Do you want to install windows on Chromebook? Chromebooks officially can’t support Windows. You normally can’t install Windows—Chromebooks ship with a special type of BIOS built for Chrome OS. But there are many methods to install Windows on lots of Chromebook versions if you want to get your hands dirty.
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Want to Know About This Process
We’ll say it again: this isn’t officially compatible. If you want to do this, then install or download a replacement BIOS for your Chromebook. It enables you to install or boot Windows. The replacement BIOS can only be installed on the Chromebook version that it supports, so you can’t do this on every version of Chromebook.
You want some extra hardware as well. You want a USB keyboard and mouse just to install Windows as your Chromebook’s built-in keyboard and mouse can’t work in the installer. And you want a PC executing Windows to create the USB installation media for your Chromebook.
Also, after you install Windows, you can’t be out of the woods. Windows can’t ship with hardware drivers for different pieces of hardware, such as the touchpads integrated with lots of Chromebooks. If you’re lucky, you found third-party drivers that were hacked together to provide Windows compatibility for these components.
Also, it clear your Chromebook, so remember you don’t have anything important saved on it.
When your Chromebook becomes stuck or freeze during this process, remember that you can force the Chromebook to shut down after hitting pressing the Power button and holding it down for 10 seconds or so.
Essential Resources to Install Windows On Chromebook:
You must try to install try Windows on a Chromebook if you know your version is compatible. You should also follow the steps for your particular version of the Chromebook, as the steps for various versions will be a bit different.
Here are some essential resources:
- On Chromebook Windows Hardware Support List: This website lists or add Chromebook versions you can install Windows on, complete with information about which built-in hardware components will and can’t work afterward.
- Windows for Chromebooks Installation Helper: This website enables you to choose your version of Chromebook and get installation steps for Windows. Just complete it with links to drivers that will turn on hardware on your particular version of the Chromebook.
- Chrultrabook Subreddit: Here is a community that is devoted to installing Windows on Chromebooks. If you wish to find more information about whether a Chromebook or particular hardware component can support Windows. Then here is a good place to search.
If your Chromebook can support Windows, then it’s good. Just follow the guide like the ones on the Coolstar Installation Helper site for your particular version of the hardware.
Install Windows On Chromebook
We’ll also provide help by moving you through the whole process of installing Windows on an Acer C910 Chromebook, codename YUNA. The process will be identical to other versions of the Chromebook. But few things—like the write-protect screw location on the motherboard—will be quite different.
Step 1: Erase the Write Protect Screw
Chromebooks have a special hardware feature that protects you from changing the BIOS. If you want to turn off the write protection feature so you must replace the BIOS on some Chromebooks. You want to open the Chromebook, then locate the write protection screw on the motherboard, and erase it. On some Chromebooks, you might find a write protection switch instead.
First, disable your Chromebook. Keep in mind don’t put it to sleep—perform a complete shutdown. Then flip the Chromebook over and unscrew it to take access to the motherboard. On our Chromebook, it needs unscrewing 18 screws before we could erase the plastic panel. Remember not to lose them!
Then add the write-protect screw. You might find more documentation about the particular location of the screw after searching the web for the version name and number of your Chromebook or “write protect screw”.
There were some other methods, too. The write-protect screw looks visibly quite different from the other screws on the motherboard. This specific screw appears in a dark gray color on our Chromebook. However, the other screws on the motherboard are in silver. You can also view a bright silver at the bottom of the screw, while the other screws on the motherboard are in bronze color under them.
Erase the screw then reattach the bottom onto your Chromebook. Now you can write to and change the Chromebook’s BIOS. Put the screw in case you wish to write-protect your BIOS again later.
Step 2: Turn On Developer Mode
You’ll want to turn on Developer Mode so you can modify the Chromebook’s software. If you want to do this on advanced Chromebooks, hit Esc+Refresh+Power simultaneously while the Chromebook is switched off.
Your Chromebook now boot up and show a message that “Chrome OS is missing or damaged”.
Hit Ctrl+D and then hit Enter to “turn OS verification OFF” and turn on developer mode.
Your Chromebook will clear all your confidential data files. Resetting itself to the default settings once you do this. Simply signs in with your Google account once again. However, all your confidential data should be synced with online services besides saved on the Chromebook itself.
Once you boot into Chrome OS, you’ll then view an “OS verification is OFF” message. You want to hit Ctrl+D to bypass this screen whenever you boot. Don’t fret—once you flash a new BIOS, this message will move away and your Chromebook can boot straight into Windows once you’re done.
Step 3: Flash the New BIOS
From within ChromeOS, now you can flash your Chromebook’s new BIOS. Hit Ctrl+Alt+T to open a terminal window.
Input “shell” into the terminal and hit “Enter” to access a many powerful Linux shell environment.
Download or install and execute the script that will replace your Chromebook’s BIOS after copy-paste the below command into the terminal window and then hit “Enter”.
cd ~; curl -L -O http://mrchromebox.tech/firmware-util.sh; sudo bash firmware-util.sh
This command modifies your home directory, install the http://mrchromebox.tech/firmware-util.sh script file, and runs it with root rights.
The script presents a helpful interface that will move you through the process. Select the “Custom coreboot Firmware (Full ROM)” choice in the list after typing “3” and hitting “Enter”.
Agree to flash your firmware after input “y” and then type “U” to install a UEFI firmware. Don’t choose the “Legacy” option if you like to run Windows.
The script creates a backup copy of your Chromebook’s stock firmware and put it on a USB drive for you. Remember to create this backup copy and saves it somewhere safe. Also, it makes it easier to recover the Chromebook’s real BIOS in the future.
You don’t need to leave the BIOS backup on the USB drive. You’ll then get a .rom file you can copy off the USB drive and saves somewhere safe when the process completes.
When the backup process complete, the script will then install the replacement Coreboot firmware and flash it onto your Chromebook. Switch off the Chromebook when it’s completed.
At this point, you can then again install the write-protect screw, if you like to.
Step 4: Create a Windows Installation Drive
Now you can install or download Windows onto your Chromebook. But you want to make the Windows installation media first. You can’t do it using Microsoft’s official technique–rather than, you want to install an ISO and burn it to a USB drive using a tool known as Rufus. You’ll want to perform this part of the process on a Windows PC.
Download or install a Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft. Tap the “Download tool now”, choose “Create installation media for another PC”, and tell it to install an ISO file for you. Windows 8.1 and 7 might or might not work with your Chromebook and its drivers.
You’ll also want to download and run the Rufus utility, which you’ll then use to create your Windows installer USB drive.
Attach a USB drive into the computer. You’ll then use this USB drive for the Windows installer, and any files on it will be removed. (So remember you copy anything confidential before continuing!)
Then launch Rufus, choose your USB drive, and choose “GPT partition scheme for UEFI” and “NTFS”. Tap the button to the right of “Create a bootable disk using” and choose the Windows 10 ISO image you downloaded.
Double mark that Rufus actually says “GPT partition scheme for UEFI” before you move further. It might automatically modify to the default setting once you choose the ISO file. Once you’ve double-marked all the settings are correct, tap the “Start” button to make a Windows installer USB drive.
Step 5: Install Windows
Now you are ready to install Windows on the Chromebook. Attach the USB drive into your Chromebook and switch on your Chromebook. Automatically it should boot from the USB drive, displaying you the Windows installer. If it can’t automatically boot from the USB drive, hit any key when “Select Boot Option” appears on your screen. You can then choose “Boot Manager” and pick your USB devices.
Plug a USB mouse, a USB keyboard, or both to your Chromebook. You want to use these while installing Windows. You can then get by using just a USB keyboard or USB mouse. But you want at least one of them to collaborate with the Windows installer.
Using a USB keyboard, you can then use the Tab, arrow, and Enter keys to move to the interface. Using a mouse, you can just drag the on-screen keyboard and use it to type.
Move through the Windows installation process normally. Then installing Windows on your Chromebook besides Chrome OS. Feel free to partition the internal drive however you like. We removed all the internal partitions and told Windows to install itself using the assigned space.
Also that you don’t want a product key to install and use Windows 10. You can always add a product key or buy a product key from Microsoft from within Windows 10 later.
What’s more?
Don’t fret about Chrome OS—if you ever like to replace Windows with Chrome OS, you can then create a Chrome OS recovery drive on any PC executing Chrome and use it to back up the real Chrome OS operating system.
The Windows installer will restart partway through. Make sure to erase your USB drive when it does so, or it will again restart to the start of the installer. If you view the start of the installer screen again, erase your USB drive, long-hit the Power button until your Chromebook shuts down. You can then hit the Power button to boot it back up. It should boot Windows from the Chromebook’s internal drive and complete the setup process.
Step 6: Install Third-Party Drivers for Your Hardware
Now you have Windows installed, and your Chromebook should boot into Windows when you enable it. You’re almost done! You just want to install third-party drivers to make as much of your hardware work as possible. However, you want your USB keyboard and mouse for this step.
Well, there are the third-party drivers, they can’t signed and Windows can’t normally enable them to be installed. You want to turn on “test signing” to install them. This is a setting built for driver testing.
To do so, head over to a Command Prompt as Administrator—right-tap the Start button or hit Windows+X and choose “Command Prompt (Administrator)”. Run the following command:
bcdedit -set testsigning on
You can then restart your Chromebook.
Now you can install the third-party drivers the Chromebook installation guide recommends for your version of Chromebook. For instance, on our Acer C910 Chromebook, we just install drivers for the Chromebook’s chipset, Intel HD graphics, keyboard, rapid storage technology, trackpad, and Realtek HD audio.
Windows will display you a warning once you install the drivers. That’s because these are unofficial, third-party drivers that can’t be created when the developers can’t be signed by Microsoft. You can then agree to install the drivers anyway. If you like to use only manufacturer-provided drivers, you can’t do this in the first place!
Afterward, everything looks to work properly on this version of the Chromebook. We can disconnect the mouse or USB keyboard and use the Chromebook normally. The “Search” button on the Chromebook’s keyboard also becomes a Windows key.
And that’s all about it!
Conclusion:
Here’s all about “Install Windows On Chromebook “. Your Chromebook is now a very cheap, (hopefully) fully-functioning Windows PC. If something ever breaks, you’ve to look back with coolstar.org to view if you want to install new drivers or alternatively resolve something that a Windows Update broke. Enjoy!
For further queries and questions let us know in the comment section below!
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