
Android is the most talked and popular platform these days. A lot of phones and netbooks featuring Andriod are coming in the market. Recently in our post we told that half of LG Smartphones will feature Android OS. So, is Android OS suitable for you? don’t you want to test it before buying an Android Device? Now we are writing a procedure which will let you to try Android 2.1 on Windows, Mac and Linux. Update: Try Android 2.2 Froyo on PC or Mac.
Follow the steps try Android 2.1 on Windows, Mac and Linux.
1. Download Android SDK, AVD Manager (Windows,Mac and Linux) from here.
2. Extract the file and run “SDK Setup.exe”

3. If you receive an error message stating “Failed to fetch url…” then you will have to force the Setup program. Follow the steps:
- Close the “Refresh Sources” window.
- Cancel the “Choose Packages to Install” window.
- Select “Settings” from the left side of the “Android SDK and AVD Manager” window.
- Check the box labeled “Force https://… sources to be fetched using http://…”
- Click “Save and Apply”
- Close and restart the SDK Setup program
4. Choose the packages you want to install. Select only the packages you need.
- If you are only interested in trying out the Android 2.1 Emulator.
- Reject everything except “SDK Platform Android 2.1. API 7, revision 1” by selecting each item then selecting the Reject option.
- If you plan to develop Android applications and Games, you may wish to Accept All.
- Click “Install Selected”.
5. Allow the selected packages to download and install then close the “Installing Archives” window.
6. Create a new Android Virtual Device (AVD) by selecting “Virtual Devices” from sidebar, now click on new.

- Enter a Name
- Choose a Target (Android 2.1 – API Level 7)
- Enter a size for the emulated SD Card
- Choose a Skin or enter Resolution e.g 800×600
- Leave the default value of “Hardware” or choose SD Card Support etc.
- Click “Create AVD”
7. Start your newly created Virtual Device.

- Choose the Virtual Device from the list.
- Click “Start”
- Click “Launch” in the new window.
8. Now it will take some time to Boot.
9. Enjoy the Android OS 2.1 on your Windows, Mac or Linux.

Here are some screenshots of Android 2.1 running on Windows.

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Try Android 2.2 Froyo on PC or Mac.
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The virtual device is not starting. Or at least I can't find it. It is showing up as a process, but where the heck is the actual interface?
Running Vista Enterprise.
emulator: ERROR: unknown virtual device name: 'Android2.1'
emulator: could not find virtual device named 'Android2.1'
Write the name as “Android.2.1″ put a “.” (dot) between the Android and 2.1. or any other name like Nexus.One
if you have created a Virtual Device successfully and if its not starting then select your Virtual Device e.g Android.2.1 as shown in pics above and click on “Details” button to see Error details which might help you. We have tested it on Windows 7 Enterprise but not on Vista, but i think it should work fine on Vista as well.
It looks like it's starting but never shows up on the screen. There is a process that starts but that's all.
which file are you running, is it “SDK Setup.exe” or “emulator.exe”? You must run “SDK setup.exe” in order to start the emulator.
Getting the same error in vista using “Android.2.1″
I followed the instructions to the letter once again and still nothing is showing up. The emulator.exe process is using about 80MB worth of RAM.
Not sure there's anything else I can do or that I'm missing.
Try any other name with (dot) in between like Nexus.One, Android.ZJTech, Android.OS.
Select a built-in Skin like HVGA or WVGA etc while creating new Android Virtual Drive (AVD).
I've tried various naming schemes. They all produce the same error when the AVD is started.
Ok, I chose a different skin and it seemed to get farther. However, I get the Windows error that says “Emulator has stopped working.”
Suggestions?
Delete all the previous AVDs and restart SDK setup.exe and create a new AVD with name Nexus.One or Android.2 here both of these are working, select HVGA, WVGA etc from Skin instead of writing 800×600.
Increase the Virtual Memory of your Windows. And another thing we have tested it on Xp and 7 and it works fine and one more thing try to upgrade your OS to the latest available!
Hi, has anyone encountered problems downloading the SDK? I have tried to download it using different browsers and it seems to stop at 15MB for a 22MB file.
I have been able to download other files from other websites. If you know the right mailing list to report this issue please let me know I have not been able to decipher which to use. Thanks
Could not download SDK either, kept stopping before whole 22m came down, finally go it with DAP downloader. Next hurdle is the SDK won't download the android 2.1 package, keeps stopping before total bytes are in? any ideas??
whe i open the SDK Setup.exe file CMD opens and close in about a second and nothing happens
any help?
Same here
same here, i'm on 64x
hm not working for me, after starting emulation i only get a black screen with dos type text saying Android nothing more
sir i dwnld it but it is not have any shortcut on my desctop
Gracias me funciono muy bien.
This is amazing! Thanks so much!
You may need to wait longer for it to start.
On XP Pro. Got rid of it and then downloaded it again, not happening
[...] [...]
Great tutorial! I'm downloading the emulator as we speak. I love android!
Installed the 2.2 version, and it is running as described! Is there a verion with the market inside? Or is it not possible with this simulation.
Try putting the location of the extracted package in the PATH.. e.g. PATH=c:package;cpackagetools
Try putting the location of the extracted package in the PATH.. e.g. PATH=c:package;cpackagetools
hi! can anyone help me?
i have checked the box labeled “Force https://… sources to be fetched using http://…”
but the “Save and Apply” doesn’t appear.
what do i need to do?
i cannot continue the process…
are there prerequisites for this installation?
please help…
Now you can use YouWave Android software to run Android apps. You run an app just by clicking an app icon. It runs much faster than the Emulator.