r/chromeos Mar 07 '24

Announcement Announcement - "chrultrabook" posts, AKA regarding attempting to put Windows or another OS onto your Chromebook, will no longer be allowed.

90 Upvotes

Hey there!

In short, as of today, this subreddit will be removing and redirecting posts that seek advice on replacing the operating system on your Chromebook.

In the past these posts were allowed with a disclaimer that better support would likely be found elsewhere, such as r/chultrabook and their associated communities. However that subreddit is now archived and they now only provide support on their forum.

Since then there has been a rise in posts like this here, and we're simply not equipped to provide meaningful support. We've received lots of feedback over the past few months and the general consensus was that everyone is better served if these posts are now permanently directed elsewhere.

To be clear, we are not discouraging anyone from attempting this process; it's still cool, (potentially) fun and can unlock more utility from your device! The only change is that posts seeking support for this will be removed.

Thanks for understanding!


Helpful Links


r/chromeos 10h ago

Discussion HP Elite Dragonfly is Amazing

36 Upvotes

Runing GTA V on Steam 60FPS at 1920x1280 resolution


r/chromeos 3h ago

Discussion Is it technically possible to use GPU in ChromeOS virtual machine?

2 Upvotes

I wonder if that is so. My laptop got decent hardware to run some older games, but the limitations of the VM bound me to play zero-to-no graphic games (drawn/animated). I know the VM can use CPU, RAM, disk space of the host, so can it use GPU the same way?


r/chromeos 21h ago

Discussion ChromeOS is better for average user than every desktop Linux ever made.

50 Upvotes

ChromeOS is simple on the outside and doesn't get in your way. If you want to change a setting you have an app for that. Unlike desktop Linux, ChromeOS has a clear direction and an unified experience accross all devices. Google never forces you to open terminal to type in commands. If you really want to play with terminal you can enable Linux development environment. You can't break your Chromebook only because you installed the wrong app. And most importantly it just works (even if you are not using a Chromebook).


r/chromeos 1h ago

Buying Advice Chromebook advice

Upvotes

Hi I'm looking for a CB plus with the following characteristics.

I'm planning to retire soon, and I want something I can use to write books on. So good keyboard, and has longevity.

  1. 12 - 13 inch FHD screen
  2. Preferably 16:10
  3. Arm device with long battery life.
  4. 16 GB Ram
  5. 256 GB nvme m.2 ssd.
  6. Light weight. Max 900g
  7. Built in 5g modem if available.
  8. At least 10 years on AUD
  9. Linux and Android support.
  10. Global warrentee.
  11. Not an ACER

Price is not really an object, so long as it's not extortionate. 750 USD max.


r/chromeos 1h ago

Troubleshooting Can't open Chrome, cause restart and breaks Ethernet connection. Need to powerwash?

Upvotes

First i started having problems that Ethernet connection suddenly stopped working. Needing to restart. Now when i click on the Chromebrowser icon, it soft restarts the system, and Ethernet internet is lost. I can open Chrome in incognito mode, it doesn't cause a restart. I have disabled all extensions. Also noticed that if i enable wifi-connection, i can click on Chrome, it opens browser without restarting the system. So it seems there's a bug in ethernet connection, or hardware issue.

Version 140.0.7339.29


r/chromeos 3h ago

Troubleshooting Acer Spin 713 black screen but back to life after ChromeOS 139 update

1 Upvotes

While on ChromeOS 138 the screen on my 4 year old Acer Spin 713 went black. Not sure whether there was an update that caused it. The screen seemed dead, hardware reset didn't help, the Chromebook worked fined otherwise when connected to an external monitor, but no internal display was detected at all in Settings, the external monitor was the only display.

I thought it was perhaps the ribbon cable and was planning on fixing it at some point, but just went out and bought another Chromebook as the 4 year old one was starting to show its age anyway.

Today I updated it to ChromeOS 139, and to my surprise the screen came back to life after the update. It can't be a bad ribbon cable, it seems fine now.

Anyone one else who experienced something like this with ChromeOS updates? Just curious at this point whether there may have been some bugged 138 update in there. Anyway, good trick to force you to go out and get another Chromebook :-)


r/chromeos 5h ago

Discussion Cannot Get Play Store Back

0 Upvotes

I have tried every single thing that anybody has suggested from reddit or from software inquiries, but nothing will get rid of developer mode and return the play store to my Lenovo 300e chromebook. It's just completely stuck in developer mode. Even recovery won't get it out, because when I press space to turn on OS verification, it says it's turned on, but then I bkkt up the Chromebook and it's still in developer mode. How do I fix this? Is there any way I can fix it?


r/chromeos 11h ago

Discussion My Chromebook updates never seem to add anything — is it just security patches?

0 Upvotes

I have a Lenovo Flex 3 15.6" Chromebook that I’ve been using for a few months, and I’ve noticed that Chrome OS updates feel a bit strange. They don’t really add any new features — it just seems like security updates.

It’s not like Android updates where you sometimes get new options and extras. With my Chromebook it feels like nothing even changed after an update.

Is this just how Chromebooks work, or is it something specific to my model? Do better Chromebook laptops get more noticeable updates?

Curious what others have experienced.

Thanks


r/chromeos 12h ago

Discussion Como instalar o Chrome OS

0 Upvotes

Boa noite amigos, tudo bem.

Comecei a usar o sistema Chrome OS FLEX e estou gostando bastante da simplicidade dele. Mas esses ultimos dias descobri que tem uma versão desse sistema com Play Store e interface Linux. Entretando não consigo instalar ela, pois essa versão é destinadas apenas maquinas de fabrica.

Existe alguma forma de instalar a versão de Chromebook no meu HP STREAM 14.


r/chromeos 14h ago

Troubleshooting Touchscreen issue goes away in guest mode, but not fixed after powerwash?

1 Upvotes

Multitouch is unreliable for me but I found out that while logged into guest mode it works perfectly. So I presumed something on my user configuration was messed up but after a powerwash there was no change.

Any guidance? I tried removing all extensions, all chrome flags, fiddling with every setting I can.

Can I powerwash and get into the OS without logging into any account so I can try the purest state of the OS with no preloaded configurations?

Edit: Never mind, the issue is present immediately after powerwash before even signing in, but guest mode works fine. I don't think there's anything I can do to fix it.


r/chromeos 23h ago

Troubleshooting Cannot connect to any institutional networks

3 Upvotes

I am BEYOND ripping my hair out. Every single Chromebook I’ve ever owned, all three, has forced me to go through arcane rituals just to connect to the WiFi at the university I PAY for. But now, my brand new one is somehow making me do even more ridiculous BS, only to tell me it couldn’t connect every single time.

I’m trying to connect to Eduroam, but I’ve had similar issues on government networks. Every time, it tells me “Username/password incorrect EAP-auth failed”. I have followed every bit of advice I’ve found online, with the same results every time. Every thread like this is full of people saying “I have the same problem” and of course no one ever getting it fixed.

What do I do? Or do I just have to accept the fact that I spent $400 on a computer that I’m never going to be able to use in class, the reason I bought it for?

Thanks in advance.


r/chromeos 17h ago

Discussion Beta v140 - Pinned Files Icon

1 Upvotes

There are times when I pin files and the icon on the quick launch shelf serves a purpose. It is annoying to have the pinned files icon on the shelf when there are no pinned files. I don't need a permanent icon to remind me I can pin files. Is there a way to hide this useless icon when there are no pinned files? TIA


r/chromeos 1d ago

Discussion The cheapest chromebook plus in Canada with an i5 processor/16GB RAM/ 512GB SSD at $499.99 CAD ($360 USD)

Post image
29 Upvotes

Based on what i've seen over the years in Canada, if you are looking for a brand new chromebook plus, this is as cheap as it gets with insane specifications like this!

Check it out before the sale ends!


r/chromeos 1d ago

Buying Advice Looking for Chromebook for Uni

Thumbnail gallery
2 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone can help me decide. I'm in need of a lighter laptop for writing notes, assignments, doing light research, maybe watching some lectures. I have a PC and also a windows laptop so I don't need amazing specs, I just need it to be light because my laptop is so heavy it hurts my back lol and also able to handle some light work. I saw some on sales and here are some options but I don't know if they're good enough.

Other suggestions would also be helpful. My maximum would probably be $400 CAD tbh. I don't want to spend a lot since this is mainly for doing coursework on the go. Thank you 😊


r/chromeos 1d ago

Buying Advice Need a laptop that will be primarily used for streaming (YouTube TV), Google Sheets, and general internet browsing. Is a Chromebook a good option for me?

16 Upvotes

Don’t need much, just want to make sure I’m going to get good bang for my buck. Thanks!


r/chromeos 1d ago

Troubleshooting Sound issue even with Earbuds

1 Upvotes

I have a chromebook, after starting it, the sound works properly during 20 seconds then it starts glitching, even with Bluetooth earbuds paired. I have the lastest update. What to do please?


r/chromeos 1d ago

Buying Advice Accesories for chromebook?

0 Upvotes

I have an asus chromebook around 14 inch. Its so hard to find specific chromebook acessories. I bought a universal pen for it and an universal screen protector for it because it becomes a tablet when folded.

Do you know how to protect the keyboard area when it is folded? Is there any way I can attach my pen into the chromebook?

I want accesories that are not hard to maintain, silicone covers for the keyboard doesn't really stick and gathers dust. Is there no better cover for it?

Any other helpful accesories that you recommend? Any item recommendation will be considered.


r/chromeos 1d ago

Troubleshooting Trying to restore windows and Tabs

2 Upvotes

Just as the title says, I'm trying to get my chrome window back.

What happened was I needed to download the, now understandable to me, horrendous LockDown Browser.
After opening a mock exam to see if it's working, it combined all of my chrome windows and ungrouped all tab groups in those windows after combining. After that, my Chromebook restarted, and I couldn't use the ctrl + shift + t method to reopen the closed windows and the combined window. I checked my history after to see if I could get something back, but it turns out LockDown Browser had deleted all of History.

So here I am hoping someone knows something on how to restore or gain access to my windows and tabs. And in case it's helpful, I have history deleted after 18 months.

Thank you to anyone who has any ideas or information I can use. Much appreciated!


r/chromeos 1d ago

Linux (Crostini) I want to put a new os on my Dell 5290 2in1

0 Upvotes

Is there a version or variation of chromeOS I should try? I tried to use fydeOS but it didn’t boot.


r/chromeos 1d ago

Troubleshooting Chromebook nonstop flickering

Post image
1 Upvotes

Whenever i would push the screen too far it would flicker until i closed the chromebook. I pushed it a little too far i guess and now this is its neutral state


r/chromeos 2d ago

Discussion How far can ChromeOS go for professional work?

13 Upvotes

I work as a data analyst/data engineer and I’ve been trying ChromeOS as my main device. Since most of my work is cloud-based, it actually covers a lot more than I expected. It’s fast, simple, and handles the core parts of my workflow well.

That said, there are still moments where it feels like something’s missing for heavier or more complex tasks. But with so much of today’s work shifting online, it feels like ChromeOS has potential beyond just casual or student use.

Do you think ChromeOS can evolve into a tool more professionals rely on, or will it always stay mainly for everyday/light use?


r/chromeos 1d ago

Troubleshooting Creating a bootable Windows 11 USB stick?

0 Upvotes

I tried the Chromebook Recovery Utility app to make a bootable drive from an official Microsoft Windows ISO image, and it boots, but it immediately shows the message "Please select the driver you want to install to make your hardware discoverable." A quick serach indicated that another user who encountered the same issue allegedly found that the USB stick wasn't partitioned correctly, and fixing the formatting resolved the issue.

Have other ChromeOS users had any luck creating a workable Windows install bootable USB stick on ChromeOS, or did they similarly get stuck?

I could also try Crostini on ChromeOS, or a separate MacBook but no separate Windows box for this task. BalenaEtcher which is a popular cross-platform free software has an open bug in GitHub from 2016 to make it work for Windows ISOs.

Edit: this worked, using Disk Utility and brew on Mac https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06KAT0TBcpc


r/chromeos 1d ago

Troubleshooting GeForce Now on Chromebook and Music

1 Upvotes

Hey,

I'm using the Lenovo 14' Gaming Chromebook and also use GFN (GeForce Now)/Boosteroid. When I start a GFN session, it goes into full-screen mode and pauses all other media playback, like YouTube videos or music.

I have my Chromebook connected to my WQHD gaming monitor via a docking station, and I would love to be able to watch videos, Netflix, or listen to music on the Chromebook's screen while gaming on the monitor. This doesn't seem to work with GFN.

Has anyone figured out how to game on one screen and watch something on the second screen at the same time?

Thanks for your help!


r/chromeos 2d ago

Troubleshooting Would anyone happen to know why my Chromebook is doing this every time I try to open google docs?

Post image
5 Upvotes

Every time I try to open google docs, it prompts me to "sign in to add a google account" and despite trying to click the x, it doesn't work because it just comes back up when I try to open google docs. Using my current google sign in doesn't work either cuz then it just says what's above


r/chromeos 1d ago

Buying Advice Need Advice: Is Chromebook good for accounting student use?

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting here and I could use some suggestions.

I’m an accounting student, and my current laptop just died due to a motherboard issue (repairing it would be too expensive). While looking for alternatives, I noticed that Chromebooks are much cheaper than regular laptops, but I’m not very familiar with them.

My main use would be studying, browsing, and improving my Excel skills for accounting purposes. The big question is: can a Chromebook properly run Microsoft Excel, or would I be too limited.

Any advice or recommendations would be really appreciated.

Thanks!