I bought an Acer Chromebook 11 from Google.I planned to install Ubuntu Linux and use itfor mobile app security auditing.
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ChromeOS has its virtues, but it is unableto run VirtualBox, so I could not use it.
I tried Chrubuntu but although the installer ran,it refused to boot.
Windows 8 has reportedly improved all of the installation problems and other bugs stemming from Windows 7. If you are feeling like you may prefer Windows 8, you might want to install Windows on Chromebook. Although it is possible, it is not easy to install Windows on Chromebook. You will need to follow some very specific steps. Go through the Windows installation process normally, installing Windows on your Chromebook in place of Chrome OS. Feel free to partition the internal drive however you like. We deleted all the internal partitions and told Windows to install itself using the allocated space.
I tried Crouton, a chroot-based way of running Ubuntu inside ChromeOS. However, the Linux kernel ChromeOSuses is too old. At first,VirtualBox won't install, and even afterchanging kernel flags it runs poorly. It is impossibleto create a host-only interface in VirtualBox, which prevents Genymotionfrom starting.
I decided that the only way to get the Chromebook to beuseful was to get a real Ubuntu OS running directly onthe hardware. But the firmware does not allow booting from USB at all,and it doesn't let any other OS launch from the SSD.
My solution was to completely disable theinternal SSD by replacing the firmware withhacked firmware that allows USB boot only.The result is a machine that runs slowly enoughto be irritating, but it runs, and is cheap and veryportable.
Limitations of this Technique
This technique has seriouslimitations:- You must open the case and remove a write-protect screw
- You must use a USB flash drive as the mainstorage device. The internal SSD will be useless.
- You cannot boot to ChromeOS any more.
- You must use modified firmware designed for a different device, whichhas a chance of failing and rendering your Chromebook unbootable.
- You cannot use Ubuntu 14.04 LTS, because the trackpad won't work. You must use the latest version, 15.04, which will only be supported for nine months, and keep updating to later versions frequently.
Making Bootable Ubuntu USB from a MacDownload the ISO from Ubuntu.com.In a Terminal window, execute these commands: Plug in the USB drive.In a Terminal window, execute this command: Look for the new item--for me it was /dev/disk3In a Terminal window, execute these commands:Here are instructions from Ubuntu for three operatingsystems: |
Remove the Write-Protect Screw
You must remove 12 tiny screws from the bottom of thecase, and carefully pry the cover loose. A guitar pickis very helpful.You need to remove this screw, next to the wireless NIC:
I got that image from this page:
Reassemble your Chromebook and plug in the power.
Entering Developer Mode (May Not Be Needed)
Power on your Chromebook. ChromeOS starts.
To enter developer mode press the following key combination:
Esc + Refresh + Power Button
(The refresh button is the 4th button from the left at the top and looks like a curly arrow).
Upon restart, a 'scary screen' appears, saying'Chrome OS is missing or damaged'.
Press Ctrl+D. From now on you need to press Ctrl+Devery time you launch ChromeOS.
It says 'To turn OS verification OFF, press ENTER'.
Press Enter.
Now it says 'OS verification is OFF'.
After 20 seconds it beeps and says 'Your system is transitioning to Developer Mode.'
After 6 minutes, the 'OS Verification is OFF' message appears again, there are three beeps, and the Chromebook restarts.
Now it says 'OS verification is OFF'.
Press Ctrl+DChrome OS starts.
Initial Chrome Setup
It asks about language, keyboard, and networking.I used a wireless connection to keep both USB portsavailable.Click Continue.
Click 'Accept and Continue'.
Log in with a Google account.
A Chrome browser window opens.
Installing Custom Firmware
Be warned: this is risky, like using beta software.It has some chance of bricking your Chromebook,and if it works perfectly, you will no longerbe able to use the internal SSD or ChromeOS.However, when I did it, it worked, and I was ableto reverse the process also.I am using custom firmware from John Lewis. You canread about it here:If it works, please donate some money to him.
With ChromeOS booted up and running, open a Chromebrowser. Press Shift+Ctrl+T to open a crosh shell.
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Execute these commands to get the rom-flashing script:
You should see a file named 'flash_chromebook_rom.sh'with a size of 9545 bytes.Execute this command to start the flashing process:Read the menus and follow them. Make these selections:- Enter to continue
- 1 to run SeaBIOS exclusively
- If this bricks my Chromebook/box, on my head be it!
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Installing Ubuntu 15.04
There are two USB ports in the Chromebook.The blue one can run USB 3, and the black onecan only run up to USB 2. I wanted my systemflash memory in the USB 3 port, which was onthe left side.Put the USB stick you want to useto run Ubuntu on the left port.
Put a Ubuntu 15.04 install USB on theright side.
Power off and restart your Chromebook.
The prompt says 'SeaBIOS' and then 'Press ESC for boot menu'.
Press Esc.
Press the number corresponding to your install USB.
When the little Ubuntu man appears at the bottom of the screen,press Enter.
Select English.
Select 'Install Ubuntu'. Acer aspire v5 touch 11.6 install new windows.
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At the 'Welcome' box, accept the default selectionof 'English' and click Continue.
At the 'Wireless' box, accept the defajult selectionof 'I don't want to connect..' and click Continue.
At the 'Preparing to install Ubuntu' screen, accept thedefault selections and click Continue.
Now you must wait for a long time (15-30 minutes) becauseof a defect in the Ubuntu installer. It is making hundreds ofattempts to read/write from a SSD partition, which it cannot do.This is harmless but time-consuming.
When the 'Installation type' box appears, click the'Erase disk and install Ubuntu' button.Click Continue.
In the 'Erase disk and install Ubuntu' box,select your target USB drive. In my case, it wasSCSI1.Click 'Install Now'.
After a minute or so, a box pops up titled'Write the changes to disks?'. Click Continue.
In the 'Where are you?' box, select your locationand click Continue.
In the 'Keyboard layout' box, accept the default of 'English (US)'and click Continue.
In the 'Who are you?' box, enter account informationand click Continue.
The installation process takes a while. When I did it,it took 35 minutes.
When you see a prompt asking you to remove the installationmedia, do that and press Enter.
When the machine restarts, press Esc and 1.You now have Ubuntu!