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Chromium OS‎ > ‎

Quick Start Guide

Introduction

Welcome to Chromium OS. This document serves as a first-time quick start guide to installing your own Chromium OS image on a device.

Prerequisites

You should have

  • Ubuntu Linux (version == 12.04 - Precise)
    • This is the only officially support distro, but building ChromiumOS should work fine on any x86_64 Linux distro running a 2.6.9+ kernel
  • a 64-bit system for performing the build
  • an account with sudo access

Install the git and subversion revision control systems, and the curl download helper. On Ubuntu, the magic incantation to do this is:

sudo aptitude install git-core gitk git-gui subversion curl

You must also install depot_tools. This step is required so that you can use the repo command to get/sync the source code.
You must also tweak your sudoers configuration. This is required for using cros_sdk.

For more detailed information...

Get the Source

Create a directory to hold the source which we’ll heretofore refer to as ${SOURCE_REPO}.  Special note, this should not be installed on a remote NFS directory.

cd ${SOURCE_REPO}
repo init -u https://git.chromium.org/chromiumos/manifest.git
# Optional: Make any changes to .repo/local_manifest.xml before syncing
repo sync

For more detailed information...

Building Chromium OS

At this point, you’ll have to know the ${board} you would like to build on.  As a general rule, x86-generic is a good starter board as it’s compatible with most x86 systems.  Note cros_sdk works from any path with ${SOURCE_REPO} so make sure you are within the source tree before running these commands.
cros_sdk -- ./build_packages --board=${board}

Note:  This will take a long time the first time as it sets up your build environment.  Subsequent invocations will take much less time.

Finally, with all the packages built, we are ready to build an image that can be installed on your device.  To do so run:
cros_sdk -- ./build_image --board=${board}

Now copy this image onto a usb drive.  Insert the usb stick you’d like to use and run:
cros_sdk -- ./image_to_usb.sh --board=${board}
This will prompt you for which usb device you’d like to use.

Installing Chromium OS on your Device

Now you’re ready to install this image on your device. You’ll need to setup your device to boot from USB.
  • On a non-chromebook, set your system to boot from a usb drive using instructions specific to your device.
  • On a chromebook, enter developer-mode for your specific type of hardware.  For Samsung / Acer devices, you can now boot from your usb image using Ctrl+U on the developer mode screen.  For the CR-48, you’ll have to follow the instructions to build a recovery image and install from it using those same instructions.

With that done, hit Ctrl+Alt+Back (F2).  At the prompt type chronos and install using the following command.

bash -c /usr/sbin/chromeos-install

For more detailed information...

Next steps