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Installing ChromiumOS on VMware

NoEffex

Seth's On A Boat.
If you're like me, and like trying out new things, then this is for you :).

ChromiumOS (AKA ChromeOS alpha/beta/rc) is basically a webbrowser on top of a kernel. Pretty boring, but perfect for netbooks.

Basically, for VMware, what you're going to do is you're going to download said tarball, extract it, then convert it to vmdk.

From the link here: Chromium OS Builds by Hexxeh grab the usb image.

Extract it, and you'll have chromiumos.img.

Now, for debian/*buntu you'll need qemu-utils. Not sure what RH package it is, but I'm sure a google search will find out.

On Debian:
Code:
su
apt-get install qemu-utils

On Ubuntu/Mint/Etc:
Code:
sudo apt-get install qemu-utils

Alternatively you could just do it via synaptic.

Now, in the folder than contains chromiumos.img you'll run the command:
Code:
qemu-img convert -O vmdk chromiumos.img chromiumos.vmdk

and remember where that vmdk file is.

Now, you get to install the new hard drive inside VMware.

In the main menu, create a new virtual machine.

Select "Custom (advanced)" and press next.

The first prompt doesn't really matter, you can click "next".

At the next prompt, select "I will install the operating system later". Then click "next".

At the next prompt, select "Linux" then "Other Linux 2.6.x Kernel", like so:

screenshotnewvirtualmac.png


At the next prompt, name it what you want. I named it "Chromium OS", like so:

screenshotnewvirtualmacl.png


Then, keep pressing "next" until you get to the prompt that asks the amount of "Memory for this machine" and has a huge slider. If it's not at 256mb, set it to 256mb. If you need to go lower because your machine doesn't have 256mb, then feel free to try.

Press next.

For this next thing, if you are wired, you will probably want to select "Bridged Networking", like myself. If you are not wired, you will want to select "Use network address translation (NAT)".

Wired:
screenshotnewvirtualmac.png


OR

Wireless:
screenshotnewvirtualmac.png


Now, keep pressing "Next" (Should only be once) until you get the prompt where it asks where you want your disk stored, if it's new, etc, like so:

screenshotnewvirtualmac.png


For this prompt, you will select the "Use existing virtual disk", and click "next".

It will now ask you for the location of that vmdk file you created earlier. Click "Browse" and find that file, like so:

screenshotopenexistingv.png


Make sure it's selected, click "Open", then click "next".

It will then prompt you if you want to convert it to their newer format, like so:

screenshotquestion.png


Click "Keep existing format".

Now, click "Finish".

Your ChromeOS should be fit to run. Boot it to try it out.

Once you get to the user and password prompt screen, type in

"facepunch@gmail.com" with no password, like so:

facepunch.png


Then hit the "Enter" key (Until you're logged in). You should now be at a web browser. Remember to say "Thanks" to NoEffex and Hexxeh (The person who built ChromeOS, whom NoEffex does not know).

chromium.png
 

Dan

Contributor
NoEffex, how are the drivers working for you? I heard WLAN doesn't function properly.

Great guide.
 

NoEffex

Seth's On A Boat.
NoEffex, how are the drivers working for you? I heard WLAN doesn't function properly.

Great guide.

In Debian? Awesome. I just prefer wired (DD-WRT Router as client) because wireless across the house don't work too well with a small card.

In ChromeOS? Iono. I'd assume the same since it uses the Linux kernel, and the networking drivers AFAIK aren't part of the userland that Google would want to take out.

I use a broadcom 43xx chipset, so b43 (Drivers - Linux Wireless) works for me.
 
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