I can’t speak to xbox controllers, but I have a VM on my desktop for updating my 8bitdo controllers and de-drm’ing my kobo (formerly kindle) purchases.
For the former, the qemu gui “redirect usb device” is sufficient.
Comment on Latest Steam Deck update will warn you if an Xbox controller needs upgrading
jjjalljs@ttrpg.network 1 day agoI wonder if you can do it in a VM, actually…
NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip 1 day ago
Lawnman23@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I tried passing the controller through to a VM, no dice. Windows would detect the controller, but the Xbox Accessories app itself that handles the updates could never detect it. After tinkering for a while on it, I just went the Win10 on spare machine route. Fast enough and worked fine.
jjjalljs@ttrpg.network 1 day ago
Unfortunately I don’t have a spare windows machine, and I don’t think my girlfriend’s work would be happy with me installing the Xbox app on her laptop.
Oh well. Maybe someone will find a way to update it on Linux
Lawnman23@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Do you have a spare machine at all? Windows install is easy, you don’t need a key for activation or anything. Just pull down the official iso from Microsoft and install Win10 Pro. Let’s you setup a local account when you select domain join machine.
Again, it’s a pain in the ass that you have to do it all but it gets the job done.
The linchpin of needing Windows is because Microsoft only lets you update the firmware on the controller two ways, either via a Xbox console itself or via the Xbox Accessories app via a Windows machine. There is no standalone client or web version to do it. It’s a longstanding “problem” for Linux or MacOS users who just want to use the damn controller via its BT connection.
jjjalljs@ttrpg.network 1 day ago
Sadly, no. I mostly use the controller wired, anyway.
I did find some instructions that alleges to allow you to update the firmware in a VM: www.thrasos.dev/…/xbox-controller-linux-update/
Seems plausible.
But also my next controller won’t be Xbox, heh.
noride@lemmy.zip 1 day ago
Just curious, did windows VM see it as a genuine Xbox controller or just a generic input device?
Lawnman23@lemmy.world 1 day ago
It’s been a few months since I worked on it but IIRC Windows VM saw it as a controller, which made it that much more confusing as to why the app wouldn’t recognize it.
I was using QEMU/KVM on my Fedora box for the VM. It’s possible it would work using a different client such as VirtualBox or the likes. I had spent enough time on it by that point so I just went the Win10 on spare laptop route to get it done as I was sick of screwing around with it.
The irony is I spent almost 20 years in IT supporting Windows and solving all kinds of unique issues that arose from unconventional business needs. Glad to be out of the MS world now.