How to install Android SDK

[billsmed]

How to install Android SDK on your Windows 7 Computer

I followed this excellent guide to install Android SDK on my computer, but the guide assumes a lot of things and it didn't go into the detail I needed. After 2 days of struggling I was finally able to get it working. Hopefully you can learn from the pitfalls I went through and it won't be nearly as challenging for you to install.

My instructions are going to be basic and over simplified - sort of like SDK for Dummies. The reason I'm saying this is for installing on a Windows 7 computer is because the screen shots and the information that follows will be from Windows 7. The guide that I followed and linked above had instructions based on Windows XP.

Before you get started, you will need to download two pieces of software; the Java SDK and the Android SDK. Here are the links:

1. The Android software development kit (SDK)
2. The Java SE software development kit (SDK)

​

When I clicked the link to download Java, I struggled because there were so many choices. The following graphic shows the one I finally settled on:

​

The Android SDK supports Windows, Mac and Linux. In this case, I chose the Windows download:

Once your downloads are complete, you are ready for installation.

On your computer:

Extract the Google Android SDK to a folder on your desktop. I'd suggest making the folder in the root of your C: drive - C:\Android. After you unzip the files to C:\Android, it should look like this:

​

Install the the Java SE SDK by double-clicking "java_ee_sdk-5_08-jdk-6u20-windows.exe". I would install everything using the defaults. Java will be installed in a folder called "C:\Sun".

On the HTC EVO 4G:

​

1. Press the Home icon, press Menu and then tap Settings
2. Tap on Applications
3. Tap on Development
4. Check the box for USB debugging

Now you are ready to get started. Use Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\Android, the douple-click "SDK Setup.exe". That will bring up the Android SDK and AVD Manager.

Click the tab on the left that says "Available Packages", then click the + sign next to the repository link to see the following. Click the checkbox indicated by the top arrow, then click "Install Selected". That will install the whole SDK.

​

Next step:

1. Connect your HTC EVO 4G to your computer's USB port. At this point do not mount the drive. Just leave it set on Charge only. See first option below. Windows will detect New Hardware.
   
   
   

   

   
   
   ​
2. When Windows starts updating the driver, a prompt will ask how you want to search for the driver software. Select "Browse my computer for driver software."
3. Click "Browse..." and Explore to C:\Android\usb_driver. Make sure "Include subfolders" is checked.
4. Click "Next." Windows may prompt you to confirm the privilege elevation required for driver installation. Confirm it.
5. When Windows asks if you'd like to install the Google ADB Interface device, click "Install" to install the driver.

This is one of the spots that didn't work for me. I got the message "Driver not found". That's because I have 64-bit Windows and none of the drivers that came with SDK worked. I didn't know what to do, but LatinP found some new signed, updated drives that did work with the EVO 4G. If you have the same problem, you can download the drivers here. After you download this file, unzip it's contents to a new folder C:\Android\usb_driver\vista drivers.

If you didn't get a good install on the USB driver, you'll have to go into the "Device Manager" on your PC to remove the device, then refresh the list to try installing the driver again.

​

If you get a good install, you will see "My HTC" as indicated by the arrow. If you didn't get a good install, under "Other devices" you will see "ADB" with the yellow "!" next to it, like I have here for PCI Simple CC circled in red. If this is your case, follow these steps:

1. Make sure your EVO 4G is still connected to your computer's USB port.
2. Right-click on "Computer" from your desktop or Windows Explorer, and select "Manage."
3. Select "Device Manager" in the left pane of the Computer Management window.
4. Locate and expand "ADB Interface" in the right pane.
5. Right-click on "ADB" and select "Update Driver Software..."
6. When Windows starts updating the driver, a prompt will ask how you want to search for the driver software. Select "Browse my computer for driver software."
7. Click "Browse..." and explore to C:\Android\usb_driver. Make sure "Include subfolders" is checked.
8. Click "Next." Windows may prompt you to confirm the privilege elevation required for driver installation. Confirm it.
9. When Windows asks if you'd like to install the Google ADB Interface device, click "Install" to install the driver.

Once you get the USB driver installed properly, you have to set the correct PATH in the Windows Environment. This is another area where I had problems, but it's easy once you catch on. If you fail to follow this step the SDK will not work. Here's the steps:

1. Click your Windows "Start Button", right-click on "Computer", then left-click on "Properties".
2. In the left panel, click "Advanced system settings".
3. Near the bottom of the Advance dialog box that appears, left-click "Environment Variables..."
4. Click PATH as shown in the illustration
   ​
5. Click the Edit button and carefully edit the paths and separate them with semi-colons. This is another area that was throwing me, because the path that the Java installation inserted was C:\Sun\SDK and that didn't work. It needs to be changed to "C:\Sun\SDK\jdk\bin;"
6. Before you close the PATH editor, insert C:\Android\tools. Notice in the graphic there are no spaces in the path and each one is separated with a ";".
7. Click OK to close the editor, and close the Advanced dialog

​

This completes the installation of the SDK. The next step is to unplug your phone and reboot your computer.

Now is a good time to mention that you probably shouldn't ever reboot your PC while your phone is plugged in. Some newer PC's can boot from a USB device, and will try to load Android to your PC if you do. As interesting as that sounds, it won't work, and could lead to problems.
​

To use SDK for screen capture:

1. Make sure your EVO 4G is connected to your computer's USB port on Charge only.
2. Now, Explorer to C:\Android\tools and drag DDMS.BAT to your desktop to create a shortcut to the Dalvik Debug Monitor.
3. Double-click the DDMS.BAT on your desktop.
4. The application will launch with a DOS command window and eventually a Windows based application.

​

1. Before you can do a screen capture, you need to click the little phone icon highlighted in light blue that says HT05AHL013.
2. Click Device/Screen capture... or use the CTRL-S key combo
3. The capture now appears on your screen, but there is one final undocumented step
4. It is recommended that you click on the Copy button and paste the screenshot into your image editor of choice (Microsoft Paint, Adobe Photoshop, etc) -- the reason for this is that there is a known bug that does not carry over the colors of the actual screenshot inside the capture utility.

Voila! You now have a stunning screenshot from the display on your HTC EVO 4G. Repeat steps 2-4 to generate more screenshots, or change screens on the phone and press the "Refresh" button when the screen capture is active.

Installing SDK is a step toward rooting your phone, but if you only want to do screen captures, you can save a lot of steps and a lot of trouble by using an Android app called "ShootMe". It takes about 2 minutes to install it and learn it. I didn't find out about it until after I struggled installing the Android SDK, but at least that's installed now too. As far as the quality of the screen shots, the ones from ShootMe are just as good as the ones using the SDK. The way ShootMe works, you click on the ShootMe app to start it, then go to the screen where you want to make a screen capture. All you have to do is shake the phone and it snaps the picture and saves it on your SD card in the ShootMe folder in the cards root. That makes it simple to share or e-mail shots of your Home screen or whatever.

Good luck!

​

 

[ashtx07]

Thanks Bill!!!

 

[Android 17]

So, what are some of the benefits of installing this, is it basically just to eventually root the phone and take screenshots from the device?

 

[Shawnz]

Well, it's pretty much how to get started if you want to develop for android .

To the OP - thanks. I just got this setup on my laptop at home!

 

[sylent101]

Hey i dont have an evo i have an incredible but im trying to get this set up. Im a bit confused when i try to install the sdk a black box flashes then something says i dont have java in my path... any tips on getting java in the correct path?

 

[wrecklass]

Hey i dont have an evo i have an incredible but im trying to get this set up. Im a bit confused when i try to install the sdk a black box flashes then something says i dont have java in my path... any tips on getting java in the correct path?

It should be set up when you install the Java JDK. So first of all, did you install the Sun Java JDK?

If you did, then find out where it is installed, usually: "C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_20" depending on which version you installed. Whereever it is, remember that location and then open your system environment variables. Instructions for Windows 7:

1. Click Start button
2. Right click on "Computer," select Properties
3. Click "Advanced system settings"
4. Click the button labeled: "Environment Variables..."
5. In the lower area find and double click on the "Path" item
6. add a semicolon and your path to the JDK to the "Variable value:" field:
7. so in the above case you want to add:
   
   ;C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_20\bin
   
   Notice that you have to add the "\bin" section for the path to the Java code;
   
   
8. Click Ok, Ok, etc until you have the windows closed.
9. You will need to log out of your computer and log back in, or simply reboot for the changes to take effect.

Now open a command prompt and test by typing:

javac -version

You should see something like this:

javac 1.6.0_20

If it all works, you are set up.

 

[billsmed]

Hey i dont have an evo i have an incredible but im trying to get this set up. Im a bit confused when i try to install the sdk a black box flashes then something says i dont have java in my path... any tips on getting java in the correct path?

The last section after installing has to do with Environment Variables. Look at the graphic screen capture about 1/2 down and read everything about editing the PATH.

I had the same problem at first, because the Java SDK didn't put in the right path for me.

 

[FreddyAmazin]

I got this error

Failed to fetch URL https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/repository/repository.xml, reason: HTTPS SSL error. You might want to force download through HTTP in the settings.

 

[Shawnz]

"You might want to force download through HTTP in the settings"

I had the same issue and this fixed it right up.

 

[Rdot9]

click on the settings tab right below available packages... toward the bottom click the foce box.

 

[Rdot9]

Im getting this... and when im doing the browse install it says drivers not found... will this change anything or can i ignore it?

1. Click the Edit button and carefully edit the paths and separate them with semi-colons. This is another area that was throwing me, because the path that the Java installation inserted was C:\Sun\SDK and that didn't work. It needs to be changed to "C:\Sun\SDK\jdk\bin;"
2. Before you close the PATH editor, insert C:\Android\tools. Notice in the graphic there are no spaces in the path and each one is separated with a ";".

also when adding to the Path Variable value....
for step 5. do i just add to the end of what is currently there or the beginning?
and for step 6. is that added to the end of step 5?

 

[takirb]

Im getting this... and when im doing the browse install it says drivers not found... will this change anything or can i ignore it?

Try downloading HTC Sync (HTC - Mobile Phones, Smartphones, Cell Phones, PDAs) if your computer doesn't recognize your phone driver-wise. That's what i had to do before it would show up correctly in Device Manager.

 

[Rdot9]

i already have that installed.

 

[tygr20]

Hope you guys can help- I've uninstalled and reinstalled the JDK 3 times, and every time I try to install the Android SDK, I get an error prior to installation beginning saying the JDK can't be found. I'm installing the most recent version of both the JDK and the Android SDK. Suggestions?

Disregard. Found this.

 

[G3o]

I'm having a lot of trouble with this step. there's no box to check mark "subfolders" so i end up opening up the folder.

1. When Windows starts updating the driver, a prompt will ask how you want to search for the driver software. Select "Browse my computer for driver software."
2. Click "Browse..." and Explore to C:\Android\usb_driver. Make sure "Include subfolders" is checked.
3. Click "Next." Windows may prompt you to confirm the privilege elevation required for driver installation. Confirm it.
4. When Windows asks if you'd like to install the Google ADB Interface device, click "Install" to install the driver.

 

[Alex-Wright]

This is the 'for dummies' guide I've trawled the net for - but where have the screenshots gone?

Alex.

 

[billsmed]

This is the 'for dummies' guide I've trawled the net for - but where have the screenshots gone?

Alex.

Hi Alex. I reloaded these images in hopes that they'll help you, but this information is old and I don't have this phone anymore, so I don't know what to expect.

Bill