Dual boot solution for Android devices
The openness of Android opens up unprecedented possibilities: With a few tricks, dual boot, the installation of several operating systems on your Android device at the same time. We show you here what you need to consider.
Use Ubuntu Touch and Android simultaneously
What fueled the whole dual boot debate was the emergence of Linux-based, alternative mobile operating systems like Ubuntu Touch. Although these are still little more than a try, this is exactly what the uncomplicated change between two OS partitions is intended for:
- A prerequisite for all dual boot solutions is the complete unlocking of your Android device. In addition to rooting, you also have to unlock your boot loader and install a special recovery system.
- Ubuntu Touch is an interesting project, but the Canonical publisher continues to think of it as a developer toy. Therefore, practically only the Google Nexus 4 is supported. For the still quite complicated installation you will find detailed instructions in the Ubuntu wiki.
- For information by the way: As a conventional alternative, you can also install a full desktop version of Ubuntu on a Google Nexus 7 - this English manual explains it. However, there is no dual boot option here - your Android data will be lost as long as you have not created a backup.
MultiROM app from the XDA forum: King's solution for Nexus devices
Ingenious developers from the XDA forum have recreated what Ubuntu offers with dual-boot solutions: With the free app "MultiROM Manager" you can set up as many different boot slots as you like and thus different CustomROMs, but also Ubuntu and Firefox Try out OS partitions.
- This app is also designed exclusively for Google's Nexus devices. But also on the supported Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 (2012) and Nexus 7 (2013), extreme caution and precise reading into the matter is necessary. The system is deeply interfered here, where serious damage to the device can occur, which is certainly not covered by the manufacturer's guarantee.
- In the best case scenario, all you need to install is to install the app on your rooted and unlocked Nexus device, which will then do most of the work for you. In any case, you have to read the respective thread in the XDA forum, where, for example, manual installation with a patched kernel, a modified recorvery and the separate app is explained - Android expertise is a prerequisite here.
- After successful installation, you can set up various boot partitions - only limited by the free space on your device - which you can record with the normal .zip files of the CustomROMs. The same thing happens with installation files from Firefox-OS and Ubuntu Touch. How about a triple boot from all three Linux branches?
"Makeshift dual boot" for all Android devices and device-specific patches
Most dual-boot solutions are reserved for Nexus devices - many other Android smartphones are left out. Fortunately, there are alternatives that at least create a feeling like dual boot - or you can rely on the Samsung flagship.
- For users of a custom recovery, Nandroid backups are a reliable means of making comprehensive backups of the current system ROM before you install a new ROM. These system snapshots can be imported again at any time if necessary and will bring the device back to its original state.
- Backing up and restoring in recovery does take more time than a real dual-boot solution, but at least you can try out another ROM, for example, and still return to a reliable solution at any time.
- Users of one of the most popular Android smartphones have yet another dual boot option: In the XDA forum, a patch was developed especially for the Samsung Galaxy S4, which also enables dual booting with a setup on the computer and an app on the S4, Numerous CustomROMs and kernels are supported here, but not Ubuntu Touch or Firefox OS.
