Do you have a Chromebook? Wish you could erase ChromeOS and install something else? Good news! You can now do this using a modified BIOS (known as Sea BIOS). Many Chromebooks are supported by this modification – so many, in fact, that it would take a long time to list them all. Instead, head over to this page here and scroll down to find out if your device is supported.
ContentsEnable developer modeEnable read/write on your Chrome deviceInstall modified BIOSConclusion
Once you've figured out which combination of buttons to press on your Chromebook, you'll be taken to a recovery screen. On this screen, just press "Ctrl + D" on your keyboard. This will initiate the transition to developer mode. Be patient; This may take a while.
Since the ChromeOS file system is read-only by default, it must be configured for full read-write access. Open a terminal by pressing "Ctrl + Alt + T." This will bring you to the Crosh prompt. From there, just enter shell in the terminal. This will launch a Bash shell where you can enter commands.
Enabling read-write access is simple. Just enter this command:
sudo -s
followed by
flashrom --wp-disable
Once you enter this command, restart your device and the ChromeOS file system will be read/write.
Note: most Chromebooks also have a hardware read/write switch or screw. You'll need to figure out where that is and remove it as well.
Installing the modified BIOS is incredibly easy. Simply press "Ctrl + Alt + T" to open a terminal window and enter the following command:
Once this command is executed, the modified BIOS file will be installed. Once done, simply restart your system.
Note: if you need to install older versions of Sea BIOS, check here.
After your Chromebook restarts, you'll see a black screen that says Sea BIOS instead of a Chrome logo. This means that the installation was successful. if you want to go back to normal BIOS, just load ChromeOS, run the above command and select the back option. It will do the rest.
From there, your Chromebook is effectively "jailed." Of course, this means that it is possible to install alternative operating systems. Simply install it on a USB flash drive and plug it in to charge. The default Sea BIOS will load USB first. Enjoy!
Chromebooks are generally counted and considered "not real computers". The thing is, most Chromebooks have compelling hardware with incredible battery life. With the right amount of modifications, they can be incredibly useful Linux computers.
What are your thoughts on replacing your Chromebook's BIOS? Is it worth it? Tell us below!
Image credit:Chromium.org
