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Installing ChromiumOS
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README.md

Install ChromiumOS

  1. Download the latest chromium build from: http://download-chromiumos.appspot.com/ (it stays up to date with the latest build, archive.org verifies this)
    1. NOTE: If you want developer mode, you must change _base_ in the download URL to _test_ as the base image does not have developer tools enabled
    2. This is vouched by hexxeh so is legit: https://twitter.com/Hexxeh/status/348916431913627649
    3. The builds at vanilla builds at http://chromeos.hexxeh.net/ are outdated
    4. The builds at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/project-swift are currently unstable and only used for debugging auto updates
  2. Extract the archive using: tar -xJf chromiumos_base_image.tar.xz
  3. Find out the disk location of your usb key using: diskutil list
  4. Unmount the disk: diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskX
  5. Write the disk: sudo dcfldd if=image.bin of=/dev/diskX
    1. dcfldd is an enhanced version of dd, that will calculate the blocksize for you, and output progress as it is going
  6. Eject the disk: diskutil eject /dev/diskX
  7. Put the disk into your computer, select the usb key as the boot drive
  8. If you do not know the install password, press esc immediatly at booting
    1. This will get you to a command prompt
    2. Boot in debug mode: chromeos-usb.A root=/dev/sdb3 cros_debug (add cros_efi to the end if you are on an EFI device)
    3. Press ctrl+alt+f2 to re-enter the command prompt
    4. Set your desired password using: sudo /usr/sbin/chromeos-setdevpasswd and enter a password
    5. Press ctrl+alt+f1 to re-enter the GUI, continue with the normal steps
  9. Go through the chromium prompts
  10. In your user account or a guest account, press ctrl+alt+t, then type install, password will be facepunch, username if requested is chronos
  11. Shutdown, take out the usb key, turn back on
  12. If you ever need shell type: shell
  13. If you ever need sudo access in shell, type: sudo -s
  14. If you ever need to write to the filesystem use: mount -oremount,rw /

Known Issues & Notes

  • Running install on the swift builds complained about GPT table curruption, wanting me to run cgpt repair, and screen would go back within 5 minutes once installed
  • 64bit build of http://download-chromiumos.appspot.com/ doesn't work with our wifi card, 32bit build found the wifi, but needed a password to install, no one knows what this password is
  • The swift builds worked fine, but is quite outdated so not all extensions worked (chromium v28)
@rstacruz
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rstacruz commented Oct 1, 2016

Run the mac builder app: sudo Chromium\ OS\ Image\ Creator.app/Contents/MacOS/Chromium\ OS\ Image\ Creator

Where is this from?

@dsemaya
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dsemaya commented Oct 13, 2016

Yes, where do you get the Chromium OS Image Creator? It appears to no longer be on Hexxeh's site. The VMs are also gone. I need a Chromium VM.

@balupton
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balupton commented Jan 1, 2017

@rstacruz @dsemaya added this note:

This guide was last updated in 2014. I ended up giving up, as all options had issues.

@nandanhere
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nandanhere commented Feb 12, 2017 •
edited
Loading

ok i have downloaded a build from hexxeh's website
now i extracted it and i have a weird file format (something like "chromeos_base_image" no .bin , no .img
so im kind of stuck ...can you help me?

im on windows 7 64 bit, if that helps

@freerk55
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freerk55 commented Jan 10, 2018

https://chromium.arnoldthebat.co.uk

@scuba323
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scuba323 commented Feb 11, 2018

Cloudready has unofficial images available from here. They are for VMWare (VMDK Format)

@theoparis
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theoparis commented Jun 29, 2023

https://chromium.arnoldthebat.co.uk

This seems to be outdated, and https://download-chromiumos.appspot.com/ is gone.

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