Have you ever wanted to run Linux Mint on your Galaxy Chromebook? It is possible, and it is not as difficult as you might think. In this article, we will show you how to do it step-by-step. Follow the simple steps below to get started.
First, you will need to download the Linux Mint ISO file. You can do this from the Linux Mint website. Once you have downloaded the ISO file, you will need to create a bootable USB drive. You can do this using a program like Rufus. Once you have created a bootable USB drive, you will need to insert it into your Galaxy Chromebook. Then, you will need to restart your Galaxy Chromebook and press the Esc key to enter the boot menu. From the boot menu, you will need to select the USB drive that you created.
Once you have booted into Linux Mint, you will need to follow the on-screen instructions to install Linux Mint. Once you have installed Linux Mint, you will need to restart your Galaxy Chromebook. You should now be able to boot into Linux Mint. Congratulations! You have now successfully installed Linux Mint on your Galaxy Chromebook.
Preparing Your Chromebook
1. Enable Developer Mode
To enter Developer Mode, you’ll need to press a specific key combination while your Chromebook is booting up. The exact key combination varies depending on your Chromebook model, but generally it’s one of the following:
- Esc + Refresh + Power (for Chromebooks without a physical keyboard)
- Esc + Refresh + Power (for Chromebooks with a physical keyboard)
- Ctrl + Alt + Shift + r (for all Chromebooks)
Once you enter Developer Mode, your Chromebook will wipe all its data. This means you’ll need to re-enter your Google account information and reinstall any apps you had installed. To confirm that Developer Mode is enabled, you’ll see a warning message when you boot up your Chromebook.
Verify developer mode
To verify that developer mode is enabled, check the following:
|
Crosh Command |
Expected Output |
|---|---|
|
vmc efi get dev_boot_legacy |
true |
Enabling Developer Mode
To enable Developer Mode on your Galaxy Chromebook, follow these steps:
- Press the ESC + Refresh + Power buttons simultaneously. The Chromebook will reboot into Recovery Mode.
- Press Ctrl + D to enable Developer Mode. The Chromebook will display the following warning message:
- Press the Spacebar to confirm and proceed.
- Press the Enter key to continue.
- The Chromebook will power off. Turn it back on by pressing the Power button.
- During the boot process, you will see a yellow warning screen that indicates you are in Developer Mode. Press Ctrl + D again to bypass this screen.
- The Chromebook will boot into Developer Mode. You will be prompted to log in to your Google account. Note that enabling Developer Mode will erase all data from your Chromebook, so be sure to back up any important files before proceeding.
| ROW 1 | ROW 2 |
|---|---|
|
Developer Mode is disabled |
Press SPACE to re-enable. |
Creating a USB Recovery Drive
To prepare a USB recovery drive, you’ll need a USB stick with at least 4GB of storage space. The drive will be formatted during the process, so make sure to back up any existing data.
Here are the steps to create a USB recovery drive:
Download the Chromebook Recovery Utility
Visit the Chromebook Recovery Utility website and download the utility for your operating system (Windows, Mac, or Linux).
Insert the USB Drive
Insert the USB stick into a USB port on your computer.
Run the Recovery Utility
Open the Chromebook Recovery Utility and follow the on-screen instructions. Select the model of your Galaxy Chromebook from the list of supported devices.
Create the Recovery Drive
The utility will format the USB drive and create a bootable recovery image. This process may take some time, depending on the speed of your USB drive.
Eject the USB Drive
Once the recovery drive is created, eject the USB drive from your computer.
Installing the Linux Mint Image
After you have created a bootable Linux Mint USB drive, you can proceed with the installation process. Follow these steps to install Linux Mint on your Galaxy Chromebook:
- Plug the bootable USB drive into an available USB port on your Chromebook.
- Restart your Chromebook and press the Esc key repeatedly during startup to enter the boot menu.
- Use the arrow keys to select the USB drive and press Enter.
- The Linux Mint boot menu will appear. Select the “Start Linux Mint” option and press Enter.
After selecting the “Start Linux Mint” option, the Live Environment of Linux Mint will load. You can now try out Linux Mint without installing it on your Chromebook. To install Linux Mint, double-click on the “Install Linux Mint” icon on the desktop.
The Linux Mint installation wizard will launch. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process. During the installation, you will need to select the language, keyboard layout, time zone, and other settings.
Once the installation is complete, restart your Chromebook. You will now be able to boot into Linux Mint by default. To boot into Chrome OS, you will need to press and hold the Ctrl key while selecting “Restart” from the power menu.
Booting into Linux Mint
Once the installation is complete, you can now boot into Linux Mint. To do this, follow these steps:
- Restart your Chromebook.
- When the Chromebook boots up, press the “Esc” key to open the boot menu.
- Use the arrow keys to select the “Boot Manager” option and press “Enter”.
- On the Boot Manager screen, select the “Linux Mint” option and press “Enter”.
- Linux Mint will now boot up. You will be prompted to create a new user account.
Follow the on-screen instructions to create a new user account. Once you have created an account, you will be logged into the Linux Mint desktop.
Congratulations! You have now successfully installed Linux Mint on your Galaxy Chromebook.
Customizing Your Linux Mint Installation
Once you have successfully installed Linux Mint on your Galaxy Chromebook, you can customize it to your liking. Here are some steps you can follow:
1. Change the desktop environment
Linux Mint comes with the Cinnamon desktop environment by default, but you can change it to another one if you prefer. Some popular options include GNOME, KDE, and Xfce.
2. Install new applications
The Linux Mint software repository contains a vast collection of applications that you can install. To do this, open the Software Manager and browse the categories or use the search bar to find specific applications. You can also install applications from third-party sources, but be cautious about doing so.
3. Configure the system settings
The System Settings panel allows you to configure various aspects of your system, such as the display, sound, and power management. You can access it from the menu bar or by pressing the Super key (Windows key) and typing “Settings”.
4. Add custom themes and icons
You can change the look and feel of your Linux Mint installation by adding custom themes and icons. There are many resources available online where you can find and download these customization options.
5. Create custom shortcuts and launchers
To make it easier to access your favorite applications and commands, you can create custom shortcuts and launchers. Right-click on the desktop or panel and select “Create New Shortcut” to get started.
6. Advanced customization
For more advanced customization, you can edit configuration files directly. Be sure to back up any files before making changes, as incorrect edits can break your system. Some useful configuration files include:
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| ~/.config/cinnamon/cinnamon.conf | Cinnamon desktop environment configuration |
| ~/.config/gtk-3.0/settings.ini | GTK+ theme and font settings |
| /etc/default/grub | GRUB bootloader configuration |
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure that your Galaxy Chromebook meets the following requirements:
– **Model:** Galaxy Chromebook
– **Operating System:** Chrome OS version 80 or later
– **USB Drive:** A USB drive with at least 16GB of storage space
Step 1: Enable Developer Mode
Put your Chromebook into Developer Mode to allow Linux installation. This process will erase all data on your device, so back up important files before proceeding.
Step 2: Create a Bootable USB Drive
Use the Chromebook Recovery Utility to create a bootable USB drive with the Linux Mint image. Download the image from the official Linux Mint website.
Step 3: Install Linux Mint
Insert the bootable USB drive into your Chromebook. Press Esc+Refresh+Power to boot from the USB drive. Choose “Install Linux Mint” and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.
Step 4: Boot into Linux Mint
Once Linux Mint is installed, you can boot into it by pressing Ctrl+L at the login screen. Select “Linux Mint” as the operating system and enter your password.
Step 5: Configure Linux Mint
After booting into Linux Mint, take the following steps for optimal functionality:
– **Install Chrome Browser:** Install the Chrome browser from the Software Manager to access Android apps.
– **Configure Touchscreen:** Calibrate the touchscreen using the Touchscreen Calibration utility in Settings.
– **Enable Audio Output:** Ensure the audio output is directed to the Chromebook’s speakers in the Sound Settings.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
7. Mouse and Keyboard Issues
If your mouse or keyboard is not working in Linux Mint, try the following:
– **Check USB Connections:** Ensure your mouse and keyboard are securely connected to your Chromebook via USB.
– **Disable USB Restrict Mode:** In Settings, search for “USB Restrict Mode” and disable it.
– **Update Linux Kernel:** In Terminal, run the command:
“`
sudo apt update && sudo apt dist-upgrade
“`
to update the Linux kernel, which may resolve any compatibility issues with your devices.
Running Linux Mint Alongside Chrome OS (Dual Boot)
1. Enable Developer Mode
Power on your Chromebook and press Ctrl + Alt + T to open a crosh terminal. Type “shell” and press Enter to enter a shell environment. Type “sudo chromeos-setdevmode=0” and press Enter to enable Developer Mode.
2. Install Mr. Chromebox UEFI Firmware
Download the Mr. Chromebox UEFI firmware from the official website and unzip it. Open the “chromeos-firmwareupdate” tool from the Chrome OS Settings app. Click on the Cog icon and select “Custom image”. Navigate to the extracted firmware’s bin file and select it.
3. Create a Bootable USB Drive
Download the Linux Mint ISO file and use a utility like Rufus to create a bootable USB drive.
4. Boot into the Linux Mint Installer
Insert the bootable USB drive and power on your Chromebook. Press the Esc or F2 key to interrupt the boot process and enter the boot menu. Select the USB drive as the boot device.
5. Install Linux Mint
Follow the on-screen instructions to install Linux Mint. Select the “Install Linux Mint alongside Chrome OS” option.
6. Partition Your Drive
Choose how much space you want to allocate to Linux Mint. You can use the default settings or manually create custom partitions.
7. Finish the Installation
Once the installation is complete, remove the USB drive and reboot your Chromebook. You will be presented with a boot menu where you can select between Chrome OS and Linux Mint.
8. Configuring Grub Bootloader (300 words)
After installing Linux Mint alongside Chrome OS, you will need to configure the Grub bootloader to allow you to choose which operating system to boot into. Here are the detailed steps:
1. Open the terminal in Linux Mint by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T.
2. Run the following command to edit the Grub configuration file:
sudo nano /etc/default/grub
3. In the Grub configuration file, find the following line and change the timeout value to your desired time (in seconds):
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
4. Scroll down and find the following section:
# Uncomment to disable graphical terminal (grub-pc only) GRUB_TERMINAL=console
5. Uncomment the line by removing the “#” character and change “console” to “gfxterm” to enable a graphical terminal:
GRUB_TERMINAL=gfxterm
6. Save the changes by pressing Ctrl + O and exit the editor by pressing Ctrl + X.
7. Update the Grub configuration by running the following command:
sudo update-grub
8. Reboot your Chromebook to verify the changes. You should now see a graphical Grub menu where you can select between Chrome OS and Linux Mint.
| Grub Configuration Options | Description |
|---|---|
| GRUB_TIMEOUT | Sets the timeout for the Grub menu (in seconds) |
| GRUB_TERMINAL | Sets the terminal type for the Grub menu (options: console, gfxterm) |
Uninstalling Linux Mint
To uninstall Linux Mint from your Galaxy Chromebook, follow these steps:
- Open the Chromebook Settings menu.
- Click on the “Linux (Beta)” tab.
- Click on the “Uninstall” button.
- Confirm that you want to uninstall Linux Mint.
- Enter your Chromebook password.
- Click on the “Uninstall” button.
- Linux Mint will now be uninstalled from your Chromebook.
- You may need to restart your Chromebook for the changes to take effect.
Additional Notes
Uninstalling Linux Mint will remove all of your Linux files and applications. If you have any important files stored in Linux, be sure to back them up before uninstalling.
You can also uninstall Linux Mint using the command line. To do this, open a terminal window and enter the following command:
“`
sudo apt-get purge mint*
“`
This command will remove all of the Linux Mint packages from your system.
Troubleshooting
If you have any problems uninstalling Linux Mint, you can try the following:
- Make sure that you are logged in as the user who installed Linux Mint.
- Make sure that you have a stable internet connection.
- Try restarting your Chromebook.
- If you are still having problems, you can contact the Linux Mint support team for help.
Creating a bootable USB drive
Once you have downloaded the correct Linux Mint ISO file, you can use a tool like Etcher or Rufus to burn it onto a USB drive. This will create a bootable USB drive that you can use to install Linux Mint on your Galaxy Chromebook.
Booting from the USB drive
To boot from the USB drive, you will need to disable the Chromebook’s secure boot settings. You can do this by pressing the Esc + Refresh keys at the same time when the Chromebook is booting up, then selecting the “Disable secure boot” option. Once you have disabled secure boot, insert the USB drive into one of the Chromebook’s USB ports. Restart the Chromebook, and it should automatically boot from the USB drive.
Installing Linux Mint
Once the Chromebook has booted from the USB drive, you will be presented with the Linux Mint installer. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Linux Mint. Once the installation is complete, you will be able to boot into Linux Mint from the Chromebook’s internal storage.
Installing the Chrome OS recovery image
If you ever decide that you want to switch back to Chrome OS, you can use the Chrome OS recovery image to restore your Chromebook to its factory settings. To do this, download the Chrome OS recovery image for your Chromebook model from the Google website. Once you have downloaded the recovery image, create a bootable USB drive using the same method that you used to create the Linux Mint bootable USB drive. Insert the USB drive into one of the Chromebook’s USB ports, and then press the Esc + Refresh keys at the same time when the Chromebook is booting up. Select the “Recover from USB drive” option, and follow the on-screen instructions to restore your Chromebook to Chrome OS.
Troubleshooting
If you encounter any problems while installing or running Linux Mint on your Galaxy Chromebook, you can consult the following resources:
* Linux Mint forums
* GalliumOS wiki
* GalliumOS subreddit
How To Download Linux Mint On Galaxy Chromebook
Linux Mint is one of the best-known Linux distributions, primarily targeting home and business users. If you want to try Linux on your Galaxy Chromebook but don’t want to switch to a new Linux Distribution, you can install Linux Mint alongside Chrome OS. Here’s how to download and install Linux Mint 21 on a Galaxy Chromebook using Crouton:
- Enable Developer Mode on your Chromebook.
- Install Crouton on your Chromebook.
- Download the Linux Mint ISO file.
- Create a new Crouton chroot for Linux Mint.
- Install Linux Mint.
- Reboot into Linux Mint.
People Also Ask
Can I Install Linux Mint On Galaxy Chromebook?
Yes, you can install Linux Mint on a Galaxy Chromebook using Crouton.
Is Linux Mint Compatible With Galaxy Chromebook?
Yes, Linux Mint is compatible with the majority of Galaxy Chromebooks.
Is It Safe To Install Linux Mint On Galaxy Chromebook?
It is safe to install Linux Mint on a Galaxy Chromebook. However, you should note that installing Linux Mint will remove all of your Chromebook’s operating system data.
