Install and Running Android on Your Computer with Remix OS

Do you wish to run Android on your PC? Though people love using Android yet they can’t experience it on their PCs because this operating system is not built for that.

Fortunately, there’s an innovative product known as Remix OS for PC that lets people run Android on PCs.

Why Remix OS?

Remix OS is the future of Android on PCs. It’s pack with features, stable and modern operating system for PCs built on the top of Android. It brings all the goodness of desktop systems like multi-window multi-tasking, taskbar and more to your favorite mobile platform.

With Remix OS on your PC, you can do almost everything that you do on your Android phone or tablet. And that’s not all, you also get access to 2+ million apps from various stores.

Prerequisites to install Remix OS

To install Remix OS, you need to prepare the following things:

• A fast, formatted USB flash drive with 8 GB space.
• A computer to install Remix OS onto.

And you will also need to download the following software:

• Remix OS for PC for your system
• Universal USB Installer (optional)

One more thing..

You must know how to boot using a portable flash drive on your computer. Please check this guide if you don’t know and need to learn the same.

Step 1: Creating a Boot Stick

First, you will need to create a boot stick. You can either do it via the Installation Tool that ships with Remix OS or using a Universal USB Installer.

1.1 Create boot stick from Installation Tool

Installation Tool provided with the Remix OS is the de facto tool for creating a bootable device with Remix OS. Follow the below steps to create a bootable flash disk:

1. Extract the downloaded Remix OS’s archive using an archiver.
2. Open Remix OS for PC Installation Tool from the extracted folder.
3. Click Browse and choose the Remix OS’s ISO from the extracted folder.



4. Choose the Type and the Drive for your portable drive and click OK

Note: Do select the drive wisely otherwise you may risk losing all data on chosen drive.

5. Select the system size (for resident mode) to save apps and data and click Ok.



6. Now the tool will copy files and add the bootloader to your portable disk.

1.2 Create boot stick with Universal USB Installer

Universal USB Installer works for various Linux distros as well as for Remix OS, fortunately. If the above guide to create boot disk using Remix OS’s own Installer Tool has failed for you, then please install it using steps given below:

1. Open the downloaded Universal USB Installer and press I Agree.
2. Choose Try Unlisted Linux ISO in its Step 1 dropdown option.
3. Click Browse button and choose the Remix OS’s ISO (from steps above).
4. Now select your portable drive in its Step 3 dropdown option. If your portable disk is invisible, then check Show All Drives to see all the storage drives.



5. Press the Create button and it will copy the files to your portable disk.

Step 2: Installing Remix OS

Next up, you can install Remix OS on a portavble drive or run it directly in your PC’s hard disk.

2.1 Install Remix OS on portable flash disk

Remix OS can be safely installed on a portable flash disk to avoid any potential data loss on your system. This method is also good for testing out Remix OS on your system before replacing Windows and making it your everyday operating system.

Note: If you’ve created the boot disk using its Installation Tool, then you can skip this part and continue with Setup after booting up Remix OS first time directly (given below).

Just follow the below mentioned steps to install Remix OS on a portable drive:

1. Boot your system using the boot disk created above.
2. Choose the Resident mode on the startup screen.

   

3. Now it will ask to create a data partition to save apps and approve it.
4. It will first perform a writing speed test to determine you’re using a fast enough portable disk and if not, please use a speedier device to follow this tutorial.



5. Then it will create and format the data partition on your portable drive.



6. Now it will continue booting the system – please continue with Setup after booting up Remix OS first time (given below).

2.2 Install Remix OS on your system’s hard disk

Please follow the steps mentioned below if you want to install Remix OS as the only operating system on your computer. Do understand that this will replace Windows on your system and will erase everything on your hard disk, so please don’t follow if you risk losing your data.

It’s suggested that you should first test Remix OS on your system using a portable flash disk (as demonstrated above). Then you can install it on your system if it works with your hardware and you find it worthy enough to be used as your everyday operating system.

Follow the given steps if you understand the risk and are ready to delete all data:

1. Boot the computer using the boot disk created above.
2. Choose Resident mode on the startup screen and press E.

   

3. In the shown command line, delete "USB_PARTITION=1" or/and "USB_DATA_PARTITION=1" and add "INSTALL=2" on its place.



4. After you’re done, press F10 and follow the installation instructions.

Step 3: Set up Remix OS (for the first time)

Remix OS is built on the top of Android, hence it needs the same setup that a new Android smartphone asks for. The setup is simple and minimalistic, as given below:

1. Select your language at the first screen after the PC is booted up.
2. Then confirm that you abide by its user agreement (do read).



3. Now authenticate your network from the shown list of Wi-Fi networks.
4. Then it asks to activate Google Play and its services. Here check the box I would like to activate Google Play services and click Next and follow the guided process.



5. Finally, here it is – the desktop aka home screen of your new Remix OS

Final thoughts

Remix OS is no doubt an innovation in itself that makes using Android on a PC a mesmerizing experience. Of all of its wonders, multi-tasking using different apps in a multi-window environment is simply awesome, and proves a powerful replacement for Windows.

Remix OS for PC, however, is not everyone’s cup of tea because though Android offers lots of apps yet it’s nowhere near the list offered by Windows. Yes, if you wish to breathe a new life in your old computer, then it’s the perfect everyday operating system for you.

What are your thoughts about Remix OS? What do you think is the future of Android on PCs? Please share with us using the comments section.