VMware and Android-X86; What OS and version should I use?

[Erik]

Sorry for being a novice and a bit confused...

Is it correct that Android-X86 is built with a Linux Kernel?

Thus, when I setup Anrdoid-X86 as a guest in VMware, should I select Linux as OS?
In this case, what version of Linux should I use? Would it depend on the Android-x86 version?

For example, if I select the "Other Linux 3.x kernel" version  then I believe that the latest Android-x86 version that I can use is 4.4-r2 (which uses kernel 3.18).

[Chih-Wei Huang]

The latest 7.1-r2 release is also fine.

Remember to enable 3D acceleration in the VM setting
to get better performance.


--
Chih-Wei
Android-x86 project
http://www.android-x86.org

[Erik]

@Chih-Wei Huang,
Thank you for your response. However, I didn't completely understand.

1. In VMware, what OS and what version of the OS should I use for Android-x86? Can I use Linux ( with "Other Linux 3.x kernel") or Other (with "FreeBSD")? Would either one work for all versions of Android-x86?

2. My next question is; How can I find out which webcams are supported in the different versions of Android-x86?

[Chih-Wei Huang]

2018-05-08 10:46 GMT+08:00 Erik <tem...@gmail.com>:
> @Chih-Wei Huang,
> Thank you for your response. However, I didn't completely understand.
>
> 1. In VMware, what OS and what version of the OS should I use for
> Android-x86? Can I use Linux ( with "Other Linux 3.x kernel") or Other (with
> "FreeBSD")? Would either one work for all versions of Android-x86?

It doesn't make real difference.
I usually use "Other Linux 3.x kernel".

> 2. My next question is; How can I find out which webcams are supported in
> the different versions of Android-x86?

If it's supported by Linux kernel,
it should be supported by android-x86.
In doubt, test if it works on a normal Linux distribution.

[Erik]

I am not sure how to determine if a webcam is supported by the Linux Kernel. Does the Android-x86 build contain support for UVC (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UVC)? If so, many webcams should work.

For example, I have a Microsoft Lifecam Studio webcam. It works with some applications (but not all) if I boot to Android-x86 directly. However, it doesn't work at all with Android-x86 as a VMware guest. I am not sure if this is because of some incompatibility.

If Microsoft Lifecam Studio Webcam cannot be made to work with Android-x86 as a VMware (or Virtualbox) guest, I need to buy another webcam. However, how would I know which ones would work?

Thanks in advance for your help with this. I have struggled for several months trying many different things!

[Erik]

@Chih-Wei Huan,

I got another webcam (Logitech C270) and tested it using Ubuntu 17.04 (kernel 4.10.0-19-generic) as guest in VMware (Win-7 host). The camera works fine.

However, I can not get the camera to work with Android-x86 as guest in VMware. The camera works fine when booting directly to Android- x86 (e.g. using v6.0-r3).

Thus, there appears to be some incompatibility when running Android-x86 in VMware which prevents a camera from working (at least when using the settings that you suggested).
(I have the same problem with Virtualbox).

Have you tried using a webcam with Android-x86 as guest in VMware or Virtualbox?
Anyone?

[youling 257]

you can try use vbox to running 4.17 kernel Androidx86，the 4.17 kernel support vboxguest，needn't install vbox addition.

https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commits/master/drivers/staging/vboxvideo/Kconfig

https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commits/master/drivers/virt/vboxguest/Kconfig

config VBOXGUEST

 tristate "Virtual Box Guest integration support"

 depends on X86 && PCI && INPUT

 help

   This is a driver for the Virtual Box Guest PCI device used in

   Virtual Box virtual machines. Enabling this driver will add

   support for Virtual Box Guest integration features such as

   copy-and-paste, seamless mode and OpenGL pass-through.

   This driver also offers vboxguest IPC functionality which is needed

   for the vboxfs driver which offers folder sharing support.

   If you enable this driver you should also enable the VBOXVIDEO option.

   Although it is possible to build this module in, it is advised

   to build this driver as a module, so that it can be updated

   independently of the kernel. Select M to build this driver as a

   module.

config DRM_VBOXVIDEO

 tristate "Virtual Box Graphics Card"

 depends on DRM && X86 && PCI

 select DRM_KMS_HELPER

 select DRM_TTM

 select GENERIC_ALLOCATOR

 help

   This is a KMS driver for the virtual Graphics Card used in

   Virtual Box virtual machines.

   Although it is possible to build this driver built-in to the

   kernel, it is advised to build it as a module, so that it can

   be updated independently of the kernel. Select M to build this

   driver as a module and add support for these devices via drm/kms

   interfaces.

[Erik]

@youling 257,

Thank you for your response! Please note that I am a total novice when it comes to Linux so I am a bit confused...
1. With vbox, I assume that you mean Virtualbox? Is the latest version of virtualbox OK to use?
2. Where can I find Android-x86 with the 4.17 kernel? The latest version, 7.1-r2, only has kernel 4.9.95.
3. How do I execute the commands that you listed below? Do I open a command prompt in Android-x86 which is running as a guest in virtualbox?
4. If so, do I execute the following commands in sequence, and the webcam will then (hopefully) work:

config VBOXGUEST

 tristate "Virtual Box Guest integration support"

 depends on X86 && PCI && INPUT

config DRM_VBOXVIDEO

 tristate "Virtual Box Graphics Card"

 depends on DRM && X86 && PCI

 select DRM_KMS_HELPER

 select DRM_TTM

 select GENERIC_ALLOCATOR

5. I am not sure about the help command..? Also not sure about the comment to "Select M to build this driver as a module"? Are there any other steps except for the commands listed above?

Thank you again for your help; Sorry that I am such on novice on this :-(. Just trying to get this to work :-).

[Chih-Wei Huang]

No. The problem is could the VM guest transparently
access the USB camera?

[Erik]

@Chih-Wei Huang,

I am not sure what you mean by "could the VM guest transparently access the USB camera?" How would I check that?

1. When I run Android-X86 as guest in the VM, the camera is not found by the camera application.
2. When I boot directly to Android-x86, the camera is found and works fine.
3. When I use Ubuntu as a guest in the VM, the camera works fine (although not very smooth. I maybe need to add VMtools to the guest)