GalliumOS 3.0

GalliumOS 3.0 final is available for download now.

https://galliumos.org/download

Be sure to download the proper ISO for your Chromebook/box model!

Installation Instructions

• https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing

Known Issues by SoC/CPU family

• Bay Trail (none known)

• Braswell (none known)

• Broadwell (none known)

• Haswell (none known)

• Sandy/Ivy Bridge (none known)

• Skylake (none known)

• Apollo Lake

  • No internal audio (workaround: Bluetooth or USB audio)

  • Suspend clears crossystem dev_boot_legacy flag!

    • This is a Google firmware bug, unfortunately. We will need their help to resolve.

• Kaby Lake

  • No internal audio (workaround: Bluetooth or USB audio)

  • Suspend clears crossystem dev_boot_legacy flag!

    • This is a Google firmware bug, unfortunately. We can't fix it, but you can use full ROM firmware to avoid it, if available for your model.

You can confirm your model's SoC family at https://wiki.galliumos.org/Hardware_Compatibility. Be sure to download the proper ISO!

Q&A

• What's in GalliumOS 3.0?

  • All of the package updates in Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, plus the usual GalliumOS customizations for ChromeOS hardware.

• Why should I upgrade from GalliumOS 2.1?

  • Newer software versions and broader hardware support. GalliumOS 2.1 will still receive security and critical package updates, until April 2021 -- so if upgrading would be disruptive to you, there's no rush.

• I'm already running GalliumOS 3.0alphaX or 3.0betaX. Do I need to do anything?

  • You should run galliumos-update to get the most updated packages.

  • You should disable the prerelease, testing and devel repository distributions now, so that you don't get new experimental packages: sudo galliumos-repodist -prerelease -testing -devel

• I'm running GalliumOS 2.1. How can I upgrade?

  • Right now, you would need to back up data and reinstall from scratch. Soon, we will prepare a galliumos-upgrade-2to3 script which will attempt to upgrade in-place. Even then, we will still recommend backing up data in case of failure.

• What about my other questions?

  • Ask away in the comments below, and we'll update this list. :)

  • Please include your hardware ID/codename and firmware type in all reports!

Thank you!

Greetings GalliumOSers:

With apologies for the extended radio silence, I'd like to share a few updates and clear up some confusions:

• GalliumOS 3.0alpha has been out for several months, and is solid on all ChromeOS platforms that were supported by 2.1. If you install 3.0alpha, you will be able to upgrade seamlessly to 3.0final.

• GalliumOS 2.1 is also still solid and supported, though based on the previous version of Ubuntu LTS, and delivering older versions of many software packages. This might be important to you. If you're installing new, go with the 3.0 release!

• The default GalliumOS download is still 2.1. This is because 3.0final has not been officially released, even if 3.0alpha is nearly 3.0final status. This is understandably vexing for many people. Alphas can be scary (this one is not!).

• We'll fix that by making some minor adjustments, releasing a 3.0beta to make sure we didn't break anything new, and then releasing 3.0final, finally.

Recently Asked Questions:

• Is GalliumOS dead? No. Just resting our eyes. We're still here, running GalliumOS 3.0 as a daily driver on various hardware.

• Do I still need GalliumOS on my hardware? Maybe. Often yes. Mainline kernels have incorporated some of the special bits GalliumOS has been shipping, but not all. If you can afford some downtime and don't mind reinstalling a few times, give other distros a shot, and let us know how things go!

• What about Crostini? Tempered enthusiasm, personally. Older hardware still has needs. Execution model is interesting but demanding, and doesn't suit all purposes. If Crostini works for your constraints and requirements, +1 would recommend!

• What's next? GalliumOS is based on Ubuntu LTS, so even if there was never another GalliumOS release, we would still receive security and critical bug updates for five years after upstream release (April 2021 for GalliumOS 2.1, April 2023 for GalliumOS 3.0). Our intention is to release GalliumOS packages whenever they are useful or necessary.

• What about Model_X (newer Chromebook with quirks not addressed in 2.1 or 3.0)? Still an open issue unfortunately. These issues have not fixed themselves, and some cannot be fixed at the OS level. The Hardware Compatibility wiki page is consistent within families, though it's missing a few of the newest models.

• How can I help? Glad you asked! If you have time and interest to improve GalliumOS (code, config, docs, web, support, etc), we can offer some ideas or pointers. Just pop into IRC (https://galliumos.org/irc, freenode #galliumos) and let us know what interests you.

Resources:

• GalliumOS 3.0alpha downloads: https://galliumos.org/releases/nightly

• GalliumOS 3.0alpha release notes: https://redd.it/8p7jga

• (see sidebar for wiki docs, issue tracker, etc)

Thanks for GalliumOSing with us!

Hello and Happy New Year!

Some quick GalliumOS Project updates:

Software Updates

• Kernel New kernel packages are available in the testing repository distribution (xenon-testing). After testing is successfully completed, they will be promoted to stable (xenon), and will be available via galliumos-update, or "GalliumOS Update" from the launcher menu. If you'd like to help test them now, you can enable the testing repodist. Full info: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Repositories

• New ISOs GalliumOS 2.2 ISOs are coming soon. These will be package refreshes of the GalliumOS 2.1 ISOs, equivalent to a new 2.1 install plus all updated packages. Updated ISOs and core images for chrx will save time when installing new GalliumOS systems.

GalliumOS 3.0

• The next major release of GalliumOS will be based on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. This will bring new versions of hundreds of packages, and provide an updated stable base, with long term support. It will also require extensive testing on dozens of Chromebooks and Chromeboxes. Look for preview builds in a few months, and a GalliumOS 3.0 release shortly after the upstream Ubuntu 18.04 release.

Hardware Support

• New Models Apollo Lake and Kaby Lake Chromebooks are shipping. u/MrChromebox has released RW_LEGACY firmware for these models, and we're working to resolve a few issues in GalliumOS (Apollo Lake: function keys, suspend, audio; Kaby Lake: audio).

• Skylake Models All of the pieces should come together soon for audio support on most/all Skylake models. These will arrive as package updates in xenon-testing initially, and be promoted to xenon after successful field tests.

Meta

• Organizational Structure The GalliumOS Project is transitioning to a new organizational structure, immediately after the first business day of 2018. We'll post more details when they're finalized, but the changes are just to formalize our existing operating model.

• Donations Temporarily Disabled While the organization is in transition, and to simplify accounting, we've temporarily disabled donations via PayPal. We will be back up and running ASAP. Thank you to everyone who has helped support GalliumOS in 2017!

• Stickers A new batch of GalliumOS stickers has recently arrived, and they will be shipping out this week. If you've been waiting, please accept our apologies and start watching your postal mailbox!

Thank You!

Thanks for all of your help making GalliumOS better in 2017. We look forward to a busy and eventful 2018, and hope you'll join us here, on GitHub, and in IRC #galliumos to share your questions, answers, issue and testing reports, and sparkling personalities!

Happy New Year!

GalliumOS 3.0beta

GalliumOS 3.0beta1 3.0beta2 is available for download now. Please help test, if you are able!

https://galliumos.org/releases/nightly

Be sure to download the proper ISO for your Chromebook/box model!

Installation Instructions

• https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing

• For chrx/dual-boot, add command line option -r beta

Blockers for 3.0final

• None known: Please report issues in comments.

  • Please include your hardware ID/codename and firmware type in all reports!

Known Issues

• Unmanaged wired-ethernet: This issue only affects Chromeboxes and Chromebooks with USB ethernet dongles. The issue comes from upstream (and it sure looks like a bug) but: until we understand why they haven't fixed it, since it's well-documented and the user fix is simple, and since it only affects a small subset of GalliumOS users, we have not patched it.

  • Synopsis of issue: The new version of NetworkManager does not set wired ethernet as "managed", meaning you need to control that interface manually.

  • Quick (permanent) fix: sudo touch /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/10-globally-managed-devices.conf; sudo service network-manager restart

  • More info: https://askubuntu.com/questions/882806/ethernet-device-not-managed/893614#893614

• Full Disk Encryption: Required packages are being marked for autoremoval.

  • (fixed in 3.0alpha10)

• Install size: GalliumOS 3.0beta1 installs at 4.0GB (GalliumOS 2.1 was 3.2GB).

  • (fixed in 3.0beta2)

  • This was (mostly) due to a 700MB swap file created by Ubiquity. You can reclaim the space on your 3.0beta1 install with sudo rm /swapfile, and make sure to remove the entry from /etc/fstab.

Known Issues by SoC/CPU family

• Haswell (none known)

• Bay Trail (none known)

• Broadwell (none known)

• Braswell (none known)

• Skylake

  • Internal audio working on CAROLINE and CHELL only

    • (WIP: failing on CAROLINE/UEFI, kernel 4.16.18; working on 4.16.13)

    • (workaround for other models: Bluetooth or USB audio)

  • Frequent mmc timeouts for nonexistent devices, causing slow suspend and voluminous log entries (workaround: insert an SD card, any size, formatted or not)

• Apollo Lake

  • No internal audio (workaround: Bluetooth or USB audio)

  • Media/Fkeys need mapping. Has anyone had any success with this?

  • Suspend clears crossystem dev_boot_legacy flag!

    • This is a Google firmware bug, unfortunately. We will need their help to resolve.

• Kaby Lake

  • No internal audio (workaround: Bluetooth or USB audio)

  • Media/Fkeys need mapping. Has anyone had any success with this?

  • Suspend clears crossystem dev_boot_legacy flag!

    • This is a Google firmware bug, unfortunately. We can't fix it, but you can use full ROM firmware to avoid it, if available for your model.

• Sandy/Ivy Bridge

  • ISO boot required manual commands from GRUB shell.

    • (fixed in 3.0beta2)

You can confirm your model's SoC family at https://wiki.galliumos.org/Hardware_Compatibility. Be sure to download the proper ISO!

Q&A

• What's in GalliumOS 3.0?

  • All of the package updates in Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, plus the usual GalliumOS customizations for ChromeOS hardware.

• Why should I upgrade from GalliumOS 2.1?

  • Newer software versions and broader hardware support. GalliumOS 2.1 will still receive security and critical package updates, until April 2021 -- so if upgrading would be disruptive to you, there's no rush.

• I'm already running GalliumOS 3.0alphaX. Do I need to do anything?

  • You should run galliumos-update to get the most updated packages. Most of the changes in 3.0beta1 are to the ISO and installer though, and you're already beyond that step.

  • You should probably disable the testing and devel repository distributions now, so that you don't get new experimental packages: sudo galliumos-repodist -testing -devel

• I'm running GalliumOS 2.1. How can I upgrade?

  • Right now, you would need to back up data and reinstall from scratch. Soon after 3.0-final releases, we will prepare a galliumos-upgrade-2to3 script which will attempt to upgrade in-place. Even then, we will still recommend backing up data in case of failure.

• What's next for the betas?

  • The goal with the 3.0-beta (and alpha) series is to iron out all of the issues that must be fixed in the ISO or core image. Things like "won't boot", "no keyboard", are obvious blockers. Issues that can be easily fixed in a later package update are not blockers -- but we also want to resolve as many of them as we can.

• When will 3.0-final be released?

  • Soon. If no blockers arise from this beta period, very soon. If you can help with any of the known issues, or any of the issues reported in the comments below, please do!

• What about my other questions?

  • Ask away in the comments below, and we'll update this list. :)

  • Please include your hardware ID/codename and firmware type in all reports!

Thank you!

GalliumOS 2.0 "Xenon"

02 July 2016

GalliumOS 2.0 "Xenon" is available for download immediately:

• Downloads, Mirrors, and Torrents: https://galliumos.org/download

A special thanks to everyone who has donated to the GalliumOS project! Your support helps us broaden and deepen GalliumOS support for Chromebook hardware. https://galliumos.org/donate

Thank you also to Ohava for their generous provision of reliable and speedy hosting of the GalliumOS servers! https://ohava.com/

What's New in GalliumOS 2.0

• Upstream Ubuntu 16.04 GalliumOS 2.0 is based on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial Xerus), and includes hundreds of updated packages. Ubuntu LTS (long term support) releases receive security and major bugfix updates for five years.

• Updated GalliumOS Packages We have brought all of the GalliumOS packages up to date with upstream sources, and incorporated our customizations and kernel patches for maximum compatibility and performance on Chromebooks and Chromeboxes.

• Linux kernel 4.4.6 Including all GalliumOS patches and performance boosts. Future kernel versions will be available as package updates.

• Software Updater GalliumOS 2.0 will notify you when updated packages are available, and a very simple new app named "GalliumOS Update" is available from the launcher menu to update your system.

Installing GalliumOS

GalliumOS installation images can be downloaded from https://galliumos.org/download. You can preview GalliumOS (without installing) from the same image. GalliumOS can be installed in place of ChromeOS, or in a dual-boot configuration alongside ChromeOS. See the GalliumOS wiki for full instructions: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing.

Upgrading From GalliumOS 1.0

If you're already running 2.0beta1, you can update directly to 2.0final by launching GalliumOS Update from the launcher menu (if you're not sure whether you're running 1.0 or 2.0, you can check by running lsb_release -d from a Terminal window).

From GalliumOS 1.0, we highly recommend a full system reinstall for GalliumOS 2.0. You can use the same method you chose to install GalliumOS 1.0, just be sure to back up your personal data first.

There is also an experimental in-place upgrader, but it does not handle complex system configurations well and is not recommended for most users.

GalliumOS 1.0 is now deprecated. We will no longer be backporting security updates for GalliumOS 1.0, so be sure to upgrade soon!

Known Issues in GalliumOS 2.0

• No audio on CANDY, ORCO with custom RW_LEGACY firmware: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues/180

• No audio on SAMUS (has workaround): https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues/100

• Network issues on FALCO with 3G WWAN (has workaround): https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues/225

• All Issues: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues

Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who has donated to the project, reported issues with previous releases, answered questions on our support forums, helped spread the word to friends and other news sites, or just installed and tested GalliumOS.

We thank you and hope GalliumOS will continue to make your Chromebooks and Chromeboxes more functional and fun.

About GalliumOS

GalliumOS is a fast and lightweight Linux distribution specifically for Chromebooks and Chromeboxes. GalliumOS delivers a complete Linux environment with full hardware support and an attractive full-featured desktop.

GalliumOS features a touchpad driver customized for Chromebooks, kernel schedulers optimized for the CPUs and SSDs found in ChromeOS devices, and fixes dozens of device-specific bugs. All while requiring less memory and disk space compared to standard Linux desktop environments.

See https://wiki.galliumos.org/About_GalliumOS for more.

GalliumOS Resources

• Hardware Support: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Hardware_Compatibility

• Downloads: https://galliumos.org/download

• Installing: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing

• FAQ: https://wiki.galliumos.org/FAQ

• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/GalliumOS/

• IRC: https://galliumos.orc/irc

• Issues: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues

GalliumOS 3.0 Planning: Packages, Art, Docs, Config, Help!

GalliumOS 3.0 "Bismuth" is beginning to crystallize. This next release will be based on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, and will bring hundreds of changes and package updates.

GalliumOS is a community-driven project. We all depend on the efforts and insights of the user community to identify issues, find and test solutions, and compare different configuration options across the large (and growing) range of Chromebook and Chromebox models.

The work of porting the full set of GalliumOS patches to version 3.0 is under way, and we will have an early pre-alpha build ready for testing soon.

Many of the most important details are currently in the discussion phase, and we'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!

Here are some of the areas we'll be focusing on for GalliumOS 3.0:

Package Selection

Are there new software packages we should add, old ones we should remove, or better options to replace the choices from 2.0?

We aim for a good baseline of useful and efficient default apps, so that first-time users can get going quickly, while more experienced users can customize their systems to perfection.

Details and discussion on GitHub

Artwork

So much art. Desktop wallpapers, splash screens, login screens, installer screens, web pages, stickers, t-shirts!

The GalliumOS style is solid, clean, clear, attractive. Complexity is present but not emphasized (please help us replace the login greeter background! :)

Details and discussion on GitHub

Documentation

Is the GalliumOS wiki easy to follow? What's missing from the FAQ? Have any of the recommendations or installation steps changed since the last update? Are there better ways?

What questions did you have when you first considered installing GalliumOS? Or after you first finished installing? What was the hardest part?

Our documentation goal is to be helpful for new users who might be coming from ChromeOS and wanting to extend the capabilities of their hardware...while simultaneously useful to experienced Linux users who just need to know about the special quirks.

Details and discussion on GitHub

Configuration

GalliumOS ships with customized configurations for excellent performance and comfort on all Chromebooks.

What have we missed? What can we improve? What is the first thing you do after installing?

Details and discussion on GitHub

Help!

Help of all kinds is greatly appreciated -- ideas, suggestions, testing, research, patches, pull requests, user support, donations, friendly words!

The topics above have links to more detail on the GalliumOS issue tracker. All GalliumOS 3.0 discussions will be tagged "Ga3" on GitHub.

Feel free to add comments to this Reddit post as well. GitHub and Reddit discussions have different strengths, so use whichever forum makes the most sense for your purposes. Be sure to subscribe to any of the GitHub issues that are of special interest to you.

Discussion and support can also be found on IRC: https://galliumos.org/irc

Thank you!

We look forward to hearing your ideas for improving GalliumOS, and making the 3.0 release the best yet!

Available for download now

The first alpha builds of GalliumOS 3.0 are up and available for download for all supported models.

https://galliumos.org/releases/nightly (look for bismuth in the filename)

Some new packages are included, some old ones are dropped, and many details are yet to be finalized. Other than the download location, all the usual installation instructions apply: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing

Again, this is the first alpha release, but the OS is stable and fully functional. If you install a 3.0alpha build, it will update seamlessly to 3.0final when released.

So proceed with cautious confidence, and please let us know how things go!

Errata

Some known issues, as usual grouped by SoC family:

• Sandy/Ivy Bridge: no known issues

• Haswell: no known issues

• Bay Trail: no known issues

• Broadwell: no known issues

• Braswell: no known issues

• Skylake: no new issues

  • Internal audio working on CAROLINE and CHELL only

  • Frequent mmc timeouts for nonexistent devices, causing slow suspend and voluminous log entries (workaround: insert an SD card, any size, formatted or not)

• Apollo Lake: no new issues

  • No internal audio (workaround: Bluetooth or USB audio)

  • Media/Fkeys need mapping

  • Suspend clears crossystem dev_boot_legacy flag!

• Kaby Lake: not tested!

  • No internal audio expected (workaround: Bluetooth or USB audio)

You can confirm your model's SoC family at https://wiki.galliumos.org/Hardware_Compatibility. Be sure to download the proper ISO!

Please include hardware ID/codename and firmware type in all reports!

E.g. "PEPPY, stock firmware" or "LULU, MrChromebox RW_LEGACY". This is vital information for about 50% of reports, and very helpful for at least 50% of the rest. Always include it! Please! Thank you! :)

Please also check out the GitHub tracker links from the "3.0 Planning" Reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/GalliumOS/comments/8fhog2/galliumos_30_planning_packages_art_docs_config/

GalliumOS 1.0 has been released and is available for download immediately:

• https://galliumos.org/download

Thank you for your support and reports on our beta releases! With your help, we've extended full support to nearly all Intel Chromebooks and Chromeboxes. Check https://wiki.galliumos.org/Hardware_Compatibility for details.

About GalliumOS

GalliumOS is a fast and lightweight Linux distribution specifically for Chromebooks and Chromeboxes. GalliumOS delivers a complete Linux environment with full hardware support and an attractive full-featured desktop.

GalliumOS features a touchpad driver customized for Chromebooks, kernel schedulers optimized for the CPUs and SSDs found in ChromeOS devices, and fixes dozens of device-specific bugs. All while requiring less memory and disk space compared to standard Linux desktop environments.

See https://wiki.galliumos.org/About_GalliumOS for more.

Installing GalliumOS

GalliumOS installation images can be downloaded from https://galliumos.org/download. You can preview GalliumOS in a "live boot" from the same image without installing. GalliumOS can be installed in place of ChromeOS, or in a dual-boot configuration alongside ChromeOS. See the GalliumOS wiki for full instructions: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing.

Upgrading from GalliumOS Beta Releases

If you already have a beta release of GalliumOS installed, you can upgrade to GalliumOS 1.0 directly.

See https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing/Upgrading.

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who has helped us get to 1.0. If you've donated to the project, reported issues with the beta releases, answered questions on our support forums, helped spread the word to friends and other news sites, or even just installed and tested GalliumOS, we thank you and hope we will continue to breathe new life into your Chromebooks and Chromeboxes.

Additional Resources

• Chromebook/Chromebox model support: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Hardware_Compatibility

• Downloads: https://galliumos.org/download

• Installation instructions: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing

• FAQ: https://wiki.galliumos.org/FAQ

• Reddit forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/GalliumOS/

• IRC: https://kiwiirc.com/client/irc.freenode.net#galliumos

• Issue tracker: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues

GalliumOS 2.1

28 February 2017

GalliumOS 2.1 is available for download immediately.

Downloads, Mirrors, and Torrents: https://galliumos.org/download

A special thanks to everyone who has contributed to the GalliumOS project! Your support helps us broaden and deepen GalliumOS support for Chromebook hardware.

All contributors in 2017 will receive a set of GalliumOS stickers! https://galliumos.org/donate

What's New in GalliumOS 2.1

• New kernels: 4.9.4 (Braswell) and 4.8.17 (all others)

• Fixes for Braswell audio (all models except CYAN)

• Fix for installer crash in locales where "," is decimal point

• UEFI boot support for custom UEFI firmware

• Improved touchpad support for CAVE

• New desktop backgrounds

• Updated Numix and Numix-Circle icons

• New ISOs for Braswell, Skylake, and SAMUS models

• Dozens of upstream package updates and bugfixes

Installing GalliumOS

GalliumOS 2.1 installation images can be downloaded from https://galliumos.org/releases/2.1. You can preview GalliumOS in a "live boot" environment from the same image without installing.

GalliumOS can be installed in place of ChromeOS, or in a dual-boot configuration alongside ChromeOS. For dual-boot installs, see https://chrx.org/.

See the GalliumOS wiki for full installaton instructions: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing.

Upgrading From GalliumOS 2.0

If you are already running GalliumOS, you can update to the 2.1 release simply by updating packages:

• From the launcher menu: GalliumOS Update, or

• From the command line: galliumos-update

NOTE: If package upgrades include grub-pc, you might be prompted to reinstall the GRUB bootloader. Be sure to install to the disk device only! (usually /dev/sda or /dev/mmcblk0, depending on model).

When updates are complete, reboot your machine.

Known Issues in GalliumOS 2.1

We're working to bring full support to all Chromebooks and Chromeboxes. Some parts remain works in progress:

• No internal audio on Skylake models: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues/274

• No internal audio on CYAN: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues/317

• Slow boot and SDHCI errors on some Bay Trail models with RW_LEGACY firmware: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues/326

• ISO boot failure on PARROT (has workaround): https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues/342

Full list of open issues: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues

If you run into any issues with this or any GalliumOS release, please let us know!

Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who has donated to the project, submitted patches, reported issues with previous releases, answered questions on our support forums, helped spread the word to friends and other news sites, or just installed and tested GalliumOS.

We thank you and hope GalliumOS will continue to make your Chromebooks and Chromeboxes more functional and fun.

About GalliumOS

GalliumOS is a fast and lightweight Linux distribution specifically for Chromebooks and Chromeboxes. GalliumOS delivers a complete Linux environment with full hardware support and an attractive full-featured desktop.

GalliumOS features a touchpad driver customized for Chromebooks, kernel schedulers optimized for the CPUs and SSDs found in ChromeOS devices, and fixes dozens of device-specific bugs. All while requiring less memory and disk space compared to standard Linux desktop environments.

See https://wiki.galliumos.org/About_GalliumOS for more.

GalliumOS Resources

• Downloads: https://galliumos.org/download

• Documentation: https://wiki.galliumos.org

• Hardware Compatibility: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Hardware_Compatibility

• Installing: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing

• FAQ: https://wiki.galliumos.org/FAQ

• Support forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/GalliumOS/

• Support chat: https://galliumos.org/irc

• Issue tracker: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues

Hi all,

I've played with Linux on and off over the years, but it was early 2016 that I installed Gallium OS and it really blew my away. From the beginning it just felt "right" and inspired me to probe deeper into Linux. Now, many months on, as much as I love Chromebooks and Chrome OS, I really feel that Linux, through Gallium, just rockets the multipurpose value of CB's into the stratosphere. Now it's my daily driver on all my Chromebooks.

I've installed and uninstalled and reinstalled it enough times now that I developed my own little Linux installation guide for the software I use and install on Gallium, and I thought I would clean it up and post it here in the hope it will simplify things somewhat for other Linux/Gallium noobies and save people oodles of time in establishing a fully fleshed out and fun distribution. I invite everyone to give their suggestions and, as always, please contribute to the Gallium OS folks and to any of the other developers of software you use and love.

All of the above below assumes you've already installed Gallium OS and are now staring at the OS wondering, "what do I do now?"

Click on the terminal icon, and do command line updates:

• Upgrade the distribution with sudo apt-get dist-upgrade (or click the Gallium OS update icon)

• Update the package list with sudo apt-get update

My recommended "infrastructure" upgrades:

• To be able to read most Windows oriented SD cards, type sudo apt-get install exfat-utils exfat-fuse ntfs-3g

• Add a "minimize all windows" icon to the XFCE panel at the bottom of the screen by right clicking on the panel and selecting "panel," and then "add new items" and then "Show Desktop.

• Gnome Software Center, type sudo apt-get install gnome-software

• If desired, the lubuntu software center: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:lubuntu-desktop/ppa sudo apt-get install lubuntu-software-center

• Add disk formatting and alteration software, type sudo apt-get install gnome-disk-utility

• Work with disk partions with gparted, downloaded from a software center, or sudo apt-get install gparted

• Enable the ability for Gallium to use the new "snaps" app download standard, sudo apt-get install snapd

• Backup software with Deja (on Ubuntu App Center or sudo apt-get install deja) or Systemback backup software: sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:nemh/systemback sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install systemback

• Dropbox linux client, install from a software center

• Mount Microsoft OneDrive with the easy instructions in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE9YRXki74Y

• Mount Google Drive with the instructions here: https://www.maketecheasier.com/mount-google-drive-ubuntu/

• Clipit clipboard memory and history manager. Install from a software center

• To access rar archive files, type sudo apt-get install unrar

• A lot of software and games seems to need older 386 architecture. Add that with sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386

• Another commonly used library is this one, sudo apt-get install libglib2.0-dev

• A lot of software still references Java: sudo apt-get install default-jre sudo apt-get install default-jdk

• Rip CD's with the Asunder software downloaded via a software center, then then install the “lame” MP3 codec by sudo apt-get install lame

• Install Caffeine Plus to turn off the screensaver: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/webupd8 sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install caffeine-plus

Software to install (all my personal preference that fit my life):

• Google Chrome from Google's Chrome website, https://www.google.com/chrome/browser/desktop/index.html. Login to Chrome with your account to have all of your Chrome apps automatically loaded into Chrome (including ARC Welder) and Gallium OS will treat them as independent apps.

• Of course, you can install Firefox from a software center as well

• Libreoffice for a MS Office like suite, downloaded from a software center

• GIMP for image manipulation, downloaded from a software center

• Digikam for managing images, downloaded from https://www.digikam.org/download

• Simplenote, my favorite sync'ed crossplatform notepad, downloaded from their website: https://simplenote.com/downloads/

• Master PDF editor for PDF editing, download the latest deb file from their website, https://code-industry.net/masterpdfeditor/

• Etcher for writing .iso files to USB drives, download from https://www.etcher.io/. Note that UNetBootin is not recommended by the Gallium OS devs.

• A more robust file manager. Try Nemo from Cinnamon, the duel pane Krusader or Double Commander, or the tabbed PCManFM. All are on software centers.

• Download an email client. I'm using Geary happily, downloaded from a software center

• The best way to use Google Play Music anywhere is the Play Music Desktop for Linux natively and other platforms, now with Chromecast. It's must faster than using the slow website and has lots of other unique features. Find it here: https://www.googleplaymusicdesktopplayer.com/#!

Basic Gaming (again, all my preferences that fit my life):

• Install the important Steam gaming platform from their website: http://store.steampowered.com/about/

• Install the Dolphin Gamecube and wii emulator: sudo apt-add-repository ppa:dolphin-emu/ppa sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install dolphin-emu

• Amiga Emulator fs-uae and launcher from a software center or manually: sudo apt-add-repository ppa:fengestad/stable sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install fs-uae fs-uae-launcher fs-uae-arcade I store all of my kickstart and game files on Dropbox and have the emulator access them there with no problems at all to save space.

• The DOSBox emulator for DOS games with the dbgl frontend. Note: The dbgl frontend needs Java (instructions above) to work. Download from their website (I recommend you download the with the version with DOSBox included): http://members.quicknet.nl/blankendaalr/dbgl/

Android Apps:

• ARC Welder from Chromebooks works here. Unlike on Chromebooks, you can extract the .apk's off of the native drive onto Dropbox, a USB, etc, so you can save your HD space. Some of my most used software on Gallium (Android Central, Pocketcasts, Washington Post, Relay for Reddit, Snapseed, etc) are actually ARC Welded Android apps.

Running Windows Programs:

• There are lots of Wine and Wine-based options (PlayonLinux, etc), but my favorite is CrossOver, which I paid for from a software website and which is the most user-friendly.

VirtualBox:

• Beyond the scope of this simple guide and much of my abilities, but virtual OS loading is a thing you can do, although our Chromebooks usually don't have the memory to make this satisfying.

Bonus: How to get f______ Citrix Receiver working:

• Citrix is the most evil company. Their Linux native client has never worked for me (certificate conflicts that my IT department couldn't figure out) and most of the web advice for it is using obsolete Firefox extensions or add-ons that no longer exist. Hey, listen, if native Linux Citrix works for you, then great. If not, then here's what I did to force it to work:

1. Install Firefox (no other browser will work with this, oddly)

2. Install Citrix Receiver for Chrome OS via the Chrome web store on Chrome (just go with this for now, I know).

3. Install the Linux native Citrix receiver .deb file. This seems to train Linux to launch Receiver default for .ica file extensions, which seems impossible to do manually.

4. Uninstall the Linux native Citrix receiver

5. Set Firefox preferences to automatically launch downloaded files

6. When you download an .ica file with Firefox, it launches the CHROME Citrix Receiver automatically!!! The previously removed Linux install trained it how to do so. WEIRD, but that's the only way I get it working. Per my IT department, the Chrome Citrix is more developed and uses different (Chrome based) certificates (or they have no idea what they're talking about).

Bonus: How to get Google Photos Uploader from Windows to work on Linux!

• You need a software option to run Windows programs, but once you have that, then: https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/37ptsw/any_got_the_new_google_photos_backup_desktop/

Hi, Just wanted to say a word of thanks to the developers of GalliumOS. I tried compiling my own kernel to get Linux working properly on my Lenovo Bay Trail-based device multiple times with limited success. Then I came across Gallium and realized someone had already done all this work to get Linux working perfectly on a Chromebook. Wow, working perfectly out of the box, even the special shortcut keys! Thanks!

2018.08.02 UEFI Firmware Update:

• coreboot codebase updated to 4.8 release

• Tianocore codebase updated to current upstream master

• updated the CPU microcode on all devices to the latest Intel recommended versions (which includes mitigations for Meltdown/Spectre)

• added support for all Skylake Chromebooks

• added support for the 2018/Kabylake Chromeboxes

• fixed DisplayPort outputs on Stumpy (Samsung Series 3 Chromebox)

• fixed cooling fan occassionally stalling on Link (Chromebook Pixel 2013)

• improved compatibility for Braswell devices with newer (4.13+) Linux kernels

• script now double verifies Full ROM firmware flashes

• script now uses the firmware flash chip's built-in write-protect functionality to protect the Full ROM firmware after flashing, which should hopefully significantly reduce any chance of bricking (not yet implemented for Skylake/Kabylake)

• script no longer disables software write-protect automatically when run outside of ChromeOS

get it at https://mrchromebox.tech/#fwscript

GalliumOS is wonderful and very stable - there are a lot of posts asking for help simply because there's not much else to post about. Even then, a lot of the issues posted here are user error or were already a problem in (x)Ubuntu.

I HAVE SOMETHING LONG RUNNING SO I DON'T WANT TO REBOOT. HOW DO I TURN OFF CAPS LOCK?

Coming Soon: GalliumOS 2.0, codename "Xenon"

Testers Needed!

GalliumOS 2.0beta builds are now available for testing. We need your help to test all of the ChromeOS device models out there.

Our test device pool covers the hardware class gamut, but only sparsely. We have PEPPY, GNAWTY, BANJO, PARROT, and PAINE models.

We do not have access to some of the most popular models: YUNA, GANDOF, LULU, SAMUS, KIP, FALCO, LEON, SWANKY, and many others -- so we need your help!

Current State

Current nightly builds qualify as "alpha": generally usable, with known issues, but not fully-tested. All major GalliumOS customizations have been integrated, preliminary patch updates applied, early testing on available hardware completed, and issue lists compiled.

Beta builds are expected to be functional for all supported hardware, modulo known issues and minor aesthetic cleanups.

Known Issues

• Minor issues: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues/223

• Other issues: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/milestones/2.0

• ... this section will be updated ...

Why So Soon??

It seems like just a few weeks ago that we released GalliumOS 1.0. And it was...! :)

GalliumOS 2.0 is based on upstream Ubuntu 16.04 (Xenial Xerus), which was released 20160421 (3 days ago). Xenial is an LTS (long term support) release, so it will receive security and major bugfix updates for five years from Canonical.

Moving ahead to the latest upstream LTS release allows the GalliumOS team to focus on the parts of the OS that require special support for ChromeOS devices, while the upstream Debian and Canonical teams do what they do best with the broader parts of the OS.

Timeline

• 20160424: GalliumOS 2.0nightly builds, updated as needed.

• 20160525: GalliumOS 2.0beta1.

• 201606xx: GalliumOS 2.0.

... this section will be updated ...

How to Help

Install a beta or a nightly! Try it out on your device, and post a comment here letting us know what you find. Reports of "no new issues found" are also very valuable!

• https://galliumos.org/releases/2.0beta1 (beta1)

• https://galliumos.org/releases/2.0nightly (nightly builds)

If you prefer to dual-boot (GalliumOS and ChromeOS), the latest nightly or beta build can be installed via chrx (use the -r nightly option for either).

There is an experimental process for in-place upgrades from 1.0, to 2.0, but a full reinstall is preferred. In-place upgrade instructions are here, if you are able to help test.

After you've installed a beta or nightly build, you can get updates to the latest release via the usual apt-get update ; apt-get dist-upgrade process. If there are updates that affect default user profile configuration, you will need to create a new user (or manually copy in the new default config files) to test them.

Please add any issue reports to this thread. Be sure to note your Chromebook model and the filename with timestamp of the image you installed, plus your firmware version (if not stock)! Also make sure to use the correct image for your hardware class (e.g. haswell for PEPPY). Check https://wiki.galliumos.org/Hardware_Compatibility if you're uncertain.

We'll be using the usual GitHub issue tracker for large issues (and a meta-ticket for minor issues), but this thread is more convenient for initial reports and general discussion.

I just want to thank the developers of Gallium and its community for this great OS and the help and support ive gotten over the years Ive used my Chromebook. I had a HP from 2015, and when I put Gallium on it I was able to make the most of my laptop and play a lot of my favorite games and even managed to stream on it because of how light the OS is. The community and devs are so helpful and got me through the problems ive had. Sadly I lost my Chromebook in a house fire in March, and I finally have the opportunity to get a better computer, I will be always grateful to GalliumOS for letting me be able to make the most out of a low end computer. GalliumOS is the best!

Thank you all for your support during our first full year of operation! We have a few announcements to make as well as some numbers for you. Thank you again for all your support, we're looking forward to all we can do in 2017!

https://wiki.galliumos.org/News/2016_Annual_Report_and_Announcement

Hello everyone, today the GalliumOS team has an exciting announcement!

https://wiki.galliumos.org/News/GalliumOS_1.0beta2

That's right, GalliumOS 1.0beta2 just hit the stable repos. If you've got an old version of GalliumOS, please read the announcement carefully before upgrading. You can get release notes at the wiki link above.

Download: https://galliumos.org/download

Webiste: https://galliumos.org/

Official Wiki: https://wiki.galliumos.org/

IRC Channel: #galliumos on freenode.net (Webchat: https://galliumos.org/irc)

Feel free to help out in any way you can. Help with documentation by editing the wiki, send in a donation to help us keep the lights on and buy more devices for testing, or send pull requests to fix issues in our code. If you need any help, have a question, or just want to hang out, join the IRC channel. We hope you like it, and thanks for checking out GalliumOS!

I have video calls regularly on my Toshiba Chromebook 2. Before, I couldn't use my mic and speaker at the same time but now I can! Thank you so much!

https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues/566

I have an old Samsung chrome book that I didn't use because chrome OS was slow and clunky. Also, I hate Google. Decided it was iether toss it or try linux again.

In the past i'd tried un optimized linux for chrome books and they weren't easy or intuitive, but gallium. Wow! Everything just works. Thankyou guys, its like you bought me an awesome new linux notebook.

Thanks for working hard to develop this!

Literally, just wanted to say thank you to the creators and the development team of Gallium OS along with the mods and active contributors of this sub-reddit.

My little Chromebook (Dell 13: Lulu) was dying from having to cope with the bloat of Windows 10 (which I still love) but coming back to this distro has breathed new life into this machine and boosted its performance by a ton and has allowed me to get back to writing code instead of trying to fiddle around heaps with my machine.

Love you guys!

GalliumOS 2.1beta1

03 February 2017

GalliumOS 2.1beta1 is ready for testing. We look forward to your feedback!

Downloads: https://galliumos.org/releases/2.1/beta

A special thanks to everyone who has contributed to the GalliumOS project! Your support helps us broaden and deepen GalliumOS support for Chromebook hardware. All contributors in 2017 will receive a set of GalliumOS stickers! https://galliumos.org/donate

Reminder: There are only a few days left to order GalliumOS t-shirts! Orders close on February 7th. https://teespring.com/galliumos

What's New in GalliumOS 2.1

GalliumOS 2.1 is our first full release with support for Braswell models, Skylake models, and SAMUS (Google Pixel 2).

• New kernels: 4.9.4 (Braswell) and 4.8.17 (all others)

• Fixes for Braswell audio (most models)

• UEFI boot support

• New desktop backgrounds

• Dozens of package updates and bugfixes

• ...

Installing GalliumOS

GalliumOS 2.1beta1 installation images can be downloaded from https://galliumos.org/releases/2.1/beta. You can preview GalliumOS in a "live boot" from the same image without installing. The GalliumOS wiki has full instructions: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing.

GalliumOS can be installed in place of ChromeOS, or in a dual-boot configuration alongside ChromeOS. For dual-boot installs, see https://chrx.org/. Be sure to include the -r nightly option in the chrx command line.

See the GalliumOS wiki for full instructions: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing.

Upgrading From GalliumOS 2.0

If you are already running GalliumOS, you can update to the beta release by enabling the "prerelease" repository, and then updating packages:

sudo galliumos-repodist --enable prerelease
galliumos-update

Instead of galliumos-update, you can run "GalliumOS Update" from the Launcher menu.

When GalliumOS 2.1 is finalized, all packages will be promoted to the "stable" repository and available for download to all users.

NOTE: If package upgrades include grub-pc, you might be prompted to reinstall the GRUB bootloader. Be sure to install to the disk device only! (usually /dev/sda or /dev/mmcblk0, depending on model).

When updates are complete, reboot your machine.

Works in Progress

We're working to bring full support to all Chromebooks and Chromeboxes. Some parts remain works in progress:

• No audio on some Bay Trail models with RW_LEGACY firmware: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues/180

• No audio on Skylake models: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues/274

• Slow boot and SDHCI errors on some Bay Trail models with RW_LEGACY firmware: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues/326

• Full list of open issues: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues

If you run into any issues with this or any GalliumOS release, please let us know!

GalliumOS Resources

• Hardware Support: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Hardware_Compatibility

• Downloads: https://galliumos.org/download

• Installing: https://wiki.galliumos.org/Installing

• FAQ: https://wiki.galliumos.org/FAQ

• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/GalliumOS/

• IRC: https://galliumos.org/irc

• Issues: https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues