Install Phoenix OS with Ubuntu 17.10 (dual boot)

Hello fellow Ubuntu Artful users, I am AariDama (Pen Name off course 😎) sharing here the step by step instruction of installing Phoenix OS with / in Ubuntu 17.10 Dual boot. Why I am sharing this? It's because, I was very interested to install Phoenix OS along with my latest Ubuntu. I read many tutorials and watched many YouTube videos. Most of them are really good.

But the problem is none of them has step by step installation instructions. Many tutorials missed few codes or steps. So here I am sharing the steps I used. Hope it will help you to install Phoenix OS along with Ubuntu Artful (17.10).

Please note I tried this in Ubuntu 17.10 and My computer is 64bit, So try it if you are using a 64bit PC with Ubuntu 17.10. The steps follow;

Step - 1

Download the Phoenix OS .ISO file from their official site : - http://www.phoenixos.com/en/download_x86

Step - 2

Install grub-customizer on Ubuntu:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:danielrichter2007/grub-customizer

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install grub-customizer

We need this app to set the dual boot. This will help to customise original grub in Ubuntu and create a new bootable Grub option for our Phoenix OS

Step - 3

Open terminal and type;

sudo nautilus

Nautilus is a file manager command. When we open file manager using sudo nautilus, the system will open a new file window with administrative privileges.

Step - 4

In the new window opened in step - 3, go to root directory or click on "computer" tab.

In this directory you will find the system folders like bin, boot, home, usr, temp etc. If you see those folders and many others, you are in the right directory.

Step - 5

Right click on the page and create a new folder and name it exactly "phoenix" in small letters without quotes.

As you opened this window using sudo command, you have full admin privileges to do anything you want.

Step - 6

Now go to where you downloaded the phoenixOS .ISO file. Use the same window you used in step -5.

Step - 7

Find the .ISO file, Right click on it and Click "Extract Here" This will extract all the content of .ISO in to a folder in the same directory.

Step - 8

Now Click on the folder just extracted. You will see two folders and 6 files in the directory (see image)

Step - 9

Select the following 5 files only;

initrd.img

install.img

kernel

ramdisk.img

system.sfs

Copy them and go back to the phoenix folder you created in step - 5 and paste all files in phoenix folder. Make sure you are  using the same window with admin privileges.

Step - 10

Now in phoenix folder you have all the 5 files you copied.

Create a new folder in phoenix folder and name it exactly "data" in small letters without quotes.

Step - 11

This step is most important and many of the tutorials missed it.

Inside phoenix folder, Right click and create a new document file. Select "empty file". Name the file "data.img" in small letter without quotes.

Step - 12

Now you can close the file manger window and terminal window.

Start a new terminal and type;

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/phoenix/data.img bs=1M count=32768 and press ENTER.

This process can take some time. Wait and you will see confirmation. Actually, in this step we are creating a ROM for your android OS like in mobiles. 

Step - 13

In same terminal, after step - 12, type and enter following code;

sudo mkfs.ext4 /phoenix/data.img

After the confirmation close or exit the terminal.

Step - 14

Open App "Grub Customizer". Enter your password and wait till it refreshes.

In List Configuration Tab, you can see many configurations. You might find;

Ubuntu

Advanced options for Ubuntu

Memory test

may be more of them.

See Image:

Step - 15

Click on New Configuration button on top (see image)

In settings, Enter following details;

Name: PhoenixOS

Type:  Other

Boot Sequence: 

insmod part_gpt

search --file --no-floppy --set=root /phoenix/system.sfs

linux /phoenix/kernel root=/dev/ram0 androidboot.hardware=android_x86 SRC=phoenix/

initrd /phoenix/initrd.img

Then Click OK.

Allmost done friends ! Now you will see the PhoenixOS in Grub Customizer as in following image;

Step - 16

Now in Grub Customizer > List Configuration, Click on PhoenixOS or Select.

Click on "General Settings" Tab and tick all options as in following image;

Now You are Done.

Step - 17

Reboot the Ubuntu system and In boot selection You will see PhoenixOS.

Select PhoenixOS.

First time it will take some time to boot for system setup. Wait till you see the language selection.

By default the language is Chinese. Click on drop down menu, select English US and continue the WiFi and user settings. Once all done. You will be in PhoenixOS with android 7.1.

Enjoy the Nougat in your PC.

If you have any doubts, comment it below. I am not a tech geek. If I know the answers, I will definitely help you.

If you successfully installed Phoenix OS using these steps. Please share this to everyone. It will help this blog and Others.

One more thing.

"Gaining Knowledge is the first step to Wisdom. Sharing it, is the first step to Humanity"