Devuan on Android

Chroot Linux(devuan) on Android (for ARM64 devices)

Akhil Raghav

Tested on:

  1. YU Yureka Black (with android 11 custom rom and GSI )

    Requirements.

  2. Rooted Android device.
  3. Busybox installed. I recommend “Busybox“ app by Stephen (Stericson).
  4. A terminal for Android. For example “Termux“ app or “Terminal Emulator for Android” app or Default local terminal by lineage. [or ADB shell with root access]
  5. “XSDL XServer“ app.
  6. ARM64 Maemo Leste image(based on debian). This tutorial use maemo-leste-1.0-arm64-raspi3-20200114.tar.gz, the latest image downloaded from https://maedevu.maemo.org/images/arm64-generic/

    Steps to install.

    1. Extracting the image.

  7. Open a terminal for Android.
  8. su

  9. cd /sdcard

  10. wget https://maedevu.maemo.org/images/arm64-generic/20200114/maemo-leste-1.0-arm64-raspi3-20200114.tar.gz

  11. mkdir /data/local/leste

  12. busybox tar xvzf /sdcard/maemo-leste-1.0-arm64-raspi3-20200114.tar.gz -C /data/local/leste

  13. cd /data/local/leste
  14. If you want to mount the internal memory of Android (warning: it is not recommended because linux writes logs in storage so it kills R/W cycle), you can: mkdir sdcard

    2. Chrooting Devuan.

  15. wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AKhilRaghav0/debain_on_android/origin/chroot.sh

  16. sh chroot.sh

    3. Configuring usable Internet.

  17. echo nameserver 8.8.8.8 > /etc/resolv.conf

  18. echo 127.0.0.1  localhost > /etc/hosts

  19. echo aid_inet:x:3003:user,root,_apt >> /etc/group

  20. echo aid_net_raw:x:3004:user,root,_apt >> /etc/group

  21. echo aid_admin:x:3005:user,root,_apt >> /etc/group

  22. usermod -g 3003 _apt

  23. exit

  24. sh chroot.sh

    4. Upgrading Maemo Leste Ascii to Maemo Leste Bewoulf.

  25. apt update

  26. apt upgrade

  27. rm -R /etc/apt/sources.list.d

  28. echo deb http://pkgmaster.devuan.org/merged beowulf main contrib non-free > /etc/apt/sources.list

  29. echo deb http://pkgmaster.devuan.org/merged beowulf-updates main contrib non-free >> /etc/apt/sources.list

  30. echo deb http://pkgmaster.devuan.org/merged beowulf-security main contrib non-free >> /etc/apt/sources.list

  31. echo deb http://maedevu.maemo.org/leste beowulf main contrib non-free >> /etc/apt/sources.list

  32. apt update

  33. apt upgrade
  34. We got an error: “unmet dependencies” related with “theme-default-settings-mr0”. To solve:
    • dpkg -r --force-depends theme-default-settings-mr0

  35. apt upgrade

  36. apt --fix-broken install
  37. Ignore error about processing “openrc”.
    • apt update

    • apt upgrade
  38. Choose your keyboard layout. Choose “yes” when you are asked about restarting services.
  39. You will get error about: exim4-config, exim4-base,exim4-daemon-light. To solve:
    • apt purge exim4-config exim4-base exim4-daemon-light
  40. It is possible Internet not working after upgrading. To solve, again:
    • echo nameserver 8.8.8.8 > /etc/resolv.conf

  41. rm -R /etc/apt/sources.list.d

  42. apt update

  43. apt dist-upgrade
  44. Choose “Y” when you are asked.
  45. apt update

  46. apt upgrade
  47. No more errors should be displayed. We ensure that some necessary applications are installed:
    • apt install clock-ui alarmd applet-datetime hildon-base

      5. Launching Devuan GUI: Hildon.

  48. wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AKhilRaghav0/debain_on_android/origin/launch_gui.sh /
  49. Open “XSDL XServer” Android app in landscape mode or portrait mode.
  50. sh /launch_gui.sh
  51. Devuan is started. Now you can open and install apps using osso-xterm. Audio should work too. You can install chromium or firefox-esr, browse to youtube and check if audio works.

    6. Enabling Hildon application manager: installing “dummy network”

  52. From osso-xterm:
    • apt install libicd-network-dummy

    • gconftool-2 -s -t string /system/osso/connectivity/IAP/DUMMY/type DUMMY

    • gconftool-2 -s -t string /system/osso/connectivity/IAP/DUMMY/name 'Dummy network'

    • gconftool-2 -s -t boolean /system/osso/connectivity/IAP/DUMMY/autoconnect true

    • /etc/init.d/icd2 start -D
  53. Restart Devuan (repeat this steps every time you can restart Maemo Leste).
  • Close “XSDL XServer” app.
  • From terminal of Android: exit sh chroot.sh
  • Open “XSDL XServer” app.
  • From terminal of Android: sh /launch.sh
  1. Go to settings > internet connections > connections. Check “Dummy network” is there.
  2. Select the “Dummy network” connection. Go to time (top left of the screen) > Internet connection > Dummy network. 5- Now you can install apps using Hildon Application Manager.

    Extra notes.

  3. It is possible there is errors about needed publick keys. In that case we’ll get all public keys (.asc files) from https://maedevu.maemo.org:
    • wget -O - https://maedevu.maemo.org/testing-key.asc | apt-key add -

    • wget -O - https://maedevu.maemo.org/testing-key-exp.asc | apt-key add -

    • wget -O - https://maedevu.maemo.org/extras-key.asc | apt-key add -
  4. “Apt update” may freeze during installing “gconf2”. The reason is that XSDL Xserver is open. You must close the application and the update will continue.
  5. Increase DPI in apps:
    • echo export GDK_DPI_SCALE=20 >> /root/.bashrc

    • echo export QT_SCALE_FACTOR=22.5 >> /root/.bashrc
  6. Add path to installed games:
    • echo export PATH=/usr/games:$PATH >> /root/.bashrc