Changing Chromebook to Linux

In this tutorial I will teach you how to change a Chromebook to a Linux. If you want to use your Google Chromebook in more ways than you already are follow these instructions exactly.

WARNING: THIS WILL WIPE YOUR CHROMEBOOKS LOCAL DATA!!!!

(I am not responsible for any lost or corrupted files, you are doing this at your own risk.)

Special Thanks for the help to; Lifehacker, How to Install Linux on a Chromebook and Unlock Its Full Potential

link; lifehacker

Step 1: Turning on Developer Mode

To turn on developer mode, you have to hold the "esc" and "refresh" keys at the same time and press the power button at the same time while still holding the "esc" and "refresh" keys. This will reboot your computer into developer mode.

Just before developer mode you will see a screen with an orange exclamation point, hold control+D at the same time to enter developer mode.

When it's done, it will return to the screen with the red exclamation point. Leave it alone until it reboots into Chrome OS.

Step 2: Installing Crouton

Crouton are the files that help run an Ubuntu software. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!!!

CLICK HERE for the link to download the files. Save the files into your downloads folder. This link will immediately download crouton.

After that press ctrl+alt+T. This will bring you to an Terminal. Then, "shell" without the quotation marks and it should ring you to a Ubuntu command line.

Next type this into the Ubuntu command line; "sudo sh -e ~/Downloads/crouton -t xfce" without the quotation marks.

If you have a touch screen then run this code instead; "sudo sh -e ~/Downloads/crouton -t touch,xfce" without the quotation marks.

If you want the Unity linux version type; "untity" instead of "xfce" without the quotes, in all of the command lines above.

Step 3: Opening Linux

Once all the files have finished downloading, type "sudo startxfce4" without the quotes, to start Linux.

*****If you used the "unity" type that in the line above instead of "xfce" It should look like this; "sudo startunity4" without the quotes.

Step 4: Helpful Tips

THESE TIPS ARE VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!

Now, you can switch back and forth between Chrome OS and Ubuntu usingCtrl+Alt+Shift+Back and Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Forward (if you're on an ARM-based Chromebook) or Ctrl+Alt+Back and Ctrl+Alt+Forward (If you're on an Intel-based Chromebook). In the latter case, you will also need to press Ctrl+Alt+Refresh after pressing Ctrl+Alt+Forward to bring up the desktop. To exit the Linux desktop, just log out of it like you would on a normal PC—you'll close it completely and go back to Chrome OS (after which you can run sudo startxfce4 again to go back).

-Your desktop won't come with very many programs installed. You'll find that even a lot of default Ubuntu tools are left out, so you'll have to install them yourself using apt-get. If you're on an ARM-based Chromebook, not all apps will be compatible. Intel users will be much better off.

-If you're using XFCE, you should disable the screensaver, which can cause graphics issues in Chrome OS.

-The Downloads folder in Chrome OS is the same as the Downloads folder on the Linux desktop, so if you download or create a file in one environment, you can put it in the Downloads folder to make it available in the other as well.

-If you're on a high resolution display like the Chromebook Pixel, your icons will be very, very tiny. The Crouton wiki has a few options for fixing this, though none are quite perfect. You either deal with a few tinier buttons or you go to a more standard resolution.

-Since your Chromebook is in Developer Mode, it will take an extra 30 seconds to boot up, since it shows you the Developer Mode message. You can skip this by pressing Ctrl+D.

-Lastly, if you want to remove your Linux desktop and go back to regular ol' Chrome OS, you can just reboot your Chromebook and press spacebar when it prompts you to re-enable OS verification. This will remove Crouton and restore Chrome OS in its original state.