How To Run a full Linux desktop installation on your Chromebook without giving up ChromeOS? This alteration will give you access to both complete operating systems running simultaneously so you can move between them with a keyboard shortcut.
You may already use the “Crostini” partition to run individual Linux apps alongside ChromeOS. That method forces users to rely mainly on the command line without the added functionality a full Linux desktop environment offers. So installing a complete Linux distribution — desktop and all — may be a better option for you.
A few years ago, I played around with a halfway measure to run a KDE desktop on a Chromebook within the Crostini environment. That method, however, was buggy. Before that, I toyed with running GalliumOS from a USB drive to turn Chromebooks into Linux boxes without removing ChromeOS.
Crostini, Google’s umbrella term for building Linux applications into ChromeOS, installs a command line version of the Linux OS to run Debian Linux apps on supported Chromebooks.
The built-in Crostini partition lets Chromebook users run Linux apps much like Android apps, in a walled-off virtual-machine-like sandbox running on top of ChromeOS.
An alternative approach involves using Crouton. It provides the environment for a full Linux installation, desktop, and all. Crouton is a set of scripts that automatically installs components that create a Chromium OS-centric chroot generator. The term “chroot” is geekspeak for “change root.”
Learning the Lingo
In theory, Chromebook users should be able to use the chroot utility to install most Linux distributions. That, however, requires somebody in those Linux communities to create the scripts based on where each distro stores its files.
So far, the chroot utility scripts readily available for Chromebooks cater to Debian Linux and the Ubuntu Linux distro. Installing Linux distros on some Arm-based Chromebooks may not work. Expect better results using a Chromebook that runs on an Intel processor.
Crouton installs the current Ubuntu Xenial release and your choice of four desktops — LXDE, Unity, Xfce, or Gnome — depending on which command you enter. See the details in the Step Four section.
I installed the Xfce desktop and prefer its added feature set and configuration options. Although I have several newer and more powerful Chromebooks, I did the installation on an Asus Chromebook Flip model C213S.
First released in July 2017, it runs the Intel Celeron CPU N3350 on 4GB RAM. This unit has never buckled under the strain of running ChromeOS with numerous open browser tabs, Android apps in separate windows, and multiple Linux apps under Crostini.
Set Up the Preliminaries
Installing a full Linux distribution on your Chromebook is safe and reliable using the directions below. It is fully reversible.
Before starting, we recommend backing up your existing Chromebook setup. You can restore it with a powerwash or from a recovery USB stick. Check out Google’s help files for details on doing both procedures here.
But typically, all you will have to do should something unexpected happen is go to the Settings menu and turn off the Linux partition. That will remove all traces of the errant Linux installation, and the still-intact ChromeOS will be waiting for you.
To start, ensure that you are running the current version of ChromeOS. Go to Settings > About Chrome OS to check the Chrome OS version or update Chromebook’s operating system. Then make sure that the Linux partition is turned on in the Advanced Settings menu.
Getting Ready for the Crouton Alternative
The built-in Crostini partition cannot handle Linux desktops. It runs Linux commands through the command line interface or CLI and launches installed Linux apps by clicking their launcher icons.
Crouton, as in “Chromium OS Universal Chroot Environment,” goes beyond that limitation. Basically, you must replace Crostini with Crouton.
Do not rush through this process. Double- and triple-check that you are precisely following the instructions.
It is unlikely that a misstep will damage the Chromebook’s core operation. But a mistake will generate an error message. If that happens, redo the failed step until it works.
Be patient while the process proceeds. It will take time for the files to download and install. The Chromebook’s internal hardware and your internet connection speed are factors.
