About

linux-browser-installer is a Bourne shell script to install Linux versions of the Chrome or Brave browser under FreeBSD into a Linux (Ubuntu Bionic) jail. They allow you to use web services like Netflix, Prime Video, or Spotify which require Widevine. The script is based on the excellent Howto by @patovm04.

If not defined otherwise, Ubuntu Bionic ($ubuntu_version) is installed under /compat/ubuntu ($jail_path). A modified version of FreeBSD's linux rc-script (rc.d/ubuntu) is used to start the linuxulator, and to mount the jail's filesystems.

System requirements

FreeBSD 12.2-RELEASE or 13-CURRENT

Please Note

I use the term jail here for a directory to which you can chroot. It has nothing to do with FreeBSD jails.

You can't run different Linux jails at the same time. If you want to run CentOS-based applications under /compat/linux, you have to set sysctl compat.linux.emul_path=/compat/linux, and start the linux rc-script (service linux onestart). Depending on which jail you intend to use by default, set either (not both) linux_enable="YES" or ubuntu_enable="YES" in /etc/rc.conf.

Usage

Install Chrome or Brave browser

# ./linux-browser-installer install chrome

and/or

# ./linux-browser-installer install brave

If the jail is not existing yet, it will be created first.

Run /usr/local/bin/linux-chrome (/usr/local/bin/linux-brave) to start Chrome (Brave).

Deinstall Chrome or Brave browser

# ./linux-browser-installer deinstall chrome

and/or

# ./linux-browser-installer deinstall brave

This command deinstalls the browser, and removes its wrapper scripts from /usr/local/bin and $jail_path/bin along with its desktop file.

Create jail

# ./linux-browser-installer jail create

Upgrade software installed in the jail

# ./linux-browser-installer jail upgrade

Delete jail

# ./linux-browser-installer jail delete

Before deleting the entire jail under $jail_path, this command unmounts all the jail's filesystems, deletes the rc script, and removes its variable(s) from /etc/rc.conf.

Update symlinks

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Note: Symlinks to files outside the jail will not work when chroot'ing.

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For icons

# ./linux-browser-installer symlink icons

This command updates the symlinks from $prefix/share/icons to $jail_path/usr/share/icons. Use this after installing new icons to make them available to applications in the jail.

For themes

# ./linux-browser-installer symlink themes

This command updates the symlinks from $prefix/share/themes to $jail_path/usr/share/themes. Use this after installing new themes to make them available to applications in the jail.

Delete working files from current directory

# ./linux-browser-installer clean