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Installing Arch Linux on Chromebooks That Don't Support SeaBios

THIS GUIDE IS NOT YET COMPLETE. IN ITS CURRENT STATE IT SHOULD GET YOU TO A BOOTING ARCH LINUX INSTALLATION WITH A FEW ISSUES. SOLUTIONS TO THESE ISSUES WILL BE ADDED SOON

This guide details the process I used to install Arch Linux on my ASUS C300. Please note that some issues may arise becuase (at the moment) we can only use the kernel provided by Chrome OS, which is version 3.10. Currently this guide is only for Linux.

Known Issues

  • Sound does not work
  • Occasional freezing
  • Suspend does not work

Requirements

  • ASUS C300 Chromebook (others may work, untested)
  • Another computer running Linux
  • squashfs-utils
  • Chrome OS Recovery Media (make this before you start!!!)
  • Flash drive larger than 2GB
  • Lots of patience.

Prepare Arch Linux USB Drive

Commands in this section are to be typed on your Linux computer

  1. Partition your USB flash drive with a GPT partition table and one ext4 partition using all available space.
  2. Download the latest Arch Linux ISO image from the Arch Linux website.
  3. Using an archive utility, extract the following from the Arch Linux ISO: arch/x86_64/airootfs.sfs.
  4. unsquashfs airootfs.sfs
  5. cp -R squashfsroot/* /USB/mount/point
  6. Unmount USB drive

Prepare Chromebook for booting from Arch Installer

Commands in this section are to be typed on your Chromebook in Chrome OS

  1. Make sure your Chromebook is in Developer Mode. If you're not sure, it probably isn't. Google how to do this, as it is outside the scope of these instructions.
  2. Download the tarball of this repo (link here)
  3. Open Crosh and type shell
  4. sudo crossystem dev_boot_signed_only=0
  5. cd ~/Downloads
  6. tar -xvsf repo.tarball.tar.gz
  7. cd repo-directory
  8. cp /usr/share/vboot/devkeys/kernel_data_key.vprivk ./
  9. bash extract_kernel
  10. echo "root=/dev/sda1 ro rootwait" > config.txt
  11. bash repack_kernel
  12. MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO ERRORS. FLASHING A BAD KERNEL WILL REQUIRE YOU TO RECOVER YOUR CHROMEBOOK AND START FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS SECTION
  13. bash flash_kernel
  14. Please note that at this point, your Chromebook will not boot into Chrome OS without being Recovered.
  15. Plug in the Arch Linux installer USB you created earlier
  16. Mount the USB drive
  17. cp -R /usr/lib/modules/3.10.18/* /usb/mount/point/usr/lib/3.10.18/
  18. cp /usr/share/vboot/devkeys/kernel_data_key.vprivk /usb/mount/point
  19. Shutdown your Chromebook.

Boot the installation medium on your Chromebook

  1. Press the Power button on your Chromebook.
  2. Press Control+D to bypass the Developer Mode warning screen.
  3. If all goes well, the Arch installation shell should boot.
  4. If it hangs on "Creating Volatile Files and Directories", wait. After two minutes, booting will continue. This is normal and we will fix the issue later in this guide.

You should be at a root shell with the prompt root@archiso# . This is the Arch Linux installation prompt.

Installing Arch Linux

  1. mkfs.ext4 /dev/mmcblk0p1
  2. mount /dev/mmcblk0p1 /mnt
  3. Use wifi-menu to establish an internet connection. Note that it may take up to three minutes for Arch Linux to recognise the WiFi card, so be patient if wifi-menu doesn't work.
  4. Follow the Arch Linux Beginner's Guide starting at Select a mirror, up until "Install and configure a bootloader". Do not Install and configure a bootloader.
  5. exit from the arch-chroot.
  6. pacman -S git
  7. git clone https://github.com/drsn0w/chromebook_kernel_tools.git
  8. cd chromebook_kernel_tools
  9. cp /kernel_data_key.vprivk ./
  10. ./extract_kernel
  11. echo "root=/dev/mmcblk0p1 ro rootwait" > config.txt
  12. ./repack_kernel
  13. ./flash_kernel
  14. cp -R /usr/lib/modules/3.10.18/* /mnt/usr/lib/modules/3.10.18/
  15. umount /mnt
  16. shutdown -h now
  17. Once the Chromebook powers off, remove the flashdrive.

AFTER YOU FINISH, PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM LOCATED HERE TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR ME TO IRON OUT ANY ISSUES. THANK YOU