Android x86 install guide: Ice Cream Sandwich on your netbook

March 30th, 2012 → 1:48 pm @

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Did you know that Android isn’t just for phones and tablets any more? Thanks to the efforts of the Android x86 team, you can now install the popular mobile operating system onto your netbook or laptop as well! The free OS is surprisingly effective on a netbook, and offers a much easier-to-use experience than Linux and is more adept at mobile work than Windows or Mac. There are a few rough edges in the Android x86 project, but if you’re willing to get your hands dirty then installing Android x86 on your netbook can be rewarding and fun. Let’s get right into it!

Download Android x86 installer

The first thing you’ll need to do is visit the Android x86 website and download the correct ISO file. You’ll want Android version 4.0, RC1.

There are a few ISO files to choose from, but I’d suggest starting with the “Eee PC family” one, which should work on most netbooks – including my own test machine, the Samsung NC10.

Copy the Android x86 installer to a USB drive

Next, you’ll need to copy the ISO to a USB drive. You can do this using UNetBootin, a clever utility for Windows, Linux and Mac that will copy over the ISO and make the drive bootable for you.

Once you’ve started the utility, just select the ISO file you download in step 1 by clicking on the button with the three dots on the right hand side and the USB drive you’d like to install Android x86 onto. The USB drive will be formatted when start, so make sure that there’s nothing valuable on there before you begin.

Boot into the Android x86 installer

With the USB drive prepared, insert it into the target netbook and ensure that it will boot from the USB first – you’ll have to change the boot order or boot priority in the BIOS. Once the installer is running, you’ll have the option to either run a Live CD version or install Android to your hard drive.

For now, run the Live CD version and make sure your wireless card, display, mouse and keyboard all work correctly in Android. If they don’t, try preparing your USB drive with another of the listed ISOs on the Android x86 download page.

If everything looks workable, boot again from the USB and this time choose the option to install Android to your hard drive. You’ll have to choose which partition you’d like to install onto – any NTFS, EXT2 or EXT3 partition will work. You don’t have to wipe the partition to install Android x86 onto it; if Windows is detected on the installed hard drive then you’ll be given the option to boot Windows or Android when you start your computer.

Once a drive has been chosen, continue through the installation process. Choose the maximum size possible for both the install and virtual SD card files, and make the /system directory writable when offered the option to do so. When you’re done, you’ll reboot (remember to remove the USB) and be able to boot into Android for the first time.

Boot into Android x86

After a moderate boot period, you should get to the first time Android setup. Be sure to connect to a wireless network and sign into your Google account, as this’ll allow you to use the Google Play marketplace to download additional apps. Answer the questions, and you’ll get to Android itself, where you should be free to play around as you wish. All of the default applications should work, and others will be available in the marketplace.

Congrats, you’re done! Enjoy your new Android installation, and if you have any questions read through the FAQ below. If your question hasn’t been answered, feel free to leave it as a comment.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

  1. How do I uninstall Android x86?
    See this article: http://keyable.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/remove-android-x86-and-grub-loader.html
  2. How do I shut down?
    Press the power button twice, then select ‘yes’ on the box that appears.
  3. Some apps are missing from the marketplace?
    Yes, some are missing. There isn’t much you can do about this, except wait for either Android x86 to be updated or the apps to be marked as working on x86 systems.
  4. My {wireless, keyboard, mouse, display } doesn’t work!
    Try a different version of the Android x86 ISO, but it may be that your hardware isn’t compatible with Android x86.
  5. I can’t boot into the installer, something goes wrong!
    The most likely point of failure is the USB drive – try a different one.
  6. Will this work on my { some laptop or netbook } ?
    I don’t know – the best way is to try it for yourself, using the ‘Live CD’ boot option.

Thanks for reading, and farewell!

This article was written by William Judd. William writes for Mobile Fun, the UK’s leading online retailer of iPad 3 accessories including iPad 3 chargers and iPad 3 docks.

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