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Install Android x86 in VMware & Virtualbox

Android x86 makes it possible to run Android on your PC. You can install Android x86 in virtual machines to make your debugging easy. Of course, if you really want to play mobile games on computers(Linux, Windows, OSX...).

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By Theodore Cooper
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Install Android x86 in VMware & Virtualbox

What’s Android x86?

​ Android-x86 is an open source project licensed under Apache Public License 2.0 that makes an unofficial porting of Google’s Android mobile operating system to run on devices powered by AMD and Intel x86 processors, rather than RISC-based ARM chips. Developers Chih-Wei Huang and Yi Sun originated the project in 2009.

​ Platform:

  • Linux (Windows, OSX is also suitable for this article)
  • VMware 15 (Virtualbox is also suitable)
  • Android x86 (Here I use Android-x86 6.0)

First, get Android x86

​ First, we need an image to install Android x86. I suggest downloading from the official website: https://www.android-x86.org/.

The Official Website - Android x86

android-x86-6.0-r3.iso

Installation

  • Create a new virtual machine.

  • Use the ISO image that you downloaded from the website.

  • Give it a name?

  • We need at least 2GB memory to run Android x86.

  • Create virtual disk, I recommend 40GB and more.

  • Now, let’s start the vm
  • Choose Installation - Install Android-x86 to harddisk

  • Do not use GPT!!! 😭

  • Create new partition

  • Set Primary.

  • Set Bootable.

  • Write partition table to disk.

  • Enter “yes” to write.

  • Quit cfdisk.

  • Select the partition.

  • Format as ext4 (recommend)

  • Install boot loader.

  • Install /system as read-write.

  • Installing…

--- A few moments later ---

  • Reboot (better not choose Run Android-x86).

  • Here’s the Grub!!! Boot Android-x86 6.0-r3!!!

​ But…, oops!

  • All right, maybe we should configure this system further. The solution is editing the grub in Debug mode.

  • After enter the command line, firstly it needs to remount /mnt as rw.

  • Use vim to edit the /mnt/grub/menu.lst.

  • Add nomodeset after quiet like this:

  • Save & Reboot

Finally & Setup Android x86

​ Successfully boot Android x86!!!

  • Set date & time.

  • Your beautiful name:

  • Complete!!!

Moreover…

  • If installed applications crashes easily, please run enable_houdini in terminal.
  • Have fun!!!
Linux
Linux
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