Recycle an old computer by installing a suitable version of Chromium OS on it.
While it is quite possible to install Android on a PC to bring an old computer back to life, a configuration that is too dated may prove to be insufficient to provide correct performance in everyday use. The wisest solution will then probably be to opt for a lean Linux distribution capable of taking advantage of your configuration. If this does not pose, a priori, any problem for advanced users, not everyone is necessarily comfortable with the idea of having to tame a new desktop OS, which can be difficult to install and master. complex.
Why not turn to a suitable version of Chrome OS, the ultra-light Chromebook operating system? The advantage of this interface is that it is known to everyone: it revolves around the Google Chrome web browser and therefore requires no learning (or almost) to be tamed.
For our handling, we opted for CloudReady, an OS developed by Neverware, a company specializing in virtualization and cloud technologies, and in which Google has invested. CloudReady is based on Chromium OS, the open source version of Chrome OS. It therefore does not offer all the features that may exist natively on Chromebooks. CloudReady is, for example, not capable of running Android applications. However, you will be able to take advantage of certain Linux applications (by activating developer mode) and, even better, install virtual machines thanks to the integration of Virtualbox.
However, do not expect to be able to install CloudReady in dual boot with another operating system. Neverware removed dual boot support with Windows a few months ago: some updates to the Microsoft operating system prevented CloudReady from working properly.
When installing CloudReady on your computer, you should be aware that all data on the computer’s hard drive (documents, partitions, manufacturer recovery partitions, etc.) will be deleted. You will therefore have to dedicate the machine to the one-time use of Chrome OS.
1. Download CloudReady
First, download the CloudReady disk image to a working computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux).
CloudReady is available in a 64-bit version (functional on most computers), and in 32-bit version for older machines.
- Download CloudReady 32 bit (Free)
- Download CloudReady 64 bit (Free)
2. Create a bootable installation USB key
Unzip the file you just downloaded. You should end up with a CloudReady install image in .bin format. It is this image that you should use to create a bootable installation USB drive.
How do I create a bootable installation USB key?
3. Start your PC on the USB stick
Your bootable installation USB stick ready, connect it to your machine and start the computer. If your PC is natively configured to boot from USB media or CD / DVD, you should arrive directly at the CloudReady screen, running in Live mode from the stick. If so, you can go to the next step.
If your computer does not boot from the USB key, you must enter the BIOS of the machine to change the boot order. The process for accessing it is different from computer to computer.
If no indication is displayed when starting the PC, press the Esc, Del, F1, F2, F8 or F10 keys.
Then enter the options referring to Boot to modify the boot order of the machine, and select the USB devices first. If necessary, refer to your computer support for the exact handling.
4. Start CloudReady Live
When your PC boots from the CloudReady installation USB key, you will be taken to the home screen of the system running live. Customize your language then click on Access.
Then connect to the network, and choose whether or not you want to allow the collection of data anonymously (used by Neverware to improve the compatibility of CloudReady with different user configurations).
Once all these parameters have been entered, they are saved on the USB key. Running in Live mode, CloudReady can be used as is without changing computer settings. You can therefore use it on any PC by booting directly from the USB key.
Note that the larger the storage volume of the USB key, the more space you will have to store your documents if you only use the system Live.
5. Hard install CloudReady
While CloudReady can be run live, it can of course be installed “hard” on the computer’s hard drive. To do this, click on the system menu, at the bottom right, then on Install CloudReady …
A first window appears and alerts you to the fact of backing up all your data. Click Install CloudReady.
A second alert window will appear and give you a final warning that installing CloudReady will delete all content from the device’s hard drive. Start the system installation by clicking on Erase Hard Drive & Install CloudReady.
The installation of the system starts and should not exceed about twenty minutes. When the installation is complete, the computer turns off. Disconnect the USB key (so as not to restart on it again), and start the PC.
6. Set up CloudReady
When you restart your PC, you will have to set your preferences again. Change the language, choose the type of keyboard used, click OK, then click Go.
Reconnect to your Wi-Fi network, choose whether you agree to share usage data anonymously, and connect your Google Account. Your PC running Chromium OS is ready for use.
