Installing Android on other devices
It's the open-sourced nature of Android that has enabled it to proliferate so widely, but it's the touch-friendly interface that has had it so eagerly embraced by so many.
This has enabled anyone that wanted, to direct their intellectual powers to porting Android to any device they want.
This has lead to disgruntled owners of Android devices that have waited a few months too long for OS updates to create their own updated builds.
Owners of devices with outdated or dead operating systems – such as Windows Mobile – have devised builds of Android of their own.
While people who just fancy the damn challenge have done it for perfectly functioning devices, such as the iPhone 3G.
Robot spares
For this example we've picked the HP TouchPad, there was a lot of noise about this in mid-2011. HP announced it was dumping its WebOS division and there was a fire sale on its only tablet the HP TouchPad.
This runs WebOS, which, while in itself is a fine OS, has very limited third-party app support. With the death knell sounded for WebOS the challenge was on to create a working build of Android.
The renowned hacker group, CyanogenMod took up the challenge and delivered a working alpha in a month.
So how do you go about replacing the OS on a device? It's just like replacing an OS on a standard PC but with the added complications of gaining the right access to the original OS; having the tools to inject a replacement boot-loader; and having access to a replacement OS with the correct drivers in place. Sounds tricky, doesn't it?
Thankfully the internet is a vast and varied place, inhabited by helpful and intelligent types. Sites like http://xda-developers.com and http://rootzwiki.com host communities of avid Android fans, dedicated to creating builds of Androids for specific devices. These gals and guys have created an armoury of tools that people can easily reuse for a host of devices.
Missing a pillar
Three basic pillars are required: a copy of the target OS for the device; a system to inject this onto the device; and a boot-loader to kick start the device with the new OS.
The injection stage is interesting as it usually hijacks the manufacturer's built-in firmware upgrade or recovery process. Most devices provide a low-level recovery mode that involves holding down a combination of hard buttons as it's turned on.
With the HP TouchPad this is the Volume Up button. For other devices, such as the iPhone this is initiated via the software itself.
Beyond that initial process, of course, a build of Android is required, ideally but not necessarily with all the device drivers in place. As with Windows, lacking a driver doesn't necessarily break a device but renders that part – be it the GPS, Wi-Fi or audio for example – useless or in other cases semi-functioning or often functioning but lacking power-saving features. If you jump onboard a part-done build you'll often find such issues.
Last, the boot-loader kicks the whole thing off. For some devices, usually those that cannot be flashed, this is a one-time process that has to be rerun each boot. The HP TouchPad gets the best of all worlds as it can be partitioned and have a multi-OS boot-loader installed called Moboot.
You won a brick
Do be aware there is a chance of bricking your device. We strongly advise backing up your data and any files on it. It's well worth fully charging the device beforehand and leaving it plugged in as well.
Once the 'upgrade' is initiated don't interrupt it, even if nothing seems to be happening. Once Android is in place there can be issues with Android Market and it will often need installing separately, but we cover that below.
On some devices it may also block many apps as the device isn't correctly recognised. This can often be fixed by clearing and force stopping the Google Services Framework and then the Market via application settings.
Beyond this there's a world of Android enjoyment to be had. The Android 4.0 source code has been released too, so we're expecting a slow update for many devices to the tasty Ice Cream Sandwich.
Disclaimer: Future Publishing Limited provides the information for this project in good faith and makes no representations as to its completeness or accuracy. Individuals carrying out the instructions in this project do so at their own risk.
Installing Android: How to do it
Part 1: It's easy, like brain surgery
1. All your fault
Let's be up front, this is third-party alpha software that replaces the boot-loader and installs Android. Things can go wrong and if they do it's all your own fault. We strongly suggest you back up.
Select Launcher > Settings > Backup to secure at least your settings. We'll outline later uninstall and emergency recovery options that could save a seemingly bricked device.
2. Get ready
First, make sure your HP TouchPad has at least 2GB of space free. It's usually not an issue.
Next, you'll need your USB data cable to hand and download the required files from the RootzWiki page. Four files are essential: ACMEInstaller ZIP, CM7.1.0-tenderloin-a3-fullofbugs-signed ZIP, Clockwork Recovery ZIP and the Moboot ZIP.
Only extract the ACMEInstaller.
3. Get even more ready
You will also need to download the HP TouchPad Novacom driver, this is usually part of the SDK but you can grab just the driver from here.
If you don't have Java installed grab that as well from http://java.com and run the JAR file you just downloaded. This installs the driver required to access the HP TouchPad in its recovery mode to inject the new boot-loader.
Part 2: Wipe out WebOS
1. Fire the files
Boot the HP TouchPad into WebOS as normal. Attach it to your PC via the USB and mount it as a drive. Open My Computer, locate the HP TouchPad and in the root create a cminstall folder.
In to this copy the three unextracted ZIP files: moboot, update-cwm, and updatecm-7.1. These represent the Moboot, ClockWork Recovery and CyanogenMod Android files.
2. Moment of truth
Eject the HP TouchPad from the PC as normal and power it down. Turn it back on while holding the [Volume Up] button. As soon as it's on a large white USB logo should appear.
Connect the HP TouchPad to the PC and it should be detected as new hardware via the Novacom driver. If the TouchPad isn't recognised you need to get the Novacom driver installed. Try a reboot if you haven't already.
3. Install Android
Extract the ACMEInstaller file to the desktop. Select Start, type 'CMD' and click 'OK'. In the command prompt type 'CD desktop', press [Return] to change directory to the desktop.
To start the Android install, type the following line into the command prompt. If Novacom cannot be found, locate the Program Files > Palm > SDK folder and copy it to the desktop: novacom boot mem:// < ACMEInstaller
4. Android activate!
After a moment of nothing, a stream of Linux command lines should appear. This install process will go on for ten minutes or so, after which the HP TouchPad will reboot. Ignore the boot-loader and Android will start.
Play to your heart's content but a big omission is the Android Market, but we can fix that and it's an excellent introduction to the ClockworkMod Recovery Mode.
5. Moah apps!
Legally Android Market cannot be distributed with CyanogenMod Android. Download the package from http://gooinside.me/gapps. Connect the TouchPad to your PC as a drive and copy this ZIP file to the root.
Eject and reboot the TouchPad, at the new Moboot boot-loader use the Volume Button to select Boot ClockworkMod and press the Home button to start.
6. The Market is open
ClockworkMod enables you to do all manner of low-level recovery and update things. Use the [Volume Button] to navigate to 'install zip', the sdcard refers to the internal storage. Use the [Home] button to select.
Select 'Choose zip from sdcard', select the gapps ZIP file you saved to the root. Confirm the warning, select 'Reboot system now' and let it reboot into Android. Now you have full Market access.
Part 3: Disaster recovery
1. Recovery options
The ClockworkMod Recovery provides a number of recovery and restore features that can help reset and fix problems. Access it from the Moboot boot-loader using the [Volume Button] and [Home] button to select.
Options that can fix locking and freeze issues include: Wipe Cache Partition, Advanced > Wipe Dalvik Cache and Wipe User Data. The last one will reset Android to factory defaults.
2. Refresh Android
Within ClockworkMod Recovery you're also able to reset CyanogenMod Android by effectively getting it to reinstall Android on top of itself.
Boot into WebOS, mount it as a drive and copy the CM7 fullofbugs ZIP file to the root. Eject and reboot the TouchPad and start ClockworkMod Recovery. Choose the 'Install zip' from sdcard option and select the Zip from the root.
3. Android begone
If you decide Android's not for you the good news is that an uninstaller is available. We can see this being automated in the future but even in the alpha stage it's nothing you've not already done.
Download and extract the Uninstaller Zip file from the RootzWiki TouchPad website. Open a command prompt, change the directory to the Desktop and type: novacom boot mem:// < ACMEUninstaller.
4. It's all gone wrong
The above step takes a few minutes for anything to happen but will restore your device to its pre-Android state, recovering partition space.
There is one last recovery option with WebOS Doctor found here. You'll need your HP WebOS account details, at least five per cent charge and Java installed. The entire reset process shouldn't take more than half an hour.