Q&A for Android x86 tutorial
Some developers prefer that questions remain separate from their main development thread to help keep things organized. Placing your question within this thread will increase its chances of being answered by a member of the community or by the developer. Thanks for understanding and for helping to keep XDA neat and tidy! :smile:
2071
Drakosha said:
How to install Android x86
(Sony Vaio Tap 11)
GPT, UEFI, working ARM translator
Hi.
This guide is written for "[FONT="]Sony Vaio Tap 11[/FONT]" (all versions), but it should work for most, if not all UEFI computers with GPT hard drives. However, on "[FONT="]Sony Vaio Tap 11[/FONT]", Android 4.4 RC1 works perfectly. EVERYTHING is functional, including ARM translator, both cameras, Wi-Fi, touchscreen, Bluetooth etc. Therefore, this tablet is an ideal choice for running Windows 8.1 together with Android.
First, download all the required files & software in one package:
What you need:
One USB flash drive (16GB minimum) for installation
Minitool Partition Wizard 8.1.1 (included)
Notepad++ 6.5.5 (included)
Android 4.4 RC1 with libhoudini, GAPPS, Root & UEFI-patched kernel (included)
GRUB from Ubuntu 13 (included)
Working UEFI Windows 8.x with GPT hard drive, on the computer where you are going to install Android to.
The installation is very simple, however if you do not know what is "partition" or how to enter BIOS – Please DO NOT TRY THIS. Ask someone for help.
YES, IT IS POSSIBLE TO RUIN YOUR WINDOWS INSTALLATION AND LOOSE ALL OF YOUR DATA IF YOU MAKE MISTAKE DURING PARTITIONING,
so please be careful.
Let us begin then! Everything is going to be done on the same Windows 8 PC you are installing Android to.
[FONT="]0) [/FONT]Go to your PC BIOS and turn OFF "Secure boot" (it will not affect Windows 8). On "[FONT="]Sony Vaio Tap 11[/FONT]" it is ALSO required to "Clear all secure boot keys" in BIOS setup and reboot once. Leave UEFI boot turned on.
[FONT="]1) [/FONT]Start Windows & install Minitool Partition Wizard 8.1.1 (pwhe8.exe).
[FONT="]2) [/FONT]Insert 16 GB USB drive. Format it with regular Windows Explorer, use FAT32.
[FONT="]3) [/FONT]Run Minitool Partition Wizard. BE CAREFUL! CHOOSE YOUR USB DRIVE, NOT YOUR HDD! Resize the main partition of your USB drive so that there is 7.9GB of free space left AT THE END. Do not exceed 8GB.
[FONT="]4) [/FONT]Not closing Minitool Partition Wizard, create PRIMARY EXT2 partition to the extent of that 7.9GB of the empty space on your USB drive. Name it "Android".
[FONT="]5) [/FONT]Close Minitool Partition Wizard. Go to Windows Explorer and copy everything FROM the folder "[FONT="]Install USB[/FONT]" (not the folder itself!) to your USB drive, so that you have "[FONT="]EFI[/FONT]", "[FONT="]boot[/FONT]" and "[FONT="]android[/FONT]" folders in the USB drive's root.
[FONT="]6) [/FONT]Press "Shift" on the keyboard, and while holding it choose "Restart" from Windows 8 charm bar (that annoying vertical stripe to the right). "Advanced Reboot" menu appears, choose "Use device" -> "UEFI USB drive"
Now, if you are using Sony Vaio Tap 11, there is everything already set in config files & you do not need to edit them. However, if your PC is different, now it's a good time to test if it can run Android x86 at all. So:
[FONT="]7) [/FONT]a) - ([FONT="]Sony Vaio Tap 11[/FONT]) - When black GRUB startup screen appears, choose "Install Android" -> wait for installation screen -> Select partition "sdb2 (linux)" -> Select "Do not format" -> Select "Yes, install GRUB" -> Select "Yes, install system r\w" -> Wait -> Select "Reboot".
[FONT="]7) [/FONT]b) - (NOT [FONT="]Sony Vaio Tap 11[/FONT]) - When black GRUB startup screen appears, choose "Live Android 4.4" and TEST EVERYTHING. Don't worry if ARM translator doesn't work - it will, after you install Android to HDD. If everything seems fine, choose "Power Off" from Android (NOT “REBOOT”!), start Windows again and repeat steps 6) & 7a).
[FONT="]8) [/FONT]Now that you have installed Android to EXT2 partition on your USB drive, it is time to move it to HDD. Remove USB drive. Start Windows and launch Minitool Partition Wizard.
[FONT="]9) [/FONT]THIS IS THE PART WHERE YOU MUST BE VERY CAREFUL. Select your main computer's HDD. Find Windows partition (disk C:). If C: is your PC's only drive (like on [FONT="]Sony Vaio Tap 11[/FONT] and most Ultrabooks) - carefully resize it with Minitool Partition Wizard, leaving ~8.5GB of free space AFTER it. WARNING! DRIVE C: IS NOT ALWAYS THE "LAST" PARTITION ON YOUR HDD - SOMETIMES THERE ARE ADDITIONAL RECOVERY & OEM PARTITIONS AFTER IT, WHICH YOU CAN'T SEE UNDER WINDOWS, BUT CAN IN Minitool Partition Wizard. DO NOT TOUCH THEM! RESIZE JUST THE DRIVE C:! If there are additional (logical) drives in your PC (D:, E: etc.) - resize the last one that you can see under Windows explorer, but, I repeat, DO NOT TOUCH ANY PARTITION BEFORE OR AFTER IT!
[FONT="]10) [/FONT]Close Minitool Partition Wizard. Insert your 16GB USB drive, where Android was just installed. Launch Minitool Partition Wizard again.
[FONT="]11) [/FONT]Select your USB drive. Choose EXT2 partition and COPYit to the free space of your main HDD, but position it AT THE END OF FREE SPACE - remember, we created EXT2 with the size of 7.9GB, but resized C: to free 8.5GB? Therefore, there will be ~500-600MB of free space left BETWEEN YOUR RESIZED DRIVE C: & EXT2 PARTITION. That's exactly what we need.
[FONT="]12) [/FONT]When copying of EXT2 partition finishes, create new PRIMARY FAT32 partition in that 500-600MB of remaining free space. Name it "GRUB" and let Minitool Partition Wizard assign some drive letter to it (don't worry, it is all temporary). Let's assume that the letter assigned was "E:"
[FONT="]13) [/FONT]Now the fun part COUNT (literally, with your finger) ALL PARTITIONS ON YOUR HARD DRIVE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT - count every single one, including the just created "GRUB". Write down (on a sheet of paper) the position of your just copied EXT2 partition - on [FONT="]Sony Vaio Tap 11[/FONT], it will be number 7, on other GPT computers - likely 6 (or 7). Close Minitool Partition Wizard.
[FONT="]14) [/FONT]Go to Windows Explorer and copy everything FROM the folder "Copy to GRUB HDD Partition" (not the folder itself!) to your newly created "E:" drive ("GRUB"), so that you have "EFI" and "boot" folders in "E:" drive's root.
[FONT="]15) [/FONT]Go to "E:" drive's root and edit the file "boot" -> "grub" -> "grub.cfg". Do NOT use Windows' "Notepad" for that, use included "Notepad++"
[FONT="]16) [/FONT]Find this:
Code:
menuentry "Run Android x86" {
set root=(hd0,gpt7)
linux /android-4.4-RC1/kernel root=/dev/sda7 androidboot.hardware=android_x86 SRC=/android-4.4-RC1
initrd /android-4.4-RC1/initrd.img
}
CHANGE "root=(hd0,gpt7)" & "root=/dev/sda7" TO THAT NUMBER YOU'VE WRTITTEN ON A SHEET OF PAPER - for example, if your EXT2 partition was 6th from the left, change "root=(hd0,gpt7)" to "root=(hd0,gpt6)" & "root=/dev/sda7" to "root=/dev/sda6". DO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING ELSE. DO NOT ADD SPACES. Save the file.
[FONT="]17) [/FONT]Edit the file "boot" -> "grub" -> "loopback.cfg" in exactly the same way as in the previous step. Save the file. Close editor.
[FONT="]18) [/FONT]Remove USB drive if you had not already. That is important – if USB is inserted, then ITwill become “hd0” for grub & Android would fail to load.
[FONT="]19) [/FONT]Reboot your PC. It will start Windows as usual. Wait until it booted completely and go to Desktop (from Windows 8 Metro screen)
[FONT="]20) [/FONT]Move your mouse to the very bottom-left corner & press RIGHT button. Choose "Disk Management". Find your little ~500-600MB "GRUB" partition (disk "E:" in this guide), press right mouse button & pick "Change drive letters & paths". Press "Remove" button. No more useless disk "E:" in Explorer
[FONT="]21) [/FONT]At last, press "Shift" on the keyboard and, while holding it, choose "Restart" from Windows 8 charm bar (that annoying vertical stripe to the right). "Advanced Reboot" menu appears, choose "Use device" -> and surprise! New choice appears there - "UEFI HDD drive"! That is your Android. This is how you will access it every time (reboot Windows with "Shift").
To return to Windows from Android, just select "Power Off" from drop-down, & then simply start your PC again. Do NOT use terminal command "Reboot" - if PC is rebooted from Android to Windows without proper shutdown, Bluetooth will not work under Windows until switched on\off in Android.
In a rare case when GRUB becomes the default UEFI loader, not letting you to start Windows – there’s an entry in it to chainload UEFI Windows 8 boot manager. You have 5 seconds on every boot to select this entry. Then your PC will boot Windows normally, & Windows should automatically correct its loading sequence. Android will still be accessible in a usual way.
That's it Happy hacking!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have tried following your instructions to put android on my sony Vaio tap 11, but I cant even get past step 5
Ive followed each step to the letter, but once ive created the 'Primary EXT2' partition, I cant see the usb drive in my computer to copy over the 'Install USB' files
Have you got any idea where im going wrong?
smash monkey said:
I have tried following your instructions to put android on my sony Vaio tap 11, but I cant even get past step 5
Ive followed each step to the letter, but once ive created the 'Primary EXT2' partition, I cant see the usb drive in my computer to copy over the 'Install USB' files
Have you got any idea where im going wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once you perform step 2, (Format it with regular Windows Explorer, use FAT32) you should be able to copy the files to the USB drive. If not, there could be an issue with your USB drive. You won't be able to see the EXT2 filesystem on Windows, this is just for OS installation later.
Ok il try transferring the files then doing step 3, 4 (not 5 because weve already copied it) then 6 onwards. Thanks
The USB drive itself is fine, I use it everyday
---------- Post added at 03:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:37 PM ----------
bitpushr said:
Once you perform step 2, (Format it with regular Windows Explorer, use FAT32) you should be able to copy the files to the USB drive. If not, there could be an issue with your USB drive. You won't be able to see the EXT2 filesystem on Windows, this is just for OS installation later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried this, and when I reboot using the advanced reboot, use device, UEFI USB drive, it just reboots and goes to windows.
Oh and also my sony vaio tap 11 in advanced reboot > usb device > it doesnt say 'UEFI USB Drive', it just says 'EFI USB Drive'
now when I was doing step 0, there wasnt anything in my bios that said 'Clear all secure boot keys'
Not sure why this wont work for me, im usually quite good with following these sort of things.
Anymore tips?
Ok a bit of an update,
If i boot from the USB stick (this is a second usb stick im trying now)
I get: Could not open "\EFI\BOOT\fallback.efi": 14
error: variable 'root' isn't set.
Any ideas?
smash monkey said:
Ok a bit of an update,
If i boot from the USB stick (this is a second usb stick im trying now)
I get: Could not open "\EFI\BOOT\fallback.efi": 14
error: variable 'root' isn't set.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok so i only have the error "error: variable root isnt set" if anyone can help please??
Anyone got any ideas on this issue please?
How to install Android x86 (Sony Vaio Tap 11)
Hello, Android 4.4 KitKat is working perfect on my Sony Vaio Tap11, but i have not enough disk space to be able install Apps on the partion that i create for Android. could you please help.
where to get android-x86 system files tool?
Can not distinguish partitions during x86 install on a win7 notebook
Sda 1
Sda 2
Sda 3 . . . And 2 more even though i have only 3 partitions.
There is no other information , and I do not want to instal Android in the Windows C volume. The only recognisable item from that list is the flash drive containing the Android installation Files. This is the very first day on this forum and the very first question, Im yet to find my way around this site.
Thank you
Hello guys
it will be helpfull if anybody will port android x86 L to 32 bit......
installed and used once. Reboot fails as the grub config hasnt been written. " error - variable root hasnt been set." system is read only so I guess the grub file will never get written. The installer needs option to write a grub config or installer generates its own. Im sick of reinstalling this thing through all install options. maybe in a year or two I'll try again.
I don't really know what's going on here. I think it's maybe UEFI related. I own an Asus Zenbook Pro (model UX501VW in case if that matters). I can't get Remix OS 2.0 Beta urnning on my SSD. I've already disabled Secure Boot and Fast Boot but I always get stuck on "Detecting Android x86.............." infinite bootloop.
Installed it with the official tool in the original partition (C
Installed it in a secondary partition (D:, FAT32)
Used EasyBCD
Used Unetbootin
Used Grub2Win (interestingly, It leads to a blackscreen instead of the other error)
In fact. I'm not able to run it. I know that the ISO isn't corrupted because I can run it in VMWare Workstation.
Any thoughts?
Same here
In which field its stuck on booting or on build the rom
It doesn't even build the partition to install the ROM on it. Even if I create the partition by myself, it will show the same problem.
In the screen where you have to select boot RemixOS or Windows, just press c and go to grub> prompt. Type ls and see what is your HDD partition structure. You can also press e and go to check actual install command. You may have to make changes to /efi/boot/grub.cfg. I can help.
Loving RemixOS But not loving how painful it is on my pc to launch it
Initially I installed remixos on my Lenovo Miix 700 using the installer from jide.com. It worked fine, and when connected to a keyboard I can choose it in the grub menu and launch it ok. Everything happy and I can use my laptop as a tablet with android
Windows is installed in UEFI mode (laptop can boot legacy or UEFI), so it is not added to windows boot menu, only as a grub menu. EasyBCD does not work (as it is UEFI).
The problem is, the hardware keys (vol up / vol down are the only ones I have) do not work in grub, so without a keyboard attached I cannot boot into remixos.
Next I went and followed a guide on hitricks.com called guide-how-to-dual-boot-remix-os-with-windows-uefi-legacy which installs remix to a partition. This works as in it now shows up in my bios-level boot menu (which I can access by holding down vol up during boot, not ideal but not world ending), but has left a lot of mess. I have a grub menu for starting windows (normal boot), and a separate grub menu when booting the remix partition. I want to delete / uninstall the grub menu installed by the jide installer (the one on normal boot), so it just goes into windows boot. If there is no way to add remix to windows boot manager, I would then just keep the grub menu for remixos when booting from bios menu (already I have this but set to timeout 0 so I don't actually see it).
My EFI partition looks like following:
\boot\grub\grub.cfg this is the grub menu shown at startup. Deleting this I get grub terminal only.
\EFI\Microsoft\... microsoft windows 10
\EFI\Android\grubx64.efi, grub.cfg This is the grub menu for remixos. I have changed this to have a timeout of zero as can only get here by bios boot menu anyway
\EFI\RemixOS\bootx64.efi, grubx64.efi, exfat64.mod, ntfs64.mod, grub.cfg This I think was created by the installer previously. It only has an entry for Windows
I have already tried the windows 10 recovery mode -> bootrec /fixmbr and bootrec /fixboot, but they did not change it.
In an ideal world, I would just have the windows boot menu (as it has touch screen), and nothing else. I have considered using neosmart's easy recovery essentials (as apparently it can also un-UEFI mode windows), but I don't want to buy it if it will not work.
Any suggestions greatly appreciated please!
smurftheweb said:
If there is no way to add remix to windows boot manager, I would then just keep the grub menu for remixos when booting from bios menu (already I have this but set to timeout 0 so I don't actually see it).
I have already tried the windows 10 recovery mode -> bootrec /fixmbr and bootrec /fixboot, but they did not change it.
In an ideal world, I would just have the windows boot menu (as it has touch screen), and nothing else. I have considered using neosmart's easy recovery essentials (as apparently it can also un-UEFI mode windows), but I don't want to buy it if it will not work.
Any suggestions greatly appreciated please!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I could not get my head around everything you were saying. But I noticed you mentioned "Windows 10 Recovery Mode" as not helping. So I wanted to chime in, in that regard.
I also have a Lenovo Miix 700. Last night, I was desperately trying to find a way for Remix OS to use the Windows Boot Manager. None of my experiments worked. Then even after uninstalling Remix OS from uninstaller: the Grub bootloader remained on startup. Additionally, I tried deleting items manually from the boot partition, which screwed up my boot.
The solution that worked for me was entering recovery mode (Power+Volume Up on Miix device). Then enter the command prompt. The command that rebuilt my boot and got rid of Remix OS entries was: bootrec /rebuildbcd
Hello everyone and thanks for these great releases!!
I have a Lenovo miix 700 Windows based tablet, and I'm interested in a dual boot with RemixOS and Window 10 using the touch screen only, without the keyboard.
I have RemixOS efi folder extracted and running on the same partition of WIndows (C: ), and I can boot through UEFI normally.
THe problem is - this requires to enter the BIOS in order to chose UEFI OS, which means requires having the keyboard attached to enter the BIOS settings. and being a tablet, I don't have the keyboard with me all the time.
I'm looking for a way to boot into RemixOS from Windows 10, without the need for the keyboard, by using a batch file script or any other application available that will restart the device and boot directly into RemixOS.
I also want to keep both Windows 10 and RemixOS on the same partition , without the need for a separate partition for RemixOS
I know that devices based on Legacy can use easyBCD and iReboot to achieve this, but I couldn't find an equivalent for UEFI bios.
Maybe using METRO boot manager and add an entry for RemixOS? IS it touch enabled?
I'd be grateful for any help to achieve this! Thanks in advance!
KamaL said:
Hello everyone and thanks for these great releases!!
I have a Lenovo miix 700 Windows based tablet, and I'm interested in a dual boot with RemixOS and Window 10 using the touch screen only, without the keyboard.
I have RemixOS efi folder extracted and running on the same partition of WIndows (C: ), and I can boot through UEFI normally.
THe problem is - this requires to enter the BIOS in order to chose UEFI OS, which means requires having the keyboard attached to enter the BIOS settings. and being a tablet, I don't have the keyboard with me all the time.
I'm looking for a way to boot into RemixOS from Windows 10, without the need for the keyboard, by using a batch file script or any other application available that will restart the device and boot directly into RemixOS.
I also want to keep both Windows 10 and RemixOS on the same partition , without the need for a separate partition for RemixOS
I know that devices based on Legacy can use easyBCD and iReboot to achieve this, but I couldn't find an equivalent for UEFI bios.
Maybe using METRO boot manager and add an entry for RemixOS? IS it touch enabled?
I'd be grateful for any help to achieve this! Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, you can check this link:
http://www.easyuefi.com/index-us.html
easyuefi not running well in Win 10 Anniversary Update. I prefer grub2win
any news or tuto to easyboot on win10 tablet without keyboard ?
thanks is advance for your help
That's something I've been trying to get to work in the past days!
I've shrunk my C Partition and created a new one with 16GB formatted in FAT32 for Remix OS.
Extracted the ISO and copied the files onto the new partition.
Added a new entry with easyuefi (Type Linux/other OS pointing to the efi\boot\bootx64.efi file on the new partition)
Created a shortcut for the advanced start %windir%\system32\shutdown.exe /r /o /f /t 00
BUT Remix OS doesn't boot in resident mode (it get's stuck on the Remix OS boot logo) ... in guest mode Remix OS boots just fine!
I don't have an idea why this is happening and how to solve this one ... maybe someone like @RemixOS_Jason does
http://support.jide.com/hc/en-us -> Submit an idea (feature request) and ask them for a touch supported bootloader
Remix won't boot on my PC. I get an Error 15 and that's it any ideas?
AMD A10-6800 with Radeon HD graphics 4.40 ghz
8 gb Ram
Windows 10 64bit
Thanks for any help
That is bootloader related. I have it on my sister's Asus but I managed to fix it.
First extract all of the ISOs contents to the root of your windows partition, or any partition. Remember the ROOT of a partition don't add them to any subfolders. Make sure that system.sfs and kernel are in the root of the partition.
2) Download EasyBCD in windows "google it"
3) Put the iso file itself in the root of the partition as well and rename it to Remix.iso
4) Open EasyBCD - - > Add new Entry - - > go down and select iso tab. Select the iso file remix.iso and press add entry.
5) Reboot and select Neosmart iso or whatever you renamed it in the Windows boot menu. It will boot you to the iso. Select resident mode. And press enter.
I hope this helps.
@mdgraphix
I need little bit more information before I help you.
1. Did you use the official installer?
2. Did you install from Windows or from USB?
3. Please make a picture of your screen when the error 15 occurs or write down what's on the screen before the error.
Sent from mobile