Hey every Googler out there!, you all might have been hearing a lot about Google Chrome OS since the last month after it’s announcement on the official Google Blog Post.
What exactly is Google Chrome OS?
According to the official Google Blog,
Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system mainly developed for netbooks.
Here’s a quick demo of Google Chrome OS
Even though it’s mainly developed for Netbooks, many folks out there wanna try it out on their PC Isn’t it?
I was recently Googling of ways to install it, I came across with many tutorials which teach you to install it using Sun Micro systems Virtual Box(an alternate to Microsoft’s Virtual PC) which is both open source and free to download.
Even though there are many articles on the World Wide Web, none of the article has descriptions about the errors occurred during installation and how to rectify them!!
I tried installing it using Microsoft virtual PC but wasn’t much successful, hence thought a way to help you out with Virtual Box.
Here we go with the quick 10 minute install, all we need is a system running a minimum of 256mb of RAM and a 1 GHz processor.
1. Download Virtual Box for Windows hosts (72 MB) from www.virtualbox.org, or here’s the direct link Virtualbox.org/…Win.exe.
Download Chrome OS from Gdgt.com (In order to download Chrome OS image (313 MB), you need to register an account there and verify your email address), you’ll need a Zip-File extractor like Winrar. If you don’t have it, download one from here. Extract the Zip file on your PC and follow the next steps.
2. Install it on your PC, if you come across Software error installation error as shown in the image just click on Continue Anyway and finish it.
3. Open Virtual Box and Click on New.
4. After the above step a new wizard window will appear, In the Wizard Window click Next. In the next window Give a name for your Virtual Machine and choose Operating System as Linux and Version as Ubuntu (because Chrome OS is a Linux build!).
In this tutorial I have given the name as Chrome Os.
5. In the next Window Adjust the RAM for the virtual Machine, it’s better to adjust for the maximum available RAM (It’s a personal experience Chrome OS works faster with higher RAM).
6. Here’s the best part of the installation, in this step you don’t need to create a virtual Hard disk for your installation, but the Chrome OS which you downloaded in Step 1 is already a virtual Hard Disk with pre-installed Chrome OS on it!
7. Now in the next window you need to load the virtual hard disk, click Add and in the next winndow browse to the folder where you extracted the Chrome OS Zip file.
8. Select the Virtual Hard Disk which you added in the previous step as shown in the image. Complete the process by clicking next and then finish.
9. Now we have created a virtual machine for Chrome OS, next step is to run the Chrome OS. But, before starting Chrome OS, make sure you are connected to the internet because your network adapters aren’t detected by the Virtual Box if you are disconnected from the internet and later on connecting the virtual box manually to internet is real tough and time consuming!
After you are connected to the internet. Run the chrome os by clicking on Start.
10. Hurray! We’re done. Chrome OS is installed on your Virtual Box and is up & running, you need a Gmail account to login into Chrome OS, if you don’t have a Gmail account create one here for free.
Here are few screenshots of the Chrome OS. As it is said it’s really a light-weight and a very fast operating system. It takes only 7 seconds to boot up! (It’s like switching your TV ON for your favourite channel)
Google Books
Flash Chess
If you meet any errors during the install or have any queries please feel free to ask in form of comments.
This Guest post is written by Abhishek, who blogs on his personal blog at RNSITIAN. If you like to write for Shoutmeloud, Don’t forget to check Shoutmeloud revenue sharing program.
Article by Abhishek Jain
Abhishek has written 2 articles.
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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
That’s really a great tutorial…. Thanks harsh
No doubt this tutorial is nice. But don’t credit me, it’s written by Shoutmeloud Guest author Abhishek
. Credit him and Kudos to him for such a detailed tutorial.
Thanks a lot harsh! The response is really overwhelming! 20 retweets already!
Your post is nice and it deserves it
recently i have written abt this.. I used VM Player to install the os.. and check out for more download links at .. http://www.techcats.net/how-to-install-google-chrome-os.html
Wow .. Nice tuto
thank you so much Abhi 
Bookmarked 
Gonna try this weekend !!
great tutorial Abhishek
hi Harsh, you just did a great job. I have installed the Chomes OS on my XP successfully, but I failed to enter it, I think it was the internet connection problems, but I have no idea how to settle it. It will be appreciated if you can advise.
Hey young!
you have failed to enter it because your Virtual Box didn’t detect any network adapters, I wrote in the tutorial that you need to be connected to the internet before installing Chrome OS because….
If you are connected then the virtual Box detects your network adapters automatically and connects you to the internet via virtual Box… otherwise connecting virtual box manually is real tough and it consumes loads of time..!
I would recommend you to re-install Chrome OS again… remember that you should be connected to the internet while installing!
In the mean time I’ll find a way to connect your virtual Box manually!
I found a more easier way to do this…!
Make sure you are connected to the internet and follow the below steps…
Turn off your Chrome OS, close your virtual box, and then start your virtual box again… and start your chrome OS now…. and try logging in now
I think this might work out, if it doesn’t then follow the steps mentioned in the above comment
How to connect Internet on virtual box if u know the answer send it to my mail chaitanyasena@gmail.com
read the comments properly and you will be able to connect virtual box to the internet automatically,
just make sure you are connected to the internet and restart your virtual box…! your network adapters will be automatically discovered and you will be connected via the virtual box.
Great tutorial.
Thanks. I have made a post about google chrome os but didn’t elaborate on how to install it using virtual box
Wow! This is one of the most descriptive tutorials from you Harsh. Every step has a screenshot. A very good effort indeed
Interesting write up. Good if you can post about how Chrome OS performs. Will await that.
Nice Tut. Will be installing it tonight. Damn my 32KBps download speed .
Any idea about installing it on Vista ?
I installed chrome OS on Windows Vista following tutorial and it is working here now
My processor had some issues when I was trying Xp mode in win7 using virtual PC. Will try again with virtual box and chrome soon.
procy: 2.66ghz core2duo E8200.
i installed all this but i failed to connect to network. its not a kond of operating system google needs to improve them.