Is it possible to run e in virtualbox?

Using /e/OS User Queries
1

Hi, I would understand if it is possible to download the iso or something in a format that makes possible to run it in virtualbox, thanks :slight_smile:

1 Like
2

Hi @coman, currently it is not possible to run /e/ in a virtual machine. I believe to remember that some time ago it was mentioned that a virtual-/e/ is on the devs todo-list, but currently there are more pressing issues (like the release of V1.0 and the app-store)

2 Likes
3

Ok, thank you for your answer :smiley:

4

I would look for the same thing!
Sounds like a great idea!

5

Any new development on this?

6

Hi @Nastja there has been no progress on this. We are currently focused on the OS upgrades and v1 release due in spring 2020.

7

I’d like to promote a little the idea of having a privacy-oriented well working x86 Android virtual machine. There are many benefits to having something like this, for example:

  • people could try it very simply just by running something on a Windows/Linux box so they can see how it looks and that many of their favorite apps are still running
  • it might be much easier to test various bugs that aren’t particularly hardware related
  • you could do sane backups/restores/snapshots (which are generally quite a sore point in Android), this is good for both normal usage and debugging
  • people could run apps like Whatsapp on the emulator in some VM if they REALLY can’t get rid of them and use the web app on the phone (many other apps can be totally separated this way)
  • one could even connect remotely on the phone to the apps running on the VM at home, it sounds crazy but some people are doing just that for PC work if they don’t want to cross borders with devices full of confidential data that can be seized, now you could do it for phone apps as well
  • this would actually integrate really well with QubesOS model. And note they’ve been trying to get some VM working since 2016 .

In short for better or worse there is quite a bit of competition in the AOSP-Android ROMs for real devices but there aren’t many emulators that work at all and the ones that do usually are more interested in pushing ads to you or doing who knows what with your data. Something like /e/ with a working implementation of microg and privacy-nice and (just from what it is) working on any x86 box (as opposed to this or that phone) would be quite unique.

3 Likes
8

I agree with this, it would allow people to try /e/ out before installing it - that may convince many people who are doubting

9

I am also looking forward to a virtual machine of /e/, to support my father.
He got an fairphone 3 with /e/ installed. Now he is asking me for support.
The only problem is, that i don’t have a device with /e/ installed.
So i couldn’t even look up the easiest tasks.

The only thin i can say is: “On my android it looks like this. Please look if there is something simellar on your device.”

I VM would help a lot with these problems.

1 Like
10

Would it be possible to run a virtual machine of a phoneclone. Would be usefull before bricking it or as running test if models can have Easy install installing /e/-OS