Category Archives: Linux

My New Favorite Computer for $180??? Thanks Linux!

Chromebooks, Linux,

Linux

Sometimes you happen upon something so cool, you just gotta share it with the world. That moment came today when I turned my Chromebook into my new favorite system (of many!). Here is the step by step how I used Linux to create this awesome laptop.

Step 1: Purchased a new HP Chromebook from Amazon.com. The exact system I got is actually a little cheaper today! HP Chromebook 11 G5, 11.6″, Celeron, 4GB, 16GB, X9U02UT. I picked this system because of the price/hardware ratio. The one little issue is that you have to perform an additional step of changing the firmware, but I think it was well worth it. 

Step 2: I popped the Chromebook into Developer Mode and changed the firmware to allow the installation of a new Operating System using the detailed and clear instructions here: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing/Preparing . Notice that I decided on the GalliumOS version of Linux since it is optimized for the Chromebook and the reviews of this product have been excellent. I am so impressed I am donating after I post this!

Step 3: I downloaded GalliumOS to a thumb drive. Notice that I decided to completely get rid of ChromeOS on the device. For me – it was Linux or bust. I do wish I had created a recovery drive before I moved forward so I could have put ChromeOS back in the event I was not happy, but as it turned out – I am not going back after all. 😋 The instructions for this step are here: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing

Step 4: I followed these instructions for creating the bootable thumb drive for the installation. https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing/Creating_Bootable_USB

Should you have any questions on this, I would love to help in the comments area below.

THANK YOU LINUX!

Linux, ,

linux

So I am sure many of my readers can identify with this…chatting with a dear family member and they mention their old Toshiba laptop is now basically a brick due to years of malware downloads and failed Windows updates.

“Hey, back up whatever you might want off that thing and bring it over the house,” I reply. “In fact, you picked a perfect time, we have about a month or so under the Windows 10 is free plan from the ever so generous Microsoft Corporation.”

When did things start to go horribly wrong? When my stepfather walked in and I opened the Toshiba (a real monster in size) and I saw a little sticker on the keyboard…Windows Vista. Uh oh. Windows 10 ain’t a free upgrade from that. I guess the rational there is, if you stuck with the crappy OS for this long, you deserve the brick!

“Sorry Dad, no free upgrade for you. Windows 10 is around $100 bucks, but this old laptop is just not worth that investment. We can go grab you a new one for about $250. That would be money better spent…”

Just then, it hit me…”hey, what are you using this for???” The answer – like so many these days – one thing…INTERNET.

Hello Ubuntu!!!! It is so wonderful to have choices. A quick download of the 32-bit ISO, a quick burn to DVD, a quick boot to DVD, and an efficient scorched Earth install of his new OS. Needless to say, he was stunned to see performance of his desktop like he could never remember.

As my readers know – I am a huge fan of almost all things Microsoft. With that said, it is so important for us to have choices today. And today I certainly found that important.