NEWS 150505 about AndEX – The Ultimate Edition
My new build of Android-x86 Lollipop 5.0.2 has GAPPS pre-installed. I.e. Google Play Services, Google Play Store, Google+, Maps, YouTube and more apps. The ISO is called android-x86-5.0.2-lollipop-GAPPS-exton-782mb-150505.iso. I call it The Ultimate Edition because AndEX 150505 is (almost) error-free. I finally managed to install Google Play Services, which is needed for Google Play Store to run. You shall always use Google Play Store in AndEX version 150505. Only use Aptoide App Manager (which is also pre-installed) if you can’t find the app you are searching for in Google Play Store.
Unique?
As far as I know there is no other Android-x86 Lollipop 5.0.2 version out there with GAPPS pre-installed.
View the boot process >> SLIDESHOW
About AndEX
My compiled Android–x86 system (Lollipop 5.0.2) can run live (from CD or a USB stick) or be installed on almost all laptops (and some Desktop computers). For example Acer (Aspire), HP, Samsung, Dell, Toshiba, Lenovo, Thinkpad, Fujitsu, Panasonic and Asus laptops. 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 (DVD) 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.
More about AndEX
Lollipop 5.0.2 is the second latest version of the Android mobile operating system developed by Google. I call my remaster of it AndEX Lollipop Live DVD. It uses “my” special kernel 3.10.58-exton-android-x86 with some extra features. I.e. extra drivers and NTFS read/write support. My Android-x86 KitKat 4.4.4 build from 2015-05-04 will cost you 9 $. It has two advantages over the Lollipop version: A newer kernel (4.0.0-exton-android-x86) is used and you can run the system in VirtualBox. Read more about the KitKat 4.4.4 version 150504 or DOWNLOAD it instantly.
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 Broadcom wifi cards. 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 AndEX you’ll have to use a wired connection.
Installing new apps in AndEX Lollipop
Use Google Play Store or Aptoide App Manager, which are pre-installed. Just make your choices. Normally you should use Google Play Store, but if you can’t find the app you are looking for you can try Aptoide.
Install the system to hard drive
Say for example that you have a laptop with Windows 8.1 installed as the only operating system. If you just create one extra partition of about 5 GB you can install Android Lollipop 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 Lollipop. Grub will be installed as boot handler/loader during the installation of Android Lollipop. Note: The installation will take only about one minute. And the installation to hard drive is so simple that a 10 year old child can do it.
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
menuentry ‘Android-x86 5.0.2 Lollipop 150505 (sda8)’ {
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root=’hd0,msdos8′
linux /android-2015-03-06/kernel quiet root=/dev/ram0 androidboot.hardware=android_x86 SRC=/android-2015-03-06
initrd /android-2015-03-06/initrd.img
}
If you use Grub Legacy (which is very unusual today even though Android Lollipop uses it) you should add these lines to /boot/grub/menu.lst
title Android-x86 5.0.2 Lollipop 150505 (sda8)
root (hd0,7)
kernel /android-2015-03-06/kernel quiet root=/dev/ram0 androidboot.hardware=android_x86 SRC=/android-2015-03-06
initrd /android-2015-03-06/initrd.img
USB installation
Read my instruction. Learn how you can run AndEX from a USB stick with persistence.
VirtualBox
Unfortunately you cannot (normally) run/test the system in VirtualBox. I.e. run it directly from the ISO file and install it to a hard drive created in VirtualBox. That can however be done if you use one of my other Android remaster KitKat 4.4.4 version 150504.
Updates
If you install Andriod-x86 to 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.
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. Also: In AndEX version 150505 almost all apps and games can be installed via Google Play Store.
NOTE1/WARNING1
You must use a fairly new/modern computer. Android-x86 Lollipop won’t run (even start) on older computers. My other Android remasters KitKat 4.4.4 will run also on older computers.
Screenshots
Screenshot 1 – AndEX Desktop without modifications
Screenshot 2 – AndEX Desktop with modifications
Screenshot 3 – AndEX Desktop with modifications 2
Screenshot 4 – AndEX installed apps
Screenshot 5 – AndEX preventing rotation
Screenshot 6 – AndEX using Google Maps
WARNING2
Before you buy and download this version of AndEX you must be aware of that not all apps downloaded from Google Play Store can run in an Android-x86 system. Some very big (around 1GB) games for example won’t run. You must also be aware that you can get all kind of error messages the first time you run AndEX live (from DVD) or from hard drive. Normally you can just close the error windows and go on. Example: You will get a error message saying that Google+ has to be reinstalled. That can be done as soon as you have set up your wireless connection. Please watch the slideshow above. Note about version 150505: While running The Ultimate Edition you won’t get any error messages. Only a message saying that you must update Google Play Services to be able to run Google+.
Replacement
This Ultimate Edition of AndEX replaces version 150426, which also had GAPPS pre-installed. And this version 150505 is replaced by version 150520, which I call The Absolute Ultimate Edition since it is totally error-free. Read more…
Note3: Android-x86 KitKat 4.4.4 Exton build 5 150504 can run on many more laptops/computers than AndEX (Android-x86) Lollipop 5.0.2.
Note4: The AndEX Lollipop ISO has been out on SourceForge.net and the Swedish Linux Society for free from 150307 until 150402. The ISO file has been downloaded about 50000 times during that period. More than any of my other Linux distributions (ever).
Android is a trademark of Google Inc.
Softpedia has written a nice article about AndEX build 150504: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Running-Android-5-0-2-Lollipop-on-Your-PC-Is-Easier-with-AndEX-Live-CD-480399.shtml
Hi Exton,
Sorry for bothering you – but i bought your ISO’s .. on my first test machine – works really great – however, on my kids machine (a old bugger, an Asus EEEtop with touch) .. it works but the resolution is fucked.. i think the screen might be getting a wrong signal .. i have around 1,5cm “black” border on the right.
Any idea how i can fix that ?
Leon,
You could try with adding nomodeset to the kernel line or xforcevesa
You could also try booting with both parameters. I.e. nomodeset xforcevesa
Hi,
I just tested the iso from USB on an Acer R7-572, it has a Broadcom WiFi which unsurprisingly doesnt work. My questions are, is Broadcom WiFi support possible at all or planned in future releases? Is there a chance that the Android-x86 KitKat 4.4.4 Exton build version 5 will support my wifi card?
Hi,
I’m sorry to hear that. A new Lollipop 5.0.2 with kernel 4.0 will be ready soon. Hopefully your card will be supported in that one.
My KitKat version 5 uses kernel 4.0. It’s a good chance that your card is supported, but I can’t say for sure.
EDIT a few hours later
I’m sorry to say that your Broadcom card won’t work with my KitKat version either. I’ve just checked it on a computer with such a card. Broadcom wireless cards doesn’t go so well together with Linux.
Ok not a big problem, ordered an intel wifi card – happily it can be replaced in my laptop.