Ubuntu experience on Chromebooks

Question

So I want to buy a cheap laptop, just to code and I need Ubuntu for that. So I thought about Chromebooks, but some questions came to my mind:

1. Which methods are available to install ubuntu on a chromebook?

2. Is it just a virtual machine or a full installation?, therefore, is it able to use all hardware available?

3. Is there any difference between normal ubuntu experience and chromebooks's ubuntu experience? (anything).

4. Is every Chromebook capable of installing and running well ubuntu?

Thanks in advance, and if you may, please name one good and lightweight chromebook you know.

c++ qt simple stuff for now, graphics, and maybe in a future, OpenGl. — Michael, Mar 04 '15 at 00:16
How about online ide for c++ ? I'd say it's even cheaper than chromebook :) — Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy, Mar 04 '15 at 00:22
In that case, I'd say crouton is the best option. No need to be afraid if you might screw things up — Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy, Mar 04 '15 at 00:26
Welcome to Ask Ubuntu! ;-) We're sorry but Ask Ubuntu is not a forum but a Question&Answer site: It works best if you ask one question, so you can receive one answer. When you ask multiple questions, you need to find one expert versed in multiple areas which becomes more unlikely the more questions you put into... well, one question! ;-) So please, split up your question into multiple questions and drop me a comment so I can answer one of your questions. — Fabby, Mar 04 '15 at 00:34
I didn't know sorry. But I already got my answers and deleting my question would be taking the reputation earned from the good sir that helped me out :(. — Michael, Mar 04 '15 at 00:39
And a cross-post: http://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/188030/ubuntu-experience-on-a-chromebook — Fabby, Mar 04 '15 at 01:17

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 04 '15 at 00:20

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1. Which methods are available to install ubuntu on a chromebook?

I've installed it directly on hard drive, but you have to cope with constantly bypassing "OS not found" screen. Another method is crouton

2. Is it just a virtual machine or a full installation?, therefore, is it able to use all hardware available?

Crouton could be thought of as virtual machine.

3. Is there any difference between normal ubuntu experience and chromebooks's ubuntu experience? (anything).

Touchpad doesn't work out of the box, that's the main difference. You have to run some scripts for that or buy wireless mouse, which is what i did. Otherwise same.

4. Is every Chromebook capable of installing and running well ubuntu?

Process is pretty much same, except for enabling developer mode, I'd say

answered Mar 04 '15 at 00:20

Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy

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thanks for the answer, do you know if cruoton is capable of accessing all hardware available in the chromebook? – Michael Mar 04 '15 at 00:23
@Michael , no idea. I haven't played with it enough. I reverted back to chrome os. The one I bought, Acer C720, was intended for another person, so in the end i just decided to give them choice of os – Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy Mar 04 '15 at 00:24
what about the first method you talked about? that means I can install ubuntu with a standard ISO image? – Michael Mar 04 '15 at 00:31
@Michael , I do know sound and screen work OK, brightness works OK, except the touch pad. I've heard on Acer C720P touchscreen wont work. That's pretty much all. And like I said, I used wireless mouse to cope with the touchpad issue – Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy Mar 04 '15 at 00:32
@Michael Yeah, basically I made bootable usb, enabled developer mode, and installed to hard drive directly. Now, because ssd was 16GB, my Ubuntu was kinda starved for disk space,so i errased the chrome os and installed ubuntu. I'd say get a larger ssd, maybe 32 gb, and that will be good – Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy Mar 04 '15 at 00:34
@Michael it was a long process, though, took me like 4 hours – Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy Mar 04 '15 at 00:35
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crouton is not a standard Ubuntu. It has no support for upstart, by example. – Rael Gugelmin Cunha Mar 04 '15 at 02:14

Ubuntu experience on Chromebooks

1 Answers1