box64/docs/COMPILE.md

Compiling/Installing

Debian-based Linux

You can use @ryanfortner's apt repository to install precompiled box64 debs, updated every 24 hours.

sudo wget https://ryanfortner.github.io/box64-debs/box64.list -O /etc/apt/sources.list.d/box64.list
wget -qO- https://ryanfortner.github.io/box64-debs/KEY.gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/box64-debs-archive-keyring.gpg
sudo apt update && sudo apt install box64 -y

Alternatively, you can generate your own package using the instructions below.

for RK3399

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DRK3399=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for RK3588 / RK3588S

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DRK3588=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for Raspberry Pi 3

Warning, you need a 64bit OS:

If building on the Pi, you will also need a large swap (3 GB+) [optionally reduce GPU memory to a minimum (e.g. 16 MB) using raspi-config (and reboot) before starting the build]:

You can use e.g. 'make -j4' to speed up the build, but on a Pi 3 with 1GB memory you will likely run out of memory at some point and need to run the build again. Still, this can be faster if your build is attended.

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DRPI3ARM64=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make 
# or e.g. make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for Raspberry Pi 4

Warning, you need a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DRPI4ARM64=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for TEGRA X1

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DTEGRAX1=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for ODROID N2/N2+

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DODROIDN2=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for Snapdragon 845

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DSD845=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

---

for Phytium

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DPHYTIUM=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for M1

Only test on Asahi for now, using the default "16K page" kernel

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DM1=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for Other ARM64 Linux platforms

mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DARM_DYNAREC=ON -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo; make -j$(nproc)

You can also add -DBAD_SIGNAL=ON to the cmake command if you are on Linux Kernel mixed with Android, like on RK3588 or maybe Termux

for LoongArch

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DLARCH64=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for RISC-V

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DRV64=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j`nproc`
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for PowerPC 64 LE

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DPPC64LE=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for LX2160A

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DLX2160A=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j$(nproc)
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for x86_64 Linux

mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DLD80BITS=1 -DNOALIGN=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo; make -j$(nproc)

If you encounter some linking errors, try using NOLOADADDR=ON (cmake -DNOLOADADDR=ON; make -j$(nproc)).

use ccmake

Alternatively, you can use the curses-bases ccmake (or any other gui frontend for cmake) to select wich platform to use interactively.

Customize your build

Use ccache if you have it

Add -DUSE_CCACHE=1 if you have ccache (it's better if you plan to touch the sources)

To have some debug info

The -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo argument makes a build that is both optimized for speed, and has debug information embedded. That way, if you have a crash or try to analyse performance, you'll have some symbols.

To have a Trace Enabled build

To have a trace enabled build (the interpreter will be slightly slower), add -DHAVE_TRACE=1. But you will need to have the Zydis library in your LD_LIBRARY_PATH or in the system library folders at runtime. Use version v3.2.1, as later version changed the API and will no longer work with box64

To have ARM Dynarec

Dynarec is only available on ARM (for the meantime), Activate it by using -DARM_DYNAREC=1.

Note: VFPv3 and NEON are required for Dynarec.

Not building from a git clone

If you are not building from a git clone (for example, downloading a release source code zip from github), you need to use -DNOGIT=1 from cmake to be able to build (box64 uses git SHA1 to show last commit in version number).

---

Testing

A few tests are included with box64.

They can be launched using the ctest command.

The tests are very basic and only tests some functionality for now.

---

Debian Packaging

Box64 can also be packaged into a .deb file using the source code zip from the releases page with DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS=nostrip dpkg-buildpackage -us -uc -nc. Configure any additional cmake options you might want in debian/rules.