Chrome OS 'Diet' version fits on a 1GB USB key, brings more WiFi support

Not everyone has a 4GB USB key or SD card just lying around, which was required to run Hexxeh's first build of Chromium OS, and we'd say that 8GB keys are exponentially more rare, which is what Dell requires with its build of the Chrome OS open source variant. Well, you can cancel that Fry's run, because Hexxeh is back with a Chrome OS Diet flavor, which cuts the fat and gets the OS onto a 1GB drive. It supposedly doesn't cut anything features-wise, and actually improves WiFi support since it's based on a newer build -- check out that compatibility list source link for the full story on that.

[Hexxeh Posted Nov 30th 2009 3:08PM]

@iPhoneMessenger Please don't post direct links to files, give me links and I'll place them on my site. Otherwise I lose out on my tiny bit of money from the Google Ads. :(

[Hexxeh Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:32PM]

Source link is broken. :)

Also if you're having trouble with your WiFi I'll be doing a slightly updated build with support for the RT2860 WiFi chipset used in many Asus netbooks and also some Wind netbooks. If you don't have this problem, don't worry, you can continue using the current version, it's no different otherwise.

Paul, thanks for the coverage yet again! :D

[Nerdtalker Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:52PM]

@Hexxeh Thanks for all your work Hexxeh!

[frysee Posted Nov 30th 2009 2:04PM]

@Hexxeh
Any need for another mirror? Download seems quite slow :)

[N900 Posted Nov 30th 2009 2:06PM]

@frysee Yeah my download speed is quite sparse, currently running at 41kB/s

[Hexxeh Posted Nov 30th 2009 2:07PM]

@frysee I've got another one ready I'm going to add now, thanks anyway. :)

[jars99 Posted Nov 30th 2009 2:09PM]

@Hexxeh Download is going pretty slow - 50 KB/sec - any chance of a torrent?

[Hexxeh Posted Nov 30th 2009 2:14PM]

@jars99 There's a torrent on the page already heh.

[jars99 Posted Nov 30th 2009 2:18PM]

@Hexxeh Ah! - thought that was just a page title...

[N900 Posted Nov 30th 2009 2:26PM]

@iPhoneMessenger You got to wait a bit; I suggest you get the torrent. I clicked the 1st mirror, and it took 4 minutes to get to saving the GZ file. Not to mention the speed has dropped to 17kB/s.

I don't know how the 2nd mirror, or the torrent are doing, but the Engadget Effect is really taking it's toll here.

[Rossgadget Posted Nov 30th 2009 2:44PM]

@Hexxeh

Can we get an update on that source link? Not really sure where to go...

[frysee Posted Nov 30th 2009 2:45PM]

@Rossgadget - try http://carbon.hexxeh.net/chromiumos/ ;)

[Hexxeh Posted Nov 30th 2009 2:50PM]

@Hexxeh Added another mirror, mirror 1 is a new box now. Mirrors 2 and 3 are what were 1 and 2. :)

[frysee Posted Nov 30th 2009 3:22PM]

The torrent looks pretty healthy, but the files are uploaded into the cloud anyway - so here's the link for any http-downloaders anyway:
http://www.wuala.com/fry.HD/chromeOS/?lang=de
As the file keeps spreading, download speed should be near (your) full speed :)

[Rossgadget Posted Nov 30th 2009 3:23PM]

@frysee,@Hexxeh

Thanks!

[frysee Posted Nov 30th 2009 3:23PM]

Hexxeh: Feel free to add to your mirror list, no traffic/connection limit here.

[RahulVij Posted Nov 30th 2009 3:36PM]

@Hexxeh , Thanks for your work.. any idea if you could support the ralink wifi card for the MSI Wind U100.

[Hexxeh Posted Nov 30th 2009 3:40PM]

@Hexxeh Working on support for the Ralink chipset now, got a test version out to two testers, awaiting feedback. If it's all cool I'll up a new version tonight. Trying to move away from torrents because it's hard to stop people downloading outdated versions. Adding the Wuala mirror btw, thanks. :)

[Nerdtalker Posted Nov 30th 2009 3:56PM]

@Hexxeh nooo don't depreciate torrents, it's still faster than anything out there. I always am seeding on my 100 megabit dedi. Just make a link to that web based BT client for noobs that don't want to bother too much.

[frysee Posted Nov 30th 2009 4:18PM]

@Nerdtalker: Wuala should be at least as fast as any torrent around, its a p2p-network too - only taking another approach, as every member is seeding fragments of the file, no matter if he downloaded the file or not.

@Hexxeh: Should be no problem at all to upload the new version, alternatively just register with 1GiB of free space and try Wuala for yourself - it has some pretty cool features for backup and direct media streaming :P

[chancekang Posted Nov 30th 2009 4:39PM]

@Hexxeh

Thanks for the brilliant work. I was wondering if there are any tools I can use in Ubuntu to write the img file. I did google around but find no right alternatives for the win32imgwriter.... Thanks....

[frysee Posted Nov 30th 2009 4:42PM]

@chancekang
Taken from http://carbon.hexxeh.net/chromiumos/linux.html:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extract chromiumos.img and run the following command in the same directory as the file, where X is the device name of your USB drive.
>>sudo dd if=chromiumos.img of=/dev/X bs=4M
Once the command finishes, you can then boot from the USB drive.

[LoftyCuber Posted Nov 30th 2009 6:58PM]

@Hexxeh Thanks again for your great work! I can't wait to get this on my flash drive!

[KAL326 Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:35PM]

A USB powered hard drive is to hard to come by? If it can boot and run from from a flash drive, it can run from a USB 2.5 HDD. Its just as inconvenient as having a USB key sticking out of the side of the machine.

[Mike Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:47PM]

@KAL326

IIRC Chrome OS requires SSD memory--no HDD memory supported.

[Hexxeh Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:54PM]

@KAL326 Shouldn't make a difference what you install it on actually. The SSD thing is just a limitation as to what Google will let it be put on in terms of guaranteeing a certain quality of user experience, much like their Android phone branding thing.

[Mike Posted Nov 30th 2009 2:00PM]

@Hexxeh

I see. I thought it was a technical limitation -- but then again, all I did was look at the press release. :)

[N900 Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:36PM]

Is it possible to boot Chrome OS with a 2GB SD card?

I have a Sony PNY 2GB, and I'm wondering if it can work.

[Hexxeh Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:40PM]

@N900 It's a 1GB image now, will work great.

[Zweben Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:41PM]

@N900 I think it depends on the computer. If you have an SD slot and your BIOS supports booting from an SD card, it should work. A USB adapter might be treated like a flash drive, or it might not, hard to say.

[N900 Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:41PM]

@Hexxeh Ok, Thanks!

[Dom Posted Nov 30th 2009 3:23PM]

@N900

Just tried on my Acer Aspire which has a bootable SD slot and it wouldn't boot. Got as far as a flashing cursor then stalled. Oh well.

[Theturk123 Posted Dec 1st 2009 9:45AM]

@N900 I was able to boot using a 2GB SD card on the Asus 1000HE.

[pablo Posted Dec 3rd 2009 3:48AM]

@N900 I have it working on a 1gb Memory Stick. Awesome so far, wifi does not work but heh. Using a MSI Wind.

[Rebajas Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:40PM]

Any chance someone might get this working on the Samsung NC10?

[Hexxeh Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:40PM]

@Rebajas I test all builds on my NC10 first heh, works great. :)

[Rebajas Posted Nov 30th 2009 2:01PM]

@Hexxeh Excellent - will be out finding a suitable key tomorrow then :)

[Showbiz Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:42PM]

Is it just me or is The New Great Engadget Wall of Light getting worse about putting correct links in?

[Showbiz Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:43PM]

Hexxah, I have an old Dell 300M. Any chance of making that work?

[Hexxeh Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:46PM]

@Showbiz Really quite unlikely sorry, I guess it's the lack of chipset support means it's running really slowly?

[rexilla Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:48PM]

download @ http://carbon.hexxeh.net/chromiumos/

[Eternity Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:49PM]

They should sell the OS in a black USB stick with Chrome accents around it and the logo on the center. ;)

[MisfitOfScience Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:49PM]

Forgive my ignorance, but I though Google said this wasn't coming for a year.

[claytontlewis Posted Nov 30th 2009 2:10PM]

@MisfitOfScience It won't be ready for another year, this build is a developer build and still very incomplete.

[From My Cube Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:54PM]

anyone know if it works on a HP Mini 311?

[Hexxeh Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:55PM]

@From My Cube What WiFi chipset you got?

[From My Cube Posted Nov 30th 2009 2:13PM]

@Hexxeh

ive got the 802.11B chip...it has bluetooth too, not sure if that alters the wifi chip or not since they were an intgrated option

[Hexxeh Posted Nov 30th 2009 3:08PM]

@From My Cube Need the name of the chipset, sorry. :(

[clinton459 Posted Dec 2nd 2009 12:09PM]

@From My Cube Have you, by chance, gotten the Mini 311 to even boot Chrome OS?

[Hexxeh Posted Nov 30th 2009 1:55PM]

Oh and guys if you need any help, just hit me up on Twitter @Hexxeh. :)