How to Dual Boot Android with almost any OS

Hey guys this tutorial will show you how to install Android as a dual boot to most OS. You do not need a touchscreen for this, all you need is a mouse and keyboard. Wifi works brilliantly as do most features.


Latest Build:
Feb 27, 2012 3:38 AM android-x86-4.0-RC1

Features:
  • Kernel 2.6.35.7, KMS enable
  • Wifi support with GUI
  • Ethernet configuration GUI
  • Better disk installer
  • Power Suspend/resume (S3 mode)
  • Battery Status
  • Software mouse cursor
  • Mouse wheel
  • Support netbook native resolution
  • Audio (ALSA)
  • V4l2 Camera support
  • External monitor support
  • External storage auto mount support
  • Support external keyboard
  • Debug mode with busybox
  • Bluetooth

For this particular job you need:
A Laptop or PC
A blank Disc or USB at least 512Mb in size
An Internet Connection
The latest build of the x86 Android (can be developer preview or a release candidate) Downloaded from http://www.android-x86.org/download
A harddrive with at 5Gb of space.
Unetbootin
A Windows PC, or a Virtual Machine, or Wine, or a program that allows you to open .exe files on other OS

Step 1. Download the x86 Android from the website. Preferably 4.0, for most laptops and PC's, use the download with ASUS in its name.

Step 2. Download UnetBootIn if you are using a USB from here http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/ or IMGburn from here
http://download.imgb...urn_2.5.6.0.exe

Step 3. Place the ISO file you have downloaded in a folder on your desktop.
If you are using a USB follow step 4A, If you are using a Disc follow step 4B

Step 4A. Run UnetBootIn and select diskimage at the bottom of the program. Click the ... to choose the .iso file we saved to our desktop remember? Select USB drive at the bottom of the page and choose the directory letter. We don't have to worry about anything else for now so press okay.

Step 4B. Run IMGburn, Press write to disc and select the .iso file on our desktop by pressing the folder and navigating our way there, for destination choose the disc drive with your blank CD/DVD inside it and press the .iso to disc button under it. Allow it to do it's thing.

Step 5. Open up your start menu for windows users. Open my computer and right click your C: drive. Storage --> Properties . Check that it has the space we need and that it is formatted to NTFS. This should be done by default but be sure just in case.

**I reccomend you back up your important files at this point, just in case :) **

Step 6. Insert your disc/usb into a drive and restart your computer.

Step 7. Open your Bios/Boot Options and set your USB/CD or DVD to first priority.

Step 8. Allow the computer to read the file and you should see a dialogue appear, choose install android to hard disk
.
Step 9. Choose your partition, this is where it gets tricky as linux doesn't show the names of partitions, my C: drive is always the third, but yours could be anyone one of them, It can only be an NTFS drive so try one.

Step 10. Now it should ask you about format options select don't format.

Step 11. It will ask to install Grub Loader, Select yes (this is our multiboot utility)

Step 12. Now if it is the correct drive it should say a The installer found a Windows Partition. If It said that skip to Step 14. If it hasn't go to step 13.

Step 13. Restart your computer and repeat steps 8 - 12 but select a different NTFS drive until the program tells you it found the windows partition.

Step 14. It will now say "do you want to install /system directory as read-write?" Select Yes. It will now begin installing Android.

Step 15. It will ask you to create a disc image, select yes, this allows it to save your apps/work/android setup

Step 16. It will prompt you to set the space in Mb the image can take in MegaBytes. I reccomend 1Gb, so type 1024 or any other amount of space you want. This may take a while, feel like a break? Go have one.

Step 17. Now you can select create a fake sd card, to store your system files in, type 1024. I haven't figured out how to access this in windows yet but, create one anyway to store phone files I suppose.

Step 18. Now reboot your PC/Laptop

Step 19. Now you can choose your boot options. This will happen everytime you boot your PC or Laptop. Upon first boot android may take a small time to load.

Step 20. Set up your Google account. And away you go.


Known Bugs Within Android 4.0 Release Candidates:
Yay! Bugs in The Release Candidate!
Known Models of PC That Are Compatible:

Known Models Of Laptop That Are Compatible:
Acer Aspire One
Asus EeePc Series
Dell Inspiron Mini Duo
Samsung Q1U
Viewsonic Viewpad 10
Lenovo ThinkPad x61 Tablet


Have questions?
Feel free to ask.

Also If you used this be sure to rate it. This will have pictures added soon.
 
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pokefloote

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4.0 RC1 is up on the site. Just added today (feb. 27th)
edit: and it looks like they fixed the default browser, I'm using it to type this message. c:
Probably a lot of other fixes too.

I'm using it on a family member's laptop, but I cannot get it to run using my desktop.
I've tried the original January 1st revisions and those wouldn't get past the partition select thing.
The february 27th revision seems to install, but after rebooting it just goes into a boot loop after the THIS IS NOT AN ASUS screen.


Should I just give up? It's probably just not compatible with this. It's a really old desktop. But it manages to run Windows 7 just fine.
Dell Dimension 8100.
 

Zerosuit connor

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4.0 RC1 is up on the site. Just added today (feb. 27th)
edit: and it looks like they fixed the default browser, I'm using it to type this message. c:
Probably a lot of other fixes too.

I'm using it on a family member's laptop, but I cannot get it to run using my desktop.
I've tried the original January 1st revisions and those wouldn't get past the partition select thing.
The february 27th revision seems to install, but after rebooting it just goes into a boot loop after the THIS IS NOT AN ASUS screen.


Should I just give up? It's probably just not compatible with this. It's a really old desktop. But it manages to run Windows 7 just fine.
Dell Dimension 8100.
Thiss version has no support for ethernet so I would, unless you have a wifi card?
If your pc has an AMD chipset download the AMD file
http://www.android-x86.org/download
 

pokefloote

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4.0 RC1 is up on the site. Just added today (feb. 27th)
edit: and it looks like they fixed the default browser, I'm using it to type this message. c:
Probably a lot of other fixes too.
I
I'm usinIg it on a family member's laptop, but I cannot get it to run using my desktop.
I've tried the original January 1st revisions and those wouldn't get past the partition select thing.
The february 27th revision seems to install, but after rebooting it just goes into a boot loop after the THIS IS NOT AN ASUS screen.


Should I just give up? It's probably just not compatible with this. It's a really old desktop. But it manages to run Windows 7 just fine.
Dell Dimension 8100.
Thiss version has no support for ethernet so I would, unless you have a wifi card?
If your pc has an AMD chipset download the AMD file
http://www.android-x86.org/download
Yep, I have a wifi card.
And I think it's an intel chipset, based on what Google gives me.

It's such a shame, this runs really, really nice on this other laptop.
 

Windaga

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I have an Aspire One D255 (AOD255) Netbook, and I was interested in installing Android on it. I'm so tired of Windows 7 Starter. The netbook itself is mainly just used for fun anyway - I'd keep windows 7 starter to run Skype so I can video call, but it's literally the only thing I use this netbook for. Is it worth it?

Also, I wanted to know, is it possible to do this using an SD card? I have a flash drive, but it's only 128 meg. I can go out and get a bigger one, but I figured I'd ask about the SD card first.
 

emmanu888

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i have an aspire one and it works great go for it

I have an Aspire One D255 (AOD255) Netbook, and I was interested in installing Android on it. I'm so tired of Windows 7 Starter. The netbook itself is mainly just used for fun anyway - I'd keep windows 7 starter to run Skype so I can video call, but it's literally the only thing I use this netbook for. Is it worth it?

Also, I wanted to know, is it possible to do this using an SD card? I have a flash drive, but it's only 128 meg. I can go out and get a bigger one, but I figured I'd ask about the SD card first.
 

Zerosuit connor

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I have an Aspire One D255 (AOD255) Netbook, and I was interested in installing Android on it. I'm so tired of Windows 7 Starter. The netbook itself is mainly just used for fun anyway - I'd keep windows 7 starter to run Skype so I can video call, but it's literally the only thing I use this netbook for. Is it worth it?

Also, I wanted to know, is it possible to do this using an SD card? I have a flash drive, but it's only 128 meg. I can go out and get a bigger one, but I figured I'd ask about the SD card first.
Yep, I am using the Aspire One too, make sure to download the Release Candidate.
 

Windaga

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I have an Aspire One D255 (AOD255) Netbook, and I was interested in installing Android on it. I'm so tired of Windows 7 Starter. The netbook itself is mainly just used for fun anyway - I'd keep windows 7 starter to run Skype so I can video call, but it's literally the only thing I use this netbook for. Is it worth it?

Also, I wanted to know, is it possible to do this using an SD card? I have a flash drive, but it's only 128 meg. I can go out and get a bigger one, but I figured I'd ask about the SD card first.
Yep, I am using the Aspire One too, make sure to download the Release Candidate.

Which specific one is that? Can you tell me what the file name is? I imagine it's one of the "Android-x86-4.0-RC1" releases, but I'm not sure which one to download.
 

Zerosuit connor

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I have an Aspire One D255 (AOD255) Netbook, and I was interested in installing Android on it. I'm so tired of Windows 7 Starter. The netbook itself is mainly just used for fun anyway - I'd keep windows 7 starter to run Skype so I can video call, but it's literally the only thing I use this netbook for. Is it worth it?

Also, I wanted to know, is it possible to do this using an SD card? I have a flash drive, but it's only 128 meg. I can go out and get a bigger one, but I figured I'd ask about the SD card first.
Yep, I am using the Aspire One too, make sure to download the Release Candidate.

Which specific one is that? Can you tell me what the file name is? I imagine it's one of the "Android-x86-4.0-RC1" releases, but I'm not sure which one to download.
Direct Link
http://android-x86.googlecode.com/files/android-x86-4.0-RC1-asus_laptop.iso
 

Windaga

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Ah, thanks! I installed it following your directions, but I can't seem to get my Wifi working. It says "turning wifi on", but doesn't actually do anything :/, nor does my mouse show up.

Edit
Well, after hitting Control + Alt +Delete, which reboots the computer, I restarted and my mouse is showing up - and the wallpaper is actually changing. I don't know why I can't connect to wifi still, but it's working a bit more this time around.
 

Zerosuit connor

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Ah, thanks! I installed it following your directions, but I can't seem to get my Wifi working. It says "turning wifi on", but doesn't actually do anything :/, nor does my mouse show up.

Edit
Well, after hitting Control + Alt +Delete, which reboots the computer, I restarted and my mouse is showing up - and the wallpaper is actually changing. I don't know why I can't connect to wifi still, but it's working a bit more this time around.
May just be a bug, there are a huge number of people using this. Google the problem and see whats the go with it.
 

Windaga

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Ah, thanks! I installed it following your directions, but I can't seem to get my Wifi working. It says "turning wifi on", but doesn't actually do anything :/, nor does my mouse show up.

Edit
Well, after hitting Control + Alt +Delete, which reboots the computer, I restarted and my mouse is showing up - and the wallpaper is actually changing. I don't know why I can't connect to wifi still, but it's working a bit more this time around.
May just be a bug, there are a huge number of people using this. Google the problem and see whats the go with it.

Hm..I can't seem to find out anything about it :/.

Everything else works fine though - other than everything related to wifi, that is.
 

Zerosuit connor

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Ah, thanks! I installed it following your directions, but I can't seem to get my Wifi working. It says "turning wifi on", but doesn't actually do anything :/, nor does my mouse show up.

Edit
Well, after hitting Control + Alt +Delete, which reboots the computer, I restarted and my mouse is showing up - and the wallpaper is actually changing. I don't know why I can't connect to wifi still, but it's working a bit more this time around.
May just be a bug, there are a huge number of people using this. Google the problem and see whats the go with it.

Hm..I can't seem to find out anything about it :/.

Everything else works fine though - other than everything related to wifi, that is.
Try a reinstall, i am quite sorry about that.
 

Windaga

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Ah, thanks! I installed it following your directions, but I can't seem to get my Wifi working. It says "turning wifi on", but doesn't actually do anything :/, nor does my mouse show up.

Edit
Well, after hitting Control + Alt +Delete, which reboots the computer, I restarted and my mouse is showing up - and the wallpaper is actually changing. I don't know why I can't connect to wifi still, but it's working a bit more this time around.
May just be a bug, there are a huge number of people using this. Google the problem and see whats the go with it.

Hm..I can't seem to find out anything about it :/.

Everything else works fine though - other than everything related to wifi, that is.
Try a reinstall, i am quite sorry about that.

No problem :). How would I go about doing so? Is there a way to delete the OS and reinstall it?
 

Zerosuit connor

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Ah, thanks! I installed it following your directions, but I can't seem to get my Wifi working. It says "turning wifi on", but doesn't actually do anything :/, nor does my mouse show up.

Edit
Well, after hitting Control + Alt +Delete, which reboots the computer, I restarted and my mouse is showing up - and the wallpaper is actually changing. I don't know why I can't connect to wifi still, but it's working a bit more this time around.
May just be a bug, there are a huge number of people using this. Google the problem and see whats the go with it.

Hm..I can't seem to find out anything about it :/.

Everything else works fine though - other than everything related to wifi, that is.
Try a reinstall, i am quite sorry about that.

No problem :). How would I go about doing so? Is there a way to delete the OS and reinstall it?
Just format your partition or delete the folders. Then boot from USB and Re-Install.
 

Zerosuit connor

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What advantages are there to running the android operating system instead of say Windows 7/8?
None, and you definitely shouldn't use it as your main OS.
It is more aimed at laptops, quite honestly on laptops that are quite slow android is the way to go, it boots faster, runs faster, and surfs the web faster.
 

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Zerosuit connor

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What advantages are there to running the android operating system instead of say Windows 7/8?
None, and you definitely shouldn't use it as your main OS.
It is more aimed at laptops, quite honestly on laptops that are quite slow android is the way to go, it boots faster, runs faster, and surfs the web faster.
I still prefer linux over android.
Android is built of a x86 kernal of Linux if I am not mistaken, which makes porting and developing apps for Android a ton easier.
Also
 

Wiip™

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What advantages are there to running the android operating system instead of say Windows 7/8?
None, and you definitely shouldn't use it as your main OS.
It is more aimed at laptops, quite honestly on laptops that are quite slow android is the way to go, it boots faster, runs faster, and surfs the web faster.
I still prefer linux over android.
Android is built of a x86 kernal of Linux if I am not mistaken, which makes porting and developing apps for Android a ton easier.
Also
 

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