Hi all,

Does anyone know if it would be possible to get android booting on an x86 machine.

My current understanding is that Google has released some parts of Android in binary format, and only compiled for ARM architectures. But I really dont understand which parts of Android are in this binary format (and where?).

My progress so far has only been related with the kernel image. I managed to compile and boot the android linux kernel in my x86 machine but this was it. I don't know where to go next. Any advice on this is highly appreciated.

Cheers

fabrantes wrote:Hi all,
Does anyone know if it would be possible to get android booting on an x86 machine.

I'm trying to do this right now. I document my findings in my blog. So far:

* You need to patch some makefiles to build for x86
* dalvikvm works (as advertised on the android-porting mailinglist)

very nice... I'm starting to work on this during this week...

After reading the todos on your blog let me ask you one question... why is it your first option to get android running on X11 and not stick with whatever method android uses to draw on the screen? (I'm just curious it may even be that android already uses a sort of X server...)

Cheers

Well I outline what I want to do here:
http://radicaladaptor.blogspot.com/2008/10/using-android-platform-for-prototyping.html

basically: I want to build a computer with a touch screen that runs android and I want to leverage the User Interface of Android and the Application Framework. I do not care much about the underlying things.

At this early time of the project I want to check out the feasability of such a project and pretty much only care about using the UI Elements of android. Especially because on the porting-android mailinglist they say, that a x86 port is in googles repositories and I do not have alot of time these days I want to have something to show to others to persuade them to join my efforts. So basically I need something, that you can see and touch and it should require the minimum effort. So IF it is possible to bypass all the middleware stuff in the platform, I sure want to do so.

In the long run I of course want to run the android version of X. My targets architecture is not fixed yet. May be x86, may be arm. For the prototyping I go with what looks easiest.

Please keep me updated on your work!

Cheers,
Val

PS: Look in build/core/envsetup.mk line 90 following. It seems like you can switch to x86 there. However not very much gets build...

Ok, that's fair enough.

My objective is to get android on a X86 platform, ideally a touchscreen netbook. It is nice to see people interested in this. I will update you on my progress (hopefully I will kick this off this week).

Cheers

fabrantes wrote:Ok, that's fair enough.

My objective is to get android on a X86 platform, ideally a touchscreen netbook. It is nice to see people interested in this. I will update you on my progress (hopefully I will kick this off this week).

Cheers

Hey "Fabrantes",

How are you getting along? I do not have any resources left this months but I just saw that the x86 porting thread on the android mailinglists is advancing. There is some new Info as to Flags for the build. Just wanted to notify you and others working on the topic:

http://groups.google.com/group/android- ... 1ad8ba7571

Hi val,

I have been trying this on and off. We seem to be able to compile dalvik for the Desktop (using the simulator target) and even run a java hello app, however I was not able to progress further. I wanted to run the android home app, but so far I was unable to do so.

I have been particpating in the android-porting thread under the name 'filipe.abrantes' .

My next goal is to get the android home screen showing on my desktop, do you have any ideas regarding this?

Cheers