Installing windows on an android phone. How to use your phone as a boot drive for your computer. Installing Windows using emulators

Sometimes the operating room user Android systems there is a need to install Windows on the device. The reason may be a program distributed only on Windows, a desire to use Windows in mobile mode, or install games on your tablet that are not supported by a regular Android system. One way or another, demolishing one system and installing another is not an easy task and is only suitable for those who are well versed in computers and confident in their abilities.

The essence and features of installing Windows on an Android tablet

Installing Windows on an Android device is justified in the following cases:

• the most compelling reason is your job. For example, you are engaged in website design and you need Adobe application Dreamweaver, which is most convenient to work with on Windows. The specifics of the work also suggest the use of programs with Windows, which have no analogues for Android. And labor productivity suffers: for example, you write articles for your website or to order, you are tired of switching layouts - but there is no Punto Switcher program for Android and is not expected;
• The tablet is quite productive: it makes sense to test Windows and compare which is better. Familiar programs running on a home or office PC (for example, Microsoft Office, which you will never exchange for OpenOffice), you can take with you on any trip;
• The Windows platform has been intensively developed for 3D games since Windows 9x, while iOS and Android came out much later. Controlling the same Grand Turismo, World of Tanks or Warcraft, GTA and Call of Duty with a keyboard and mouse is a pleasure; gamers have become accustomed to this from an early age and now, two decades later, they are happy to “drive” these same series of games and on an Android tablet, without limiting yourself to this operating system.

If you are not an adventure seeker on your own, but, on the contrary, have good reasons to run on a smartphone or Windows tablet, use the tips below.

To use Windows on a tablet, it is not necessary to have a pre-installed version of it.

Video: Android tablet as a replacement for Windows

Windows gadget requirements

From ordinary PCs, Windows 8 and higher require strong characteristics: RAM from 2 GB, a processor no worse than a dual-core one (core frequency no lower than 3 GHz), video adapter with DirectX graphics acceleration version no lower than 9.1.x.

And tablets and smartphones with Android, in addition, are subject to additional requirements:

• support for I386/ARM hardware and software architecture;
• processor released by Transmeta, VIA, IDT, AMD. These companies are seriously developing in terms of cross-platform components;
• the presence of a flash drive or at least an SD card of 16 GB with an already recorded version of Windows 8 or 10;
• the presence of a USB-hub device with external power, a keyboard and a mouse (the Windows installation program is controlled using a mouse and keyboard: it is not a fact that the sensor will work immediately).

For example, ZTE smartphone Racer (in Russia it was known as the branded “MTS-916”) had an ARM-11 processor. Considering its low performance (600 MHz processor, 256 MB of internal and RAM, support for SD cards up to 8 GB), it could run Windows 3.1, any version of MS-DOS with Norton Commander or Menuet OS (the latter takes very little space and is used more for demonstration purposes, has a minimum of primitive preinstalled programs). Peak sales of this smartphone in showrooms cellular communication fell in 2012

Practical ways to run Windows 8 platform and above on Android devices

There are three ways to run Windows on Android gadgets:

• via emulator;
• installing Windows as a second, non-primary OS;
• replacing Android with Windows.

Not all of them will give results: porting third-party systems is a very troublesome task. Do not forget about the hardware and software design - for example, installing Windows on an iPhone will definitely not work. Unfortunately, in the world of gadgets, situations without options happen.

Windows emulation using Android

In order to run Windows on Android, it is suitable QEMU emulator(it is also used to check installation flash drives - it allows you to check whether the launch will work without restarting Windows on your PC), aDOSbox or Bochs:

• QEMU support has been discontinued - it only supports older ones Windows versions(9x/2000). This application is also used in Windows on a PC to emulate the operation of an installation flash drive - this allows you to verify its functionality;
• aDOSbox also works with older versions of Windows and MS-DOS, but you definitely won’t have sound and internet;
• Bochs is the most universal, not tied to Windows versions. Running Windows 7 and higher on Bochs is almost the same - thanks to the similarities of the latter.

Windows 8 or 10 can also be installed by converting the ISO image to IMG format

Practical work with Windows 8 and higher on the Bochs emulator

To install Windows 8 or 10 on your tablet, do the following:

Remember - only expensive and high-performance tablets will work with Windows 8 and 10 without noticeable stutters.

To run Windows 8 and higher from an ISO image, you may need to convert it to an image in .img format. There are a lot of programs for this:

• MagicISO;
• familiar to many “installers” of UltraISO;
• PowerISO;
• AnyToolISO;
• IsoBuster;
• gBurner;
• MagicDisc, etc.

To convert .iso to .img and run Windows from an emulator, follow these steps:

If you are disappointed with low performance Windows operation from an emulator - it's time to try changing Android to Windows on your gadget.

Video: launching Windows via Bochs using Windows 7 as an example

Installing Windows 10 as a second OS

And yet, emulation cannot be compared with a full-fledged porting of a “foreign” OS; a more complete launch is needed - so that Windows is on the gadget “like at home.” The operation of two or three operating systems on the same mobile device is ensured by Dual-/MultiBoot technology. This is controlling the loading of any of several software kernels - in this case, Windows and Android. The point is that by installing a second OS (Windows), you will not disrupt the operation of the first (Android). But, unlike emulation, this method is more risky - replacement is necessary standard Android Recovery to a certain Dual-Bootloader (MultiLoader) by flashing it. Naturally, a smartphone or tablet must meet the above hardware conditions.

In case of incompatibility or the slightest failure when replacing the console Android Recovery Bootloader can damage your gadget, and only the Android Shop (Windows Store) service center will be able to restore it. After all, this is not just downloading the “wrong” one into the device. Android versions, but replacing the kernel preloader, which requires the user to be extremely careful and confident in their knowledge.

Some tablets have already implemented DualBoot technology, Windows, Android (and sometimes Ubuntu) are installed - there is no need to reflash the Bootloader. These gadgets are equipped with an Intel processor. These are, for example, tablets from the brands Onda, Teclast and Cube (there are more than a dozen models on sale today).

If you are confident in your abilities (and your device) and still decide to replace the tablet operating system with Windows, follow the instructions.

But if the UEFI firmware has boot from external media(flash drive, card reader with SD card, HDD/SSD drive with external power, USB-microSD adapter with microSD memory card), then in Recovery it’s not so simple. Even if you connect an external keyboard using a microUSB/USB-Hub device with external power to simultaneously charge the tablet, the Recovery console is unlikely to promptly respond to pressing the Del/F2/F4/F7 key.

After all, Recovery was originally made to reinstall firmware and kernels within Android (replacing the “branded” version from mobile operator, for example, “MTS” or “Beeline”, to a custom one like CyanogenMod), and not Windows. The most painless solution is to buy a tablet with two or three operating systems “on board” (or allowing this), for example, 3Q Qoo, Archos 9 or Chuwi HiBook. They already have the processor needed for this.

To install Windows paired with Android, use a tablet with UEFI firmware, not Recovery. Otherwise, you simply won’t be able to install Windows on top of Android. Barbaric ways to get a job Windows any versions “next to” Android will lead to nothing - the tablet will simply refuse to work until you return Android back. You should also not hope that you can easily replace Android Recovery with the Award/AMI/Phoenix BIOS that is on your old laptop - you cannot do this without professional hackers, and this is a barbaric method.

It doesn’t matter who promised you that Windows will work on all gadgets - mostly such advice is given by amateurs. For it to work, Microsoft, Google and manufacturers of tablets and smartphones must cooperate closely and help each other in everything, and not fight in the market, as they do now, delimiting each other in software. For example, Windows is opposed to Android at the level of compatibility of kernels and other software.

Attempts to “entirely” install Windows on an Android gadget are fragile and isolated attempts by enthusiasts that do not work on every instance and model of gadget. It is unlikely that they should be taken as an immediate call to action on your part.

Video: how to install Windows on a tablet

Installing Windows 8 or 10 instead of Android

Completely replacing Android with Windows is an even more serious task than simply “placing” them side by side.

Once the installation is complete you will have working system Windows - as the only one, without choosing from the OS boot list.

If, however, drive D: of the media remains free - this happens when everything personal is copied to an SD card - you can try the opposite task: return Android, but as a second system, not the first. But this is an option for experienced users and programmers.

Replacing Android with Windows is not an easy task. This work is greatly facilitated by manufacturer support at the processor level. If it is not there, it will take a lot of time and the help of specialists to install a correctly working version.

The computing power of modern mobile devices has almost caught up with the computers of yesteryear. Multi-core processors, RAM from one gigabyte - all these are already integral characteristics modern smartphones. Thanks to this, the user can install both partial and full-function Windows OS on the tablet.

Reasons for installation

Installing Windows on a tablet may be necessary for those users who are not satisfied with the functionality of the Android system. For example, you find it much more convenient to work with a physical keyboard, but you still need to constantly edit or create documents in Microsoft Office. Buying a simple laptop or netbook is an expensive pleasure, but getting mobile gadget You can work on Windows absolutely free.

To install a Windows tablet on Android , you should find out if it meets the minimum requirements. You will need a device with i386 processor architecture. You can install Windows 7 and 8 on such gadgets. ARM processors You can only put an “eight”. You can find out about the processor of your gadget on the manufacturer’s official website or at technical description to the device.

All you need is a beautiful interface

If the priority is only to create a beautiful graphical shell that will be identical to the Windows environment, then we recommend installing a regular launcher on the tablet. You will find many similar applications in the official Google Play store. Thus, you retain the functionality of the Android system, while visually working in the Windows shell.

Emulator: how to use

The easiest way how to install Windows on a tablet - This is to resort to the help of an emulator. Thanks to its use, you will be able to switch between systems at any convenient time. A high-quality emulator can run Windows 9X versions without problems. More modern versions work with “brakes”, but you can install stripped-down OS.

Since the presentation of the mobile “ten”, many users immediately wanted to install Windows 10 on their phone. How to install this system so that your smartphone (or tablet) works without failures will now be discussed. In addition to standard instructions Let's look at the option of installing the tenth version of this OS on Android devices.

Windows 10 on phone: how to install? Options

First, let’s look at the main thing: it’s best to install “ten” on mobile gadgets supported by Microsoft (initially these were Lumia smartphones, and that’s not all).

On the other hand, if you think carefully, you can also solve the problem of how to install it on a phone not from the list of recommended devices or with another “operating system” on board, for example Android. True, you will have to do this at your own peril and risk.

Instructions for installing Windows 10 over Windows Mobile

So, as an example, consider the question of how to install a Nokia Lumia on a phone that already has Windows Mobile 8.1 installed.

First, you need to register in the so-called support program on the official website. As a rule, it is enough to use your “account” to do this. Next, you must agree to all the terms and conditions, and also indicate yourself as a developer tester.

Now you should go to the Windows Phone Store and download the special Windows Insider application from it. It is precisely intended for installing “dozens” in the form of a Technical Preview version (similar to how the utility works Media Creation Tool for desktop PCs and laptops).

Slow - a slow cycle that allows you to roll back to version 8.1.

It is better to choose the second option, since in this case more stable operation of the system is guaranteed. Then we agree to the terms of the application.

At the next stage, go to the smartphone settings section and select the update menu. Once the updates are found, the application will prompt you to install them. We agree. Next, the download will occur, and after about 30 minutes the smartphone will have a clean “ten”. As you can see, there is nothing complicated in the installation process.

There are two main methods for installing this system using an emulator or a complete flashing.

The first situation is suitable for using the functionality of all systems - through the emulator you can switch between systems, which is convenient if the user wants, for example, to play a game that is not suitable for one of the systems.

But a complete replacement of the operating system is not available for every device. Your smartphone or tablet may have a processor that cannot work with Microsoft products.

You can find out whether the processor will allow you to change systems from the device passport. It is important to remember here that when considering the OS, it requires much more memory than Android, so if you have a cheap smartphone, then forget about this operation.

Windows installation types

Before you begin the operation, choose the option that is convenient for you:

1. Using an emulator program that allows you to switch between operating systems if necessary. This method is justified if you want to use Windows programs and other useful software that works only in this area
2. Installing Windows on Android. This is one of the most dangerous methods, because the system may break and you will have to format the memory. But upon successful completion of the case, your device will change beyond recognition
3. For those who like Windows decoration, you will need an alternative launcher, which is available on Google Play. Instead of the standard design, it will install the same as Windows, but the basic settings and functions will remain the same
4. You can simply buy a ready-made Ekoore Python S device, on which three systems are installed at once - Ubuntu, Windows and Android. They work separately from each other

Windows installation

There are a huge number of emulators among software and each has certain differences. To install the system, first of all, you need to remove the existing OS.

To install you will need:

• Mouse
• Keyboard
• External DVD drive
• USB hub
• USB-Ethernet adapter, in case Windows suddenly does not see the Wi-fi adapter available on the smartphone

Installation should be done from a regular disk or flash drive. You can take any existing disk or download a virtual one from the Internet. A flash drive can also act as a bootloader.

The installation itself is not that difficult:

1. Copy all information from your tablet to your computer
2. In the gadget SETUP, select download from the desired location. Features of the operation depend on the device model
3. Android substitute by installing Windows
4. After completing the procedure, download and install drivers for each device

The installation is now considered complete.

Modern smartphones running on the Android OS have very wide capabilities for installing new applications. It is also quite possible to install Windows OS (7, XP, 98) on an Android phone or tablet. However, after such an operation the system may freeze a little. Remember: not all Android devices will cope with the task.

What do we need

2. Personal computer or laptop with Internet access.

3. Windows operating system distribution.

Instructions

1. First you need to carry out preliminary preparations and upload necessary files from the Internet. Download distribution Windows operating system. There should be no problems with this point, since many trackers and web resources provide this system absolutely free.

2. Next you will need the following files: bios.bin; sdl.conf; vgabios.bin; vgabios-cirrus.bin. You can find them on the Internet individually or download them entirely in an archive. On many trekkers it is heard archive, where all the necessary files are contained: just enter “download sdl.zip” in the search service.

3. We also need a file sdlapp.apk., which is a program developed by craftsmen for installation on devices that support the Android system, the Windows operating system. The program can be easily found on the Internet; it weighs only 1.34 MB.

4. All files must be transferred to the phone. First, unpack the SDL folder from the sdl.zip archive to the phone’s memory card (or create a folder and copy the necessary files there). We install the sdlapp.apk program directly on the phone/tablet. From the Windows operating system image, take the c.img file and copy it to the SDL folder.

5. Now it is enough to run the sdlapp.apk program, which will carry out all the necessary steps to install the Windows OS.

Worth paying attention

Devices that have a processor that supports the i386 architecture can boast of unprecedented performance of the Windows operating system. Typically this is processors from the following developers: VIA, AMD, IDT, Transmeta.

Sometimes users of modern gadgets have a desire to change the OS of their device, but not everyone succeeds. Today we will try to figure out how to install Windows on a tablet that previously ran on another OS. This need may arise for several reasons: you prefer to work only with this system in connection with specific software, or you are so accustomed to it that you do not plan to switch to Android and other operating systems.

Important points to pay attention to

First of all, find out whether it is possible to install Windows on your particular gadget model and whether it will work with the new OS. The following conditions must be met:

1. Device processor – AMD, Transmeta, IDT, VIA.
2. There is support for i386 architecture.
3. You can use a bootable flash drive for installation.
4. The device is equipped with a USB input. You will need to connect a keyboard and mouse, so one input is not enough - you need a USB hub.

For work new system You will need special drivers that can be downloaded from an official source via a computer or laptop.

Installation methods:

• emulator;
• installation on top of the current OS;
• a full-fledged operating system on the tablet (complete replacement of the current OS).

Installing Windows using emulators

Installing the emulator does not involve making changes to the main operating system. With it, you can simply run any version, for example, Windows 7 instead of Android or even Windows 10. the main task emulator – launching programs and simple games. The most popular emulators:

• QEMU;
• BOCHS;

It should be noted that in order to install Android on a Windows tablet, you can also use an emulator and run your favorite games and applications.

Installation process:

1. Download the installer.
2. Start the installation process and wait for it to complete.
3. Select the system image to be emulated.
4. The OS should appear on the tablet's display after all steps have been completed correctly.

Using an emulator does not allow you to install full Windows to a tablet device. For this reason, this method has several disadvantages:

1. Not a single emulator provides Internet access.
2. Most programs have problems with performance and stability. You will probably only have access to basic tasks.
3. There may be hardware compatibility issues. This applies to malfunctions related to the operation of the display, sound, etc.
4. To be able to use the OS, it is recommended to install the simplest version of Windows on the tablet. We are talking about the first platforms (Millenium, 98), however, the software will be appropriate. Few emulators support modern versions - Windows 8, etc.

Installing Windows on top of the current OS

Is it possible to install Windows on a tablet with Android or another OS in such a way that you can use both the new and old systems on the device at the same time? There are tablet models on sale that support dual OS, and, as a rule, they work with an Intel processor. To switch between platforms, special buttons are used or the choice is made during the process of turning on the gadget.

If the device was not originally intended to work with two OSes, then it is almost impossible to install Windows on the tablet on top of another platform yourself. The range of tablets with dual OS is not too large. ASUS and other manufacturers have similar models. A more diverse range can be found among the products of Chinese companies.

Full Windows installation

Not every Android tablet is suitable for installing another OS, and even more so, this procedure cannot always be performed independently. The easiest way is to permanently change the platform on a gadget that works with an ARM or i386 processor, and each type of processor is capable of interacting with a specific version of Windows. For example, the following tablet models accurately support full installation of a computer OS:

• Archos 9;
• Iconia Tab W500;
• 3Q Qoo;
• Odeon TPC-10;
• ViewSonic ViewPAD.

It is worth clarifying that while you can still “tinker” with Android and experiment with various methods of changing the OS, you will not be able to do this with Apple devices – iOS will not allow the installation of another platform. Versions 7 and 8 are relatively easy to install, but installing Windows 10 correctly on your tablet can be quite difficult, since this version appeared recently, and 7 and 8 are simple and take up little memory space.

Installation process:

1. Connect a mouse, keyboard and a bootable USB flash drive to the device.
2. Turn off the device and turn it on again, pressing F2 on the keyboard during the boot process.
3. A window will appear on the display with a system operating as a BIOS. Select the USB flash drive with which you are going to install Windows.
4. Specify the “Full installation” item in the root folder and select the partition where the OS will be installed.
5. Determine the appropriate language, confirm your acceptance of the license agreement.
6. When a new window appears where you need to deal with the disks, remove the disk immediately or first transfer all important data from the memory card and internal storage.
7. Create a new disk on the system and format it.
8. As soon as the installation is complete, immediately remove the flash drive from the connector, otherwise the operation will start again.

In most cases, the touch screen begins to function immediately after installation is completed. However, don't panic if it doesn't work - you can control Windows using just the keyboard. Using the keys, open Windows Update in the Control Panel and update the entire system.

Just in case, activate the “System Restore” function in the settings so that you can return the system to its original state at any time.

Conclusion

The methods described above provide the opportunity to install an operating system on the tablet Windows system

The computing power of modern mobile devices has practically caught up with the computers of previous years. Multi-core processors, RAM from one gigabyte - all these are already integral...

USB flash drives are very useful, but not everyone has one on hand when needed and when needed. boot system like on disk Windows recovery, every time you want to install Windows 10 on your computer.

With Drivedroid, you can simply use the Android phone you carry with you to download and install Windows 10 on your computer. It takes only a few minutes. In this article you will learn about how to install windows with using Android smartphone in the fastest way.

How to install Windows using an Android smartphone: Requirements

By the way, we have already talked about this before.

Before starting this guide, make sure you have the following:

1. Root an Android device
2. 4.5 GB of free space on your Android device
3. Windows 10 ISO file

Settings

First, you need to install Drivedroid on your device. Launch the application Google Play Store on your device, search for "Drivedroid" and install it on your phone there.

After installing it, you can run the wizard USB settings to configure the application. Click "Setup" to get started

It will check that your device has not been blacklisted. Click Continue and then grant access to the application root file.

Then connect your Android device to PC using a USB cable.

You need to select from a list of USB systems to work with USB. Most devices will work with the first available USB system.

Finally, open the file manager on your PC and make sure your device is mounted as a USB drive or CD. This means your device works well with Drivedroid. You can close the Wizard and continue with the rest of the tutorial.

If your device doesn't show up at all, go back to the previous page and try other USB systems until you get it working.

Creating a boot image of Windows 10

After you have changed initial setup, Creation bootable Windows ISO 10 on your Android device should be a walk in the park.

Follow the instructions below and make sure your device remains connected to your computer before continuing.

1. Download last file Windows ISO 10 and move it to your device's internal storage or SD card.

2. Launch Drivedroid and click the "+" button at the bottom of the screen.

3. Select "Add image from file".

4. Name your image and tap the magnifying glass icon to choose the path to ISO file. After that, click the checkmark at the top to save.

5. Click on the newly created entry and select one of the hosting options. "CD-ROM" worked for me in this case.

6. Now Windows image 10 must be mounted. A notification will appear on your phone indicating that the image has been successfully installed.

7. Finally, restart your computer and boot from the Drive where you mounted the Windows ISO.

Ready! Windows 10 should boot normally and you should be able to continue the installation process from there. Did it turn out very easy or what? Tell us about it. Now you know how to install Windows using Android smartphone.

conclusions

As you understand, everything is done very simply. We tried to talk in as much detail as possible about how to install Windows using an Android smartphone in just a few steps.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

The computing power of modern mobile devices has almost caught up with the computers of yesteryear. Multi-core processors, RAM from one gigabyte - all these are already integral characteristics of modern smartphones. Thanks to this, the user can install both partial and full-function Windows OS on the tablet.

Reasons for installation

Installing Windows on a tablet may be necessary for those users who are not satisfied with the functionality of the Android system. For example, you find it much more convenient to work with a physical keyboard, but you still need to constantly edit or create documents in Microsoft package Office. Buying a simple laptop or netbook is an expensive pleasure, but you can make a mobile gadget work on Windows absolutely free.

To install a Windows tablet on Android , you should find out if it matches minimum requirements. You will need a device with i386 processor architecture. You can install Windows 7 and 8 on such gadgets. Only G8 can be installed on ARM processors. You can find out about the processor of your gadget on the manufacturer’s official website or in the technical description for the device.

All you need is a beautiful interface

If the priority is only to create a beautiful graphical shell that will be identical to the Windows environment, then we recommend installing a regular launcher on the tablet. You will find many similar applications in the official Google Play store. Thus, you retain the functionality of the Android system, while visually working in the Windows shell.

Emulator: how to use

The easiest way how to install Windows on a tablet - This is to resort to the help of an emulator. Thanks to its use, you will be able to switch between systems at any convenient time. A high-quality emulator can run Windows 9X versions without problems. More modern versions work with “brakes”, but you can install stripped-down OS.

To use a Windows tablet using an emulator, follow the steps below:

Once the environment is installed, the user will be able to work on the supplied OS using a tablet. The mouse keys will play the tablet's volume buttons.

Flashing the phone

If the priority is to replace “Android” with a full-fledged “Windows”, then install the operating system on top of android. Be sure to do it first backup copy data, and check whether there is enough memory in the tablet for the desired Windows.

The installation process includes the following steps:

Once you have installed the OS, you should download everything necessary drivers for equipment. In some cases, the hardware of the device works even without drivers. Now you know how to install Windows on a device running Android in several ways.

Which brings operating rooms closer together Chrome systems OS/Android and Windows. Now on computers, tablets and even smartphones with x86 processors running Google OS you can run classic Windows applications. We tested this utility and formed our small opinion about it in this article.

Note: The CrossOver utility works on devices running Android control and Chrome OS, which have processors with x86 architecture - these are Intel or AMD chips. Therefore, most devices with ARM chipsets will not be able to run Windows applications. The author of the article tested CrossOver on ASUS laptop With AMD processor And operating system Remix OS latest version.

What is CrossOver for Android

The developers at CodeWeavers are known for releasing CrossOver utilities for Linux and macOS to run Windows applications on these operating systems. The CrossOver utility is based on open source software source code called Wine. At their core, CrossOver and Wine are virtualization tools that create an emulated Windows environment to launch the corresponding applications.

Emulation is only possible on x86 processors. ARM architecture chipsets are not supported because the code Windows programs cannot be executed on them, and there is still no simple converter. Roughly speaking, CrossOver only works on computers with Chrome OS, as well as on tablets with Android, where the processor is Intel Atom, for example, ASUS ZenFone.

How to install CrossOver for Android

On this moment The CrossOver utility is undergoing beta testing on Google Play. There you can sign up for a test of the program, or you can download APK installation file utilities directly from Trashbox and install on your gadget (threats identified by antiviruses are simply a feature of the application associated with emulation).

On Chromebooks, installation is more complicated. You must first put Chrome OS into recovery mode, activate developer mode there, go to the Developer - Unstable channel in the browser itself, and then enable support for Android applications in the settings and download the corresponding program from the Play Store.

Installing and working with applications

Launching installed application CrossOver, we see something like a virtual worker Windows desktop with its own Start menu. All the icons of the Windows applications you have installed will appear on this desktop. The program works better in full-screen mode, but this only applies to Chrome OS. The easiest way to install a program on Windows is to use the internal installer. The developers decided to simplify this process by adding own installer. Click on “Install Application” in the upper right corner. A window will open with a text field, a drop-down list and an “Install” button.

Immediately CrossOver offers to install Steam - a catalog of games. You can simply click the “Install” button and the installation will begin. The drop-down list suggests other Windows applications or games that are sure to work on Android. If you uncheck the “Only good-known applications” item, the drop-down list will contain a huge number of games and applications from Windows that can be installed with one click. But whether they will work is not guaranteed.

In the text field, you can search for applications or games by name. This is what Steam looks like after installation on Android:

Most games from Steam will not work due to the fact that CrossOver only supports DirectX 9, but the developers of the utility promise to add support for versions 10 and 11. Some people, for example, were able to run Half-Life and the classic Team Fortress, but for this they had to disable full screen mode and enable software rendering instead of OpenGL:

Of course, it is almost impossible to play in such an emulator due to low FPS and incorrect operation mice. The controller is unlikely to work properly. But the fact that the games are launching already says something.

You can also install a Windows browser for Internet surfing in such an emulator. For example, Firefox 45 installs and works without problems. Even the extensions work.

It is possible to install a full-fledged office suite. For example - OpenOffice, LibreOffice or Microsoft Office 2007 / 2010.

Moreover, those who wish can install Adobe Photoshop. Unfortunately, many applications and games produced errors on my device, but the author of a similar article from Android Police was able to run Adobe's "heavy" graphics package.

Results

At the current stage of development, CrossOver for Android and Chrome OS is a very unstable and in many ways inconvenient utility that, although it can run many Windows applications, still does it poorly. It is almost impossible to work with such emulation on tablets and smartphones, but for laptops based on Chrome OS or Remix OS, this is an excellent opportunity to use Windows applications.

In the future, CrossOver may improve in terms of features and compatibility. Since Google itself is going to adapt Android for hybrid tablets and computers (), we can say that CrossOver has a great future. The main thing is implementation. Let's hope that the developers from CodeWeavers will finish their utility to a good state.