Help Android for Desktop PC

[IndraG]

I am sorry if I sound dumb, as I have very limited knowledge about Android, except what I read in the news and that it runs in my brandnew Galaxy phone. I am curious though. I have never heard of Android running in PC or laptop before. Since it is an open source OS, I am wondering if there is a reason for that? Is it simply people just don't run it in PC/laptop, or it is simply can't do so? Is it possible to build a PC-like equipment for it to run? Since it run in tablets, I assume it should not be a problem to do it, should it?

 

[EarlyMon]

Welcome to the forums!

It's getting closer and closer and runs on some configurations -

Android-x86 - Porting Android to x86

 

[SUroot]

http://www.itpro.co.uk/629971/acer-aspire-one-android-netbook-review

 

[karandpr]

Also CES showcased Intel Medfield x86 based Android Phones .

 

[Deleted User]

There's a configuration of Android x86 you can use to get Android up and running in the (free) VMWare player. But it's so slow, it's almost unusable.

What I want is a widget running Android on my desktop. I want a little Android guy who waves every 10 seconds standing on the taskbar above the clock, maybe other animations, and when I click it, its body grows to 480x800 and Android boots up. I don't care if it's Froyo or Gingerbread or ICS, it really doesn't matter. I'd then like to be able to run apps in it. Take out the phone part, the Bluetooth, WiFi, all that mess I won't need. Or not, but that would be nice. Because some apps on Android are better than the website, just because site assets sit on the phone. I dunno, it would be neat.

 

[SUroot]

There's a configuration of Android x86 you can use to get Android up and running in the (free) VMWare player. But it's so slow, it's almost unusable.

What I want is a widget running Android on my desktop. I want a little Android guy who waves every 10 seconds standing on the taskbar above the clock, maybe other animations, and when I click it, its body grows to 480x800 and Android boots up. I don't care if it's Froyo or Gingerbread or ICS, it really doesn't matter. I'd then like to be able to run apps in it. Take out the phone part, the Bluetooth, WiFi, all that mess I won't need. Or not, but that would be nice. Because some apps on Android are better than the website, just because site assets sit on the phone. I dunno, it would be neat.

Using the android emulator from the sdk would do most of that surely?


This has given me an idea, if I compile my Rom as generic (on Linux) my Rom will run in emulation....

 

[Timex1972]

Anyone know how to install Android as the only OS on a Desktop Computer?
The only way I can get it to run is to install Windows first then Android and GRUB, and it lets me choose what to boot.
I want Android to have access to all of the Hard Drive for downloading apps and storage.
Complete noob here so a detailed how to would be best.
Thanks in advance, Mike.

 

[Mikestony]

Hello Timex!
Not sure what GRUB is, sorry, but can I assume you want to install Linux?

 

[Timex1972]

Hello Timex!
Not sure what GRUB is, sorry, but can I assume you want to install Linux?

 

[Timex1972]

No I want to install Android 4.4.

 

[Mikestony]

Ah, ok.
Well that is totally beyond me, but what I can do is move this thread to our Computer forum so that others smarter than me can help
Stand by k?

Edit: done and moved
I hope that helps!

 

[jefboyardee]

Check Android-x86 Project - Run Android on Your PC, then get android-x86. As for getting it to work with other distros and with Windows, using Grub, hope you have better luck than I did.

 

[jefboyardee]

Here's a new ISO from them...

Android-x86 4.4-r2 (KitKat-x86) 2015/01/01

The Android-x86.org is glad to announce the 4.4-r2 release to public. This is the second stable release Android-x86 4.4 (kitkat-x86).

 

[nickdalzell]

i went to their site last night and all their download links no longer worked and they had a notice of a cease and desist from Google. has this been resolved?

 

[jefboyardee]

I was able to download something, but it looks too small and I haven't tried yet.

 

[EarlyMon]

http://sourceforge.net/projects/android-x86/files/Release 4.4/

Not working?

 

[jefboyardee]

I did have a rotten disk there and used your link to make a fresh one, although I think they were the same link, just funky on my end. I told the iso to boot from CD, but it insisted on a wifi connection, which my desktop doesn't have, and android os couldn't see the cable internet. So, like last time, I gave up there.

So it's not that it's not working, it more that it's not communicating, or that I'm not.

 

[mikedt]

I did have a rotten disk there and used your link to make a fresh one, although I think they were the same link, just funky on my end. I told the iso to boot from CD, but it insisted on a wifi connection, which my desktop doesn't have, and android os couldn't see the cable internet. So, like last time, I gave up there.

So it's not that it's not working, it more that it's not communicating, or that I'm not.

Thing with Android-x86, it's still rather experimental, and it does only support certain hardware. Like it may not work with some ethernet or WiFi adapters. I've booted it on a Lenovo Ideapad laptop and everything works.

 

[nickdalzell]

i have some old liveCD of Android 2.1 lying around somewhere. going by the experience in this thread, it's still about as worthless now as it was then. Better off buying a netbook with Android on it, or a keyboard case for a tablet.

 

[jefboyardee]

I got 4.4 to launch again on my PC. And this time it saw my ISP connection, so I could log in and install some stuff. Still an abnormal sensation. But again, its flavor of grub is different than Linux. On boot, I could choose between Windows and Android, but nothing Linux. Then I booted my PC Mint with the grub from a flash drive but it didn't see the Android OS. So I fixed the PC grub and rebooted. I got the good old Win and Linux choices, but no trace of Android. So, again, Android got thrown aside.

 

[krishnapillai]

I enjoyed a lot from Android OS in mobiles. Why don't the same system can be utilised in desktop PCs instead of Windows. This may replace the usage of Paint, Windows media player, Movie Maker, other video players for various video formats and so many features. google Play store is there to do all the activities easily. It is my view and why don't you think over this?

 

[AZgl1500]

it is called Linux, and there are several distros available.

if you want to believe some of the rumor mills, Microsoft is sliding that way with a One System works on anything...

 

[EarlyMon]

I enjoyed a lot from Android OS in mobiles. Why don't the same system can be utilised in desktop PCs instead of Windows. This may replace the usage of Paint, Windows media player, Movie Maker, other video players for various video formats and so many features. google Play store is there to do all the activities easily. It is my view and why don't you think over this?

I've merged your question with one of the many Android x-86 threads.

It's existed for years.

Also, your question indicates that you may think that we're Google.

We're not. We're just enthusiasts supporting each other on Android devices.

Hope this helps!

 

[kate]

Android-x86 just made available their first Lollipop 5.1 release candidate for anyone interested in trying it out:

https://sites.google.com/a/android-x86.org/web/releases/releasenote-5-1-rc1