A Linux Feature - Getting your own Desktop on your Android - Part 1 [Root]

Hello All! Steventechno here with a new tutorial.
I've always enjoyed tweaking my android devices since my first old Huawei M860 I got back in 2011. Nowadays with so much more power, we now have our own UMPCs and don't even realize it!

What's the tutorial about exactly? Just as the title says, We are going to get a Full Desktop on our Android Devices! Put these little Computers to WERK!!!

An ezample of what possibilities open up!

This is - PART ONE - Root Method.

Why would I want to have a Desktop on my Phone? Well, it COULD be your tablet instead, which would make more sense to most, Right? The bigger the better!  This is also great for multitasking that Android lacks. Now before we start daydreaming on your friends being confused on how that tablet/phone's a computer, Let's have an overview of our requirements.



 


  System Requirements

• Rooted (This guide is for Root users in mind)
• Android Versions 4.0 - 5.1 (Have not tested Android 6 yet)
• 2GB of available storage, (Will be using 3gb for this Tut.)
• 1Ghz Mono-Core CPU (Any modern devices is either Dual or Quad.)
• 512 MB of RAM (Any modern device has at least 1GB)
• Screen Resolution of 800x480 (Modern Devices far surpass this) 

You can often find the "Specs" of your phone or Tablet online, just type (phone or Tablet) model specs, and you will usually find them in "technical specs"

Note with these minimum requirements, the Internet will be virtually unusable, but other programs, say GIMP and LibreOffice would run fine.

If your Android device meets or exceeds these requirements (Most modern systems do anyways) then we are ready to continue!

List of Android Software that needs to be downloaded:

• Linux Deploy
• Xserver XSDL
• Simple Protocol Player (Used in Part 3)

Once we got these, we are ready to begin!

Open up Linux Deploy and go to Properties as shown displayed below.

Once you are in, There are many options to choose, from. You may feel like you want to use Ubuntu, but in This tutorial I'm going to create a configuration that is Light and speedy. Choose these following options:

• Distribution - Debian
• Distribution Suite - jessie
• Architecture - armhf
• installation path - /storage/sdcard0/linux.img
• Image Size - 3072
• User name - root (Use as you wish, but root is needed for SD.)
• Desktop Environment - XFCE
• GUI - Check
• Graphics subsystem - X Server
• GUI Settings Check Xserver XSDL.
  

While we're at it, Let's get our SDCards to appear in the OS! Scroll all the way down and hit Mount points. Let's add in our SDCards here, Press Menu, New then the following Paths:

• /storage/sdcard0/
• /storage/sdcard1/

It could also be the following:

• /mnt/emulated_0/
• /mnt/external_SD/

It depends on the firmware (android OS) you are using, be it a true AOSP (Nexus, or Custom ROM) Samsung, LG, HTC, it all differs with the paths.

Now that we are finished with the Configs, Scroll up and hit Install. This may take awhile, so watch some random youtube video to pass the time.

When everything is finished, Back out and launch Xserver XSDL. Wait for the countdown to finish then you will see This:

 

Return to Linux deploy, then hit Start. It will go back to the blue screen, then the computer will load everything, the desktop and it's icons will appear!

There we have it! Your very own Desktop that goes where you go! You are now free to begin interacting with your desktop! Right now everything is bare bones, There isn't too much we can do...YET! Take this time to get acquainted with the system!

Stay tuned for Part 3:We've only began to scratch the surface! Part 2 is the will go over the Non-Root Method, Part 3 will discuss installing Programs, Games, Changing the Appearance, Add new themes, and even getting sound to work! Thanks for reading!

Just a note, Each time you close out of it from the "task manager" or restarting your phone, it will be lost. If you close apps from the "recents" Don't swipe away XServer XSDL!

but in case you do, start XServer FIRST, wait for the blue screen, THEN start Linux. It will save you flip flopping back and fourth.
 
-Love Steventechno 

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