and startup file from the same release; do not mix v0.2 and v0.3 files.
2. Copy the files to the card. Extract the package as directed. The older v0.2 instructions use an ubuntu folder; later release instructions use linux. Use the exact folder name and location required by your bundle, historically the storage card’s top level. Keep haret.exe and its startup file where that README specifies.

3. Launch HaRET. Safely eject the card, insert it in the phone, and make sure the battery is charged. In Windows Mobile, open File Explorer, go to the storage card, and run the bundled HaRET executable. It will leave Windows Mobile and attempt to boot Linux; wait for the handoff to finish.

If the desktop appears, the phone is running Linux from the card. Old release notes reported features such as touchscreen input, Wi-Fi, rotation, and mobile data for particular builds; those reports do not guarantee that each feature works on your handset or with current network services.

4. Shut down cleanly. Use Ubuntu’s shutdown command and wait for the phone to power off, then restart it normally to return to Windows Mobile. Do not pull the card during activity or use a factory reset or radio flash to troubleshoot a failed boot.

Troubleshooting

• HaRET will not open: confirm the phone is running Windows Mobile and that you are using the executable from the same build.
• Linux stalls: check the folder location and that the startup file matches the kernel and root filesystem. Re-extract a verified archive instead of sourcing individual files from unrelated posts.
• A feature is missing: consult the release thread before changing drivers or firmware. These are dated experimental builds, and preserved instructions may not match every surviving package.

Treat this as a historical demonstration, not a secure daily-use setup. Avoid signing in to accounts or keeping sensitive data in this retired environment. For release-specific details, start with the original XDA release notes before changing any firmware.