How To Save an Old Laptop by Installing Chrome OS Flex

It ’s not pleasant see a once - dear laptop ( or screen background ) reckoner slowly slide into obsolescence as it gets too old and tired to keep up with the demands of modern - day computing , but Google has now provided an pick for these ailing machines in the form of Chrome OS Flex .

Chrome OS Flex is the standard Chrome OS that runs on Chromebooks , in a variant that you’re able to install on computers that are n’t Chromebooks . The estimate is that the lightweight operating organization wo n’t matter your old equipment down to the same extent as Windows or macOS . It ’s essentially just a web internet browser , and hey presto , your laptop computer or background has a new term of a contract on life .

We should warn you that this project is in its very , very early stage : Google says it ’s in “ former access ” fashion and is “ still unstable ” at this point . As a result , you should expect some weird conduct and bugs — at the moment , this is really something to attempt on laptops that you ’re otherwise live on to get rid of .

Chrome OS isn’t just for Chromebooks now.

Chrome OS isn’t just for Chromebooks now.Photo:Anete Lūsiņa/Unsplash

That said , you could try it . Google hasa list of computer modelsthat it plans to finally endorse for Chrome OS Flex . It has also print some minimum requirements for the operating system : An Intel or AMD x86 - 64 - bit compatible gimmick , with at least 4 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage space , with the ability to bring up from a USB drive .

If your Windows or macOS equipment meets those requirements , you’re able to give Chrome OS Flex a go . Be trusted though that you do n’t need the laptop any more in its current body politic , and that you ’ve moved all the important data on it somewhere else before attempting this .

The same limitation that apply to Chrome OS apply to Chrome OS Flex — you’re not go to be able to run full desktop program program for example , and the software package will default on to saving file in the cloud . However , you might find it ’s baffle everything that you want , and it think of you may persuade on using your existing ironware .

Chrome OS Flex is in the early stages of testing.

Chrome OS Flex is in the early stages of testing.Screenshot: Google Chrome

Create a Chrome OS Flex installation drive

Find yourself a USB drive with 8 GB capacity or more , and get all the files you require off it before keep . punch it into a Chromebook , Windows microcomputer or Mac ( it does n’t necessarily have to be the laptop you ’re set up Chrome OS Flex on ) , then visit the Chrome web entrepot : rule theChromebook Recovery Utility , get across Add to Chrome , and then Add reference .

With that process complete , launch the utility program : You should be able to find oneself it by clicking the extensions release on the Chrome toolbar . Work your way through the apparatus wizard that appears on concealment , and when you ’re need to identify your Chromebook , select Select a model from a list . The options you want are Google Chrome OS Flex for the manufacturing business and Chrome OS Flex ( Developer - Unstable ) for the product .

You ’ll also require to pick the USB drive you require to expend , and the installation driveway can then be created . The computer software takes a few minutes to download the necessary file and install them on the USB driving , and you ’ll see a message when you may take the parkway out of its port . The next point is getting Chrome OS Flex up and running on your old laptop .

You’ll need the Chromebook Recovery Utility.

You’ll need the Chromebook Recovery Utility.Screenshot: Google Chrome

Installing Chrome OS Flex

Perhaps the hardest part of installing Chrome OS Flex is figuring out how to get your computer to boot from the USB private road that you ’ve just created . On a Mac , you hold up down the Option key as your computer is rebooting ; on Windows PCs , the Florida key you need is ordinarily F2 , Esc or Del ( the instruction manual of arms or a straightaway search on the web should help if you ’re not trusted ) .

Choose the USB driving force as the boot gadget , and you should see a screen receive you to CloudReady — the technology used to deploy Chrome OS Flex . Click Get started and you ’ve then got two choice : assay it first , let you try Chrome OS Flex without wiping anything from your old computer . you could verify everything is working as it should in terminus of the exhibit and the peripherals , but you do n’t get all of the feature of the operating organisation ( you wo n’t get robotlike updates for example ) .

plunk Install CloudReady 2.0 or else of test it first and Chrome OS Flex will be amply installed , wipe everything that ’s already on the computer . When you see a substance indicate the process is complete , take out the USB parkway , boot your reckoner , and you may start using Chrome OS Flex . As on a standard Chromebook , you ’ll be asked to contract in using a Google invoice to get started . If you need more assistance , check here .

After creating an installation drive, you can boot from it.