The most popular recommendation to give life to a computer that doesn't get along with the latest Windows editions is to try a Linux flavor, but there's another path: adopting a Chrome OS variant and turning your PC into a Chromebook. The easiest way to achieve this is through CloudReady, which, in addition to having a free edition, has also certified more than 400 compatible devices, including unsupported PCs and Macs.
Give Your Hardware a Second Life
It's a fairly common situation these days: a perfectly functional computer declared obsolete due to artificially high requirements. Windows 11 is the most recent and egregious case, with arbitrary restrictions that don't justify replacing the entire machine. As if that weren't enough, we also have performance and stability issues that confirm a worrying trend: users feel like beta testers.
Windows 7 became a refuge for many users, and we recently explained how to update it manually using the latest available patches, but if you prefer something with official support, the most common routes are three: moving to Windows 8.x (with support until 2023), jumping to the Apple universe (and paying its premium, of course), or exploring Linux distros. Today we want to mention the fourth alternative: installing CloudReady and turning your PC into a Chromebook.
Turn Your PC into a Chromebook with CloudReady
If you don't want to deal with conversion and format issues, I recommend using CloudReady's official tool to create a USB installation drive. The image for manual download comes in a very strange .bin file that has resisted various ISO conversion processes, but CloudReady's USB Maker automates the trickiest steps. All you have to do is wait.
When you boot your PC with the CloudReady USB, you'll enter the Chrome/Chromium OS assistant, where you can specify the language and choose the type of account to set up (the child profile enables several extra restrictions). A Google account is mandatory even for guest mode, and you'll have the option to sync your device with your "Google micro-universe". The rest is basically continuing until you reach the desktop, where you'll be welcomed to CloudReady and hear about the latest version news.
Installing and Getting to Know CloudReady
Now, what if you want to install CloudReady directly? I personally recommend doing a quick test with its guest mode to detect any major compatibility conflicts, but you'll find the installation menu by left-clicking on the clock within the assistant. There aren't many advanced parameters available, to say the least: essentially, CloudReady will detect your local storage and convert everything into a system drive.
Another possibility is to use a virtual environment, but its developers don't recommend it. In fact, the only image available works on VMWare, and it's an old build (v83) from July 2020. CloudReady has certified more than 400 devices, each with "end-of-support dates", but if your machine isn't on the list, don't worry. Certification doesn't mean exclusivity, and the odds that CloudReady Home will work on your computer are very high.
The most common compatibility issues arise when using specific accessories like Bluetooth modules or drawing tablets. Obviously, there will always be a WiFi chip or touchpad that refuses to work with CloudReady, but you should try it anyway. Maybe you'll get a pleasant surprise.
In Summary
The real challenge of turning your PC into a Chromebook using CloudReady lies in the nature of the operating system. Chrome/Chromium OS is a different beast compared to Windows or whatever Linux distro. This ecosystem offers us a stable and secure way to extend the life of a (more or less) compatible machine, but if you need to run specific applications and there are no quality equivalents, you should explore other options.
CloudReady guarantees free feature and security updates, and despite its recent acquisition by Google, the folks at Neverware have said there will be no radical changes to their product. Download CloudReady and give it a try!
Official site and download: Click here
