[LINUX] [QUESTIONS] Some basic questions about the Linux operating system - General Questions and Answers

Does android run Linux? If yes, is it a modified version of linux? Which is the exact Linux operating system variant used for developing android custom ROMs? Is the windows operating system which I've been using for decades Linux-based? Which OS has a more easy to understand GUI? Does Linux support .exe files like Windows? Don't mind but please give me the basic knowledge of how to use the OS as I'm completely new to the OS :crying: along with the questions I'd asked above.

Android uses the linux kernel and so do desktop linux distributions.
However, android applications won't work on linux distros and linux applications wont work on linux.
This is because the kernel is just the base of the operating system and there is a lot more on top that makes something "android" or "linux (desktop)"
Each ROM will be based on a version of the android system that Google has released.
Each of these is based on a particular version of the android kernel.
However, you can also upgrade the kernel using custom code too!
Windows is not based on linux. It is completely separate.
However, it is possible to create a linux like environment under Windows.
e.g. Cygwin, GitBash, and most recently Windows Subsystem for Linux https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Subsystem_for_Linux
"More easy to understand GUI" is often confused with "Which GUI am I most used to".
Linux Desktops can be configured much more extensively than Windows so you can get quite close to a Windows experience on Linux if you want to.
Linux can run certain exe files via WINE. However, this is an intermediary layer and exe files are not natively supported on Linux

Related

Best way to run linux on android

Hello, I have a Micromax Funbook tablet with ICS running on it. It's got a 1.2Ghz Cortex A8 and 512MB RAM.
I wanted to increase my productivity, so I found some ways to run linux on android.
But now I'm confused and want to know which out of the three methods listed below, is the best and most efficient way to run linux on android:
1. Using the VPN
2. Using Bochs or QEMU
3. Using chroot
I'm not sure what is meant by "VPN", but the other two are vastly different.
Bochs and Qemu will emulate a CPU architecture, like x86. You'd most likely need this if you wanted to run something closed-source on Linux, since most commercial Linux software is compiled for x86 and not ARM (Cortex A8). It would be dog-slow doing this on a mobile device.
If you're just wanting the OS and open source software (KDE, Firefox, etc.), you'd be better off setting up a chroot. The software in this case would be communicating directly to the same Linux kernel that's running Android, so it would be much faster. It would limit you to using that kernel as well, which may or may not be a problem for your project. You'll need a distribution that is compatible with your CPU. I believe there's a Debian branch for ARM.
p.s. When I say "commercial Linux software", I should probably specify I meant commercial software compatible with GNU/Linux, because Android apps are also Linux software. Linux is the kernel. GNU or Android is the rest of the OS. Praise be to RMS and all that.
The VPN method
humanophile said:
I'm not sure what is meant by "VPN"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The VPN method is this(It requires three files: ubuntu.img, ubuntu.sh and ubuntu.sh.md5):
Make a folder named Ubuntu on your SD card and transfer them there.
Finally open up termial emulator and type "su" then hit enter
Next type "cd sdcard/ubuntu"
After that type " sh ubuntu.sh"
(ignore the warning) Then go and open up Android VNC.
Address: localhost ((or keep empty, it may work better for some that way))
Password: ubuntu
Port: 5900
BPP 24
You're all set!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the VPN method is similar to chroot.
Bochs consumes high cpu
Hi,
I am using bochs to run tinycore linux on my Micromax Funbook Infinity, but it uses almost 89% of cpu. I there any way to lower the utilization? My device heats up fast.
Thanks

[tut]complete guide on installing linux on android [dual boot]

So , Hello everyone,
It will not remove or harm Android, it will just run Linux on top of android
This tutorial will guide you through installing Linux on mmx a116 with android side by side..
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.
Note: This requires a lot of free space on sd cards(any)..atleast 2 GB ..
INSTRUCTIONS:
1-Go to play store and download 'Complete Linux Installer' and install it ..
2-if you have a custom or other kernel , you have to check wether it supports loop or not.So better be on Stock Kernel.
3- Now there are 2 ways to install and run distros(eg-linux,backtrack).One is easier but requires an internet connection on the phone.other is a bit difficult but can be done from PC also .
method 1 ( internet on smartphone )
Go to complete Linux Installer and select install guides and select the distro you want it will download and guide you further.(in the unzipping step , i recommend using a PC for it as its too slow on the phone.)
Method 2 ( using a PC )
Download the version and size of your preferable ubuntu from here -
http://sourceforge.net/projects/linuxonandroid/files/Ubuntu/
After that, download androidVNC and terminal emulator from play store
now extract ubuntu.zip and place it in a folder called ubuntu on root of your SD card.Now you are ready to boot too ubuntu. select the launch menu from complete linux installer.
you will be redirected to terminal emulator . press n if you are asked to check boot.img from md5 as it gets stuck there. set screen size to 1280x720 after few seconds you will see a message [email protected] . this means you are succesful.
go to android vnc type in port option 5900 and password and username as ubuntu an color settings as 24 bit..
congratulations! you have booted to Ubuntu!:highfive:
Hmmmm.
That's not dual boot.:sly:
It runs Linux in VM.
Thanks!
-Dracula
And i don't see why anyone would want to do this, it's just killing your phone by overloading it with a Desktop OS in a VM!
Also perhaps providing credit to the person that did all the hard work might be a good idea .......
Oh and its not a VM guys, it uses chroot which means native ARM linux running with the Android kernel, within Android.

Ubuntu/Debian on X86 Tablet

Hello,
I would like to know where I can get some info about installing Ubuntu / Debian 7 on my X86 tablet device.
Tablet uses an Intel Atom Z2560CPU.
If possible I would like any of the following possibilities:
Possibility one:
Run Android along with Debian (something like chroot)
Possibility two:
Erase Android from the device (currently installed) and make a fresh Debian install.
Possibility three:
Dual Boot with Debian and Android.
The hard part is that the tablet device doesn't have any kind of BIOS (at least one accessible to the user)!
I already tried multiple apps (to run Linux distro's) from the Play Store, but nothing seems to work.
Presently I have the machine with Android 4.0.4 rooted.
What do I need? Where can I find some documentation?
Thank you
It can also be some other Linux distro.
Thank you

Create a rom from a ARM based linux distro for a tablet or phone.

Hi,
I am a Linux expert but a android beginner.
I want to create a linux bootable arm rom image by installing a running distro in qemu arm emulator or in a raspberry and from that image create a tablet bootable rom.
I know i will have tons of problems with bootloader and many of tablet hardware will not work.
Is this a good idea ? can someone point me to the references of the procedures to do that ?
Thanks in advance.

Samsung S8/any phone smartingTV

Hi,
I want to install just linux firmware official and kernel and run it as a PC linux.
Can I install only a Linux 4.4 kernel and then install gnome and other Linux apps?
I need because if I install a custom rom with TWRP, etc, some applications do not work properly. Instead by linux browser it does.
Can I install a Linux distro or ChromiumOS directly over my Exynos?
Thanks
Hi, AFAIK that won't work at all. A generic distro and Linux kernel doesn't have the device specific drivers. But i've heard about some apps that can emulate some Linux distros live on a running Android device. (like a VM)
so there isn't a native alternative?
What is the difference between the phone kernel and a PC kernel?
The Unix kernel does not allow command execution and does not work like any linux machine?
Why aren't there no ubuntu distros for phone architectures?
What is the difference between a phone architecture and PC architecture?
Thank you very much for your answer <3

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