Lindroid is an Android app that lets you run Linux in a container, with support for hardware-acceleration. Official group: https://t.me/linux_on_droid
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Ensure your device has the necessary configurations:
- Obtain a usable device configuration, kernel source, and ROM source code for your device.
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Clone the necessary repositories Linux-on-droid repository:
- Clone
vendor_lindroid
from to$ANDROID_BUILD_TOP/vendor/lindroid
. - Clone
external_lxc
to$ANDROID_BUILD_TOP/external/lxc
. - Clone
libhybris
(use the staging/lindroid-21 branch) to$ANDROID_BUILD_TOP/libhybris
. - Pick the patch from https://gerrit.libremobileos.com/c/LMODroid/platform_frameworks_native/+/12936 to
$ANDROID_BUILD_TOP/frameworks/native
.Use https://review.lineageos.org/c/LineageOS/android_frameworks_native/+/351543 for Android 13.
- Clone
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Modify device configurations:
- Add
$(call inherit-product, vendor/lindroid/lindroid.mk)
to your device's mk file. - Add
BOARD_KERNEL_CMDLINE += androidboot.selinux=permissive
orBOARD_BOOTCONFIG += androidboot.selinux=permissive
for GKI devices to BoardConfig.mk. - Ensure SELinux is set to permissive mode for Lindroid.
- Add
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Kernel configuration:
- For non-GKI devices, refer to kernel configurations for enabling LXC/Docker support.
Search keywords 'lxc docker android' in GitHub
- Make sure to add
CONFIG_VT=y
. - Example kernel configurations provided by Lindroid developers include:
+CONFIG_SYSVIPC=y +CONFIG_UTS_NS=y +CONFIG_PID_NS=y +CONFIG_IPC_NS=y +CONFIG_USER_NS=y +CONFIG_NET_NS=y +CONFIG_CGROUP_DEVICE=y +CONFIG_KERNEL_CGROUP_FREEZER=y (likely `CONFIG_CGROUP_FREEZER`)
- For GKI 5.10, refer to this source and ensure
CONFIG_VT=y
. For 5.15 and 6.1, explore the configurations accordingly. - I recommend that compile KernelSU simultaneously for root access (use v0.9.5 tag for non-GKI). Or use magisk etc.
- For non-GKI devices, refer to kernel configurations for enabling LXC/Docker support.
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Build your ROM using the userdebug variant:
- Avoid using user variant for now.
- If FCM (Framework Compatibility Matrix) errors occur, leading to OTA package build failure, manually modify configurations in the
$ANDROID_BUILD_TOP/kernel/configs/[ANDROID VERSION]/[KERNEL VERSION]/
directory of the ROM source.
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Download and prepare the root filesystem
- Download the pre-packaged Debian image from lindroid-rootfs releases or Lindroid website. Ensure that the folders (e.g., etc/, bin/, usr/...) in the archive are at the root level, not within an inner directory like
rootfs/
. If not, repack it. - Push it to /data/data/org.lindroid.ui/files/rootfs.tar.gz (rename to rootfs).
- Open Lindroid and follow the prompts to create the container.
- Download the pre-packaged Debian image from lindroid-rootfs releases or Lindroid website. Ensure that the folders (e.g., etc/, bin/, usr/...) in the archive are at the root level, not within an inner directory like
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Configure your device
- Ensure network connection, disable auto-rotate, set screen timeout to 30 minutes, and grant root access to shell in developer options.
- Use adb shell or terminal to enter:
su lxc_ls lxc_attach default /bin/bash -c "source /etc/profile && exec su - root"
- Optionally, change Debian source mirrors for CN users:
sed -i 's/deb.debian.org/mirrors.bfsu.edu.cn/g' /etc/apt/sources.list
- Then upgrade all packages (Especially Kwin etc. from lindroid)
apt update && apt-get -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-overwrite" full-upgrade
- If there is a network error, try setting DNS server:
echo "nameserver 8.8.8.8" > /etc/resolv.conf
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Test and configure the graphical interface:
- Test graphics with
test_hwcomposer
. - Start or restart SDDM service:
systemctl restart sddm
- If touch doesn't work, try:
sudo setcap cap_dac_read_search+ep /usr/bin/startplasma-wayland sudo setcap cap_dac_read_search+ep /usr/bin/kwin_wayland sudo setcap cap_dac_read_search+ep /usr/bin/sddm
- Use evtest to check for Lindroid virtual input devices. Adjust /dev/uinput permissions if needed and restart Lindroid in adb shell.
su -c chmod 777 /dev/uinput am force-stop org.lindroid.ui
- Test graphics with
- The most important thing is patience and waiting. SDDM usually starts one or two minutes after starting Lindroid. Please do not do anything during this period of black screen.
- XDG hack to run kwin manually:
export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/tmp/runtime-lindroid mkdir -p $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR chmod 700 $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR
- Execute this command to get input:
Modifygroupadd --gid 1004 android_input usermod -aG android_input lindroid usermod -aG android_input sddm
/etc/logind.conf
to fix power button
Restart systemd-logind on every login to run sddm - Try:
as root if sddm doesn't workloginctl kill-user lindroid systemctl restart systemd-logind
- If you have issues with starting kde (but sddm is fine) on new rootfs, for now do
sudo apt install xwayland=2:24.1.0-1
- Download this trusted.gpg extracted from the earlier rootfs and put it in
/etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/
to resolve the warning ofapt update
- A self-packed rootfs: https://github.com/xiaomi-mt6885-devs/releases/releases/download/20240628/rootfs-self.tar.gz
- Default username and password are both
lindroid
. - Subsequent usage may encounter touch issues; restart Lindroid, sddm and systemd-logind as needed.
- External keyboard/mouse is recommended. KDE Connect can help with remote control.
- There are also apps that can turn your other phone into a keyboard via Bluetooth.
- Strongly suggest SSH for better terminal experience.
This guide is a compilation of my personal exploration and guidance from Lindroid developers [Erfan Abdi, Luka, Nick].
Expect some initial issues, but it’s a promising start. Explore further on your own.
If you need more support, please join the official Lindroid group
28/6/24