[ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu, BlackBerry PlayBook and Windows in VirtualBox

[David King]

Thanks for your suggestion, I will give it a try when I can. I have 
already installed Windows XP onto an old PC and used that to connect my 
PlayBook, which worked, although it took a few attempts.

It is unfortunate that all the tablet makers really only consider 
Windows and Mac OS X when making drivers, even though they might be 
using something quite different on the tablet, whether Linux or Unix-based.


David King



On 24/06/12 19:28, LeeGroups wrote:
> David,
>
> Sorry, only just got around to catching up with the mailing list and 
> your email.
>
> If you can get the old PC working with windows, or just use another 
> windows PC for a few mins, plug in your Playbook and let it install 
> the drivers. Then install something like DriverMax or Driver Magician 
> (both free downloads). These are windows driver backup programs. Run 
> one of them and extract the drivers onto a USB stick. You can then 
> uninstall the program and the drivers.
> Back in VBox, install the drivers from the USB stick. I've not tried 
> it but it may well work!
>
> Lee
>
>
>
> On 15/06/12 14:34, David King wrote:
>> I recently purchased a BlackBerry PlayBook. It's a great tablet, but 
>> it seems that RIM are not that Linux-friendly. Their OS is based on 
>> QNX, a Unix-type OS, so I thought they might at least have some Linux 
>> understanding.
>>
>> I can connect the PlayBook to Ubuntu via wifi, no problem, I can just 
>> enter smb://192.168.1.11 (i.e. the PlayBook's IP address) and I can 
>> see all the files on there in Nautilus. I had enquired about this 
>> with RIM support and they could only tell me how to do it in Windows 
>> and Mac on their website, and suggested the Mac way for Linux. I 
>> suggested they add that it works for Linux too on their website, 
>> which they are considering.
>>
>> But to do much more with the PlayBook, I have to connect it to a PC 
>> (or Mac) via the USB cable.
>>
>> There does not seem to be any way to get this to work in Ubuntu, but 
>> if anyone knows how, let me know. The USB connection is necessary to 
>> do a system backup and for installing .bar files onto the PlayBook 
>> (apps converted from Android apk files).
>>
>> I need to do it in Windows. So I used Windows in VirtualBox, 
>> connected the PlayBook via USB and Windows could see the PlayBook, 
>> but would not install the drivers. I contacted RIM tech support and 
>> they said the drivers are on the PlayBook and the Windows PC should 
>> automatically install the drivers. But in VirtualBox this is not working.
>>
>> Any ideas how to overcome this problem? I have an old Windows XP disc 
>> somewhere. If I can find it, I can install it onto an old PC and try 
>> that, but until then the only way I am running Windows is via VirtualBox.
>>
>> Anyone else had any experience with using the BlackBerry PlayBook?
>>
>>
>> David King
>>
>>
>>
>>
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