Jul

How To Install Android on Your Mac via Parallels…

JohnnyGeek Category

I make no secret that I feel that Parallels is the cat’s pajamas.

I started off using Parallels (at version 2) so that I could run a Windows-only application required for work at the time (the Microsoft Dynamics Ax client). I’m up to version 6 now, and it just keeps getting better, and more useful.

As you can see – I’m a bit addicted now.

Today, I’m going to illustrate how to install and run Live-Android via Parallels. It’s really quite simple, albeit relatively useless from a practical standpoint for me, as I’m not currently undertaking any Android development projects. (It’s more of a, “can I do it?” – rather than a, “do I need to do it?”)

However, if you do have your thumb in the Android development project pie, then a quickly spinnable local load of Android is an absolute must.

First and foremost, you’ll need Parallels Desktop for Mac (any version).

Next, you’re going to need the Live-Android OS ISO. – http://code.google.com/p/live-android/downloads/list

I very highly recommend you just get the v.0.3 ISO as a torrent from here. That’s the TOP link on the list. The direct ISO download(s) for v.0.3 from the download list site has it broken into two ISO’s for some ghey reason, and you’ll have to stick them back together – as we’re not “installing” – we’re running directly from the ISO. If you download the torrent, it’s one ISO.

Important Note: Whereas typically when we create a Parallels virtual machine we are installing the guest operating system and creating a PVM package – in the case of Live-Android, the ISO is actually the runnable OS. As such, it is probably best to store the ISO in the same location as your PVM files (normally in /[User]/Documents/Parallels/) as the PVM file will merely be a reference to this ISO, and the OS will actually run from that.

Once you’ve downloaded the Live-Android ISO and stashed it in the same location as where your PVMs normally live, open Parallels and click File > New to create a new virtual machine.

Click the drop-down next to the Installation CD/DVD selection, and select “Choose an image file …” at the bottom, then navigate to the location where you just stashed that ISO and select it. Then Skip Detection.

Click the drop-down next to the Version selection, and select More Linux > Other Linux. Then click Continue.

Leave the Virtual Machine Type at Typical. Then click Continue.

Name your virtual machine whatever you want – doesn’t really matter. Then click Create.

This part is actually important. Because this will be running from the ISO, rather than installing files – this first time it is important that you go ahead and click Start, rather than clicking Done (thinking that you’ll just Start later). Click Start.

As with any other Parallels VM, you’ll get a standard window with a Click-to-start, which may or may not auto-start itself – depending on its mood. If it doesn’t, go ahead and click to start.

You’ll have to choose a screen resolution during boot.

You’ll also notice that your mouse and keyboard get captured – as usual, CTRL+OPT(alt) to release. I’m still fiddling with Parallels Tools installation – I’ll update once I’ve got that hammered out.