Chrome OS: Installing on a computer with a USB flash drive

Today, we'll talk about how the installation on a computer works on Chrome OS and whether it is possible. It should be noted that Google does not allow its operating system beyond the range of partner laptops Samsung. For this reason, it is not easy to try a platform on a PC.

Preparation

We need a USB drive with a size of 4GB. From official sources you can get information about those devices that support Chrome OS, installation on such devices goes without hindrance. However, if there is no specific equipment in the list, despair is not necessary. If we talk about Chrome OS, installing any model on the computer is possible, since this platform is based on Linux. The most probable problems can be attributed to the difficulties with Wi-Fi adapters: often these devices refuse to work.

Removable media

Next, we need to discuss how to install from a USB flash drive in the case of Chrome OS. Google does not officially supply its operating system. Therefore, you should use third-party publications - Lime or Vanilla. The latter is the most recent build. Let's start with it. If compatibility problems occur, it's best to use Lime. This edition has extended support for device drivers. This includes components for the work of video cards AMD and nVidia, processors Realtek, Ralink and Broadcom, as well as adapters Wi-Fi.

So, in the case of Chrome OS, the installation on the PC is as follows. Download the distribution kit. Open the downloaded ZIP archive and save the IMG file to a separate directory. Download the Image Writer program and run the EXE. We insert the USB flash drive into the PC and write the IMG file to it using the application. All data on removable media will be destroyed. The next step is to run the Chrome OS platform. We reboot the computer and enter the BIOS. Install USB the first source of loading. The download will first take place with Chrome OS. The process is much slower than on proprietary equipment. The fact is that there is a platform installed on the SSD drive, in our case, USB is used. That's it, we've deployed Chrome OS, the installation on the computer has been successfully completed.

Adaptation for netbook and laptop

The main problem, as mentioned above, is related to compatibility. Therefore, for portable devices will need to use the assembly of the operating system from Dell, as it causes the least grip. We need the Win32DiskImager program. This application will help to record the operating system image on removable media. If the laptop has an external drive, you can do without the specified program, writing all the data to a CD. Install the HPUSBDisk application. This tool is required to return to the removable media of the original size. We will use it after completing all the actions associated with the installation.

Instruction for portable devices

We insert the USB flash drive into the USB port. Run the Win32DiskImage application with administrator rights. In the tool window, in the Image Flie section, point to the previously downloaded Chrome OS image by clicking on the icon with a blue folder. In the Device tab, select the drive and click on Write. The Win32DiskImage application will format and then write the platform to the media. Now you can proceed with the installation. It is strictly prohibited to remove the USB flash drive while the operating system is running. This can damage the drive and USB port. Extraction is only permissible after the notebook is turned off.

Running

We insert the drive into USB. Connect the laptop to the wired Internet. If there is Wi-Fi, activate the access point. We turn on the laptop. We go in the BIOS. We set the launch from removable media. As you can see, in Chrome OS installation on a computer and a portable device up to this point is much the same. So, let's continue. Reboot the laptop. In case everything is done right, the first thing that will be displayed on the screen is the Chrome OS project screen saver. Then the window "Let's start" appears. Here we have to choose a connection to the network, layout and language. After that click "Continue". The Login window opens. At this stage, you must specify your Google account credentials. Then press the "Login" button. There will be a verification procedure. If the system approves the authorization, you can go to the choice of avatar. You can specify any picture or use a laptop camera to set a personal photo. Thus, the launch will take place, and we will proceed to work on the platform.

Options

System settings are available through the browser menu. The usual three tabs available in the standard browser Chrome, will be supplemented by a few more. As for the setting, it is available in Russian and is intuitive. Working with removable media is similar to that of HDD. The operating system is deployed as a Live CD, using the device's RAM.

However, in the following, we'll look at how to install Chrome OS as the main platform on the hard drive. The process is not very complicated. The system needs only a few minutes to transfer data from removable media to the HDD. So, we make a boot from the flash drive and call the console system by pressing the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + T. Enter the shell command in the window. Press the "Enter" key. We wait until the system responds, and enter the following line: / usr / sbin / chromeos-install. Press Enter. The system will ask for permission to install the platform. We confirm our intentions. To do this, in the corresponding dialog press the "y" key on the keyboard, then "Enter". In the next step, Dell will ask for a password. We type the built-in code: dell1234. Press the "Enter" key. The Chrome OS platform starts installation, and in a few minutes you can start the system from the hard drive. After the procedure is completed, turn off the laptop and remove the drive from the USB port.

It should be noted that in Chrome OS, the installation of programs, games and all kinds of extensions is done through a special Google store. Access to the main file system can be obtained through the built-in manager. Installing extensions can greatly enhance the capabilities of this tool. There is also access to any cloud-based web services: both Google's authorship and third-party companies.

Chrome OS is easy to use and quick. Using a device based on the described platform, you always get access to any information or you can use the necessary web service. The final step is to return the USB flash drive to its original state using HPUSBDisk.