OpenHABian on Windows based Virtualbox?

Hardware Server
1

Does anyone know if it’s possible to run OpenHABian in Virtualbox running on a windows PC?

I have a windows box that runs 24/7 and it’s currently got OpenHAB 2 running on it. But I’d like to use OpenHABian but not on a raspberry pi because of all the SD card issues etc etc.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

2

Could you explain the reasons you want to run openhabian on x86?

I don’t think this is possible without emulating the cpu, because of different architecture. And emulating a cpu is always slow.

I did run openhab for some time on ubuntu linux. Debian based as well, so similar to openhabian. Switched to openhabian when i separated the server functions.

3

OpenHABian itself might be possible, but you have to emulate the Raspi.
But you can run a “normal” OH2 on a virtual machine. I run a virtualbox on an Intel NUC. But: if you need some direct attached “Things” it might be difficult. I, for example, have some problems with the z-wave USB Stick: it doesn’t work reliable but I haven’t time to gather the problem yet.

My configuration:

  • Intel NUC 7i7BNH

  • Host: Windows 10

  • VirtualBox (runnig as a service with NSSM) with lateat ubuntu server

  • packaged OH2

  • Some other home server things like nextcloud

4

You can run a RPi 3 on a SSD, or HDD attached to USB. No worries about corruption there.

5

Yeah it’s mainly the corruption issue that concerns me. Being able to boot and run a raspberry pi off an SSD might be the way to go.

6

I’m pretty sure you can use openhabian on whatever hardware (or emulated) as long as you are using debian/ubuntu as OS. see http://docs.openhab.org/installation/openhabian.html#faq-other-platforms
afaik openhabian does not require special functions of Raspberry, but of course you can’t extend memory of a non-existing sd-card…

7

It is totally possible.

openHABian is just a set of scripts that automation the installation and configuration of a Debian based OS. You can use openHABian to configure anything from Raspbian running on a RPi to Ubuntu 17 in a VM.

And if you want as close as an experience to Raspbian as possible, there is an x86 version of Raspbian available from the RPi organization’s website.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/pixel-pc-mac/

I don’t think it comes in a server/lite version though.

Thom reports several have reported success running openHABian on x86 Debian based distros.

Sebastian’s warning about attached dongles is worth heeding though. You might run into trouble there.

Western Digital makes Pi Drives which are really cheap starting at $25 and can be powered by the RPi’s USB. They are HDDs though, not SDDs.

8

I guess I just want something “stable” that isn’t going to get file system corruption.
My windows based machine has been perfect but the upgrading of OpenHAB on Windows seems to be not as well documented and easy as it is with OpenHABian.