How to Turn Your Old Devices into New Ones with Chrome OS Flex or Ubuntu
Do you have old PCs or Macs lying around that are too slow, outdated, or insecure to use? Has the OS become end-of-life and won’t update or patch anymore. Don’t throw them away just yet. You can give them a new lease of life by installing a different operating system that is fast, easy-to-manage, and secure. In this blog post, I will introduce you to two options: Chrome OS Flex and Ubuntu.
Chrome OS Flex
Chrome OS Flex is a new, free-to-download operating system from Google. It is based on Chrome OS, the operating system that powers Chromebooks. Chrome OS Flex brings the benefits of Chrome OS to PCs and Macs. It is a cloud-first OS that lets you access your files, apps, and settings from anywhere with an internet connection. It also has built-in security features, automatic updates, and Google’s powerful cloud-based management.
Chrome OS Flex is ideal for all, but especially businesses and schools that want to modernise their devices and save costs with the added benefits of remote management. It is compatible with most PCs and Macs made after 2007. You can install it on your device using a USB flash drive or an SD card. You can also dual boot it with your existing operating system if you want to keep both options.
To download Chrome OS Flex and learn more about it, visit https://chromeenterprise.google/os/chromeosflex/
Ubuntu
Ubuntu is another free and open-source operating system that you can install on your old devices. It is based on Linux, a powerful and versatile operating system that runs on servers, desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices. Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions, with millions of users around the world.
Ubuntu offers a user-friendly and customisable desktop environment that supports a wide range of applications and hardware. Ubuntu is a great choice for user moving away from Windows or MacOS. You can choose from different flavours of Ubuntu that suit your needs and preferences. For example, you can use Ubuntu Studio for multimedia creation, Ubuntu MATE for a classic desktop experience, Ubuntu Kylin for Chinese users, or just the standard vanilla desktop experience direct from Ubuntu.
Ubuntu also provides security updates and support for five years for each release. You can install it on your device using a DVD or a USB stick. You can also dual boot it with your existing operating system or run it in a virtual machine if you want to try it out without affecting your device.
To download Ubuntu and learn more about it, visit https://ubuntu.com/download/desktop
Conclusion
Old devices don’t have to go to waste. If you or the business you’re working at is striving for a sustainable future considering the above alternatives before throwing those old devices away. You can revive them by installing a new operating system that is fast, easy-to-manage, and secure. Chrome OS Flex and Ubuntu are two options that you can consider. They are both free and compatible with most PCs and Macs. They also offer different features and benefits that can suit your needs and preferences.
So, what are you waiting for? Give your old devices a new lease of life by installing Chrome OS Flex or Ubuntu today!
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Kudos to the author for such a well-written piece.
Does Chrome OS Flex come with “Linux” as Chromebooks have? Would it be possible to install Ubuntu as a VM on Chrome OS Flex?
Ubuntu could be installed with Crouton, as said in https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/install-ubuntu-on-chromebook and https://www.linux.com/learn/how-easily-install-ubuntu-chromebook-crouton. Can Ubuntu also be installed on ChromeOS Flex using Crouton? Those two posts may be outdated. For the solution to a “noexec” issue, check out https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton/issues/4289 and https://askubuntu.com/questions/1289410/chromium-os-refuses-to-execute-binary-crouton-from-download-folder.
Let me find out. Just going to boot up and update both Chrome OS and Chrome OS Flex machines.
On both versions of the OS you can turn on Linux development environment which enables you to run Linux command-line tools, code editors and IDEs on the Chromebook.
This spins up Arch Linux in a container. By using the Terminal app you can get to the command-line interface. I was able to run apt-get update && apt-get upgrade, install services like Keepalived, HAProxy, and HATop.
I suppose you could install something like Fluxbox or just attempt to dual boot a Chrome OS machine.