Make the Android VM faster

So, if you've fired up an Android Virtual Device (or AVD), you've probably noticed that your fingernails probably grew noticeably longer in the time it took the thing to boot up. In other words, the stock ADK images are SLOW. Can anything be done about this? Well, if you're on a desktop with an Intel processor, then the answer is "Probably so".

Enter Intel Hardware Accelerated Execution, or HAX. This is a little something that Intel threw together that allows for running an ADK directly on the Intel hardware rather than through an emulator. It involves three things:

1. As mentioned already, you need a supported Intel processor in your development workstation. This works on Intel PCs and Macs.
2. You probably need the HAX drivers. There are more details here but the short version is to go here to download the drivers and then install them. Reboot if it tells you to.
3. An Intel-based Android image in your Android Device Manager. This one probably requires a little more explaining.

First, you'll need to install an Intel-based image for whatever build of Android you want to run. To do this, click on the Android SDK Manager button:


From there, follow Intel's instructions here: http://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/installing-the-intel-atom-x86-system-image-for-android-emulator-add-on-from-the-android-sdk

If all goes well, it'll be a much less painful emulating experience.