Phoenix OS is a PC operating system based on Android, which is compatible with both Windows and Mac computers. The current version supports Android 7.1 and is designed to run on laptops, desktop PCs and tablets. Being writable, it can be easily carried on a flash drive and run from another computer.
The best part is that Phoenix OS will not impact your original Windows or macOS. The lightweight operating system does not take much space under the root directory of a partition. For booting, you can either go with your original operating system or Phoenix OS. You can easily uninstall it if you don’t like it much.
Originally designed to play Android games on a full screen, Phoenix OS can now serve as a full-fledged computing system giving you the option of another virtual PC.
Installing Phoenix OS
Phoenix OS will run on any machine that supports x86 computers and uses Intel or AMD processors starting from 2010. To download it, visit the official site and select your target system. If you’re a Mac user, you can only download the ISO, whereas Windows users can run an installer.
The download is 673.2 MB in size and is routed through an external app server.
Once open, you can see various options for the Phoenix OS installer. If you want to install it on a hard disk, see the section below.
Choose the U disk option if you want to boot from a removable media (recommended if you don’t want the hassle of a dual-start mechanism).
To install Phoenix OS on a hard disk, select the required hard drive. I went with C:, and it did not cause any trouble.
In the next step, you can select the data size, which would vary depending on the amount of space you need.
Wait for a little while for Phoenix OS to install into your hard disk. After that, you have to change an important setting in the BIOS as shown in the next section.
Troubleshooting for Boot Errors
If you start Phoenix OS directly after installation, you will get an error due to the secure boot mode. Windows 10 installs it by default to prevent malicious software – a rootkit, from loading when your device starts. To turn off the secure boot mode, you have to edit the BIOS configuration in Windows Safe Mode.
In older Windows systems, it used to ask you to hold down the shift key for a restart. To access safe mode in Windows 10, go to “Settings -> Update & Security -> Recovery,” Go to “Advanced Startup,” and click “Restart now.”
During restart, you can see a blue screen. Here, you can either use your removable USB drive as discussed in the previous section or go to “Troubleshoot” for advanced options.
Click “Advanced options” in the next stage.
Go to “UEFI firmware settings” where the BIOS data resides. It refers to a middleware that is residing between the operating system and your computer’s firmware. While it is a default for Windows, you can change it.
You can use you keyboard arrow keys to navigate to “boot.” Here, you will see an option for UEFI enabled. This needs to be changed.
After you change the option to Legacy mode, each time you restart your computer you will get a dual-start choice. The Phoenix OS website recommends that you boot it from a USB drive.
Note: for most laptops, you can always go back to secure UEFI mode by holding down the F2 key during restart. Usually, it varies, and you can see the right keyboard input key during restart and when the PC brand name is visible.
Applications of Phoenix OS
There are many excellent applications of Phoenix OS. It can serve as a default second PC where all your favorite apps are visible on the main screen.
You can easily install and work with Word, Excel and other Office applications on Phoenix OS.
Gamers are the real ones to benefit. Phoenix OS transfers all your Android games to a full screen experience with no extra effort needed. You can choose between joysticks, consoles and keyboard/mice inputs to get a more complete experience with your favorite Android game.
For any other troubleshooting tips, you can visit the Phoenix OS official forum.
To uninstall Phoenix OS at any time from your system, simply go to the Phoenix OS folder and select “settings” and run the uninstaller from there.
In Summary
Android-based desktop operating systems like Phoenix OS are gaining popularity because you receive much more from your Android phones. For the most part, this particular OS remains bug-free and does not over-consume your resources.
Have you used Phoenix OS before? How did you like it? Please share your experience in the comments below.
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