Android guest - unable to use Google Play apps

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Linux hosts.
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deadbird11
Posts: 3
Joined: 5. Jul 2021, 03:20

Android guest - unable to use Google Play apps

Post by deadbird11 »

I'll provide more details below, but the bottom line is that I have android running in a virtual machine with a Ubuntu 20.04 host. For any app that I've downloaded from the Google Play store, I get the following error message when I click on it:

[App Name] keeps stopping

where [App Name] is Doodle Jump or whatever. Also, when I click on the app, text output on a black background appears for a tiny amount of time. Other apps that came with the android installation appear to work fine.

I cannot post URLs because I just created this account, but I downloaded the Android x86 8.1 ISO from android-x86 dot org/download.

I am using VirtualBox 6.1 installed on Ubuntu 20.04.

During the VM setup, I selected that the "Type" of the VM was Linux and the Version was "Other (64-bit)". It has 8gb of storage and 2gb ram. Also, I had to set the "Graphics Controller" setting to "VBoxSVGA" to get the graphics to work properly. Let me know if there are any more details I should add.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Android guest - unable to use Google Play apps

Post by mpack »

deadbird11 wrote: Also, I had to set the "Graphics Controller" setting to "VBoxSVGA" to get the graphics to work properly. Let me know if there are any more details I should add.
Where did you read instructions to do that?

Android-x86 is not a supported guest in VirtualBox, due to the fact that business users (who pay the bills and thus set the priorities) have no interest in it.

Not supported ultimately means no Guest Additions, which basically means that the graphics chips don't have drivers. So I hope you haven't been following one of the garbage online blogs that tell you to enable 3D acceleration.

I would disable 3D acceleration and switch back to VBoxVGA (not VBoxSVGA).

Even then, only vanilla apps will run. Nothing that compiles to ARM code or needs access to hardware.

I you want to play games in Android I would recommend that you download BlueStacks. Ironically it's based on an old version of VirtualBox, but it has been heavily tailored for the job.
deadbird11
Posts: 3
Joined: 5. Jul 2021, 03:20

Re: Android guest - unable to use Google Play apps

Post by deadbird11 »

mpack wrote: So I hope you haven't been following one of the garbage online blogs that tell you to enable 3D acceleration.
Yes, I was definitely following some garbage online blog. I used the settings you recommended and it was successful.

Actually, my goal is to analyze the bluetooth communications of one of the apps. Sadly, it seems like BlueStacks does not support bluetooth. My android VM can connect to my bluetooth headphones when I pass it my BT USB, but it doesn't seem like any of these google play apps will run. :roll: I have unpacked the apk for this app and it seems like it is built for ARM.

Do you think I could find more success by booting Android x86 on my hardware instead of inside VirtualBox?
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Android guest - unable to use Google Play apps

Post by mpack »

deadbird11 wrote:Sadly, it seems like BlueStacks does not support bluetooth
It wouldn't.

Problem 1: A PC can't talk BlueTooth directly, it needs a USB adapter, so the VM would be set up to talk USB, not BlueTooth.

Problem 2: BlueStacks is based on a fork of the VirtualBox open sources. However, VirtualBox USB 2/3 support has always been closed source, so BlueStacks never had access to that, so they couldn't support USB unless they wrote their own emulation code. That's possible, but I don't see any mention of it (or anything that implies it) in a cursory search (just the usual idiot scam sites offering me dodgy downloads - if the feature was supported then it wouldn't require any additional downloads, as BlueStacks comes with a ready-made Android image).

Problem 3: I would be surprised if you can tap into USB communications, as that would seem like an obvious security hole.

You can easily enable USB support in a VirtualBox Android VM, but whether that would let you access BlueTooth, I don't know.
deadbird11 wrote: Do you think I could find more success by booting Android x86 on my hardware instead of inside VirtualBox?
Pass. I've never tried it. I assume you mean using dual boot, but you would still need to find Android-x86 drivers for any host PC hardware that you want to be able to use in the VM. For example, drivers for your graphics card, and USB BlueTooth adapter. I'm assuming that Android-x86 will support standard PC hardware (e.g. SATA disk drives).
towo2099
Volunteer
Posts: 362
Joined: 18. Aug 2014, 21:53
Primary OS: Debian Sid
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Android, Linux

Re: Android guest - unable to use Google Play apps

Post by towo2099 »

Even then, only vanilla apps will run. Nothing that compiles to ARM code or needs access to hardware.
That's not true. Newer android bversions provide the native bridge, which is giving arm compatiblity.
So many apps only available as arm version are running fine, especialy games.
andoisd_native_bridge.jpg
andoisd_native_bridge.jpg (13.13 KiB) Viewed 6110 times
deadbird11
Posts: 3
Joined: 5. Jul 2021, 03:20

Re: Android guest - unable to use Google Play apps

Post by deadbird11 »

I think I'll give the native bridge a try. I am running into some issues with it but those might belong in a separate topic.

The app I am reversing is not at all graphically intensive. I have been able to connect to bluetooth devices using this VM so I am not worried about that. Also, I can sniff the bluetooth communications (and all other USB) fine using Wireshark on Ubuntu, and I believe there is something somewhat similar in Android that I can access using ADB. I am a beginner with this so we'll see. Thanks for the help.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Android guest - unable to use Google Play apps

Post by mpack »

deadbird11 wrote:I think I'll give the native bridge a try.
I don't believe that feature exists in Android 8.x. I've also never used it so wouldn't offer it as a suitable solution to anyone. Binary translation is the kind of gimmicky feature that has not greatly impressed me in the past: as a developer myself I would have a great many concerns.
towo2099
Volunteer
Posts: 362
Joined: 18. Aug 2014, 21:53
Primary OS: Debian Sid
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Android, Linux

Re: Android guest - unable to use Google Play apps

Post by towo2099 »

That Pic is from android-x86_64-7.1-r5-k419.iso.
And it works very well.
I don't run android in VBox, i use qemu-kvm for it, since it gives performant 3d support.
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