Oreo/Win10 Dual Boot into x64 GPT UEFI SSD tricky succesfull, but...

[Leaderbell Society]

I discovered a way to install a Dual Boot config into my modest HP 240 G2 (i3-5005U, 4GB RAM) after a lot of tries doing this:

 ̶(̶B̶e̶ ̶a̶w̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶e̶n̶g̶l̶i̶s̶h̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶N̶O̶T̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶f̶i̶r̶s̶t̶ ̶l̶a̶n̶g̶u̶a̶g̶e̶)̶

1. Ovbiously, backup all the personal stuff first (i had no problem since i use a secondary HDD into the optical bay)

2. Download all the drivers, except those ones that needs to create the shitty HP_TOOLS 450MB recovery partition

3. Prepare 3 USB sticks: 

 3-A. The first stick for a Win10 Boot Installer (using the official Microsoft tool, google for the last Win10 iso)

 3-B. The second stick for Android-x86 (I used UNetbootin)

 3-C. The last one is for create a Minitool Partition Wizard 9 bootable drive (i simply used a 2GB MicroSD into a USB adapter)

4. Use the bootable Mintool drive for wipe all the SSD partitions

5. Delete the recovery partition (possible only with this tool). The system partition extends its size a bit, the rest returns to C:

6. Format/wipe all the partitions. Then, delete C: (if needed, move the system partition at the beginning to ensure a correct GPT order)

7. Turn off and use the Win10 boot drive

8. Use its partition manager to create the primary partitions (don't use Minitool!):

 8-A. Create the main partition, subtracting the android partition size in MB (i recommend 32GB, so the total - 32768MB)

 8-B. The installer will create a 16MB reserved partition for a correct primary partitions reading

 8-C. Create the partition for android (32768MB) and then select the main partition to install Win10 (I recommend connect an ethernet cable to get updates)

9. Config just the introduction stuff (i also recommend start with a local account, use the internet just to wait for automatic essential updates but don't open windows update)

10. Plug the Android USB stick and go to Advanced Restart. On Android-x86 window, choose installation on HDD, then select Create/Modify partitions > select the SSD

11. On cfdisk tools, delete the 32GB partition (again) and then select ''New'' (just accept with enter and name the partition with Android on the last step)

12. Select ''Write'' and accept typing yes. Go back and install Android formatting in NTFS. Then accept all with yes and wait to the progress bar

13. Assign the partition size in MB substracting 4GB (for 32GB is 28, so 32768 - 4096 = 28672MB). Run Android-x86 and config the introduction.

14. Restart to install the drivers and finish the Windows config with a Microsoft account. That's all (I hope)

For some strange reason is necessary to repeat from step 7 (the second time deleting primary partition with Windows manager)

The good thing is that GRUB will be capable to create Windows entry on its bootloader! So, won't need the Windows bootloader anymore

After completed, I recommend delete the invalid/unnecessary boot entries through Windows using VisualBCD

If you don't want to repeat all the steps, you can use EasyBCD to fix bootloaders and load Windows instead GRUB (without Android entries). Then, on Windows go to Advanced Restart and you'll see an Android option to get a temporary GRUB bootloader and use the Android OS.

Now, my issues are here:

- The first few times I managed to start Android I had no problems to use my generic gamepad using an USB cable, so i could play games like Implosion. But, the last time i did this process stable just recognize the buttons at intro, but not in-game. However, always recognize the gamepad as a keyboard, so... You need to add gamepad support.

- There's no way to config the external monitor. I have a TV connected via VGA, both laptop and TV have the same resolution (1366x768) but on TV looks at 1024x768 and just the 2/3 of the screen. Maybe i can insert some commands or something but dunno how.

[Mauro Rossi]

Hi, 

I welcome you as a member of the "Community" :-)

and no offense taken, neither addressed to anyone,

so let's go back to technical topic

What have you done differently in the two cases? (procedure, installed apps)

I have tried Chicken Invaders and Implosion 

and they work out-of-the-box on very basic gamepad (Thrustmaster Firestorm Digital 3)

- There's no way to config the external monitor. I have a TV connected via VGA, both laptop and TV have the same resolution (1366x768) but on TV looks at 1024x768 and just the 2/3 of the screen. Maybe i can insert some commands or something but dunno how.

Multiple displays are not currently supported, if I recall correctly mirroring on HDMI is supported and it should down scale, 

maybe there's a problem, but who knows, maybe it's the TV, some of them cut& crop the screen,

have you already tried with another TV/monitor?

Mauro

[Patrick Wirth]

There is a simple way to add a android x86 installation on your current config (and by using a native linux filesystem with all it´s features )

You will just need to reduce the partition size of C:\ (do it with the windows internal partition utility)
Now create a new partition on the new free space using any tool that can create EXT4 filesystems under windows.

Boot into the android x86 installation, choose the windows boot partition (fat32) and let the installer finish the installation of efi grub2.
After this step, press CTRL+ALT+DEL to reboot the system.
Now boot the android installation again.
Choose your EXT4 partition this time!
Skip grub installation this time and let the installer finish the installation process.
You entire partition will be /sdcard later and works and feels like an real android device going this way.

The last step is going to your UEFI and change the boot priority, you should find a new entry which is called "Windows Boot Manager" or a blank box, however you´ll have two boot options, so put the new one to the top of the list and you´ll be able to manage your dualboot system using grub2.

This will only work on UEFI based systems using an EFI installation of windows.

By the way, with ubuntu (or the like) you´ll be able to access your files directly under /system and /data which isn´t the case if you use any other filesystems than EXT4 because android will work with disk images in ntfs/fat32 and by using EXT4 it generates a file structure which is very similar to what you have on your native android phone or tablet.

[Mauro Rossi]

Correction: it does not downscale, the screen may appear cropped or not appear at all, but disabling the laptop screen connector is possible via grub cmdline and the external connected TV will become the primary.