How to copy and simulate android on PC?

[BiGyElLoWhAt]

TL;DR Summary

I want to basically multipartition my pc and use MY android OS copied from my phone as the dual boot OS.

Summary: I want to basically multipartition my pc and use MY android OS copied from my phone as the dual boot OS.

Hi all, it's been awhile since I've posted. Sorry for AWOL.

What I want to do:
Partition my hard drive and run my exact copy of android on the other partition.

Why:
I want to poke around without destroying my phone. I would like to look at some things and mess with potential changes but without altering the software/firmware on my device.

I know about android simulators that allow you to run android apps on desktop but that's not what I want. I want to copy my exact copy of android OS onto a new partition on my computer to root and poke around. I can provide more details as needed.

Thanks in advance,
BYH

 

[Wrichik Basu]

You cannot directly install the OS from your Android phone to a desktop, because the former is not made for the latter. But there are some operating systems designed specifically for an Android experience on PC. They allow installation of apps from Google play and much more. The one that is most recommended is Remix OS.

Installation guides are available on the net easily. One such guide is this one:
https://appuals.com/how-to-install-complete-android-os-on-a-pc/Don't forget to make a backup of your hard drive before proceeding to installation.

Check Google thoroughly to see if there is anything that you should keep in mind before installing Remix OS (or any other os of that kind).

 

[MikeeMiracle]

I don't think it's possible. Another option would be to have a second phone and there are applications that allow you to do an image level backup of your phone and pop it onto another device. These are normally used to backup/restore the phone.

 

[anorlunda]

My Chromebook laptop supposedly runs Android. I can get apps from google play for phone and for Chromebook.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

My Chromebook laptop supposedly runs Android. I can get apps from google play for phone and for Chromebook.

Nope, Chromebooks run Chrome OS, as per Wikipedia. Being designed by Google, the OS follows Android to some extent and allows you to install Android apps. But that will certainly not amount to an Android experience that the OP wants.

 

[Tom.G]

What you would need is a simulator for your phone that runs on your PC. This would have to both simulate the phone hardware and include a Software Interpreter for the phones CPU.

The interpreter would read each instruction of the software from the phone then execute the x86 instructions necessary to get the same result. The result would then be stored in the appropriate register or memory location of the simulated phone.

I have no idea if there is such software available, but if you decide to write your own, you will assuredly learn more about both the phone and x86 programming than you have time for! Of course by then, both will be obsolete.

Please keep us updated on any progress you make.

Cheers,
Tom

p.s. on second thought, the phone CPU manufacturer may have a Software Development package with simulator for the processor.

 

[sysprog]

I know about android simulators that allow you to run android apps on desktop but that's not what I want. I want to copy my exact copy of android OS onto a new partition on my computer to root and poke around. I can provide more details as needed.
BYH

Ideally, what you'd want for that is something that faithfully emulates your device's hardware, without regard for what OS you're running on that device. The closest thing to that available that I've seen is from the open source project at https://www.android-x86.org/ -- I don't know which devices are supported by that.

Have you looked at https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/categories/360000451812-BlueStacks-4?

In Bluestacks, you can select from a list which Android device hardware you want to emulate.

In conjunction with that, you can use Bluestacks Tweaker to root the included Android instance.

In principle, I suppose you could thereby replace any or all of the Android OS that way, but I can't say whether any of the Bluestacks Android emulator code has co-dependencies with the Android release that the Bluestacks release comes bundled with, or whether any such co-dependencies might defeat your purpose.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

Have you looked at https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/categories/360000451812-BlueStacks-4?

I don't think the OP will be satisfied with BlueStacks. I have it installed in my desktop, but we rarely use it. Basically we installed it for using Amazon app when we didn't have a smartphone.

BlueStacks is generally used by people who want to play Android games on PC. After using it for some days, the application will ask you to either pay, or install certain games from third party sources. These games almost always cannot be uninstalled from BlueStacks, and you have to manually delete the files from the drive. I quit using it the day it asked me to install some game of size 1.5GB. Besides, it does not give a very good Android-like experience. It is like practicing driving on a simulator - a number of things will vary when you actually start driving a real vehicle.

The best option is to buy a cheap phone (but with at least 1.5GB RAM or more), root the phone, flash better firmware, and use it. That is how most Android developers I have met on StackOverflow used to test their apps before publishing. Nowadays, with Magisk systemless root, you can easily test or use apps that cannot be otherwise used on rooted phones.

 

[sysprog]

I don't think the OP will be satisfied with BlueStacks. I have it installed in my desktop, but we rarely use it. Basically we installed it for using Amazon app when we didn't have a smartphone.

Apparently you're not letting it do as much as it's capable of doing.

BlueStacks is generally used by people who want to play Android games on PC.

I think that's an unjustified over-generalization. I use it mostly for a VOIP phone. Bluestacks can do pretty much anything a smartphone can do.

After using it for some days, the application will ask you to either pay, or install certain games from third party sources.

That's not necessarily so.

These games almost always cannot be uninstalled from BlueStacks, and you have to manually delete the files from the drive. I quit using it the day it asked me to install some game of size 1.5GB.

It's possible to reconfigure it instead of giving up on it.

Besides, it does not give a very good Android-like experience. It is like practicing driving on a simulator - a number of things will vary when you actually start driving a real vehicle.

I think that you are reporting from an insufficient base of experience.

The best option is to buy a cheap phone (but with at least 1.5GB RAM or more), root the phone, flash better firmware, and use it.

That seems to me to be a viable option set for some purposes.

That is how most Android developers I have met on StackOverflow used to test their apps before publishing.

Testing on the actual intended deployment platform is closer to a necessity for app developers who intend to publish than it is for users of already published apps.

Nowadays, with Magisk systemless root, you can easily test or use apps that cannot be otherwise used on rooted phones.

That's not the only way to mediate things from discovery by apps that try to check for them.

Most, if not all, of the concerns you have raised are well addressed by Bluestacks Tweaker.

 

[sysprog]

Bluestatcks 5 is available $-$ https://www.bluestacks.com/bluestacks-5.html
$-$ version 5.3.110 was released today $-$ https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407823168525-BlueStacks-5-3-Release-Notes