Chrome OS Zero brings new features

Hexxeh, of hexxeh.net, has released yet another customized version of Chrome OS. Chrome OS Zero is once again bootable from a a USB drive, but has additional goodies added on by hexxeh. Here is his description of the new release:

• Newer version of ChromiumOS code
• Major speed improvements for many users
• Reduced Broadcom delay
• New artwork for the boot process
• Full extension support
• Reduced download size, clocks in at under 250MB
• Still fits on a 1GB USB drive despite the new features
• Beginnings of multi-language input (requires a little terminal work to add your language as there is no UI yet)
• Quite a lot more!

You can download the new image here: Chrome OS Zero, and can follow my directions to install it here: Install Chrome OS Zero on a USB drive.

Now don't be shy, let us know how your Chrome OS Zero experience goes in the comments below!

Install Chrome OS (64-bit version)

Oh how they are coming out of the woodwork now! Here is the latest Chrome OS build, created by our good friends over at Chromiumos64.org. As you might have gathered from their domain name, they have created a 64-bit version of Chrome OS for your enjoying.

However, the installation process seems a bit involved (it includes six 200 MB downloads). I would be happy to take the plunge, but the resident 64-bit machine (an AMD Turion 64 X2) is under lock and key. It isn't owned by me per say (another inhabitant of the Magna Techa group HQ owns it) and I'm not ready to go flipping tape decks on it just yet.

So get on it, you heiresses of the 32-bit era. Let us know what you find down there in the comments!
[Via Chromiumos64.org]

Chrome OS build on 1 GB USB drive

Hexxeh, the original Chrome OS on USB drive-build maker, has brought us a new build. This one does not necessitate a 4 GB USB drive, but fits on the lowly 1 GB drives many of us have lying around. So get your installation pants on and follow the instructions here: Install Chrome OS on a USB Drive.

And don't forget to download the new build here: Chrome OS Diet USB version.

I'll be sure to check it out as well, once the download link starts working... Hmm this seems familiar

Install Chrome OS on Asus Eee PC

After the adventure with the Dell Mini 10v and Chrome OS, some of you other netbook users may be feeling a little left out out. Well, now there is a guide to installing Chrome OS on Asus's Eee PC. I'm not sure if I would do this if the Eee PC is your main man in the computing area, as Chromium OS is still pretty rough around the edges. But if you like to live on the edge hit up this link for the full guide: How to Install Chrome OS on Asus Eee PC 701.
[Via Sampletheweb.com]

How to Install Chrome OS in VirtualBox

As I revealed in a previous post (First Look at Chrome OS) I have installed the early Chrome OS build in VirtualBox. Here I will walk you through the steps of how to do it yourself. I am using a VirtualBox on Mac OS X 10.6.2, so a few things might be different if you are attempting this in Windows or Linux.

First you need to download the Chrome OS image from Gdgt.com (Chrome OS VM image download) and download and install VirtualBox (VirtualBox download). Installing VirtualBox is pretty straightforward so I won't go into that. Choose the VMware image on Gdgt.com, as I could not get the VirtualBox image to boot. You can still use the VMware image with the VirtualBox program.
1. Make a New Machine

After you have VirtualBox opened up, Select the "New" button in the top left corner to create your new Chrome OS machine. Next, name your machine (I chose Chrome OS) and select "Other" under operating system and "Other/Unknown" under version. I think it would be okay to leave it on "Windows" and "XP" for these options, but I'm not sure if VirtualBox does anything special for a Windows machine, so I went with a generic start.

Update: It looks like the network connection won't work in Chrome OS for some people if they choose "Other" for their OS. We found out (through the discussion in the comments) that picking "Linux" as the operating system and "Linux 2.6" as the version might work better for some host PCs.

2. Select the amount of RAM for you Chrome OS virtual machine

Next you select the amount of RAM to dedicate to your Chrome OS virtual instance. I selected 542 MB of RAM as this should be plenty for Chrome OS and not push my test machine (2 GB of RAM total) to the limit. You would choose the amount of RAM you think is appropriate here.

3. Select the Chrome OS disk image

Next is the hard disk image selection. Select "Use existing hard disk" and click the small folder icon next to the text field to browse for the Chrome OS .vmdk image you downloaded. You will need to add a new disk image by selecting "New" in the top left corner and then browse to where your Chrome OS image was downloaded.
Continue after the break for the rest of the guide.