When I say that the Chromebook is a real deal, I do not say it only because it is possible to find this type of computer at much lower prices than other laptops, especially compared to MacBooks, but also because it is possible to do anything and run any program in as fast as you could ever do on Windows. The fact that even if you are not satisfied with ChromeOS, it is even possible to install Linux Ubuntu on a Chromebook as we are going to explain in this guide.
READ ALSO: How is the Chromebook and why it can replace any computer
Installing Ubuntu on the Chromebook is not as simple as it would be on a normal PC, but it is a procedure within everyone's reach, without there being any risk of damage.
To install Linux instead of ChromeOS on a Chromebook computer or even on a Chromebox you only need to install a particular software called Crouton, which allows you to run Chrome OS and Ubuntu together so you can switch between them with a simple shortcut keyboard.
Crouton allows you to use Chrome OS and still leave a standard Linux environment with all its command line tools and desktop applications.
Alternatively, you can also install Linux on Chromebook using ChrUbuntu, which instead is a traditional operating system and which starts in traditional dual boot.
ChrUbuntu can be installed in the Chromebook's internal memory or on a USB device or SD card.
Crouton, on the other hand, uses the Linux system underlying Chrome OS to run both operating environments at once, making everything easier also because it does not require installation of drivers or other software.
The only thing you need to know before installing Ubuntu on ChromeOS is that any data that has been saved is lost.
Since, however, it is an online operating system that synchronizes the configurations on the Google account, the first time you start just log in with the same Google account previously used to get back all your favorites and personalized settings.
1) Activate developer mode
Before making any type of modification to Chromebooks, it is necessary to activate the "developer mode".
Hold down the Esc and Update keys and then tap the power button to enter recovery mode.
In the recovery screen, press the Ctrl + D keys to start in developer mode.
Confirm your choice by noting that in developer mode all data saved in the Chromebook will be deleted.
From now on, and this is the only flaw in this procedure, every time you start the Chromebook, you will see a warning that disappears after 30 seconds (or press the CTRL-D keys together).
2) Download and install Crouton
Download the latest version of Crouton from the Chromebook (from this direct link) and when finished, press together the Ctrl + Alt + T keys in Chrome OS to open the crosh terminal.
On the command line terminal, write shell and press Enter
Then run the following command to install Crouton quickly:
sudo sh ~ / Downloads / crouton -e -t xfce
At this point the installation process starts and all the necessary software is downloaded and installed automatically.
Once the installation is complete, to start Ubuntu Linux through Crouton you must run one of these commands:
sudo enter-chroot startxfce4
sudo startxfce4
To return to ChromeOS from Crouton just press the keys together (on the Chromebook ARM): Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Back and Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Forward (the forward and backward keys are the ones at the top).
On Chromebook x86 / AMD64 the keys to press are: Ctrl + Alt + Back and Ctrl + Alt + Forward plus Ctrl + Alt + Refresh
With Chrouton installed and active you get a traditional Linux desktop environment and the ability to install normal programs that can be used on Ubuntu.
Note that the Downloads folder is shared by both systems, Linux and ChromeOS.
To remove Crouton and Linux from the Chromebook, just restart the Chromebook normally to return to the warning screen and follow the instructions on the screen (press the space bar and then press Enter) to disable the developer mode.
By deactivating the developer mode, the Chromebook resets and completely cleans itself up, returning as new, as when it was bought.
