Hi everyone, welcome to my blog where I share with you how I use technology to improve my life and work. Today I want to tell you about a very interesting project that I did recently: I turned my old HP 350 G2 laptop into a Chromebook using Chrome OS Flex. Yes, you heard me right, I installed Chrome OS Flex on a laptop that was originally designed for Windows and I made it work like a charm. In this article, I will show you how I did it, why I did it, and what benefits I got from it. Let’s get started!
Why Chrome OS Flex?
You may be wondering why I chose Chrome OS Flex over other operating systems like Windows, Linux or MacOS. Well, there are several reasons for that. First of all, Chrome OS Flex is a lightweight and fast operating system that runs smoothly on low-end hardware. It is based on the Chromium OS project, which is the open source version of Google’s Chrome OS. Chrome OS Flex is compatible with most laptops and desktops that support UEFI booting and has drivers for most common hardware components.
Secondly, Chrome OS Flex gives you access to a huge variety of apps and services from Google and other developers. You can use the Chrome Web Store to install web apps, extensions and themes for your browser. And if that’s not enough, you can also enable Linux support and install Linux apps using the built-in terminal or the Crostini project. This way, you can have the best of all worlds: Chrome OS dedicated apps, Progressive Web Apps, and Linux apps on one device.
Thirdly, Chrome OS Flex is very secure and easy to use. It updates automatically in the background, so you always have the latest features and security patches. It also has a sandboxed environment that isolates each app from the rest of the system, preventing malware and viruses from spreading. And if something goes wrong, you can easily reset your device to factory settings using the Powerwash feature.
How I installed Chrome OS Flex on my HP 350 G2 laptop
Now that you know why I chose Chrome OS Flex, let me show you how I installed it on my HP 350 G2 laptop. This laptop is quite old and has modest specifications: an Intel Core i5 processor, 4 GB of RAM and 500 GB of HDD storage. It came with Windows 7 pre-installed, but it was very slow and laggy. I decided to give it a new life by installing Chrome OS Flex on it.
The installation process was not very difficult, but it required some preparation and patience but in the end you`ll have the system up and running.
Here are the steps that I followed:
- I backed up all my important data from the laptop to an external hard drive or a cloud service. This is very important because installing Chrome OS Flex will erase everything on your laptop’s drive.
- I downloaded the latest version of Chrome OS Flex from its official website.
- I downloaded Rufus, a free tool that allows you to create bootable USB drives from ISO files.
- I inserted a 16 GB USB flash drive into my laptop and ran Rufus. I selected the Chrome OS Flex ISO file that I downloaded earlier and followed the instructions on the screen to create a bootable USB drive.
- I restarted my laptop and pressed F9 to enter the boot menu. I selected the USB drive as the boot device and waited for Chrome OS Flex to load.
- I followed the on-screen instructions to set up Chrome OS Flex on my laptop. I connected to a Wi-Fi network, signed in with my Google account, accepted the terms and conditions, and customized some settings.
After the setup was complete, I removed the USB drive and rebooted my laptop. Voila! I had successfully installed Chrome OS Flex on my HP 350 G2 laptop.
How to install Linux Apps on Chrome OS Flex
One of the cool features of Chrome OS Flex is that you can run Linux apps on your laptop. But before you can do that, you need to enable a setting called virtualization on your laptop. This will allow you to create and run virtual machines inside your operating system.
Here’s how you can do it:
First, you need to access the BIOS settings of your laptop. The BIOS is a program that controls the basic functions of your laptop, such as booting and hardware configuration. To enter the BIOS, you need to restart your laptop and press a certain key on your keyboard when you see the HP logo. The key may vary depending on your laptop model, but it is usually F10, F2, or Esc. You can also check the user manual of your laptop for more information.
Once you are in the BIOS, you need to look for an option that says something like “Virtualization Technology” or “VT-x”. This option may be under the “Advanced” or “Security” menu. You need to enable this option and then save and exit the BIOS. This will restart your laptop again.
Now that you have enabled virtualization, you can turn on the Linux development environment on your Chrome OS Flex. To do this, go to Settings, expand the Advanced menu and go to Developers. Next to “Linux development environment”, select Turn On.
How I use Chrome OS Flex for blogging
Now that I have Chrome OS Flex on my laptop, let me tell you how I use it for blogging. As a blogger, I need tools that help me write articles, edit photos, organize my work, communicate with my audience and stay productive. Luckily, Chrome OS Flex has all these tools and more.
For writing articles, I use Google Docs, a web-based word processor that syncs with my Google Drive account. It has all the features that I need for writing: formatting options, spell check, grammar check, word count, voice typing, etc. It also allows me to collaborate with other writers and editors in real time, share my documents with anyone, and access them from any device.
For editing photos, I use GIMP, a free and open source image editor that I installed as a Linux app on Chrome OS Flex. It has a lot of tools and filters that help me enhance my photos and create graphics for my blog. It also supports layers, masks, brushes, plugins, etc. It is very similar to Photoshop, but without the hefty price tag.
For organizing my work, I use Google Keep, a web-based note-taking app that syncs with my Google account. It helps me create lists, reminders, notes, etc. for my blog projects. I can also add images, audio, drawings, labels, colors, etc. to my notes. It also integrates with Google Docs, so I can easily insert my notes into my articles.
For communicating with my audience, I use Gmail, WhatsApp, and Facebook, all of which I installed as progressive web apps (PWAs) on Chrome OS Flex. PWAs are web apps that behave like native apps on your device. They have icons on your desktop or app launcher, they can run offline, they can send notifications, they can access your camera and microphone, etc. They are very fast and reliable and use less storage space than regular apps.
As I like free Apps and I`m sure you also do, I use Google suite of free Apps for staying productive, and I want to share some of the benefits with you. Google Apps are web-based applications that run in your browser, so you don’t need to install any software on your computer. You can access them from anywhere, on any device, and collaborate with others in real time. Some of the Google Apps I use regularly are:
- Gmail: This is my main email service, where I can send and receive messages, attachments, and links. I can also organize my inbox with labels, filters, and stars, and use the smart compose feature to write faster and better emails.
- Google Calendar: This is where I keep track of my appointments, meetings, tasks, and reminders. I can create multiple calendars for different purposes, and share them with others. I can also sync my Google Calendar with other apps and services, such as Zoom, Slack, and Todoist.
- Google Drive: This is where I store all my files, documents, photos, and videos. I can upload any type of file, and access them from any other device I use. I can also create and edit documents, spreadsheets, presentations, forms, and drawings using Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, and Drawings. I can share my files and folders with others, and work on them together in real time.
- Google Keep: This is where I write down my notes, ideas, lists, and reminders. I can use text, images, audio, or drawings to capture my thoughts. I can also organize my notes with labels, colors, and pins, and sync them with Google Docs for further editing.
- Google Chat: This is where I chat with my team members and collaborators on various projects. I can create rooms for different projects or tasks, and invite people to join them. I can also send direct messages to anyone in my contacts list. I can use emojis, stickers, gifs, and reactions to express myself better. I can also integrate Google Chat with other Google Apps, such as Gmail and Google Tasks.
- Google Meet: This is how I communicate with my colleagues, clients, and partners online. I can start or join video calls and chat with them using text or emojis. I can also share my screen, present slides, and use captions and polls to make the meetings more interactive and engaging.
These are just some of the Google Apps that help me stay productive and organized. There are many more that you can explore and use for your personal or professional needs. Google Apps are free to use for anyone with a Google account, and they are constantly updated with new features and improvements.
The benefits of using Chrome OS Flex for blogging
By using Chrome OS Flex on my old HP 350 G2 laptop, I have gained several benefits for my blogging career. Some of them are:
- I have saved money by not buying a new laptop. Chrome OS Flex runs smoothly on my old laptop and gives it a new lease of life.
- I have increased my battery life by using a more efficient operating system. Chrome OS Flex consumes less power than Windows 10 and lasts about 4 hours of constant use on my laptop.
- I have improved my security and privacy by using a more secure operating system. Chrome OS Flex updates automatically and has a sandboxed environment that protects me from malware and viruses.
- I have enhanced my productivity and creativity by using a variety of apps and services from different platforms. Chrome OS Flex gives me access to PWA (Progressive Web Apps) and Linux apps and that cover all my needs for blogging.
Conclusion
In this article, I have shown you how I installed Chrome OS Flex on my old HP 350 G2 laptop and how I use it for blogging. I hope you found it interesting and useful. If you have an old laptop lying around and you want to give it a new purpose, I highly recommend you to try Chrome OS Flex. It is free, easy to install and use, and offers a lot of benefits for your work and professional life.
If you have any questions or comments about this article or Chrome OS Flex in general, please leave them below. I would love to hear from you. And if you liked this article, please share it with your friends and followers on social media. Thank you for reading!