Fresh and readyThe Lenovo C340 is a Chromebook built for work and play. And youve got a modern, secure web browser to use again. Converting your older Windows laptop into a great Chromebook is a great way to repurpose a device that has began to slowdown, perhaps isn't getting updates any longer due to an out of date OS, or maybe you just want the simplicity and security of a Chrome based OS. Raspberry Pi 400 / 4 FydeOS.Also works on my Raspberry Pi 4 8GBRunning on a Raspberry Pi 400 SSDCertify device Search google for xda Device is not CertifiedFydeOS Official YouTube video contains download linkshttps://youtu.be/ny38ubq22hQNew Raspberry Pi imager Vs Balena etcher speed testhttps://youtu.be/7Nnw7CgKYhMResizing expanding a Partition with Gparted. If booting from USB boot fails, consider the following: If youre experiencing long boot delays, try resetting the boot device or clearing logic board RAM. CloudReady makes it possible to use old Macs today with modern websites and web apps. It usually involves only a screwdriver, sometimes with some odd bits, and rarely a bit of electrical tape. CloudReady is compatible with most computers, but some hardware just isn't compatible with ChromeOS or CloudReady. for write protect [name of Chromebook], replacing that bracket with your Chromebook model. You can reach out to him on Twitter or drop a mail at rajesh@androidpolice.com. iPhone v. Android: Which Is Best For You? Eventually, you will land on the same setup screen you saw when you first set up your Chromebook. Click Install. Luckily thats quite easy on old Mac models. Im really assuming that you should be able to, since they are both linux based, but i dont think android allows external boots. I would like to install over CloudReady the Chrome OS Dell 7486 configuration in order to get Android support. With write-protect disabled, its time to dig deep into your Chromebook. You also cannot run Windows virtual machines using Parallels Desktop on PCs running ChromeOS Flex. And Even Better with Play. Be aware that even fully functional non-certified devices might start having significant issues at any time. You will need to periodically create a new CloudReady USB stick to take advantage of updates to the operating system if you choose to not permanently install it. Reply. Installation (from USB) If you're a Windows User you're in luck as there is the cloudready installer which can be downloaded from the CloudReady Home - Free Download page just scroll down a little till you see the USB Maker option. As its name might suggest, it is a Linux distribution that is aimed at people looking at Chrome OS alternatives. Its likely going to be represented by an orange drive. The shelf at the bottom of the screen can be customized with only the apps and sites you use frequently. Open your Chrome browser, and install the Chromebook Recovery Utility from the Chrome Web Store. Chrome OS Flex is currently in early access testing and not suited for production use, Google warns. Follow these steps. Additionally, this news could open up the possibility for Google to extend the EOL dates for existing Chrome OS devices Neverware supports its certified hardware for up to 13 years from the original release date, which would make for a solid step up. Macs that should work with CloudReady but arent officially certified include: You may need to upgrade the RAM on a particularly old model before installing CloudReady. Luckily, you can. 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Well, youre in luck because its incredibly easy to install a modern version of Chrome OS on old Intel Macs for free. Android Central is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Up until now, anyone with an aging device that's slowing down (and supported) has been able to download and install CloudReady Home edition for free. When youre done, though, your Chromebook will be running CloudReady, a virtual clone of Chrome OS. Raspberry Pi 4. Google rolls out ChromeOS Flex updates in stages, so they might not be instantly available for your PC. A longtime reader, Parker is excited to share his product concepts and thoughts with the 9to5mac audience. Because CloudReady isn't as resource-intensive as modern versions of Windows and MacOS, you may see a performance improvement if you install it on an older computer or laptop. Ive linked write-protect removal instructions for each: Ive rarely been stumped with the location of a write-protect screw after a couple searches. A menu with boot options opens. The best Android tablets; The best Chromebooks; The best wireless earbuds; The best 5G phones; . All part of a plan to pull users away from the service? You can install CloudReady on your PC or Mac to get Chromebook-like features on your computer, like cloud storage and web apps. If you right-click the icon, you can change the website to open in a dedicated window rather than a new tab. Google acquired Neverware in 2020, the company that built CloudReady. Back up any important data first. CloudReady isnt a new product by any stretch, but I had always been itching to try it out. I tried this when it originally came out and, yes, I could install a handfull of Android apps, but, it was wonky and not particularly useful. Instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. This project is aimed at making Chrome OS (the official releases by google) available for any non-chromebook devices (ATM The device must be able to boot from live USB, this excludes most Android-only devices); The steps can also be followed on a chromebook, to install an image with android and linux support. Google lets you experience the OS on your old laptop or PC through ChromeOS Flex. If you choose to install, CloudReady overwrites all data on your hard drive. Click or tap the gear icon > Use local image. Most USB ports should work, but a few Chromebooks will not let you boot from a blue (USB 3.0) port. Don't throw away that old laptop just yet. Ken Manheimer - You can verify this by going to. CloudReady doesnt get updated in tandem with the shipping version of Chrome OS. Chromebooks run Chrome OS, a web-focused desktop operating system which has support for Android apps, games, and more. 43.7 Watt Hours (Wh). While the data is still encrypted, the encryption keys are not protected at a hardware level. You can create the physical installer with any computer; it doesnt have to be the one you plan to put CloudReady on. From here, you can choose if CloudReady gets fully installed, and install some proprietary components. on the setup screens to get to the part where you pick your Wi-Fi network. Power the system on by pressing the power button and immediately start hitting the boot key to access the boot menu. There are a few specific Intel graphics cards that dont play nicely with CloudReady, including the GMA 500, 600, 3600 and 3650. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Google says most devices launched in the last ten or more years should work just fine. If you don't install CloudReady permanently, you will not receive updates. The write-protect screw (or sometimes a sticker, or, rarely, a jumper) is in a different location on every Chrome device. Living in rural Kansas with his wife and two young boys makes finding ways to get and stay online tricky. Especially in our current times when kids and grownups alike need solid computers to get work done at home, Neverware offered a reliable and relatively easy solution at no charge. Jul 2, 2019 While there are valid concerns about Google's reputation for shutting down projects, there are also some positives that could come about due to the merger. Click on your profile picture in the lower right corner. You can run CloudReady directly from USB or install it on yourcertified device with the CloudReady USB installer that you created in the previous step. Once you have CloudReady installed, you can use it as you would a Chromebook. Both of these machines have run-of-the-mill specs for their time. Generally, this means holding down the Esc and Refresh keys (the page-reloading circular arrow symbol, two or three keys to the right of Esc), then holding down the Power button until the device powers off (if it was on), or pressing the power key briefly until the device turns on. If at any point you hit a wall, its easy enough to return to a working regular Chrome OS setup. Chrome OS Flex runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux devices. Read and agree to all warnings, and wait for the installation process to finish. Jul 5, 2019 Turn on your device while you repeatedly press the boot key. The process is a little more complicated, and Neverware recommends you use Windows instead, but it is possible. Devices not on the certified models list are not eligible for Chrome Education or Chrome Enterprise support. In addition to contributing to 9to5mac, he also oversees product development and marketing for BuzzFeed. If you don't, the USB installer creation process may not work. Also, starting with the 2018 Pixelbook, Chromebooks offer a closed case means of disabling writing protection, eliminating the need to open the device and physically disable write protection. If the list says you will run into significant issues with ChromeOS Flex on your computer, consider waiting until the issues are resolved. And since CloudReady runs on Windows and Mac machines, Google might even unveil an official way to easily convert those devices into Chromebooks which, given a proper marketing campaign, could help skyrocket the success of Chrome OS overnight. Thread starter ccoltmanm; Start date . If you were able to boot your device from the USB, but after a seemingly successful installation, it boots to black screen or lets you know that no OS was found, perform the following steps: If you successfully installed ChromeOS Flex but are experiencing an issue, switch one of the devices thats giving you trouble to the Dev channel to see if the issue is resolved. Even better, you can install ChromeOS Flex on your Chromebook to get a taste of how ChromeOS is different from ChromeOS Flex. Now comes the culmination of all your work. I'm archiving it for the day when my wife lets me get her Acer C710 in my clutches, and I've got a CTL J5 lying around here somewhere that I've not used in a long while because I just don't like Chrome's love of ads. While ChromeOS Flex might work on non-certified devices without any issues, we cannot guarantee stability, functionality, and performance across regular OS updates. Follow the remaining process on screen to set up Chrome OS Flex. Open Google Chrome on your Windows, Mac, or Chromebook. Her expertise includes social media, web development, and graphic design. Before we wipe the Chromebook, you might want to use it to create the USB stick for installing CloudReady Home Edition. These computers have become a great options for working from home and so many other tasks, but if you don't want to buy a new computer this is a great option to repurpose that old Windows laptop. You can check the complete list of certified models to check if your device is fully supported and what issues it may have right now. Enter your Gmail address or email that's associated with your Google account, and click Next. In this case, Google might be hoping that this accelerates the sales of newer Chromebook hardware something that hardly seems necessary right now. If you can't live without either Flatpak or VirtualBox, your only recourse is to disable updates, as CloudReady's blog post points out. If your computer doesn't operate normally when running CloudReady from the USB installer, permanently installing CloudReady won't magically fix the problem. try resetting the boot device or clearing logic board RAM. Move anything you want to keep to either Google Drive or onto a USB drive. You'll need to boot using the drive instead of the hard disk. This means that Google offers an officially sanctioned way of reviving old computers with Chrome OS. To create the bootable, youll also need Google Chrome installed on a Chrome OS, Windows, or Mac device. Chrome OS Flex is a new version of Chrome OS. Make sure to back up all crucial data from the drive, as it is wiped clean while installing Chrome OS Flex. All other company and product names are trademarks of the companies with which they are associated. Hi, I just installed cloudready and was trying to install android apps. Even in the case of Google Music aka YT Music, the Chrome PWA version and the web version don't support casting from the app. Google does not guarantee that installing ChromeOS Flex will magically make your old PC as fast as a Chromebook. Make sure not to use a Sandisk flash drive; Neverware says that they dont work properly with the installer. Boot into the bootable drive on your target system to install Chrome OS Flex. If youre a Mac or Chrome OS user, we recommend that you temporarily switch to a Windows computer to create your CloudReady USB installer. But there are some subtle differences: None of these except maybe the lack of Google Play Store will really change how you use the machine. The process is the same as a clean install of Windows, Linux, or MacOS and will completely wipe your drive. Learn more. However, it is free to download and install on PC. Check out this guide now! With your device turned off, take out the USB installer. The last thing you need to do is shut down the computer you want to use CloudReady on, and make sure that it is capable of booting from USB. It has both USB-A and USB-C inputs available should you want to pass on converting a Windows computer but still keep your older peripherals. You need the Chrome browser to create the USB installer. You can try for either the generic name of your Chromebook (Acer Chromebook 14), or look on the device for the specific model number (CB3-431-C5EX). It does take some rather technical expertise, however. Here are the key features that are unavailable on Chrome OS Flex. After the process is complete, remove the USB drive from the PC. I'll make it simple: As long as you're reasonably tech-savvy, installing CloudReady is easy as can be. 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The name can vary. You just download the software from Neverware's site and follow the instructions to create a. On Macs, hold down the Option key after pressing the power button to bring up the boot manager. If you have access to a Windows computer, the first step is to download the CloudReady USB maker from Neverware: Scroll down to Get the Free Version and select it. All files will be erased from the thumb drive, so back those up if you need to. But it also works well on Chromebooks, since it has many of the hardware drivers baked into it. Open source software helps you create your own version of a Chromebook. Additionally, the Intel GMA 500, 600, 3600, and 3650 graphics hardware does not meet Chrome OS Flex performance standards. CloudReady is an operating system that is based on Chromium OS, just like Google's official Chrome OS. Also works on my Raspberry Pi 4 8GB Android 13 For Raspberry Pi 4 Is GOOD! This is a paid service, though a 30-day free trial is available. When you see the running bunny on your new boot-up screen (hello, new BIOS! You can also use a Windows or Mac computer, if thats easier. With the USB install drive created, it's time to actually install it on your old laptop. Replace a 5676 mAh battery compatible with HP Chromebook 11 G5 model laptops. HDMI input. Minimum device requirements follow: Architecture: Intel or AMD x86-64-bit compatible device RAM: 4 GB Internal storage: 16 GB Bootable from USB drive BIOS: Full administrator access. Jul 6, 2019 After running that command, youll get a menu. READ MORE: How to put Windows on Chromebook devices. Check your BIOS or UEFI settings to make sure the ability to boot from USB is turned on. According to a support page answering questions about the transition process, Neverware states that there are "no changes to the Home Edition at this time," but that's only discussing the short term leaving the door open for things to change later on. Some devices only successfully install ChromeOS Flex with. Note: ChromeOS Flex does not support most of the newer Mac models.Learn more. You will need an 8 or 16GB USB stick for this step. From experience: if it seems like everything is right, but the installer just wont work, try a different USB stick. So, if the update server detects hardware components in your PC that could have some issues with the latest ChromeOS Flex release, the update could be tweaked or deferred. To get help with the Home edition, check out community topics and forums or the CloudReady knowledge base. Lets say you want to install Slack as an app. You can use a laptop, desktop, Windows, Mac, or even Linux computer. For Windows users, installing CloudReady is as simple as starting up its automated USB installer. With your device turned off, plug in the USB installer. If it boots to its normal operating system, you will need to change the boot order. Some SanDisk drives may not work. The installer will walk you through the steps of creating the installation USB. Step 5: Install CloudReady. The company says that existing multi-year license agreements will be honored by Google, and that there are no other changes to plans or pricing to announce at this time. Download the CloudReady USB installer application to a Mac or PC. Let us know in the comments below if there are any Macs you want to bring back to life and if you choose to try our CloudReady how your experience goes! Reply. Click or tap Download 64-BIT or Download 32-BIT. Additional hardware features, such as CD/DVD drives, fingerprint readers, FireWire ports, Infrared (IR) and face recognition cameras, proprietary connectors and docks, stylus and active pen input, and Thunderbolt. Lets dig in. Reply, closed case means of disabling writing protection, Download the appropriate file from Neverware, the 2013 Chromebook Pixel write protect screw. Under Select a manufacturer, scroll to find Google Chrome OS Flex and select it. In that case, permanently installing CloudReady would be a bad idea. How to install Chrome OS with Android \u0026 Google Play store. On the Chromebook Recovery Utility card, ensure the toggle is turned on, i.e., to the right. After you install it, your computer will have a version of Chromium OS on it instead of the original operating system. But you can also just experience Chrome OS Flex from the USB drive itself, without installing it. Sailor Priddy - When prompted, insert your USB stick, select the recovery media youd like to use and select. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Depending on your internet connection and the pen drive read/write speeds, this process can take a while. It also performs great even on low-powered machines with mediocre specs. 7.5 / 10. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. For details, see Choose a release channel. If you have a Mac, Neverware recommends that you unzip the .iso using the Unarchiver utility. He uses the latest flagship Samsung phone as his daily driver, although he's a Pixel fanboy at heart. A few missing features, but a nice way to revive old systems. But check your Downloads folder, just in case. Reply. Important: Full installation is optional. If you haven't tried ChromeOS, ChromeOS Flex provides a great (and cheap) way to experience it. Select the bootable USB installer from the list as the boot device, and boot into the drive. To install CloudReady, you should download the USB Maker. Under the Extensions button, launch the Chrome Recovery Utility extension by clicking on it. Both Neverware and Google take the base code from the Chromium OS open source project and add their own proprietary code to create a working operating system. When not conquering connectivity challenges and testing new gadgets, he enjoys cruising a gravel road in his UTV with some good tunes. The Android version does. Click on the clock in the lower right corner and select Install OS from the menu that pops up. When Google acquired CloudReady developer Neverware, we knew it was a matter of time before consequences were felt by users. Readers like you help support Android Police. Unfortunately, installing Chrome OS on another, non-Chromebook computer isn't as straightforward as you'd think it'd be. When you see the running bunny on your new boot-up screen (hello, new BIOS! Its just like a regular laptop now does it mean you could now install some other Linux distro? You can do this even after youve enabled developer mode or removed the write-protect screw. Instead of discarding them, you can install ChromeOS Flex and repurpose them. Finally, you might just be a tinkerer like me. These are the notable (and firmware-supported) Chromebooks about to run out of updates as of this post, but obviously there will be more over time. Thats why youll see blue icons rather than Googley multi-colored ones. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up ChromeOS Flex after the reboot. However, it does get regular updates and runs a secure version of Chrome OS that supports the modern web. You can install CloudReady on virtually any Intel Mac from 2007 on. You'll need a spare USB thumb drive (opens in new tab) for this. I'm trying this on a 17-inch Windows laptop since there aren't any 17-inch Chromebooks. Anyway, does it support OTA if I installed it on ACER C720? Setup steps Create your USB installer with the ChromeOS Flex image. Installing android apps on cloudready. Make sure your device's USB ports are functional. This is a given if you're using a Chromebook, but if you only have a Mac, and you don't already have Chromium, you will need to install it before you proceed. All of that means that Chrome OS Flex is set to be the go-to way to install Chrome OS on a PC or a Mac. . Does anyone know if this would be possible? New York, Thanks for a decent read and valuable resource! Neither run recent versions of macOS particularly well, and they certainly arent good for power-hungry tasks. Unfortunately, installing Chrome OS on another, non-Chromebook computer isn't as straightforward as you'd think it'd be. You might be thinking, "Why would I want to make my computer LESS useful?!" Generally, you wont have too much stuff stored on your Chromebooks tiny hard drive, and everything about your browser should be synced to your Google account. 1. NY 10036. To get services you want to use installed on your computer, head over to their websites. On the BIOS setup screen that appears, tap the Down key until you end up at Device Manager. Jul 4, 2019 Once you have finished making your CloudReady USB stick, you're ready to try it out. CloudReady will continue to be supported as usual for the foreseeable future, with the goal of becoming an "official Chrome OS offering" in the long term. Turn on your device while you repeatedly press the boot key. See. But many Chromebooks work perfectly fine long beyond their official end-of-life date, especially if they were packed with relatively strong hardware when they debuted. Your laptop boots up like a regular laptop, without warnings or loud beeps. We sell a few tested batteries for older models. Great YouTube Performance.https://youtu.be/MMTW3up2hJUUse your Chromebook as a Monitor. Google and related marks and logos are trademarks of Google LLC. And since it's revolved around the web, it's a pretty lightweight operating system, making it an ideal solution for an old computer or laptop. Try a different USB device as your installer, especially if it's a. Once you select CloudReady, it will boot into the Chrome OS set up system. Raspberry Pi 400 / 4 FydeOS. For detailed steps, see the. Youll land at yet another scary screen: OS verification is OFF, press SPACE to re-enable.. If you have an old Windows laptop or MacBook that has slowed down over time, you may be able to turn it into a very close approximation of a Chromebook by installing CloudReady.