As a seasoned Chromebook user and Linux enthusiast with years of experience tweaking these devices, I've found Crouton indispensable. This clever script lets you run full Ubuntu (or other Linux distros) right alongside Chrome OS, without wiping your primary system.
Chromebooks, however, often skimp on storage—most top out at 32GB internally. That's fine for light use, but power users running hefty apps quickly hit limits.
The good news? You can effortlessly relocate your Crouton chroots to an SD card or USB drive. This guide, based on my tested workflow, walks you through it step by step.
First, prep your directories. Open the Chrome OS terminal with Ctrl + Alt + T, then type shell and hit Enter.
cd /usr/local
Now create a chroot directory on your external device.
sudo mkdir /media/removable/NAME-OF-SD-CARD-OR-FLASH-DRIVE/chroots
Note: Replace “NAME-OF-SD-CARD-OR-FLASH-DRIVE” with your device's actual name.
Next, create a symbolic link:
sudo ln -s /media/removable/NAME-OF-SD-CARD-OR-FLASH-DRIVE/chroots/ chroots
Your Crouton installs will now live on the external drive.
With the symlink in place, the installer follows it automatically, giving you ample space.
Note: Developer mode is required. Press Esc + Refresh + Power, then Ctrl + D at the warning screen on each boot.
sudo sh ~/Downloads/crouton -r trusty -t xfce
To launch:
sudo enter-chroot startxfce4
Removable storage is convenient, but back up regularly. Access the shell via Ctrl + Alt + T, then shell.
Backup to Downloads:
sudo edit-chroot -b trusty
Restore from Downloads:
sudo edit-chroot -r trusty
Crouton transforms Chromebooks into versatile machines. Offloading to external storage makes it even better for heavy use. I've relied on this setup for years—hope it serves you well too.
