Can I Install Chrome OS on My PC or Mac?
Published on
by Jim Mendenhall
Tags:
Chromebooks,
Chrome OS,
Chromebook FAQ
Short Answer:
No. Google does not make Chrome OS available for download and installation on general PCs or Macs. Chrome OS is only supported on officially licensed Chromebooks, Chromeboxes, Chromebits and Chromebases.
Long Answer:
Chrome OS is based on the open source Chromium OS project and it is possible to build Chromium OS from the source code and install it on a variety of hardware and even virtual machines. For detailed instructions on downloading the Chromiums OS source code and building it for your system, see the Chromium OS Developer Guide.
Prebuilt images of Chromium OS are also available from ArnoldTheBats World of Whimsy. These images are automatically built daily and may work on your system.
Neverware also uses the Chromium OS code base for its Cloudready operating system. This is a modified version of Chromium with added driver support for a wide variety of hardware. Cloudready is your best bet for easily getting a Chrome OS compatible system up and running on your regular PC or notebook. Neverware doesn’t make their source code available online, but will provide it upon request.
