Chrultrabook – Modify a Chromebook to Run Windows/Linux/macOS
chrultrabook.github.io
chrultrabook.github.io
[1] https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/08/google-is-finally-se...
I still want to try and install Linux on it for fun some time, but I don't expect that to result in a much better browsing experience either.
I guess it will probably also slightly simplify development of both chromeos (because it won't have a bespoke graphics stack) and chrome (because there will be one less version) for google, too.
In my experience, it isn't necessary to configure ChromeOS by logging into a Google account after enabling Developer Mode, if you simply want to ditch ChromeOS and flash the UEFI firmware. Just press ctrl+alt+F2 to get a shell, login as chronos (no password), then type `sudo bash` or `sudo -s` to get a root shell.
In addition to the other recommended distros, NixOS runs well on all my converted ChromeOS devices.
It's a great way to get continued use out of hardware that no longer receives ChromeOS updates. Even underpowered devices can be appealing for some tasks because they're lightweight and fanless.
However, even though `sudo bash` or `sudo -s` has worked out fine for the parent commenter, there is a note at [0] that says, """IMPORTANT: ...Also, you must execute these commands *as a normal/non-root user*. Running them as root will break things. DO NOT RUN 'SUDO SU' BEFORE RUNNING THE SCRIPT CMD BELOW."""
Thus, a question is: does the parent comment's method ignore the warning at [0] about using sudo to run the firmware update command? (If so, at what risk, and, if any, is there a workaround to mitigate that risk?)
How low can we go?
You can find a better deal if you spend days researching, but who has time for that? Spending more money gets you a better one.
I’m half joking half serious.
Edit: Ok yeah there are bulk sellers of various Chromebooks that are going for like $30/laptop. i.e - “Dell Chromebook 11 P22T 3120 Non-Touch - Unlocked - Bulk Discounts”
Looks like I’m more serious than I expected. Just need to build a fast way to flash and image them.
A cheap mobile thin client with builtin LTE with drivers running Linux sounds like a dream come true, if it exists.
Never hurts to ask.
I’m see some Wolf as low as $10/device in bulk.
Perhaps I need to invest a few days to learn how to image these quickly with my own platform.
Does audio work? Does the headphone jack work? Does headphone jack auto sense work?
They'll have to use the ChromeOS kernel or some module I guess.
Edit: yes your specific questions (audio, audio autosense, etc.) work.
You would want to flash a Full ROM (UEFI) which will then easily support any regular Linux distro.
> Ubuntu and Ubuntu-based distributions, such as Mint or ElementaryOS are unsupported.
Do you think it's related to the kernel version?
> Only Linux kernel 6.1 LTS or newer is supported.
What kernel version do you get?
Mint and Ubuntu LTS ship with a 5.x kernel at the moment, so that may be the problem. Normal Ubuntu is updated enough to work, but many people will probably prefer the LTS release lest they need to update every 9 months.
[1] If I remember correctly, someone was able to turn a Chromebook into a standard PC by just flashing the BIOS corresponding to the identical non-Chromebook model, but this was a long time ago.
while it used to be (pre-2016), this is no longer correct. Audio in particular is significantly different than non-Chromebook laptops.
> I saw "Purchasing Drivers" was are you f'ing kidding me
you're right, the dev who wrote the custom drivers for the Chromebook audio should make them free "for exposure"
> Aren't they possibly just the freely available official manufacturer's drivers INF-edited with the slightly different device IDs of the hardware?
no, because they don't exist. They are custom written by the dev (coolstar).
> If I remember correctly, someone was able to turn a Chromebook into a standard PC by just flashing the BIOS corresponding to the identical non-Chromebook model, but this was a long time ago.
this is absolutely not possible on any ChromeOS device, unless you want a warm brick.
> you're right, the dev who wrote the custom drivers for the Chromebook audio should make them free "for exposure"
This comes across as an attack on the idea of FOSS.
Devs deserve compensation for their effort, and paying like 10 bucks to get custom drivers that allow one to repurpose a cheap device into a useful general-purpose Windows laptop is absolutely reasonable
Digging into boot_config and diagramming device trees longhand from the bones of a kernel panic is an adventure bestowed upon the few.
I wish I knew the magic UKC incantations to get USB keyboard to work.
Performance is not great, but it wasn't great before I put linux and KDE on it either.
The .iso was copied to a USB drive with dd.
Whether the distro works may be a matter of whether it will boot.
Sub-1 gigabyte .iso distros that did not boot from USB included ArchBang Linux, AntiX Linux, Bodhi Linux, and Puppy Linux.
1. Press Escape at the rabbit logo
2. Select Boot Menu
3. Select USB (usually the last item)
Coreboot may have a timeout that is longer than the USB detection logic, and selecting USB commits the choice to wait.
Now I want to try Slackware and maybe even Linux from Scratch (LFS).
I'd like to run OSX for some dev stuff but I mostly use windows 90% of the time (I'm not a dev anymore).
I wonder why this limitation exists? Does anyone know?
That said, I'm sure some of you maniacs would've found a way, an old OS image like that has to have some usable zero days.
For one thing, ChromeOS refuses to pass through certain USB devices to the Linux container. So if you wanted to customize the settings in your gaming mouse or control a 3D printer, you're out of luck.
As for the mouse thing, the inability to install persistent malware in your pointing device may be viewed as a feature, frankly.
Can the SecureBoot keys and Serial be overwritten, or are they e-waste after supported updates end and school districts are holding the bag for computers that the kids can't run `git --help` on?
"Developer mode" (aka the ChromeOS 'Turn on Linux' mode) is not available for Google FamilyLink accounts and is optional on a per-student basis with Chromebooks for Education.
We bought the students Chromebook "Linux" computers; and then Google locked them out of Linux and added a "Turn on Linux" button.
Students are no longer able to run bash, git, or python on their Chromebooks.
Students must only install approved apps from the "Play Store" which takes a 15-30% cut from paid apps and now must use GPay if they process payments. Students and FamilyLink accounts cannot "sideload an APKs" like they can "Install a package" on actual Linux, Mac, and Windows computers.
The SecureBoot kernel and module signing keys can be easily changed on all coreboot machines FWIU.
ChromiumOS was originally Gentoo, Gnome, and Chrome.
Students can't run `git --help`, `python`, or even `adb` on Chromebooks*.
(* Students can't run `git` on a Chromebook without transpiling to WASM (on a different machine) and running all apps as the same user account without SELinux or `ls -Z` on the host).
Students can run `bash`, `git`, and `python` on Linux / Mac / or Windows computers.
There should be a "Computers for STEM" spec.
It is a bait-and-switch shame that we bought Chromebooks for all of the kids and then they were home due to COVID, and they couldn't learn to git, bash, or python with pytest.
You cannot access anything ot change anything until you pill the write protect screw. I.e you have no access until you remove this screw. After you remove screw, a $17 jtag kit and a good image... ( First few images where 'cloud free' which I would rather consider it bricked .. ) then you can wipe the drive and start experimenting with Linux, and see just how awful the field is, of simply follow my recommendations. For these dell chrome books, Linux would be Zorin, windows would be win7 Mini, and now I can start with Mac os. I would start with lion or sierra.
In our case, the school district was holding the bag, but also it's a low priority to help hackers vs educating the students for which I would have loved to show the students how to do all those stuff, and the school district would rather not. Be a great education. )
Just so you know, both Zorin and Win7 run git --help. Let's see if I can get MacOS...
Also even when you have developer mode enabled the stock chromebook firmware is a little annoying and won't boot until you press ctrl-d on the keyboard to confirm you agree to booting an unsigned image. There is no way to disable this behavior and it happens every single boot whether you want it or not. The Mr. Chromebox firmware this article mentions has to be flashed to a device to remove this annoyance and make the device boot like regular laptops.
Same for some chromeboxes, usually the screw is pretty easy to spot, look near the corners and near the ssd.
Yes, but what kernel is running before you do this? answer: linux.
ChromeOS is technically Linux, but not what people are obviously referring to.
https://chrultrabook.github.io/docs/docs/installing-macos.ht...
"Dave, will I dream?"
Why should I trust 'MrChromebox' firmware? I trust Google more than some rando side project on GitHub.
Before COVID hit, I used his firmware and ~20 1st Gen Asus/HP Chromeboxen (upgraded RAM to 16G and 128/256GB SSD replacements, i7-4600U Haswell, cases stripped off and heatsinks added to the new SSDs) to create a physical K8s lab.
I no longer need to run that kind of lab, but I still use those a few of those nodes for running services at home. Proxmox/Docker/K8s/Win Server/etc, a bit more power draw, but x86-64 and since they "expire", you'll see a periodic flood of devices to places like eBay.
That ship sailed a long time ago.
Look, being able to look at the source of truth is the best you can hope for. Moreover, the project has been around for some time. If that's not enough, then fair, at the end of the day the choice is yours.
For more detail, I point you toward the fine documentation
* git clone https://github.com/MrChromebox/coreboot.git
* cd coreboot
* git submodule update --init --checkout --recursive
* make crossgcc-i386
* ./build-uefi.sh <name of board to build>
The project has been around about 10 years. I think it if was not trustworthy we probably would have heard something by now.
I remember using the SeaBIOS firmware from them around 2014. Since then I've updated all machines to the UEFI firmware and now they can even boot Windows. I run the latest Fedora distribution on all of them and they work fine.