Many Chromebooks can be Easily Converted to Run Full Linux or even Windows OS

-
You probably did not know , but many Chromebooks can be easily converted to run full Linux or even Windows OS.

Especially those where  hard drive can be upgraded. Chrome OS does not occupy much space and most of the Chromebooks come with 32/16 GB SSD hard drive storage. 32 GB is enough for modern Linux desktop distribution, though you will need some external storage solution like  SD card for your files.

A couple of years ago i was choosing Chromebook for myself and i specifically chose Acer Chromebook C910. This Chromebook was kind of unique in 2015 when it debuted. High end model of this laptop was equipped with gorgeous 15.6" IPS screen with 178º view, 4GB of RAM  and 32GB SSD hard drive which you could easily upgrade.

I upgraded it to 256GB SSD and Installed full Debian Linux distro on it using this brilliant and very detailed tutorial. This tutorial was written specifically for Chromebook Acer C910 model. This method is safe in terms that you can always go back to Chrome OS. Not only I installed and was using  full Linux on my Acer C910. Later I found that Windows also can be installed on a Chromebook and I did install Windows!

Installing Windows required flashing custom BIOS , which is possible on most Chromebooks. MrChromebox.tech  offer full custom BIOS for many Chromebooks - yes it is possible and works, not for all Chromebooks , but list of supported Chromebook models is present and updated regularly.

If you want more automated and guided approach which uses same custom BIOS but simplify a bit the task , then you can visit CoolStar.org website

MrChromebox's BIOS was developed for converting Chromebooks to Windows machines (mainly Windows 10) but works for Linux as well. This list is updated with new models only after BIOS code updates are done for new models  and testing made, so do not expect recent (this year) models to be in this list.

As always back up all your data and old BIOS as recommended and instructed to prevent data loss and to prevent bricking your device. Do not do this conversion if you are not sure that you can follow all procedures. So read thoroughly all instructions first. And good luck



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Which laptop to choose that will play 4K content?

-
Image
J ust a few years ago when buying a laptop we where concerned if it was capable of playing 1080p smoothly and at any bit-rate. Back in year 2007 playback of 720p and 1080p was not a problem for Core 2 Duo CPUs which dominated PC market at those days, but if you decide to play any 1080p content on YouTube with your old Core 2 Duo PC these days you will find out that it is just not working - frames are dropping, video is stopping for a second here and there. Your old laptop is struggling decoding H.264 and H.265 and other codecs used by YouTube to squeeze HD content and save bandwidth. Introduction of H.264 and even more recent and aggressive H.265 codecs helped squeeze huge 1080p movies and make HD content up to 10 times smaller in size, saving disk space and internet connection bandwidth. But the price was higher requirements for CPU power for decoding content. As a result if you want smooth 1080p playback at any bit-rate and coded with any codec , you will need a laptop or PC m
Read more

Overall Laptop Market Will be Increasingly Driven by the 2-in-1 Product Category Until the Middle of the Next Decade

-
Image
SAN FRANCISCO, May 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The global laptop market size is anticipated to reach USD 108.91 billion by 2025, according to a study by Grand View Research, Inc., progressing at a CAGR of 0.4% during the forecast period. Increasing urbanization and growing spending capacities of consumers belonging to middle and upper-middle classes, coupled with evolving lifestyles, are projected to help the global market gain significant momentum over the coming years. Key suggestions from the report: The 2-in-1 laptop segment is anticipated to exhibit the highest CAGR over the forecast period. This can be attributed to growing demand for lightweight and technologically-advanced laptops The 13" to 14.9" screen size segment is projected to expand at a CAGR exceeding 0.5% in terms of value over the same period as these laptops are ideal for diverse applications such as personal, gaming, and business The USD 501-USD 1,000 segment accounted for a significant market share
Read more

Huawei MateBook X Pro Review by Laptop Magazine

-
Image
Chinese tech giant Huawei is not known for making laptops, but its 14-inch MateBook X Pro (tested at $1,499; starting at $1,199) could change all that. Not only does it pack a gorgeous, high-res display and speedy performance, its battery lasts all day. And while its name and design beg for comparisons to Apple's MacBook Pro, the MateBook X Pro's keyboard is far more comfortable. At launch, the only things standing between you and its glory were its high price and severely limited availability, and those problems are (mostly) worries of the past. All things considered, the MateBook X Pro is worthy of its place on our Best College Laptops and Best Touch Screen Laptops pages. Laptop Magazine gave this laptop Editor's Choice mark The Pros Fast performance; Exquisite screen; Comfortable keyboard; Long battery life; Both USB Type-C and Type-A ports The Cons Limited availability Verdict The Huawei MateBook X Pro is a speedy, long-lasting premium notebook. Read
Read more