Alex Ruben
How To Install Bliss OS on PC: A Step-by-Step Android OS Guide
If that old laptop just sits there doing nothing, it might be worth turning into a decent Android 13 box using Bliss OS 16. This isn’t some fancy tablet; it’s a full desktop OS based on Android, with support for Google Play and all that jazz. The catch? Sometimes the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi act up during install, and you gotta tweak some BIOS settings or tweak the bootloader. So here’s the scoop from someone who’s been there, done that, often with mixed results.
To get started, make sure you’ve got:
- An Intel CPU from around 2010 or newer, or AMD with SSE4.2 support—otherwise it’s just not happening. (Most modern CPUs, including cheapo older ones, should work.)
- At least 2GB of RAM, but honestly, 4GB makes everything less slooow.
- Minimum 8GB free disk space for the install and some apps.
- A USB drive (8GB or larger). Hint: use a quality one; cheapo drives sometimes give trouble.
- Download links for Bliss OS and Rufus:
- Bliss OS Official
- Bliss OS GApps
- Rufus Boot Creator
Step 1: Double-check Hardware Compatibility
This is kinda crucial because if your CPU isn’t SSE4.2-compatible or your RAM is under 2GB, Bliss OS will throw errors or just refuse to boot. On some laptops, the integrated GPU might struggle, but overall, this mostly applies if you run into blank screens or crashes—so make sure you meet the minimum recommendations.
Step 2: Tweak BIOS Settings
Before flashing anything, dive into BIOS/UEFI. Turn off Secure Boot (usually under Security or Boot menu), disable TPM if it’s enabled (sometimes called Intel PTT), and switch SATA to AHCI. That last one helps because Windows or Linux installed earlier can get confused if SATA is in RAID mode. Sometimes, on older hardware, you might need to disable quick boot or enable legacy boot options if UEFI is causing trouble.
Note: On some machines, Secure Boot being disabled isn’t enough; you’ll often need to set the boot mode to Legacy or enable CSM (Compatibility Support Module)—because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.
Step 3: Download the Bliss OS ISO
Head over to the official Bliss OS website. Grab the Android 13-based version—sometimes called Bliss 16. If you want Google apps, pick the GApps version. Save it somewhere easy to find, like the Downloads folder.
Step 4: Create a Bootable USB with Rufus
This part’s always fun. Plug in the USB, open Rufus. Under Device, pick your USB stick. Next, click Select and find the Bliss OS ISO you downloaded. Under Partition scheme, pick MBR if your system boots legacy BIOS, or GPT if UEFI. Not sure? Check in your BIOS whether it’s in UEFI mode (most new-ish machines), or legacy. Usually, GPT goes hand-in-hand with UEFI.
Leave the file system at default (FAT32 for ISO mode), and then hit Start. Rufus will warn you everything will be erased—yes, that’s the point. Wait for it to make the bootable drive, which can take a few minutes. Sometimes, it acts flaky; hit retry if things go sideways.
Step 5: Boot from USB
Insert that USB into the old laptop, power it on, then enter the boot menu—usually with F12, F10, ESC, or F2. If you don’t see the USB, go back and check BIOS boot options: make sure USB is enabled, boot order is correct, and Secure Boot is turned off. Select the USB stick, then hit Enter.
Sometimes, even after doing all this, the system just skips booting from USB—I’ve seen weird cases where it defaults to internal disk. In that case, get into BIOS, change boot priority to USB first, and disable fast boot options which can interfere with boot selection.
Step 6: Installing Bliss OS
Once you see the boot menu for Bliss OS, pick the install option. If you want Android alongside Windows, go for custom partitioning; if not, wipe the drive clean. Here’s where it can be a little tricky. Select the right drive, delete old partitions if needed (be sure you backup first!).
If using UEFI, create a 1GB FAT32 partition marked as EFI system partition. Allocate the rest as ext4. Use the built-in disk tools during the installer—this part’s kinda weird, because sometimes, if you select the wrong partition, it just refuses to install. I’ve seen that happen more than once.
Step 7: Finalize and Reboot
After install completes, remove the USB. If everything went well, your machine will reboot into Android 13 blissfully. First boot can take a minute or two—it’s normal. If not, go back, double-check the BIOS settings, especially boot mode, secure boot, and disk configurations.
Follow the setup wizard—connect Wi-Fi, log into your Google account, etc. On some setups, Bluetooth may need extra tweaking; don’t be surprised if it’s flaky out of the box. Wifi might also require installing drivers or toggling airplane mode.
Extra Tips & Common Troubles
If the system just hangs at the Bliss boot logo, try booting with different parameters. Press e at the boot menu (if available), and add parameters like force_efi or no_console_suspend. Sometimes, disabling hardware acceleration for GPU helps; add nomodeset during boot in GRUB.
Another thing: some users say plugging the USB before turning on the laptop helps with boot recognition. On toaster-like BIOSes, enabling legacy boot mode can fix a lot of boot issues.
If the installer fails or BIOS options are missing, update the BIOS if possible. Some older machines need a BIOS update to support UEFI features correctly—otherwise, installation becomes a pain.
Getting Bliss OS on old hardware isn’t always smooth sailing, but once it’s up and running, it’s surprisingly snappy for an Android desktop environment. The main thing is patience—BIOS fiddling, driver quirks, and sometimes rebooting repeatedly. But hey, it’s kinda satisfying when everything finally clicks into place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Bliss OS run in a virtual machine?
Yep, but expect some performance hits. As long as your VM supports 64-bit and hardware virtualization, you can give it a shot with VirtualBox or VMware. Just know, USB passthrough isn’t perfect sometimes, so physical install is often better.
What if the Bliss OS site is down?
Check out SourceForge or other mirror links. Usually, older versions live there, and you can grab the ISO from other trusted sources if necessary.
Will Bliss OS work on super old hardware?
Depends; for really ancient CPUs without SSE4.2, it might struggle or not boot at all. But it’s worth a shot if the machine’s decent enough—think hardware from around 2010 onward. Check compatibility first, or it’ll be just a waste of time.