Injecting new life into a computer through a different operating system is something we definitely recommend. At the end of the day, Windows is just one option, and out there exist several alternatives with solid benefits. One of them is Chrome OS. While Google does not distribute its operating system as if it were a normal distro, the folks at Neverware have created CloudReady, a build based on Chromium OS. If you want a Chromebook without having to pay for it, CloudReady is likely your best option.
Against all odds, I still have a netbook in my possession, whose integrity is more than enviable. The battery holds a charge (about three hours of duration), the hinges aren't broken, there are no dead pixels on the LCD panel, and its keyboard works like a charm. The only technical quirk is that one of the speakers gave up, so all sound coming from it is 'mono'. Using Windows 7 Starter edition on its hard drive, I made room for the shiny Windows 10... but after three months, I think it's time to retire it. I admit that Windows 10 didn't have a single compatibility issue on my netbook, however, I'm convinced there's something more efficient to try. The decision led me to try various Linux distros (Mint and Debian are at the top of the list), although along the way I came across a word: CloudReady.
CloudReady is one of the products developed by Neverware, and it is an operating system based on Chromium OS code. As we well know, Chrome OS is only available with the purchase of a Chromebook, but its free version has given rise to several parallel projects. Why install CloudReady? The first reason is performance: with the exception of the Pixel family, none of the Chromebooks have hardware that conquers hearts, but Chrome OS remains agile on them. The second is that many users depend heavily on Google services, and with that condition, moving to Chrome/Chromium OS is reasonable. On the other side of the coin we find two negative aspects: hardware support is not perfect, and when there's no connectivity, the machine becomes a brick. If after all this you're still interested in installing CloudReady, you'll need three things (besides the computer): a USB drive of 8 or 16 GB, the .bin image of CloudReady, and the Chromebook Recovery Utility extension installed in Google Chrome.
Before You Begin: Three Warnings
- The computer may not be compatible. Above I said hardware support is not perfect, and this is no exaggeration. CloudReady offers a (more or less) complete list of supported systems. If your computer isn't there, you can try anyway, but if you find the trackpad or sound doesn't work, you know why. The presence of PAE on the processor is mandatory.
- The hard drive will be completely erased. If there's anything inside you need to rescue, don't postpone it. CloudReady does not offer any dual boot support or installation on secondary partitions. Once it's gone, it stays gone.
- There are differences between Chromium OS and Chrome OS. This is especially true regarding updates. Playback of Flash content and proprietary codecs under CloudReady will require some extra work.
That said, let's begin:
Installation Steps
- Download the CloudReady .bin image (approximately 590 MB, link below). The image is inside a zip file, but you don't need to unzip its contents.
- Open Chromebook Recovery Utility, click the settings icon (the gear), choose the option Use local image, and indicate the location of the image.
- Insert the USB drive (it can also be an SD card with an adapter), and select it as the destination in Chromebook Recovery Utility.
- Click Continue, and then Create Now.
A few minutes later, the USB drive with CloudReady will be ready. To finish, connect the USB drive to the computer that will receive the new system, and order a boot via USB (this depends on the manufacturer, but the boot menu is usually invoked with F2, F9, or F12). CloudReady will start, and you can experiment with it as if it were a normal 'Live USB' system, but remember: The installation purges the hard drive. CloudReady will present several warnings before proceeding.
If everything goes well, your computer will provide the same functionality as a Chromebook. There is a good technical team behind CloudReady, and compatibility improvements are very frequent. I think the adventure is worth it. Now, where did I leave the USB drive…?
