[TABLET Z COMPETITION ENTRY][23/07] LinuxonAndroid Project - Standard/ROM/Native

Welcome to the Tablet Z Competition entry thread for the LinuxonAndroid project!

This thread is for three sub projects of the LinuxonAndroid project.

Thanks to winning the tablet we will be working on three different versions of Linux running on Android, each with their own post below.

Standard LinuxonAndroid - optimised for tablet z (and other 10inch tabs)

The first port of call, I shall be testing all our current image files, any issues I find with any of them shall be fixed up to give a smooth and stable 'standard' linuxonandroid experience (As laid out in the first post).

Any small optimisation for the tablet will also be laid out here (extra scripts etc. that do not make it into the normal release) as well as features I will work on using the tablet as a test device. The biggest of these will be using native graphics and the Android frame buffer, because vnc is so 2008

Integrated LinuxonAndroid ROM

An idea the LinuxonAndroid team have played with for some time, but that never happened.. until now!
I shall be building and releasing a custom ROM that shall feature closer integration between Linux and Android but still allow easy access for to both.

This will involve custom Linux installs and Android side work that will allow the two to 'talk' passing notification information between the two among other things

Native Linux boots

For those that want to do away with Android completely! I shall also be working on native Linux installs to allow you to turn your powerful tablet into a fully fledged Linux machine.


All the works will be available on our brand new LinuxonAndroid git, for you to fork and push until your hearts content https://github.com/linuxonandroid

Change log:
23/07/13
*Added github account (https://github.com/linuxonandroid)
*Started working on pushing first alpha of LinuxonAndroid ROM

Standard LinuxonAndroid - optimised for tablet z (and other 10inch tabs)

What is this all about?/Why put this on my device?
This projects aim is to bring a range of linux distros to your android device through a method known as 'chroot', see it has running a linux distro within a virtual machine on your phone (Although its not! its using native ARM ports and the Android kernel) . You can access this virtual machine and run it on your phone without causing any damage to your device, or having to overwrite anything. Why might you want this? well my apps are designed to make the install and set up process as easy as possible while still giving you some flexibility. Once you have the distro up and running then you can pretty much run and install any linux software you like (so long as there is a arm port or it is not architecturally dependent).

Wait this uses VNC why shouldn't I just VNC to a computer?
VNC is used to access the GUI as at the moment I have not yet implemented a native way of viewing the GUI. But the Linux distro itself is running within the phone and can be controlled via the terminal app so if your a seasoned Linux user you may never even want to use the GUI

What is Chroot?/How does this work?
"A chroot on Unix operating systems is an operation that changes the apparent root directory for the current running process and its children" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chroot

This method of running linux distros with android has been around for some time. I have worked on my scripts to make the process more user friendly and give you far more options from the word go.
The scripts start by mounting the linux image file within the android file system and then mounts the sdcard and if you have it internal memory within the linux file system.
Chroot is then used to change the root directory to that of the mounted linux and a bash shell is then opened to allow you to control linux this is kind of like 'booting' the OS.
The likes of VNC and SSH are then set up when linux is 'booted' to allow you to connect to the GUI if you require it.

Interested?
Ok so you want to get one of the support linux distros on your device, great welcome to the team
But first you will need to find out if your device is compatible with the method before anything else, this method 'should' work with pretty much any device but some ROM's/kernels will not work as they do not have loop device support etc.
HERE is a list of working devices and ROM's/kernels but remember just because its not on the list simply means no one has told me its working, it could still work!

Free Apps/Files
App
The App can be download via google play or the open source version can be download via source forge.



Distro Images
Below are our currently supported distros, click the distro of choice to go to its image download page on our source forge site (including torrent downloads)





Kali Linux


Testing
Below is all testing notes for the range of images, please note if you are running this on the stock ROM and kernel you will need to be about to mount /system as r/w see HERE for a work around (or install a custom ROM).
When using VNC to get the right screen size use 1920x1100 as the screen rez.

Ubuntu

• Large - Works well, although like al devices Unity is rather slow over VNC so not recommended for every day use
• Small - The most stable and best distro to use! so far found no issues and is very quick thanks to LXDE
• Core - Works well with no issues, perfect for anyone that just wants the command line!

Backtrack
All works and includes a wide range of testing tools, plus uses the gnome 2 GUI which personally I really like!
Debian

Fedora

OpenSuse

ArchLinux

Kali Linux
Working well although terminal within VNC does not work, and kali is missing many of its tools (due to not having enough free space to install them all). Other than this it works very well using the XCFE interface.

Integrated LinuxonAndroid ROM

An idea the LinuxonAndroid team have played with for some time, but that never happened.. until now!
I shall be building and releasing a custom ROM that shall feature closer integration between Linux and Android but still allow easy access for to both.

This will involve custom Linux installs and Android side work that will allow the two to 'talk' passing notification information between the two among other things

Native Linux boots

For those that want to do away with Android completely! I shall also be working on native Linux installs to allow you to turn your powerful tablet into a fully fledged Linux machine.

Ricky D said:

Awesome!

Q: Will the LinuxonAndroid ROM work like the Ubuntu guys showed early last year? And will you be basing it on stock FW, vanilla or your own flavour?

Very excited by this.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Most likely a CM base although still playing with ideas to give the best base. And yes the long run goal will be to have a set up much like the 'Ubuntu on android' demo with things like android notifications showing up in linux , sharing access to memory etc.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

domini99 said:

will a native boot be only for tablet z, or also for other 10" tablets?

Sent from my GT-S5570 using xda app-developers app

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Native boots will need to be custom built for each device, so the native boots here will only be for tablet z, but if all goes well we would like to expand onto other devices.

domini99 said:

Okay, well then i'll never get this, my tablet is not listed on XDA an has almost no development . There are only a few roms:
CM10.1
CM10
CM9
AOKP 4.2.2
ZeniThink Different

My tab is Zenithink c93

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Its true that you will not get native linux, but you can still use the 'standard' linuxonandroid install, which installs linux within android, all you need is root and you should be good to go, check my sig for the main thread for more info, as this thread will be more specific to the tablet z

Little update.
I am currently in Paris until Wednesday doing a short internship. However when I return I should have a nice new tablet z waiting for me at which point we can get things started around here

Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

Update 2
Device got held for customs charges to be paid (assumed they would let me pay on arrival.. I assumed wrong)
So the device will now be in either tomorrow or monday

Device came today, rooted and work has started, here we have Ubuntu 12.04 full image running very smoothly already!

Testing of the standard install has gone well and everything thing seems to be working as it should, see the first few posts for more info and please reply if you have any issues!

I will be moving house Saturday but shall be working on the LinuxonAndroid ROM and have also started work on the native linux, which will start of as Ubuntu but might like at other distros to

Ricky D said:

Is getting the standard Linux on android images to run using native graphics still looking possible?

Not pushing, just enquiring.

sent from a real phone

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Certainly working on this as week speak

Sent from my SGP311 using XDA Premium HD app

DarK_DemoN said:

I downloaded the Backtrack distribution (v10) and put it on my external SD card (changed launch settings to match path), but when I launch it, my tablet reboots either instantly or when trying to create the Unix password. USB Debugging is enabled and terminal has permanent root access. I'm about to download the Ubuntu image and try that as well. Is backtrack supported yet?

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

pleasee the second post

"please note if you are running this on the stock ROM and kernel you will need to be about to mount /system as r/w see HERE for a work around (or install a custom ROM)"

Another small update.
So I have pretty much got the frame buffer working. Which means no more vnc to access the GUI!

The touch screen is a little wacked but should be able to fix this to but for now you would need to hook up a mouse to make it use able.

Sadly I am rather busy this weekend BUT I do hope to have a IMG for you to all test very soon!

Then we are one step closer to actually using our tablets to there full power

Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium