Android on PC

**John Bowden** · #1 07-21-2014, 09:11 AM

I did a thread on Zorin OS as a replacement OS for Windows XP machines, well now I'm trying out Android for those machines. For those who don't know that is a LINUX based Operating System tweaked to be very similar to Windows XP.

I have had a lot of people ask me about tablet PCs and so I finally bit the bullet and got a Dell Venue 8 Tablet PC to see what the deal is and also to learn these things. I must admit that this could be a viable replacement for laptops in the future.

After playing round with this I though that this OS might be something that would work on older laptops as a replacement for Win XP. After a Google search I was able to find an Android X86 that works with laptops. (So others before me had thought this might be something that would work)

I had a Compaq HP 2710p laptop laying around that had Vista Business loaded on it, and I thought would be a good test bed for this experiment.

So after downloading a version of Android that will work with it I am now posting this from that laptop.

I'm going to play arround with this and post up comments and observation in this thread if anyone else is interested in this.

The installation was a little different than other OSs but was not too hard to work through. Google "Install Android on PC" and you can find several sites that can walk you through the installation. You have to go through a setup after the installation and then the machine is ready for use.

There is a way to run Android from a USB flashdrive if you want to leave your machine's active OS alone and try it out. Nothing will be saved to your hard drive and and you can go back if Android doesnt look like something you want.

As this was a laptop laying around I installed Android X86 on this laptop's hard drive.

**Vermin_King** · #2 07-21-2014, 10:05 AM

So does this run more like a cell phone at this point? Win 8 like?

**John Bowden** · #3 07-21-2014, 10:06 AM

Well, first observations:

It is a little buggy. Sometimes it will not unlock after it times out. And the screen will flash when selecting an app.

This maybe the version I am using. There is another version available I might burn it and give it a go.

Oh well...... This is an experiment anyway.

**John Bowden** · #4 07-21-2014, 10:09 AM

I haven't seen Win 8 yet, so I'm guess it is more like a cell phone. In that the apps are the same.

**John Bowden** · #5 07-21-2014, 12:37 PM

More observations............

The un-lock after the machine goes to sleep, is still a little wonky for lack of a better discription. Sometimes it un-locks sometimes it doesn't.

When it does un-lock I have noticed the screen is much narrower than when it went to sleep, and so far I haven't been able to make it restore to the original size.

So he experiment continues ..................

**John Bowden** · #6 07-21-2014, 08:36 PM

I beginning to believe this is not a viable OS solution for laptops. It does work with a mouse but is more comfortable with touchscreens (how about that).

It still isn't as stable a system as I'd like, but I am still playing with it and I haven't tried any of the more current versions yet.

**NOBI** · #7 07-21-2014, 08:57 PM

How to install Android OS on Mini Laptop HP Notebook Aires Comunication

this can help?

**John Bowden** · #8 07-21-2014, 11:45 PM

Thanks NOBi. That basically what I have done to get where I'm at so far.

The version of Android X-86 I used for my test was for an IBM Thinkpad with similar features to my HP 2710p.

I'm thinking of trying another more up to date version to see if it is less buggy and more stable.

I also need to find my stylus pen for my 2710, maybe that would be easier to use than the mouse.

john

**NOBI** · #9 07-22-2014, 02:53 AM

You alway welcome :-)

maybe you need this How To Install: Notebook Add On Touch Screen Kit - YouTube but you can not use a multitouch function