Android-x86 Honeycomb 3.2 for Acer1825 series

By Christopher, December 8, 2011

[Beta 2 available: http://www.ceh-photo.de/blog/?p=417]

So its long time ago that I wrote  something about Android-x86 and my Acer1825 but now I could tell, that I was not lazy in between.

I was working on builds based on the former work for froyo-x86 of arobase (we are still in contact, but he does not own the Acer1825 anymore).

For a while I was working on a gingerbread-x86 build for the Acer, which is also running quite well but has still problems with sound –> only sound on headphones (if someone is interested in a build I could also provide one –> let me know).

My newer honeycomb port do not have this problems and runs quite well all in all with some restrictions (see below).

The build is for the same devices like the old froyo builds from arobase, but only tested on my Acer1825, if someone could provide test results for a device of the 1820,1420 or 1425 series or of some Packard Bell clone I would be glad to know about.

Honeycomb-x86 for Acer1825 with:

  • graphics acceleration
  • multi-touch
  • high volume sound (difference to old froyo release)
  • auto-rotation with accelerometer (not for 180° because Android stock do not have this feature) –>that was wrong information: its working in all directions and also stock android since honeycomb supports this feature
  • wifi
  • battery status
  • integrated google apps
  • SD-Card
  • additional file manager
  • suspend with tricky resume* (because of old kernel from gingerbread, with newer honeycomb kernel you loose touch after resume)
  • hard-disk installation tested on ext2 partition
* you need to hold the keys for home or … quite a long time to resume but it is possible
without/not working:
  • ethernet (not support on stock android-x86 at the moment)
  • camera
  • google books app is buggy… don’t know
  • changeable keyboard layout on terminal
  • screen timeout” never” crashes settings app
  • P-button forces reboot
So let me know how it is working on your devices! Here is the download:
[dm]6[/dm]
Below you see a example on how you could configure grub for your ubuntu, windows, android 2.2 and android 3.2 environment if you install to hdd like explained here.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
#!/bin/sh
exec tail -n +3 $0
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.

menuentry "Android-x86 3.2" {
set root=(hd0,4)
linux /android-2011-12-04/kernel quiet root=/dev/ram0 androidboot_hardware=aspire1000s acpi_sleep=s3_bios,s3_mode SRC=/android-2011-12-04 DATA= DPI=160
initrd /android-2011-12-04/initrd.img
}

menuentry "Android-x86 2.2" {
set root=(hd0,4)
linux /android-2011-03-28/kernel quiet root=/dev/ram0 androidboot_hardware=aspire1825 acpi_sleep=s3_bios,s3_mode SRC=/android-2011-03-28 DATA= DPI=160
initrd /android-2011-03-28/initrd.img
}

Some tips for the start:

  • auto-rotation is made for the tablet-mode of the device, so it is inverted in laptop-mode. If you want default orientation in laptop mode shift the device backwards until it flips back
  • set screen-timeout to 30min in settings->screen
  • you have two versions of the music app, one version is from google and looks a bit nicer
  • google books app has some problems, I did not figure out how it could be used…
Tested working apps:
  • browser
  • gmail
  • calendar
  • google maps
  • google market
  • google talk
  • email
  • google places
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • music
  • google search
  • OI file manager
  • evernote
Big thanks to arobase who helped me with questions every time I asked him!

45 Comments

  1. fabrice says:

    not working for my 1825ptz.
    After boot I have ANDROID root@aspire1000# then turn to black screen with some hard drive accessing but nothing else. Have to reboot with Ctrl Alt Del

  2. fabrice says:

    to add more details : the live cd works but when I install on hard disk it stops just after showing ANDROID root@aspire1000# with a black screen

  3. Chibis 1825ptz says:

    After installation on SD card over Virtual Box Android starts to load durind my 1825ptz startap in GRUB either HDPI or MDPI shows screen with ANDROID word and then start blinking between black screen with text cursor at left-top and this ANDROID screen.

    • Christopher says:

      Do you have also problems with live-cd? And please explain your installation I do not realy understand what you have done –> you installed through Virtual Box to real SD-Card?? thats quite strange please try to install from CD or USB device.

      • Chibis 1825ptz says:

        That is exactly what I did :).
        Sounds strange but after reinstalling everything works!
        I was to lazy too look for second memory stick and bootin it as livecd.
        So what I did is create virtual machine with your ISO as boot CD connect SD card to virtual box and install Android on SD formatting it as ext3. It was fine for previous Froyo is also works for this one.

        I’ve already posted in google groups but I’ll repeat here:

        It’s beautiful!!
        Runs fast and smooth on my 1825ptz. Installed on external SD card.
        It wolud be nice to have camera working and usable standby
        functionality.
        There is a problem to set screen timeout to “never” the settings app
        crashes.
        If device go to sleep then after waiking up (if any) almost all
        aplications crash on start.
        To bring it from sleep to alive is also a big quest.
        So i set it to 30 minutes timeout.
        WiFi is not connecting to known network automatically after loading.
        But connects after WiFi turn off and again on.
        Battery indicator is not working propertly for me yesterday it shows
        77% for some hours without any change.
        Is there a chance to get USB host?
        The HDPI regime is not usable because in settings app the right part
        of the screen is not visible.
        Probably it have sence to remove it from bootloader or put at place
        not by default.
        Another question what means red blinking frame? is it replace for
        vibration?
        Thankyou for your work!
        Waiting for next releases.

  4. Reece says:

    Working just fine on my 1825PTZ, the general rules I have always followed which have worked best for me:

    1) Use Gparted to format your chosen installation partition as EXT3 before installation.
    2) During installation,
    a)Choose not to format the partition
    b)Make sure you allow partition to be set up as read/write
    c)If you’re not using Linux and only have Windows installed, be sure to install Grub, the installer should detect Windows and ask if you want it included in Grub (Select ‘Yes’!)
    3) If you decide to use an “fake” SD card, set size to 2045, my PC refused to boot on a few occassions when I left it on default 2047. (P.S. not sure if it helps but I always use a fake SD card.
    4) During first boot, be very patient! It can take a loooonnnggg time.

    Thanks Chris and Arobase for all your hard work!

    • fabrice says:

      I try again with formatting before as ext3. but still the same black screen at first boot.
      You write first boot can take a long time… but is it minutes, hours, days ?
      I wait approximatively 5 mnutes before considering not working.

      • Christopher says:

        hey fabrice.
        hmm strange, because several users do successfully use my build on the Acer1825PTZ and Acer1825PT(ME : -) ) there must be an issue with your environment.
        Which boot media do you use and how did you prepare it? Maybe try another one.

        I make my bootable usb device with unetbootin and everytime before flashing a new iso I delete the whole content of the usb stick because I had strange effects if I had had other android isos on it before…

        Do your Acer differ from the default sold ones? Do you replace some hardware…?

        • fabrice says:

          I burn the ISO and use an USB CD reader as usual.
          The only hardware I change is hard drive (500Gb).
          As it works on Live CD I don’t think the media could be the problem ?

          I use a 30Gb ext3 partition

        • fabrice says:

          I try again with USB drive created with unetbootin.Same result OK with Live session, and black screen after android# when installed on hard disk

  5. Max says:

    When I chose the wireless connection, it shows nothing, (also on other options in the setting menu)

    I only used USB. should I plug in SD card to solve these problems?

    • Christopher says:

      Hello Max,
      which device do you use? Please give further details!

      • Max says:

        1825PTZ
        I used the usb live cd.
        Many options in the setting menu do not work.
        Should I install it into the harddisk or sth?

        I am an android x86 rookie. I really dont know wht’s wrong with the system

        BTW, I really appreciate your work! keep on!

        • Christopher says:

          Please specify which options do not work?

          Installation will not change anything in comparison to live mode except you will be able to save something, so its not necessary to install.

          Did you replace the wireless card of your notebook? Wifi should work with the 1825 series, I have tested on my own and other feedback was also positive.

  6. Chibis 1825ptz says:

    Start in MDPI mode ONLY !! HDPI leads to issues with visibility of many settings

  7. fabrice says:

    I found a solution to avoid the black screen. I installed again on hard disk but this time I choose to use install grub.
    Now it’s ok, I’ve just lost my Ubuntu boot. it found only my windows session.

    My first thoughts : it’s really great , some problems with wireless not always available or difficulties to connect….
    The only big problem is to exit sleeping mode. The screen appears for one second and goes back again to sleep.
    No possibilitty except reboot hard.

  8. fabrice says:

    Now I tried to put again my triple OS boot (windows, ubuntu android).
    I setup again grub2 within a ubuntu LiveCD repari.
    I added custom entries for android with the same parameters but my problem is back again.
    It boots android after text android, it puts the graphical logo android but stops here.
    any idea ? compatibility with grub2 / grub ?

    • Christopher says:

      Mmh in general for a tripple boot setup you need to ensure that you define right parameters in your custom grub, what I provided above is only a example!!! Its possible that some parameters are different.

      If you use not grub-legacy you need to keep in mind that you need to convert parameters.

      If you will not use Android-x86 standalone or only with windows you should not install grub from android-setup.

      But in general you say the android-x86 build made by me works on your system in live-mode and installed with android-x86 grub you must have some mistakes in your grub configuration from ubuntu. Maybe you provide you complete configuration and I will see if I have an idea.

      • fabrice says:

        I install again and modify grub. now it’s ok. I don’t know exactly what was wrong, perhaps too much tuning of my grub ?
        All is almost perfect for my usage. I will now try to find a way to use a real partition rather than a virtual SDCARD limited to 2047.
        The sleeping mode and wifi have to be enhanced but for the moment, it’s really usable .
        Great job Chris

  9. Chibis 1825ptz says:

    Any plans for next update? if any…

    • Christopher says:

      Yes I have plans:

      – removing HDPI Option –> already done but not upploaded
      – integrate a new patch for enabling ethernet in honeycomb (upploaded in android-x86 newsgroup)
      – improve suspend –> maybe by integrating pm-utils in android-x86

      But I need to say that I am quite busy with work and studies, so except point one it could take a while….

  10. Chibis 1825ptz says:

    sounds promising,
    awaiting for updates.
    HDPI I’ve already removed from grub by myself.

    Another interesting thing.
    it appears that our 1825ptz have a real accelerometer!!!

    I’ve just load an app from market which shows the readings from it
    AND IT WORKS!!

    Just before I was sure that there is some sensor which reacts with some 90° precision, just to show whether it in portrait of landscape position.
    But it appears that it is complete!!

    But it have some issue with the axis. Somehow the axis is wrong aligned, so it is not possible really to play some classical labyrinth with ball game 🙁 the ball is always rolling in a wrong direction.

    Is it can be corrected?

    Thank you again for the great job!

    • Max says:

      Is the market already imported in this version?

    • Christopher says:

      yes of course its a real accelerometer.

      Yes the axes seems to be interchanged and yes I know how to fix it.

      BUT today my hdd seems to be crashed! FUCK! I have a backup of my build configuration in webspace but my whole enviroment and much more is gone for the moment. So will take a longer timer to bring a new update 🙁

      • Chibis 1825ptz says:

        Crap. Hopefully it will work soon.

        Do you have a donation PayPal ?

        • Christopher says:

          Positive update, after removing the hdd out of the tower and connecting it a different way I was able to read and boot my system from that hdd. Don’t know what is the problem, maybe my mainboard chipset (now using different sata port+cable)… at the moment I don’t care because I am backuping all important files to other disks as long as my hdd is running properly.

          🙂 I am very happy about that! I was already thinking that project work (around 6 weekends) for one of my study projects is gone, but now its already pushed into the cloud.

          Mmmh I have a PayPal account but no donation button on my page. I am very delight about the fact that it seems you are so satisfied with my work that you ask about that. I checked the PayPal pricing for a donation button and think the only one who has an advantage of that will be paypal 0,30cents per transaction + 2% of the donation is to much for some small donations. What do you think?

          • Chibis 1825ptz says:

            “0,30cents per transaction + 2%” I would say that it’s a kind of standard pricing.
            They get it not for nothing, it is really easy fast and comfortable way for me and for many others, I guess.
            P.S. It is also very “international” way.

  11. Max says:

    Can I install it into a USB drive and boot it?
    I don’t want to install it into the HDD because I have done sth wrong already and it costed me some money for recovery
    But I really want to install some apps

    How can I do that?

  12. Philippe says:

    Hello

    thanks for your great job (and arobase )
    i have installed it on a USB key on my acer 1425
    it’s work good
    but the wifi parameter is not saving and the french keyboard is ever in QWERTY

  13. Tim says:

    Thank you!! Great build! Almost everything is working smooth…
    I’m having trouble with WLAN. It finds the net but won’t connect. Disabling or restarting the device brings no effect. Anyone any idea?
    Also: is there a howto change keyboard layout to qwertz?

    Thanks again for your efforts!

    • Christopher says:

      Hello Tim,
      hmm for me is WLAN working fine (as far as I tested it -scanning, connecting and surfing for some hours) what for encryption do you use? I use 11g with WPA2PSK.

      In term of keyboard that is a general problem of android-x86 but I think I know a workaround. I need to try it next days/weeks, because I want to have QWERTZ too.

    • fabrice says:

      sometime wifi don’t connect. Just try to activate/deactive and it will be ok. I also installed another wireless manager in android market.

  14. fabrice says:

    It’s easy to change physical keyboard layout. I find a solution and post it to the french 10825ptz hardware forum.
    http://forum.hardware.fr/hfr/OrdinateursPortables/Netbook/1820ptz-1825ptz-butterfly-sujet_55559_27.htm
    No problem now I can use virtual of physical keyboard with french AZERTY
    For other keyboards layout diffrent from US you can use the tuto (just edit your config files)

  15. starkadder says:

    hi,

    your build works great so far except that i can’t install it to hard disk. on the install screen i choose the destination but nothing happens except that the install screen where you choose the destination appears again. Other builds – like the asus build – work great – never had problems with those. and in the past i did this a thousand times :-).

    however thanks for your work!

  16. […] general everything mentioned in the former post for beta 1 is still right, expect following changes and […]

  17. Christopher says:

    So everybody I have released beta 2 with some changes and improvements.
    I hope you like it!
    http://www.ceh-photo.de/blog/?p=417

    I am awaiting your feedback.

    Because of the suggestion of Chibis I have integrated a Pay-Pal Donation button on my page(on the right!) for everybody who really likes that stuff….
    But please do not feel forced to donate!

What do you think?

You must be logged in to post a comment.