We have seen Ubuntu running on Nexus One / Android Powered Device, Windows XP on iPad, Windows 95 on iPhone & iPad, Mac OS X running on Nokia, Android OS running on Nokia, and Android OS on iPhone. But, how about Android OS on your Notebook or Desktop? That sounds interesting. Its GREAT to see how fast this mobile OS runs on a Laptop or a Desktop. Guys over at HowtoGeek were able to install Android OS on a Notebook / Desktop. If you are interested in install Android OS on your Desktop, you just follow the below step by step process.
First we will be installing Android OS on a Flash Drive or a Memory Drive or a Pen Drive, which will be a boot-able one and then we will make run on your Notebook or Desktop. So, lets get started.
Requirements:
- Empty Flash Drive (256MB or more storage space)
- Notebook / Desktop
Lets see if you NetBook or Laptop is supported: Most Eee PC models including 701, 701SD, 900, 900A, 901, 904HD, 1000, 1000HE, 1000HD, 1005HAG, S101, T91 (VESA mode), touchscreen works., Eee Top 1602C (VESA mode), touchscreen works., Lenovo ThinkPad x61 Tablet.
Except T91 and Eee Top, all can run the native resolutions (800×480 or 1024×600) via i915 driver. Thanks to the kernel mode setting (kms) feature introduced in kernel 2.6.29.
How to Install Android OS on a Flash / Memory / Pen Drive
Step 1: Download android-x86-1.6-r2.iso and UNetbootin from the links below.
Step 2: Once your downloads are complete, run UNetbootin. Click the bullet beside Diskimage, then click the “… “ button and select the Android ISO file you just downloaded. Finally, select the correct flash drive or memory card in the menu on the bottom, and click Ok.
Step 3: UNetbootin will now copy the files to your flash drive. This may take a few moments, depending on your flash drive’s speed.
Step 4: Once it’s finished, it will ask if you wish to reboot. If you want to go ahead and run Android, you can click Reboot; otherwise, just exit and run Android from your flash drive when you want.
Using Android-x86 On Your Computer
Step 1: Now you’re ready to run Android on your netbook, laptop, or even a full desktop computer. Simply reboot your computer with the USB drive, and select to boot from it. Not all computers will automatically boot from a USB device, so you may have to press F2, F10, or another key, depending on your computer, and change the Boot options in the bios.
Step 2: Now, when you boot from the USB drive, select Live CD – Run Android-x86 without installation.
Step 3: You’ll see a text prompt for a few moments as Android begins to load.
Step 4: Then you’ll see the Android boot screen, though we only saw it for a moment, as our computer booted really fast into Android.
Step 5: After a couple seconds, you’ll see the Android desktop … on your netbook or computer! You can quickly access one of the apps on the home screen, or open the menu to see more options.
Step 6: Click and hold to open a context menu, such as to change the background or add a desktop widget.
Step 7: Or, press your mouse’s right button to open a menu, such as to open a new tab in the browser.
Step 8: It works very good as a quick way to get online; the Android browser is actually quite capable for normal browsing, and worked very well in our tests. With a 10 second or less boot time, you may enjoy using this as an alternate to Puppy Linux or other light distros for a quick way to get online securely.
Step 9: You can even install new applications with the included AndAppStore, though these will only be installed while this Android session is running. If you reboot your computer, you’ll only see the default applications and settings again.
Step 10: Android x86 supports all of the hardware, including cameras and Wi-Fi, on several Netbooks and laptops; check the link below to see if yours is supported. In our test, our camera wasn’t supported, and we additionally had to connect to the internet via Ethernet since it didn’t detect our Wi-Fi card.
Download Links
