Couple days back, I had the pleasure of installing Ubuntu on my Nexus One. Well, after fiddling the kernel a bit, I’ve got it to run on the HTC Evo 4G also.
One problem we ran into was the fact that the HTC Evo 4G Roms (even custom ones) didn’t have support for loop devices, which is required to mount Ubuntu images. (Nexus One on the other hand, is enabled by default.) That meant we needed to re-compile the kernel with support. Which isn’t all that hard, just 1 line of code but we still had to flash the new modified kernel so we can start running Ubuntu on it.)
Anyways, thanks to devs at XDA developers input and trying, now we can all install Ubuntu on HTC Evo 4G and any other Android devices.
For other Android devices, if the bootubuntu script doesn’t work, you just need to re-compile the sources with support for loop devices.
Let’s now try installing Ubuntu on your HTC Evo 4G!
How to Flash Modified Kernel with Loop Devices Support!
First, download the new kernel and drivers I compiled with added support for Loop devices here:
Unzip the three files, zImage, bcm4329.ko, and sequans_sdio.ko to your /sdk/tools directory.
Also, if you have custom ROMs with hacks like overclocking, you can also compile your own kernel, full directions on that here.
Second, we are going to need to update the Kernel or your HTC Evo 4G to support loop devices, which will allow us to mount the Ubuntu images, so do:
*Note – This example is for Ubuntu/Linux/Mac, it should be similar for Windows just replace “/” with “\”.
cd /sdk/tools
wget http://android-dls.com/files/linux/fastboot
chmod 755 fastboot
(For windows, you can find fastboot Windows here.)
Let’s push the new wifi/4G drivers. (You need them along with the compiled kernel, otherwise flashing the zImage will break your wifi/4G, that I’ve learned becaues they are compiled together! You can do a test with fastboot boot zImage without flashing but your wifi/4G might not work even if they exist already. )
./adb push bcm4329.ko /system/lib/modules/bcm4329.ko
./adb push sequans_sdio.ko /system/lib/modules/sequans_sdio.ko
Next, let’s flash the new kernel image:
fastboot flash zimage zImage
fastboot here will hang so just turn the power off on your Evo 4G then put it back into “fastboot” mode by pressing on the Power button WHILE holding down the Volume down button. Then press Power button once more to enter “fastboot” mode.
You should see the image flashing now. Just reboot after that.
After that, you can follow the same steps used here for Nexus One at NexusOneHacks.net. They are exact same files, we just needed to update the kernel to add support for loop devices. (Which you can do by adding CONFIG_DEV_BLK_LOOP=y in .config file during compiling of kernel. You can read more about that here for installing Ubuntu on other Android systems.)
You should be able to get the same Ubuntu booted-up nicely on the Evo 4G!
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It wont download the kernel give me a 401 error
I mean 404
Sorry FIXED!
Thank You
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Is it possible if we can get Iphone iOS4 on the Htc Evo it would be great
LoL no and why? iPhone is really becoming quite the turd these days. I own a cellphone repair shop and I have started to really dislike the iPhone the more I have to deal with it.
Wow. I got this done in the first attempt
Its running very smooth and actually not that slow. It loads up the apps pretty quick and run the Mozilla browser very well 
this is awesome work. Thanks
Just wondering, not to sure if even possible of doing from the phone. In firefox when you go to a flash site of flash video it shows the flash logo and links you to the drivers site. Is it even possible to dl them and make it work from the phone? or would that have to already be incorporated in the ubuntu files while installing?
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Hi, is it possible to load ubuntu on htc desire ???? I am desperate to know how …. Please mail me if it is possible…
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Just wondering, not to sure if even possible of doing from the phone. In firefox when you go to a flash site or go to a flash video it shows the flash logo and links you to the drivers site. Is it even possible to dl them and make it work from the phone? or would that have to already be incorporated in the ubuntu files while installing?
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when i try to copy the drivers it says read-only file system, any ideas
What did you do? I get the same thing.
ok i managed to get it to install and boot but when ever i try to open firefox or anything i just get the load symbol then it goes away and nothing opens???
Hey guys,
Are you sure it’s not “CONFIG_BLK_DEV_LOOP=y” rather than CONFIG_DEV_BLK_LOOP=y ??
I never found an entry for the latter, but did find an entry for the “CONFIG_BLK_DEV_LOOP”
Can you verify?
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can we do the same thing whit backtrack4 install it on the evo & how
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I was wondering if this is a mod just for fun, or does it bring added functionality to the phone?
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im not finding the CONFIG_DEV_BLK_LOOP=y ive looked in the makefile for hours and cannot find it anywhere and yes im sure ive followed your guide cant seem to figure it out any help will be apprecated
For anyone getting the read only file system error when trying to copy over the drivers all you need to do is run “adb remount” and your good as gold
Any way this method can be used to install BackTrack on the EVO
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I recently purchased a micro hdmi for the evo and i was under the impresseion that it was just going to mirror whatever your doing on your phone onto your tv but i guess sprint blocked all that and only allows the gallery, i am wondering if rooting my phone or putting a different rom like ubuntu that sprint wont be able to block it… If not, is there a known way to bypass this?? Thanks for your help. EVO Pride.
when I try to ./adb push the files an error
failed to copy ‘bcm4329.ko’ to ‘/system/lib/modules/bcm4329.ko’: Permission denied
can you help me please.
my phone is rooted.
welll as of today this does not work i loss all touch after flashing the kernal i believe it is because i have froyo on my phone anyone with a updated kernal or could make me one im using fresh 3.2.0.0
Looks like the newest kernal has put a halt on this….if anyone has any info on how i can still do this it would be much appreciated….thanks
sorry i didnt check notify last time lol
So these new drivers provided to support loopback devices are for 2.1 right? I can’t flash them because I have rooted 2.2 on my EVO, or could I?
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Great hack! However the directions for installing ubuntu on nexus one make it way more complicated than it needs to be. After doing this hack you should be able to use the app linux installer from the android market and follow the simple directions on the developers website.
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Great work! I was able to get Ubuntu running perfectly. I have two questions. How did you the keyboard to show up while using the VNC? If I wanted to get rid of lxde how would I go about removing it?
Thanks again for all the effort.
Does the modified kernel also run on Desire HD ?
OK, now that we are using ubuntu on our EVO, how do we “exit out” of ubuntu and back into our custom rom ?
Is there any instructions using terminal emulator? I can get all the way up to the fastboot part with T.E .
The reason I’m asking is cause I don’t have a computer. Please help
@HTC EVO Hacks Any ideas why I can’t use fastboot to flash the zImage? I am able to detect the device using fastboot devices but when I try to flash zImage I get the following error:
writing ‘zimage’ … FAILED
Any ideas? I’m using Supersonic EVT3 Ship S-OFF, HBoot 2.02 and radio 2.15.00.09.01. Thanks
May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!
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When I run “wget http://android-dls.com/files/linux/fastboot” it comes back with a 404 error. file is not found on this server. Do you have a alternative to this location. I am using ubuntu 10.10
how can i overcome chroot: can’t execute ‘/bin/bash’: Input/output error
what do you mean by “/sdk/tools” where can i find that?
So when I do this my kernel keeps breaking. everything gets sent over properly but then my phone hangs on the htc ego 4g screen. What do I do?!
when I finishing flash zImage and reboot, my phone get stuck on htc logo, any solution?
This is great. My question is how do you make phone calls. Is it even possible. If it is I would love to install KDE-Ubuntu. (kubuntu) Would that be possible.
MAX it say your youtube account has been terminated. Whats going on?