Android-x86 KitKat 4.4.4 Exton build 160214, version 9, is a ready!
I’ve added Mesa (3D Graphics Library) 10.5.9 for better Graphic performance. The system can run live (from CD or a USB stick) on almost all laptops (and some Desktop computers). For example Acer (Aspire), HP, Samsung, Dell, Toshiba, Lenovo, Thinkpad, Fujitsu, Panasonic and Asus laptops. I can also mention that I could run this version without problems on a HP Pavilion 500-317no Desktop Computer. The Android system is distributed in the form of an ISO file as the rest of my Linux distributions. I.e. you must (as usual) burn the ISO file to a CD if you want to run the system live on your computer or install it to hard drive. Read about how to burn ISO files. Or skip that. Just use ImgBurn. Nothing can go wrong. You can easily install the system to your hard drive and install new apps. You can also install new apps while running the system live. Google Play Store and Aptoide App Manager are pre-installed so you can just make your choices…
Used kernel
4.4.0-exton-android-x86. The original Android-x86 KitKat version uses kernel 4.0.9.
Replacement
This version (version 9) replaces all my previous (8) Android-x86 4.4.4 KitKat builds. In version 9 (as in version 8) I’ve added GAPPS. I.e. Google Play Services, Google Play Store, Maps, YouTube and more apps. Everything just works.
My sources
My KitKat Build 9 is based on the Android-x86 Project – Run Android on your PC. So is my other Android-x86 builds.
Wireless connections
When the system has booted up you will normally be asked to configure you wireless network. Unfortunately the Android-x86 project doesn’t support all Broadcom wifi cards. I have experience from two different cards – BCM4311 and BCM43142. The first mentioned one works. Necessary Broadcom drivers can be installed in other Linux systems (for example in Ubuntu), but not (yet) in an Android-x86 system. So if you have a Broadcom wireless card and want to run my KitKat build 9 you’ll have to use a wired connection.
Install to hard drive
Say for example that you have a laptop with Windows 10 installed as the only operating system. If you just create one extra partition of about 5 GB you can install Android KitKat on this extra partition and then “dual-boot”. I.e. you can turn on your computer (called “booting it up”) and decide whether you want to start Windows or Android KitKat. Grub will be installed as boot handler during the installation of Android KitKat.
More about Grub and “dual-boot/multi-boot”
If you already have have one or more Linux systems installed on your computer you should skip installing Grub during the installation of Android KitKat. If you use Grub2 (which Ubuntu and most other Linux systems use as boot loader) you should instead add these lines to /boot/grub/grub.cfg or /etc/grub.d/40_custom:
(Example):
menuentry ‘Android-x86 4.4.4 KitKat 160214 (sda8)’ {
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root=’hd0,msdos8′
linux /android-2016-02-14/kernel quiet root=/dev/ram0 androidboot.hardware=android_x86 \
acpi_sleep=s3_bios,s3_mode SRC=/android-2016-02-14 DPI=160 UVESA_MODE=1920×1080 \
initrd /android-2016-02-14/initrd.img
}
NOTE 1: On some computers you may have to add nomodeset to the linux boot line. If so you may also have to remove DPI=160 and UVESA_MODE=1920×1080 from the linux boot line. (AndEX won’t start otherwise).
NOTE 2: The DPI=160 entry provides a hint about the display’s pixel density in dots per inch. This is an important setting – if the Android display’s icons and text look too small and crowded, increase this number. If things seem too big, make it smaller.
NOTE 3: The UVESA_MODE=1920×1080 entry describes the display size. This is also an important setting. If you know your display’s actual dimensions, enter them here. But not all dimensions work – it sometimes happens that a display specification that’s possible in principle isn’t feasible in practice.
If you use Grub Legacy (which is very unusual today even though Android KitKat uses it) you should add these lines to /boot/grub/menu.lst
title Android-x86 4.4.4 KitKat 160214 (sda8)
root (hd0,7)
kernel /android-2016-02-14/kernel quiet root=/dev/ram0 androidboot.hardware=android_x86 SRC=/android-2016-02-14
initrd /android-2016-02-14/initrd.img
USB installation
Read my instruction. It is for AndEX (Android) Lollipop, but the same instruction works for my KitKat version. You can run Android-x86 from a USB stick with persistence. I.e. all system changes will be saved on the stick.
NOTE ABOUT BIOS CHANGES
You’ll have to make changes in BIOS (boot order) so that your computer will start up from the CD or USB stick before the hard drive. On a new computer you may also have to change from UEFI Boot to Legacy Boot.
Runs in VirtualBox
You can also run/test the system in VirtualBox. I.e. run it directly from the ISO file and even install it to a hard drive created in VirtualBox. Note: A Marshmallow Android-x86 system can normally not run in VirtualBox.
Updates
If you install Andriod-x86 to your hard drive or to a USB stick with persistence installed apps will be automatically updated/upgraded via Google Play Store. The system will check for updates all the time or after a reboot. It works in the same way as on your Android phone.
ATI Radeon compatibility
I can mention that this KitKat Build 9 works on my old Acer Aspire 5102WLMi AMD with ATI Radeon Xpress 1100. Many 3D games run just fine.
What’s the point?
Well, if you like your Android phone and all the apps you have installed on it I’m sure you will also like to run apps from your laptop. Bigger screen and better sound etc. Read my article About how useful an Android-x86 system can be for the average computer user.
Need to upgrade?
Well, if you have installed any of my previous KitKat versions with GAPPS to your hard drive and the system is working alright you don’t “have to” upgrade. That’s because (as I say above) all included GAPPS will be upgraded automatically (just like your Android phone). Otherwise you can contact me so I can send you the new download link. Then please show your previous receipt.
Screenshots
The Airplane 3D Live Desktop pic 1
Showing all installed apps pic 2
Enable Bluetooth in Settings pic 3
Scanning for Bluetooth devices with Bluetooth File Transfer pic 4
DOWNLOAD
NOTE: This version (9) has been replaced by version 10 180108!
Android is a trademark of Google Inc.
Does screen recording work in any of your builds? I want to know before I buy it.
Keep up the great work. Regards and respect
If you can confirm screen recording with the SCR Screen Recording app for android , then I will buy your iso. Thanks and regards
I tested this ANDEX version of KitKat 4.4.4 Build 9 on 5 PCs:
I installed this version on a 64 GB USB 3.0 Sandisk flash stick to be able to simply plug it into any PC that can boot from a USB (flash stick).
– 3 Dell Optiplex 755/780/7010, 1 Dell Latitude 6320: all works great,
as did Builds 8 and 7 on those PCs. It all seems to work out great on
on-board/integrated graphics.
– some PCs (I again tested on an AMD64 with nvidia discrete graphics) may have compatibility problems and some apps may crash. This can be solved by disabling that graphics hardware rendering, but of course that is not what we can accept and in those cases a possible solution is to use windows / Android emulators like Nox or AMIDuOS.
But, as we all know, Android x-86 allows gets every bit of performance (by making FULL use of its resources) out of all PCs/laptops & tablets.
BTW … Mr Troy, I use SCR Pro 2 as my screen recorder too (on tablet and smartphone), but not yet tested it on Android-x86.
Have not tested it on this ANDEX version either, but in general I think Android x-86 Kitkat 4.4, may have a problem with screen recording in general (some PATH not accessible problem as I remember from reading the Forums).
You could, I think, solve this by using ADB, or, probably even better, by simply using ANDEX Android versions 5.x/6.x instead.
And thank you Mr Exton for yet another superb Android-x86 Build.
Stefaan from Belgium.
Mr McGrath, there are many alternative Android screen recorders were rooting is not even necessary for (Android-x86 ANDEX *is* rooted).
Mobizen e.g. should work, without root and from version 4.2 on (have not yet tested though).
Many others do require Android 5.x+ (as you may know).
But, you probably don’t really need ‘SCR’ at all (although it indeed *is very* good at screen capturing!).
installation on virtualbox crashes when uploading GRUB. as such a system is installed – skip grub is not an option. I understand that you do not need any options in the BIOS mark – because it is the virtual system. Of course, you install this version of the Android-x86 KitKat 4.4.4 Build 9 with GAPPS.
Uploading Grub?
I managed to get your MM 6.0.1 latest release to install on an SDCARD for MacBook Air mid-2011, this is very convenient because it’s not on hard disk which I use for Mac OSX and Windows 10, and is very unbtrusive (unlike USB).
However I need external usb wifi because it’s Broadcom chip.
Also external usb bt, which is odd because on your LP 5.1.1 release, BT works out of the box.
So some things work on 5.1.1 but not on 6.0.1 and vice versa, for example Google + is available on 5.1.1 but not 6.0.1
Also sound only works through headphones on 6.0.1 but both internal and headphones on 5.1.1 –
I wish a release that has everything working from the SDCARD 🙂 or at least as lh as possible, so I can use it outside home.
Good to know. Thanks for your report!
Hi!
I tried running the iso in Virtualbox (version 5.0.26) but get kernel panic after 1 second. It says “kernel panic – not syncing: Attempted to kill the idle task!”. Do I need any certain settings?
Now I have the defaults for a Linux 2.6, 3.x, 4.x (32-bit) system.
For your information, the host system is Ubuntu 16.10 on a Lenovo T430. The iso was verified with md5.
I can’t say more than that I can run the KitKat ISO in VirtualBox on my four computers without problems.
Have you tried the other two boot options? See this screenshot (boot screen).
And this screenshot (KitKat 4.4.4 running in VirtualBox on my HP Pavilion Desktop computer).
I think I’ve got it, I can for some reason only create 32-bit guests. I’ll try to fix that or run it as a live-CD. Thank you!
Hi!
I purchased the download, the the image does not start the GUI in VirtualBox. The boot stops at a CLI with:
A N D R O I D x86:/ #
How can I start the GUI?
Regards
Try the other boot alternatives (VESA/nomodeset).
Hi!
Sorry, that was a stupid question…
VESA does start the GUI and I can choose the localization.
Thank you
Hi!
Can you give a recommendation for a “working” usb-wifi and an usb-bluetooth-dongle that is working with your image?
Thank you