Home > How to install Android 4.

4 KitKat in Windows using VirtualBox

How to install Android 4.4 KitKat in

Windows using VirtualBox
Posted on February 21, 2014 by vonnie 145 Comments

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Googles confectionery legacy of Android operating systems has enough digital sugar to make you
nauseous.
It all started in 2009 with Android 1.5 Cupcake and now five years later, Google s infatuation with
sweets lives on through KitKat.
KitKat is a great OS but you need the physical tablet or smartphone before you can actually play
with it.
Or do you?
Thanks to VirtualBox and the Android-x86 project, we now have unfettered access to the latest
treats from Googles assorted code bakery.
We just need to download the latest Android-x86 ISO and then load it into Virtualbox as a new Linux
virtual machine.

Recent Posts

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As Im writing this, Android 4.3 Jelly Bean is Googles newest concoction; however, whats the fun in
that when everyones favorite chocolate covered vanilla waffer, KitKat, is already out as a Release
Candidate?
If you want to live on the edge, forego the Jelly, gimmie a break, grab KitKat and follow me.

KitKat in VirtualBox
I want you to exult in how easy it is to setup KitKat in VirtualBox.
Click the blue New button in Virtualbox, name the new VM Droid, change the Type to Linux and
change the version to Linux 2.6 / 3.x.
Crank the Memory up to 1024MB and click Create.

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On the Create Virtual Hard Drive screen, change the File Size to 6 GB, leave the Hard drive file
type at VDI but change the Storage on physical hard drive to Fixed size.

Grab my new eBook

before I take it down!
Now back in the image list, double click your tasty KitKat build. You should see a Select start-up
disk window poof onto the screen.

It's 100% free. Here's what you

get:
1. 40 pages of beautiful HD photos

Click the tiny manila folder icon to find the Android .ISO file you downloaded earlier and then hit the

featuring solid content on getting

Start button.

the most out of Google Chrome

2. Learn how to speed up Chrome,

stay private online, maximize your

mobile experience and more.
3. Tons of concise Pro-tips scattered
throughout the guide; see if you can
find them all.
4. Two special bonus sections near
the end of the guide
Due to the high volume of requests it can
take up to 24 hours to receive your eBook.
Please be patient! Thanks.

First Name

Enter your name

Email

Enter your email

JOIN NOW!

VirtualBox attempts to boot off the ISO and immediately displays the Android-x86 Live &
Installation CD test screen.
Keep hitting the arrow keys until you select the Installation option then hit Enter.

The first thing we need to do is Create a new Partition.

Think of a partition as an isolated section of your hard disk. In this case, were going to set aside
the entire virtual hard disk to Android but we need to create it first.
Select Create/modify partitions and keep moving.

This next screen may look daunting at first but its pretty straight forward when you think about it.
The top section shows various drive facts such as:
Drive name: /dev/sda
Size: 6,442MB (6 Gigs)
The middle section shows that there are currently no partitions.
Hit the right arrow key to highlight the [NEW] option along the bottom the screen, then press
Enter.

Press enter again to make it a Primary Partition.

To be honest, I dont think it matters if you pick the Logical Partition; however, the Primary partition
makes the most sense to me so go with that.
If youre curious about the differences between Primary and Logical partitions, just think of a
Primary partition like a container which can comprise one or more logical partitions.

Press enter again to confirm the size. Here Im confirming the 6440.39 MB partition size.

Alright, now we need to make the partition bootable so make sure [Bootable] is highlighted below
and press Enter.

When you press enter it places the word Boot under the column called Flags between Name and
Part Type. Now keep pressing the right arrow key until you highlight [Write].
Go for it, youve got this my friend.

Hit enter and youll see a confirmation warning about destroying all the data on your disk.
Remember, this is your virtual disk not your real disk.
In other words, were about to nuke the Guest OS hard drive which is currently empty so this is
perfectly safe and necessary. Type yes and hit Enter.

When it finishes itll take you back to the previous screen. Just keep hitting the right arrow until you
highlight [Quit].

Press enter so we can finish up. You should find yourself back in the Choose Partition screen;
however, this time you should see your newly created Partition in the list.
Since we now have a place to park the KitKat installation we can start installing it. Select sda1
Linux and hit Enter.

Change the filesystem to ext3 and press Enter.

The other filesystems are for different purposes. ext2 is better suited for removable media such as
USB flash drives and memory cards; however, the main advantage of ext3 is that it offers
journaling.
Journaling file systems are ideal because they track file system changes in a log called a journal.
This means that journaling file systems can recovery faster from crashes and are less likely to get

corrupted.
You definitely want this.

Youll get a warning about losing all your data. This is fine because we have no data in the Guest
OS.
Choose Yes and continue.

Install GRUB and hit Yes.

GRUB will give us the flexibility to boot up different Linux installations at startup.

Now hit Yes to install the /system directory as read-write.

Were on the home stretch now baby!

When you hit the finish line, in the VirtualBox menu bar, click Devices, go to CD/DVD Devices
and choose Remove disk from virtual drive.
You might get a terrifying error about unmounting the disk. Dont worry, just click Force
unmount and choose Run Android-x86!

If it doesnt start up right or it freezes, press Ctrl + r to manually restart the virtual machine.
In a few seconds it should boot up the GRUB loader. Just leave it alone for a few seconds and itll
finish starting up.

Now you can set it up just like a new tablet

By the way, if the mouse doesnt work you may need to click Disable Mouse Integration from the
Machine menu in the upper left corner of the Virtualbox window. This will keep the mouse gliding
over the VirtualBox menu instead of getting trapped inside it.
On the Select Wi-Fi screen just click Skip. Virtualbox will use your host computers network card
for data connectivity.

And thats it!

Now you can download Google apps, setup Gmail and have a ball without fear of destroying a
precious tablet.

Have fun.

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Posted in Mobile, Windows, Windows 7Tagged with: Tricks, Virtual Machines

146 Comments

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jaya sai Kishore

5 months ago

guyzz....my tablet screen whch i installed on pc is rotated to 90degrees...hw i adjust to

normal mode...plzz help me frndsss
30

Reply Share

BajpanGosh > jaya sai Kishore

7 days ago

Rotating the screen: (to get that operate we must to have activated Auto-rotate
screen)
Press F12 two times in less than 2 seconds = Rotate 90 to the LEFT.
Press F11 two times in less than 2 seconds = Rotate 90 to the RiGHT.
Press F10 two times in less than 2 seconds = Rotate 180.
Press F9 two times in less than 2 seconds = Normal view 0/360.
So I'd say try hitting F11 twice should solve your issue after activating screenrotation.

rotation.

shahrokh

Reply Share

5 months ago

please help me i installed it on my macbook pro md101 without any problem. but it
cannot run most of applications such as games (clash of clans ,.... ) or even live
wallpapers ! i think it has some graphically problem..
can u help me ?
i really need it...
19

Reply Share

Khun Kru Mark

8 months ago

Extremely clear and professional explanation. Well done.

14

Reply Share

Felipe Pereira Muoz

7 months ago

i stil cant install it, im using windows 8.1 and i get the message "kernel panic - not
syncinng.." :(
11

Reply Share

Andrew > Felipe Pereira Muoz

6 months ago

Enable Intel Virtualization Technology in your BIOS

Restart windows 8.1 and press f12 after it beeps to go into bios and find
virtualization technology to enable it and press F10 to save and restart
you're welcome.
7

Reply Share

Michael Cordell > Andrew

6 months ago

Same issue but Virtualization is already enabled. I've been using

vmware for years

Reply Share

Andrew > Michael Cordell

kitkat on vm

6 months ago

Reply Share

Guest > Michael Cordell

6 months ago

kitkat on VM box

Reply Share

Andrew > Michael Cordell

6 months ago

Oh I had to do something else with the installation I think I

somehow kept reinstalling it and eventually it worked i forgot
what exactly I did to make it work but somehow I bypassed it and
it was working whatever it was Sorry If I remember I'll let you
know otherwise use Bluestacks, it's much better and more
optimized than VirtualBox.
PS: get the rooted version BlueStacks App Player 8.9.3088
instead of the free version on bluestacks website, other wise it
will annoy the shit out of you with download these apps to keep
using bluestacks or pay 2.99 for 50days. What a joke we already
pay for cellphone and internet services why on top of this shit
just because I'm lazy to get a cord to plug in to my display port to
view what I'm doing on my phone or pay the 2.99, but I rather
have a more fuller hard drive than to download apps or games
every day it asks if I wanna continue to use bluestacks.

Reply Share

Sushil Sampang Rai > Andrew

2 months ago

Will you pls check if"Order & Chaos Duels"work on rooted

Bluestacks ??

Reply Share

maniacbum > Andrew

3 months ago

Where, provide link

Alberto Ricci

Reply Share

7 months ago

great guide, all the installation process goes well. i got a problem after the first boot of
the os: after i choose the system language everything goes black and i can't do
anything. any suggestion? :)
EDIT: i restarted the virtualbox, and now, i don't know why, it works. but now i've got a
second problem: wi-fi doesn't work! am i missing something?
10
Guest

Reply Share

7 months ago

Hey Guys I recently installed android 4.4 kitkat on this system using VM virtualbox but
whenever i try to start it
i GET this......
I try to REBOOT it but it does the same thing.
And after 5 seconds the screen goes black!! ISTHERE ANYONE WHO CAN HELP ME
WITH THIS?

see more

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disqus_HxQAhQEno8 > Guest

6 months ago

press enter. easy

2

Reply Share

Orlando > Guest

7 months ago

iso file problem. redownload and re install

ritobi88

Reply Share

5 months ago

Hi,
i have the problem that all my apps Crash when i want to start them. It loads for a sec
and then tells me the app has been closed. I only used 1GB RAM, but i dont think that
this could be the problem. Any solutions?
I tried it with different APPS, everything crashes
7

Reply Share

Kernel Panic > ritobi88

4 months ago

Android 4.4 Crash Edition

2

Reply Share

Vonnie Hudson

Mod

> Kernel Panic 3 months ago

Vonnie Hudson

Mod

> Kernel Panic 3 months ago

lol, so it's working as designed?

1
Candy

Reply Share

a month ago

when it start to boot I got the error like this [0.0000] tsc: fast TSC Calibration failed,
pleas help me

Reply Share

vishant sharma

a month ago

hey..
i have installed and 4.4
bt i am unable to communicate vm with my pc...
to use drag & drop
it is given to install vm guest addition
and i mounted the iso file of it to vm but unable to install it on vm....
can you give me stpe by step instruction to install it on my vm
2

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sachin makwana

2 months ago

Every thing is fine.. But the major problem is with any iso of android x86 or other is that
mostly all the apps not working properly. Everytime you clicked it only one messege
you'll got. 'Unfortunately app is not Working'. So please fix this things.
Thank you
2

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Omed

4 months ago

Hi, I am getting the error

"Error relaunching Virtualbox VM process: 5
Command line: '81954AF5-4D2F-31EB-A12-*******and so on
comment " Android KitKat 4.4"--startvm 60e81457**
--nostartvm-errorsgbox' (rc=-104)
and then after that comes the following error box
"
Result Code:
E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Component:
Machine
Interface:
IMachine {480cf695-2d8d-4256-9c7c-cce4184fa048}"
What am i doing wrong here? i tried disabling my AVG also but still it did not fix the
error.
2

Reply Share

bpollen > Omed

3 months ago

Download 4.3.15 here:

https://www.virtualbox.org/dow...
You can read about it here:
https://forums.virtualbox.org/...
Fixed it for me.

Reply Share

vishesh > bpollen

11 days ago

hi have same problem but version is 4.3.18 i want also download 4.2.24

Reply Share

Sunil Sagare > Omed

4 months ago

I also got the same error

I also got the same error

Reply Share

Omed > Sunil Sagare

4 months ago

Hi, the problem is the latest VirtualBox version at least that's what I think.
So I Uninstalled that version and download the 4.2.24 version and it
worked like a charm.
Link for 4.2.24 version
https://www.virtualbox.org/wik...

Reply Share

vishesh > Omed

11 days ago

these problem

see more

Reply Share

vishesh > Omed

11 days ago

hi have same problem but version is 4.3.18 i want also download

hi have same problem but version is 4.3.18 i want also download

4.2.24

Lee

Reply Share

7 months ago

PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM! I DONT KNOW HOW TO PUT THE ISO :/
PLEASE HELP ME!
2

Reply Share

Lee > Lee

7 months ago

this is the sreenshots

see more

Reply Share

Luis Anton Imperial > Lee

a month ago

You've a corrupted ISO. Download it again. Make sure that it's more
than 350,000 KB after downloading, like mine.

Reply Share

Ilia Bakhshi

a month ago

guys help. when i format and do all the things, right at the "run androidx86" i get freeze
with this screen http://prntscr.com/4xmy1n
1

Reply Share

Lorenzo > Ilia Bakhshi

15 days ago

Mine got frozen too. Anyone please help us.

Reply Share

Guest > Lorenzo

15 days ago

Here is a screenshot of mine.

Reply Share

C.X. > Guest

a day ago

just click the 'x' icon and restart the OS

Windows

Ahmad M.
Mobile

a month ago

Hardware

Reply Share

About

Dude ! That was explained so beautifully :D

~from a computer science student.
1
Martin

Reply Share

2 months ago

Heya
Great Tut.
It installed like a charm. But i still got some Questions:
When i try to change the Background, then "Trebuchet" stops working. Also some
Apps i install, they show up for about 2 Secs, then exit.
Other Question: how to change the Resolution?
I googled, but i did not really find some hints bringing me on the right Way.
Thx for any Help!
1

Reply Share

Luis Anton Imperial > Martin

a month ago

There's no way I can find to change the screen res. The Android-x86's default
launcher, Trebuchet, works fine for me.

launcher, Trebuchet, works fine for me.

Reply Share

Sushil Sampang Rai

2 months ago

Why wont some apps/games work on this eg"Order&Chaos Duels"?

Will it be fixed?
1

Reply Share

saravakos4321

3 months ago

I cant install it,i use windows 8.1 pro and i can go to [Write].It says no more partitions.
1

giacomo

Reply Share

5 months ago

the installation was fine, android start but I can't use the keyboard, it doesn't work. Any
suggestion?
1

Guest

Reply Share

7 months ago

if this is how to handle

1
Gavin

Reply Share

8 months ago

Hi, every time I get to the point where I have to install the .iso in the virtual machine, it
doesn't work. I go down to the fourth option and select it and it throws out some code
and exits. How can I get it to install properly? I have a video of what happens here:

Reply Share

Yhal Htet Aung > Gavin

8 months ago

Try to remove your Android iso from the VirtualBox then you won't see it
anymore :)
1. Go to Settings of your VM, go to Storage, then remove your Android iso, then
run your VM :)
1

Reply Share

Guest > Yhal Htet Aung

8 months ago

Yes, you're quite funny. Go away.

Azazel > Gavin

Reply Share

2 months ago

i have the same problem

Reply Share

Vonnie Hudson

Mod

> Gavin 7 months ago

Okay, I watched the video. You never get to the choose partition screen? I went
through the installation a second time and received a similar error to yours. Are
you still having this issue?

Reply Share

jfherring > Gavin

8 months ago

Okay Gavin, I got it. On the host machine (I mean the system that Virtual Box is
installed on), you need to boot into the BIOS and in the configuration settings,
enable Intel Virtualization (or AMD Virtualization if that's what you have). Then
start the process above over again.

Reply Share

Reply Share

Trenton Maag > jfherring

7 months ago

i have win 8 how do i do that. This only works if your computer has the
virtulization installed or a part of you processor.

Reply Share

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