This comment has 2 parts, read the 2nd comment for the rest of the instructions. =================================== LINUX INSTALL OVERVIEW =================================== Whatever system you do have will NOT be affected during this install process. In other words, you will always have a working system during this whole procedure. 1. Download live ISO image 2. Create Debian Live USB Stick with the ISO file and a USB stick 3. Change boot order to boot from USB 1st 4. Use Debian Live USB Stick to install Debian on an SD card 5. Fixes and configurations ----------------------------------- Hardware Required: - USB stick (minimum of 8 GB) - SD or microSD card (I recommend 128 GB, but it can be smaller or larger) - USB to SD or USB to microSD card adapter ----------------------------------- Linux can be run from an SD card indefinitely, and you never have to run Linux on a hard drive/SSD if you don't want to. Installing Linux onto an SD card first is a good practice because it allows us to try/test Debian Linux before committing to it, work out any fixes, and also ensures that you always have a working system during the whole install process. This also makes installing Linux on a hard drive/SSD easier. Later on I will also show how to use the Debian Live USB Stick as a portable, backup/recovery system! =================================== 1. DOWNLOAD ISO IMAGE =================================== If you want to use the Chromebook Recovery Utility Method (a Chrome browser extension) to create the Debian Live USB Stick (chromewebstore.google.com/detail/chromebook-recovery-utili/pocpnlppkickgojjlmhdmidojbmbodfm ): Download the ISO Image using the Chrome browser on the ChromeOS side. If you want to use the Generic Method to create the Debian Live USB Stick: Download the ISO image from the Linux side. If you're not familiar with Linux on a Chromebook, then watch my Linux On A Chromebook Without Rooting! Playlist: ru-vid.com/group/PLuCbba_UxUz6_2D5fWnDzLgxfW3Q6J3yJ ----------------------------------- Current Debian Live ISO (if current version fails to install Linux, try a previous version. Ex. debian-live-12.2.0-amd64-lxde.iso): Scroll down to the list of live images and click the debian-live file ending in lxde.iso (the download is about 3 GB). Other desktops are available from this list. My videos will focus on the LXDE desktop: cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current-live/amd64/iso-hybrid/ The live ISO allows us to try Debian Linux before installing, and it also gives us a more streamlined install procedure. ----------------------------------- Version Debian 12.2.0: cdimage.debian.org/mirror/cdimage/archive/12.2.0-live/amd64/iso-hybrid/ Scroll down to the list of live images and click debian-live-12.2.0-amd64-lxde.iso (the download is about 3 GB). Background: The version Debian 12.6.0 (debian-live-12.6.0-amd64-lxde.iso), will fail to install Linux. The error message is: "Command /usr/sbin/bootloader-config failed to finish in 600 seconds. There was no output from the command." Bug report (Same issue, different desktop, different day): lists.debian.org/debian-boot/2023/06/msg00074.html How does this make it through Debian/Calamares quality assurance and into publication? Only Debian knows for sure. Good news! Debian uses a best practice of archiving earlier versions which are readily available from their website: cdimage.debian.org/mirror/cdimage/archive/ =================================== 2. CREATE DEBIAN LIVE USB STICK =================================== Chromebook Recovery Utility Method: From the Chrome browser, in the Chrome Web Store, add the Chromebook Recovery Utility browser extension: chromewebstore.google.com/detail/chromebook-recovery-utili/pocpnlppkickgojjlmhdmidojbmbodfm Click the Extensions button (puzzle piece icon at the top right of the Chrome browser). Select Chromebook Recovery Utility. Click the gear icon at the top right of the window > select Use local image Select the .iso file (if .iso file isn't visible, zip it, and try selecting it again) > Click Open button Plug the USB stick into the Chromebook. Click the Select pull-down and select the USB Stick. Click the Continue button from the bottom right > click the Create now button Click the Done button when finished. Open the Files app: If the USB stick is mounted, click the eject button. Unplug the USB stick from the Chromebook. ----------------------------------- Generic Method: Plug the USB stick into the Chromebook. Format USB Stick as FAT32: Open Files app from Chrome side > right click USB stick > select Format device Name the USB Drive (can be anything) and select FAT32 for the Format. Click Erase and Format button. From Linux, open a terminal and extract the files from the .iso file and place them in the home directory, inside a folder called hold. Then copy the splash images so they are in the correct folder (Watch Linux On A Chromebook Without Rooting! Playlist if you are unfamiliar with Linux on a Chromebook: ru-vid.com/group/PLuCbba_UxUz6_2D5fWnDzLgxfW3Q6J3yJ ): 7z x -o$HOME/hold cp ~/hold/isolinux/splash* ~/hold/boot/grub Open Files app from the ChromeOS side: Linux files > hold Click 3 dot menu button from top right > select Show hidden files Ctrl+A to select all files, Ctrl+C to copy all files. Select the USB Stick > Ctrl+V to paste everything When everything is copied, click the eject button next to the USB stick. =================================== 3. CHANGE BOOT ORDER =================================== When booting, "Boot Menu" allows us to temporarily change the boot order for the current boot, to boot from USB first. "Setup" allows us to permanently change the boot order to boot from USB first (I STRONGLY recommend taking a picture with a phone before permanently changing the boot order). To choose what to boot from or access the boot order, key(s) need to be pressed before the computer completely starts up. The key(s) and screens for choosing what to boot from and changing the boot order will vary for every system. Common places the key(s) can be found are: - Screen that pops up before the computer completely boots up - Written somewhere on the computer - Search online for " boot order" At the GRUB menu, press Enter to start Debian Linux, the first item should already be selected (Live system (amd64)). Live versions will not start as fast, be patient. =================================== 4. INSTALL DEBIAN ONTO AN SD CARD =================================== Disable Screensaver (prevents install interference): Menu > Preferences > XScreenSaver Settings Mode pull-down > select Disable Screen Saver Plug in the SD Card, click OK button for any window that pops up and close any file manager windows. Install Linux onto the SD card: Double click Install Debian icon on the Desktop. Select language > click Next button Location: Select Region & Zone > click Next button Keyboard: Select Keyboard layout > click Next button Partitions: Click the Select storage device pull-down and select the SD card. Make sure the SD card is selected or else the install will wipe out your main system! Select Manual partitioning > click Next button Click New Partition Table button > select GUID Partition Table (GPT) > click OK button Select Free Space > click Create button > set the following: Size: 500 MiB File System: fat32 Mount Point: /boot/efi FS Label: boot Flags: check the boot flag Click the OK button. Select Free Space > click Create button > set the following: Size: No change (leave the rest of the space to this partition) File System: ext4 Mount Point: / FS Label: main Flags: don't check any flags Click the OK button Click the Next button. Users: Set desired names and password. Check the box to Log in automatically without asking for the password. Click the Next button. Summary: Last chance to check that Linux is being installed on the SD card and NOT the main system. When ready, click the Install button. When the install is done, uncheck the Restart now box and click the Done button. =================================== 5. FIXES & CONFIGURATIONS =================================== Prevent SD card wear and tear: - No swap partition (already done during install setup) - Send tmp & log files to RAM - Disable journaling ----------------------------------- Send tmp and log files to RAM (prevents SD card wear and tear): Unplug the SD card from the computer. Plug the SD card back into the computer. Click the OK button for the window that pops up and close any file manager windows. Menu > select Run > execute sudo pcmanfm to open the file manager with root. From the file manager window, go to /media/user/main/etc Right click fstab file and open it with Mousepad. File menu > select Save As > save the copy as fstab.bak Close Mousepad. Open original fstab file with Mousepad again, and add the following lines: tmpfs /var/log tmpfs defaults,noatime 0 0 tmpfs /var/tmp tmpfs defaults,noatime 0 0 tmpfs /tmp tmpfs defaults,noatime 0 0 File menu > select Save > close Mousepad ----------------------------------- Further instructions are in the 2nd comment.
Disable journaling (prevents SD card wear and tear): Open a terminal from Menu > System Tools > LXTerminal (Ctrl+Shift++, Ctrl+Shift+- to temporarily adjust text size). Switch to root user: sudo su List mounted file systems: df -h /dev/sdb2 is an example. The SD card will be the last device plugged in so the Filesystem will be /dev/sd2 and it will be Mounted on /media/user/main umount /dev/sdb2 List file system features: debugfs -R features /dev/sdb2 Disable journaling (no ^ would enable journaling): tune2fs -O ^has_journal /dev/sdb2 ----------------------------------- Fix SD Card Not Booting Up: Connect to the internet (Menu > Preferences > Connman Settings > click the icon that pops up in the bottom right of the taskbar): - Wired (Ethernet or USB Tethering from an Android device. See video for USB Tethering 30:12) - Wireless if available (WiFi or WiFi Dongle) Open a terminal from Menu > System Tools > LXTerminal (Ctrl+Shift++, Ctrl+Shift+- to temporarily adjust text size): sudo apt update -y sudo apt install gparted -y Open GParted from Menu > System Tools > GParted: Click pull-down from top right and select the SD Card. SD card will have fat32 and ext4 partitions we made when we installed Linux earlier. Right click fat32 partition > select Manage Flags Uncheck boot flag (msftdata flag will be automatically checked) Click Close button and close GParted. Unplug SD card. Plug SD card back in. Click OK button for any window that pops up. From the window that only has the EFI folder (/media/user/BOOT/EFI): Copy ALL files from /EFI/Debian to /EFI/boot Rename /EFI/boot/grubx64.efi to /EFI/boot/BOOTx64.efi From /EFI/Debian copy grubx64.efi to /EFI/boot Close out of the file manager. Open GParted from Menu > System Tools > GParted: Click pull-down from top right and select the SD card. Right click fat32 partition > select Manage Flags Check boot flag (esp flag will also automatically be checked) Click Close button and close GParted. Shut down Linux from Menu > Logout > Shutdown Unplug Debian Live USB Stick, leave the SD card plugged in, and turn the computer back on to start up Linux from the SD card! ----------------------------------- Update (This fixes issues with things not working such as there being no Wireless option): Connect to the internet (Menu > Preferences > Connman Settings > click the icon that pops up in the bottom right of the taskbar): Wired (Ethernet or USB Tethering from an Android device. See video for USB Tethering 30:12) Wireless if available (WiFi or WiFi Dongle) Open a terminal from Menu > System Tools > LXTerminal (Ctrl+Shift++, Ctrl+Shift+- to temporarily adjust text size): Update software index list (Enter in the password that was set during the install. The password will not be visible while typing. After typing in the password, press Enter to execute the command. For forgotten password, see below.): sudo apt update -y Upgrade already installed packages: sudo apt dist-upgrade -y Reboot Linux from Menu > Logout > Reboot Check to see if everything is working properly. If something is still not working properly, try updating the kernel: Connect to the internet. Open a terminal from Menu > System Tools > LXTerminal: Check current kernel version in use: uname -r List available kernel updates: apt-cache search linux-image | grep "PCs (signed)" Update to latest kernel version, for example: sudo apt install linux-image-6.9.7+bpo-amd64 Reboot Linux from Menu > Logout > Reboot Check to see if everything is working properly. ----------------------------------- Configure Resolution: Generally, it is best to adjust app resolution as opposed to the display resolution which can also be changed from: Menu > Preferences > Monitor Settings ----------------------------------- Configure Audio (this also fixes no sound or loss of sound when switching an app to fullscreen): Menu > Sound & Video > PulseAudio Volume Control Go to the Configuration tab. Click the Profile pull-down and select a Profile. You can try out each option until one works. If switching an app to fullscreen results in a loss of audio: Take the app out of fullscreen. Close the app. Open a terminal from Menu > System Tools > LXTerminal Reset PulseAudio: systemctl --user restart pulseaudio Select a different sound Profile from Menu > Sound & Video > PulseAudio Volume Control: Go to the Configuration tab. Click the Profile pull-down and select a Profile. To quickly test sound, open a terminal from Menu > System Tools > LXTerminal: sudo apt install alsa-utils -y speaker-test =================================== PASSWORD WORKAROUND =================================== At the GRUB menu, press the Down arrow key and then the Up arrow key to prevent the system from booting up. Press E to edit the startup configuration. At the end of the line that starts with linux, add the following: init=/bin/bash Ctrl+X From the terminal: Press Enter mount -o remount,rw / passwd Enter in the new password. umount / Alt+Ctrl+Del
I have been playing around with Linux for years. This is an excellent video. You are a very good communicator, before anything else. This is a novel way to boot into Linux and which you methodically explain. One can *also* learn plenty of other things Linux as you show the main objective. And, let's face it, there aren't many ladies showing Linux on UTube. It's a welcome change to see variety. Well done. Thanks for sharing.
I have never purchased a used/refurbished Chromebook. This is the list of ChromeOS systems supporting Linux on ChromeOS: www.chromium.org/chromium-os/chrome-os-systems-supporting-linux/ If that option is not available, there are more aggressive methods of installing Linux. The Chrome Unboxed Team covers alternative methods for installing Linux on Chromebooks. Chrome Unboxed Links: www.youtube.com/@chromeunboxed chromeunboxed.com/
The Live install is more streamlined. It can be used as a portable system for those on the go. Additionally, it can be used to create a full backup system on a USB stick. Video coming soon!
