Guide for Installing Linux Operating System on a Chromebook

Guide for Installing Linux Operating System on a Chromebook

Hey there! Let's get down to business and learn how to run Linux on your Chromebook, shall we?

Chromebooks have come a long way, and in certain situations, they’re more than capable productivity machines without needing fancy tweaks. However, if you need a more full-featured operating system, like Linux, to do your work or run offline software, follow these steps.

In the not-so-distant past, there were many hacks to run Linux on your Chromebook. Crostini is an early example. But now, fear not! Chrome OS has a built-in means to run Linux virtual machines with minimal configuration required from users. You can even run Linux GUI apps such as GIMP, Inkscape, and LibreOffice. Let's dive in!

Before we start, it’s essential to update your Chromebook. Typically, Chromebooks will keep themselves updated, but it’s always best practice to update before significant tasks.

1. Click on the settings menu cog found via the bottom right menu.
2. Using the search field, search for update.
3. Select "Check for update".
4. Click on Check for updates. Your Chromebook will either start an update process or tell us that our machine is up-to-date.

Now, to start the Linux install process:

1. Click on the settings menu cog found via the bottom right menu.
2. Search for Linux and under Linux development environment, click on Turn On to start the install process.
3. Click on Next to set up the environment.
4. Create a user account, and set the disk size. Click on Install and wait for the installation to complete. We stuck to the default 10GB disk image.

Once the installation is complete, let’s update the Linux environment to ensure we're running the latest software:

1. Open the Linux Terminal (you can find it in the Linux Apps section).
2. Update the list of available packages by typing .
3. Upgrade the software on your Linux development environment by entering .

Now, let's install some apps! For example, let's set up GIMP, an image editing app:

1. In the Linux Terminal, search for GIMP by typing .
2. Find GIMP in the returned list and install it by entering .

That's it! You've now got GIMP running on your Linux setup within your Chromebook.

When you install an app, Chrome will add it to the "Linux Apps" group. You can access this group via the app launcher. Just click on the Linux Apps group to launch GIMP.

Sometimes, there’s a file or directory you want to share between the two operating systems. In that case, here are two ways to work with files and directories across both.

To share an individual file:

1. Open the Files application.
2. Locate the file that you wish to share and drag it to the Linux Files directory. This directory was created when we installed Linux.
3. Open the Linux Terminal and use to list the contents of the directory. By default, the files shared via Linux Files are stored in our home directory.

To share a directory:

1. Open the Files application.
2. Navigate to My Files.
3. Create a new folder, Linux Stuff.
4. Right click and select Share with Linux. This will make the directory available as a shared folder with Linux.
5. Open the Linux Terminal and navigate to the shared directory. The directory is mounted inside . Use the TAB key to auto-complete the path.

There you have it! You’ve now got Linux running on your Chromebook, and you can share files between the two operating systems. Remember, if you encounter any issues or need further aid, feel free to reach out! Happy Linux-ing! 🥳🐧

1. The built-in means to run Linux virtual machines on Chromebooks is a significant improvement, as in the not-so-distant past, there were many hacks required to run Linux.
2. Once the installation of Linux is complete, you can share files between the two operating systems. For instance, you can move an individual file from the Files application to the Linux Files directory, or create a shared directory in My Files and make it available as a shared folder with Linux.

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