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chromebooks [2025/09/24 13:56] – demiurgechromebooks [2025/09/24 13:58] (current) – [Chromebooks] demiurge
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 Chromebooks are lightweight laptops built around ChromeOS, a fast, secure, cloud-centric OS from Google. They’re popular because they’re cheap, have long battery life, and boot quickly. Under the hood many Chromebooks use standard Intel/ARM hardware and can run full Linux or other OSes once you remove the restrictions ChromeOS places on the machine. Chromebooks are lightweight laptops built around ChromeOS, a fast, secure, cloud-centric OS from Google. They’re popular because they’re cheap, have long battery life, and boot quickly. Under the hood many Chromebooks use standard Intel/ARM hardware and can run full Linux or other OSes once you remove the restrictions ChromeOS places on the machine.
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 +  * Enable **Developer Mode**  to run a chroot (e.g., Crostini / Crouton) or a full Linux install.
 +  * Replace stock firmware with **Coreboot**  or **Libreboot**  (or use MrChromebox firmware) to remove Google’s verified-boot restrictions.
 +  * Boot a normal Linux distro (Ubuntu, Arch, Debian) from USB or internal storage.
 +  * Reuse Chromebooks as lightweight servers, kiosks, or simple homelab nodes.
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 ===== Chromebook hacking ===== ===== Chromebook hacking =====
  
 A set of techniques people use to reclaim control of the device: install a full Linux distro, replace the firmware with coreboot/libreboot, unlock advanced debugging, or repurpose cheap hardware as a tiny desktop, server, or embedded device. It’s attractive because many older Chromebooks are inexpensive surplus and have decent durability. A set of techniques people use to reclaim control of the device: install a full Linux distro, replace the firmware with coreboot/libreboot, unlock advanced debugging, or repurpose cheap hardware as a tiny desktop, server, or embedded device. It’s attractive because many older Chromebooks are inexpensive surplus and have decent durability.
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 **Libreboot resources** **Libreboot resources**
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-[[https://libreboot.org/docs/hardware/|Libreboot Hardware List]] – which Chromebooks can be flashed. 
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-[[https://mrchromebox.tech/|MrChromebox.tech]] – custom firmware for Chromebooks, good for prepping. 
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-[[https://www.coreboot.org/Chromebooks|Coreboot wiki: Chromebook devices]] 
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-**Cheap Chromebook hacking** 
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-Models often used: ThinkPad X131e Chromebook, C201, older Dell/HP units.+   * [[https://libreboot.org/docs/hardware/|Libreboot Hardware List]] – which Chromebooks can be flashed. 
 +  * [[https://mrchromebox.tech/|MrChromebox.tech]] – custom firmware for Chromebooks, good for prepping. 
 +  * [[https://www.coreboot.org/Chromebooks|Coreboot wiki: Chromebook devices]]
  
-      *+**Hardware **
  
-Good intro: [[https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Chromebook|Arch Wiki: Chromebook]]+  * Models often used: ThinkPad X131e Chromebook, C201, older Dell/HP units. 
 +  * Good intro: [[https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Chromebook|Arch Wiki: Chromebook]]