Since CDs and DVDs have become fairly obsolete, USBs are now the primary tool for installing new operating systems. To do this, you must first create a bootable USB stick with installation files on it.
On conventional PCs with Windows, Linux or macOS, you can create a bootable USB stick with software such as Rufus or Etcher. You can even do this from the command prompt or terminal.
However, if you’re using a Chromebook, the method is a little different. This is how you can create a bootable USB stick on your Chromebook.
Creating a bootable USB stick with the Chromebook recovery utility
The app we will use to create the installation media is Chromebook Recovery Utility. So, go ahead and install it by adding the extension to Chrome. It’s totally free.
Next you need the image of the operating system that you want to install. For this guide, we’re using Puppy Linux, one of the lightest Linux distributions out there.
After downloading the operating system image, check its file extension. If it’s ISO, change it to BIN. If you’re not sure how to change the file extension, check out this guide to hiding files and folders on Chromebooks for some information on renaming files.
After installing the Chromebook Recovery Utility and downloading the image, the next thing you need is a USB drive. It is recommended that the USB stick you use is at least 8 GB.
After that, follow the steps below to create your installation media:
- Open the Chromebook recovery program from extensions (puzzle icon) next to settings (three dots) and click Getting started.
- You will be prompted to do so on the next page Identify your Chromebook. You don’t have to, so go ahead and click settings (gear icon) in the top right corner of your screen and select to Use local image. Locate and select the BIN file in the next dialog box.
- Make sure you have your USB drive plugged in at this point. Select it from the drop down menu on the next page and click Continue.
- If everything goes well, you can click Create now on the following page to start creating a bootable USB stick.
Wait for it to write the picture and that’s it. Your USB stick should now be bootable with installation files on it. You can use it to install the operating system of your choice on your computer.
Create bootable USBs on your Chromebook
You can use the bootable USB stick you just created on your Chromebook or any other PC. It should work fine as long as the operating system is compatible.
Here’s a list of some of the best Linux distributions to install on your Chromebook.
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