How to Install Chrome OS unofficially on any Computer

 Directory Listing of special/ (Chromium OS Builds) (arnoldthebat.co.uk)

How to Install Chrome OS unofficially on any Computer (quickfever.com)

Do you know that you can install Chrome OS on your computer? The process of installing Chrome OS on a PC is quite straightforward and simple. In this article, we will talk about several Chromium OS-based operating systems available on the Internet and how you can install any Chrome OS on your standard computer or laptop.

Have you seen a Chromebook running on Chrome OS, it’s simple, and browser focused. If you’re a person who mainly works on the internet and doesn’t need Microsoft OS or MAC OS but a simple operating system that cut all the crap and let you surf the Internet and get things done. The Chrome OS is slowly rising, and it’s just perfect for Bloggers, writers, editors, etc.

Windows 10 has gone too far for some people, and Google offered them this operating system which is perfect and works out of the box. Hopefully, the internet is full of computer operating systems, Android operating system for computer and even tweaked Linux systems. Maybe I should tell you that Remix OS is also there based on Android that is fully optimized to run on computers.

A little tip: However, Chrome OS and Chromium OS are similar, but there is something I must tell you, the Chrome OS is proprietary that comes with official Google certified Chromebooks. Chromium OS is a free project anyone can tinker around with and compile a build from source code. It means Chrome OS is based on Chromium OS with better features and Google support. In this guide “Chrome OS” and “Chromium OS” are referred the same.

What do you need

1. Chrome OS image file.
2. A media creator tool.
3. A USB Drive (8GB or +)

Creating Chrome OS Bootable USB Drive.

In order to install Chrome OS on your PC, you must get a “Chrome OS” image file from the internet. There are a few providers that offering Customized and compiled Chrome OS (image) that you can flash into USB drive and simply boot from it.

Step 1. Grab a compiled Chrome OS: we tested this compiled Chrome OS image (64-bit) you’ve to download an image according to your computer architecture. You can use an Internet download manager to download it, once downloaded extract the zip file using 7Zip or WinRar, and save it to any place you can easily find it later.
RELATED: 4 Best Chrome OS forks for your regular computer

Step 2. Download a media creation tool: we’ve used Win32 Image Writer, choose the “Image file” that you earlier downloaded and click on the “Write” button and wait for a couple of minutes. The extracted file size is about 7+GB, so it will take some time to write it on USB Drive in case you’re using a USB 2.0. Otherwise, USB 3.0 will do the job more quickly. You can also use tools like Rufus or balenaEtcher

// You will notice that the USB Drive become inaccessible and Windows 10 may prompt you to format it, don’t do that.

Booting into Chrome OS on PC.

1. Turn off your computer (disable fast startup to access hard drive access when using Chrome OS).
2. Start your computer while the USB drive plugged in and press a boot device selection button, on my HP laptop I can access boot devices selection menu by pressing F9 key. You must select “External USB drive” from the boot device menu. A computer must have a boot manage or boot device option to boot from a USB.
3. If things go right, you’ll find a couple of menu items to choose from, Select “Image 1” and press the enter key. Local Image A. B can be used as 2 instances of Chrome OS. The Verified images ensure some capabilities and features. I’m quite unsure about the alternate USB boot option, guess if the options fail to load the Chrome OS that’s the option you can try (I did check, and it booted me to the saved session of Image A).
4. Few minutes, the Chrome OS will load and ask to connect to a Wi-Fi network. Remember you can’t get past without an Internet connection, Chrome OS is likely unusable without an active Internet connection. But fortunately, after setting it for the first time, You can use some offline applications without the need for an active Internet connection.
5. You need to use your Google account password when you boot again to it. Alternatively, you can always add other users.

Chrome OS on non-Chromebook; First Impressions.

This is a brief review of the Chrome OS installed on my HP Envy with 8GB RAM and Intel i7 Processor.

After the quick essential setup, the Chrome OS will launch, Clicking on the round-start-icon let you type anything to search or open apps.

Chrome OS in 2021

Since we updated this article, we’re leaving an old image to compare the Chrome OS in 2021 vs 2017.

This is chrome OS in 2017

You see the touch-optimized taskbar that opens the installed app list with drag, and a bunch of icons on the right side, clicking on them you can switch/toggle WiFi networks and control volume and brightness. You Also find the sleep and turn off button there, and you need to enable the Accessibility options to show here manually.

Update: New version includes both the volume and brightness slider.

This compiled Chrome OS was based on Chromium R87, and I installed the 64-bit version. You can also download its 32-bit and ARM variant.

Of course, it is mostly about Chrome Browser (Chromium Browser) so that it supports online apps and extensions available on the Chrome Web Store. The Chrome store is not very lonely, in fact, you will get almost all the best applications you’were using on a Windows machine e.g. Team-viewer, Google Docs. However Google Voice API doesn’t seem to work on this build we tested, and that’s a real bummer if you like to dictate (type using your voice) and search using your voice.

Where it is good

Chrome OS brilliant and works great on a cheap laptop or Desktop computer. Since it is mainly based on the Chromium Browser you can, of course, install thousands of Apps and Extensions from Chrome Web Store.

The File Manager comes with all kinds of essential tools including image, video viewer, and does all sorts of tasks. It’s pretty similar to what we see on other operating systems, on the left sidebar you’ve shortcuts to other Hard Drives and removable storage. In order to access your hard drive, you must have disabled the “fast startup” option in Windows “what power button will do” settings.

You don’t have to consume GB’s of bandwidth, thanks to the compressed image file that is only 500MB (R87/64-bit), Despite the fact that it’s not a lightweight operating system the uncompressed image file size is around 7+GB.

Chrome OS support multiple users, and it’s convenient to let other use your computer, after all, its a simple operating system that does save preference to your Google account and sync them if you log-in again with that Google account.

Where it falls short

We’re not going to talk about the stupid logic here, and Chrome OS is built for the Web users, it’s fast and delivers a good result. When I used it for a whole day, I didn’t miss Windows 10 because what I do on Windows + Chrome Browser is just the same.

But I faced that there is no Bluetooth support so you can’t add a Bluetooth headphone or printer. Perhaps, wireless Mouse/keyboard should work, because that uses a receiver to transmit singles.

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Chrome OS is a great way to move to something else and something completely different from Windows operating system. There are a few another look-alike operating system, one such is CubLinux, which is based on Ubuntu but gives a familiar interface (despite the fact it’s discontinued now, if your preference is less resource hungry OS, you can check fast operating systems to skyrocket any older computer.