How to use Kobo Desktop under Linux using Virtualbox

[Lucas Malor]

With this quick guide you'll be able to update your Kobo device using the Kobo Desktop app, creating a Windows VM (virtual machine) with Virtualbox. I want to share it because I had some problems with USB access and I hope this guide could help someone else.

I'm using Ubuntu (Lubuntu in particular), so the guide could be specific for that distro. For CentOS and any other Red Hat based distros you have to substitute apt-get with yum. Please signal me any error or edge case.

Why Virtualbox?

Virtualbox has many advantages with respect to the other solutions:

• Physical partition with Windows: it's awkward, in particular if you need Windows only for a number of apps.
• Wine: it does not work in many cases, and it's more insecure than a VM.
• Manual sideloading of firmware: it's more fast, but you can't be sure that Kobo Desktop merely loads the firmware zip.

Install VB (Virtualbox)

1. Open a shell (CTRL + ALT + T)
2. Install VB using this shell command:
   

   sudo apt-get install virtualbox

Create a VM

1. Open VB with the command:
   

   virtualbox

2. Click on "New" button in toolbar.
3. Name and OS: enter a name for your VM, select Microsoft Windows as "Type" and choose your desired "Version" (I prefer Windows XP for speed and Windows 7 for security). Click "Next".
4. Memory size: you can leave the default value and click "Next".
5. Hard drive: select "Create a virtual hard drive now" and click "Create".
6. Hard drive file type: select "VDI" and click "Next"
7. Storage on physical hard drive: you can choose "Dinamically" if you want to save hd space. I prefer "Fixed" for performance. Click "Next".
8. File location and size: enter the size of your virtual HD. The size depends on what you want to install and use on your VM. Click "Create" and wait.

Enable USB

1. Attach the USB devices you want to be automatically mounted in the VM to your PC (your Kobo).
2. Select your VM and go to "Machine" -> "Settings" -> "USB".
3. Check "Enable USB Controller"
4. Click on the icon with an USB plug and a plus over it and click on the devices you want to be automatically mounted in the VM.
5. Edit the USB filter created with the previous step, clicking on the icon with an USB plug and an orange ball over it; change "Name" filed content with
   

   Kobo eReader*

   and "Product" field content with
   

   eReader*

6. Open a shell and do:
   

   sudo usermod -aG vboxusers <username>

Remember that if you have not physically removed any USB device before you exit the VM, they will be re-mounted in the Linux OS.

Install Windows

1. Insert the installation CD of your Windows, select your VM in VB and click "Start".
2. you'll be asked where to start the installation. Select the drive where the CD is and click "Start".
3. Install Windows and eject the CD after you've done.

Install Kobo Desktop

1. Open Internet Explorer. As usual you can use it to download Firefox or Chrome only and continue with the new browser.
2. write kobo.com/desktop on your URL bar and press enter, or search for "Kobo Desktop", it should be first result.
3. On the web page, click on "Download now" and wait the download finishes.
4. Open the downloaded file and follow the instructions. At the last screen, uncheck "Run Kobo Desktop" and click "Finish".