Video: AllWinner (ARM) A10 boots Linux in just 1.2 seconds

A developer by the name of “threewater” has posted a video showcasing a device powered by the ARM-based AllWinner A10 booting Linux in just 1.2 seconds. 

As CNX Software notes, the actual boot is 0.85s, weighing in at 1.2 seconds with a Qt app.

Although the hardware is indeed custom built, we do know the device is designed around an Allwinner A10 chip and features 512 MB RAM paired with 4GB NAND Flash.

Software? linux-sunxi kernel 3.4, with a customized version of uboot, a squashfs rootfs and a Qt 4.7.4 app showing a gauge.

“Both the rootfs (7MB) and the kernel (2MB) have been compressed with LZO. All that boots from NAND flash for optimal speed,” explained CNX Software.

“The 1.2 second time includes kernel + rootfs + app time, and the total time is a bit longer, but this is still [clearly] impressive.”