Installing Linux

Thanks to recent advancements in the chrultrabook community, Linux works really well on most Chromebooks.

Tips

Only Linux kernel 6.6 or newer is supported.

Warning

Old (>1 year) LTS releases may have issues and are not supported.
One possible workaround for Debian 12 (Bookworm) and Ubuntu is using a custom kernel. In case of Debian, the audio script will automatically install it for you. Note that not all issues can be solved with a custom kernel, as the rest of the software on the system is still old.

Recommended distros as of December 2024 (in no particular order) are:

  • Arch Linux or EndeavourOS
  • Fedora or Ultramarine Linux
  • openSUSE Tumbleweed
  • Pop!_OS

Installation

  1. Create a bootable Linux USB. See here for a guide.
  2. Plug the USB Drive into the Chromebook.
  3. Turn on the Chromebook, press ESC at the POST screen (when the coreboot logo appears), and select your USB to boot from.
  4. Install as you would on any other computer.

NOTE

If you are using RW_LEGACY firmware, if after pressing Ctrl+L you reach the "Additional Firmware Menu" screen, you will need to press 2 to boot from a USB.

See this page for more information about RW_LEGACY booting.

Fixing Audio

You will likely have audio issues after installing Linux. Run the following script to fix them.

Prerequisites

  • Python 3.10 or newer
  • Git

Caution

Using AVS on a device with max98357a will blow your speakers. You have been warned.

How to run the script

  1. Open a terminal.
  2. git clone https://github.com/WeirdTreeThing/chromebook-linux-audio.git
  3. cd chromebook-linux-audio
  4. ./setup-audio

For more information please see WeirdTreeThing's repo

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