Chromium OS Special Builds are an enhancement to the default vanilla builds of Chromium OS to allow support for as many devices as possible.
All downloads are located at http://chromium.arnoldthebat.co.uk/index.php?dir=special and will be updated as new functionality is brought into the build as well as regular maintenance releases to keep the UI up to date.
amd64 (64 bit) builds are currently supported. They are based on the amd64-generic overlays but have the following additional support:
- Google Drive support
- Enterprise Enrolment
- Spelling API support
- Broadcom STA wireless drivers
- Full Linux firmware deployment
- 4.4 kernel
- Better Webcam support
- Enhanced Radeon/Intel Graphics Support
- Additional Wireless device support. See the posts per release for details.
The builds also allow Over The Air (OTA) updates from dev servers. From the browser, just go to Settings > About > Check for and apply updates and magic will happen. Updates will be automatic for builds after R46-7323 and will allow for development tools update with a single shell command:
sudo stateful_updateInstall is exactly the same as http://arnoldthebat.co.uk/wordpress/chromium-os/
Have fun testing and using it. Feel free to feedback with whatever isn’t working as expected and I’ll try to build in to the next release!
Known Issues/Bugs: https://github.com/arnoldthebat/chromiumos/issues
In addition to the Special Builds, there are now enhanced Vanilla builds. These allow Google Drive integration and certain enhanced media codecs. This should allow the users with working daily builds more functionality and usability.
These Vanilla builds will also update automatically as and when I get the Update Server ready.
Please do not log issues with the Vanilla build since they are a courtesy build and will only work on devices with Freon supported graphics and CMT supported touch pads. WiFi and Ethernet will also have reduced support.
Have you considered incorporating Anbox into the Special builds as a work around for Android apps?
https://github.com/anbox/anbox
https://packages.debian.org/stretch-backports/anbox
It requires certain kernel modules
https://github.com/anbox/anbox-modules
The Google play store can be installed on it as well.
https://github.com/Arucard1983/anbox-playstore-installer/tree/debian
Would be great if you could include it.
Funnily enough , we were discussing that very thing the other day. Once I have got R76 out of the way. Its on the list of things to try….
Hi. Nice work, just wonder does the new builds have support for swtpm aka (CONFIG_TCG_VTPM_PROXY=y)?
Yup, this is switched on in the kernel
Cool, good luck. I installed it ok via Crostini on build 74 but I don’t think all the kernel modules were present as I had no joy launching it.
Hello,
I’m curious if you ever got the chance to try integrating Anbox into your builds?
Thx.
Not yet – on the list to try!
Hi, How can I contribute to the development? I’d love to learn and work with chromium source code.
Just a student
You can contribute to the fix list if you like: https://github.com/arnoldthebat/chromiumos/issues
I am having issues connecting to my google domain to use as a Chrome Box for Meetings (CBFM). When logging in I get an error:
“Oops! The system failed to establish the device installation-time attributes lock.”
is CBFM support included within “Enterprise enrollment support?”
Hi
Did the initial enrollment work and what model of laptop is it?
Hi Arnold,
Really good job here!
Probably I’m newbie but I’d like to know why special compilations doesn’t seem to be bootable from USB but Vainilla ones work like charm. I have flicketing issues with a radeon x2300 when I load chromium in vainilla on my old laptop si I’d like to try those special ones with radeon support. No luck with special distribution as they are not recognized by bios when booting.
Thanks for any help it could give further steps!
Hi
There isnt that much difference in the Special vs Vanilla builds these days apart from additional graphic and touchpad support (scrolling) in the specials. Ive noticed in the latest vanilla builds scrolling also seems to work so give that a go and see how you get on!
Hi Arnold,
I am not able to go beyond initial welcome screen, as I am not able to get wifi working. I am trying to install R74 Special build on Asus Transformer Mini T102HA which has Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 wireless chipset.
Can you help me in getting Wifi working on the special build, so that I can complete the installation?
Thanks.
Jinesh
Is it support on my AMD E1-1200 CPU laptop?
Laptop Model: Toshiba Satellite C50D-A164
RAM: 2GB
If support please tell me which version i can download.
Try and find the best one for your needs.
Hi Arnold,
I just discovered your work after looking at repurposing an old laptop since it’s been showing it’s age with Windows 10….
The Special edition runs fine with the Packard Bell easynote (AMD E1, some sort of Radeon) but I can’t seem to get WiFi working. The ethernet works fine and I’ve been able to use it for browsing, but just wondering if there you could advise on the WiFi issue please?
The track pad seems overly sensitive as well but livable.
Great work 🙂
Forgot to add, Bluetooth isn’t available either.
Hi Arnold! Thank you very much for the awesome work! My Intel HD 630 does not work properly on Vanilla or Special builds (locked resolution at 968/700). But it works perfectly on Cloudready, would be possible to extract the driver and install it? Could you please guide me? Thank you very much!
I can’t to seem to get google drive working. when I click on goole drive in files it tries to load and then disappears.
Thats gone closed source within the files app. Nothing I can do to fix it unless google decide to open source the code again…
Arnold, Can these builds be installed on the internal disk of a chromebook (expired), replacing the chromeos? ASUS C300. If yes, a link to howto? Thank you!
I’ve installed Camd64OS_R80-12739.B-Special in a nonchrome PC; everything works fine, but it is not allowing login with a “supervised account” from FAMILY LINK.
After login and pwd, it asks parent password OK, then shows Family Links’ available and unavailable tools & features, then ask to “Disable Guest Mode”, and I click on “Got It”, and “Something Went Wrong” message!
I then logged in as the parent but CANNOT disable guest browsing!!!
Please, advise.
Thanks
Hi Arnold, I really like your work and I would like to know more about how you deploy this images.
I’m trying to add a driver for my chinese tablet (Chuwi Hi12) because battery status indicator is missing in every build I tested (even special and vanilla): basically I get this driver from a Cloudready image (which works) and I would like to put in this path (using 7zip ArnoldTheBat_chromiumos.img\ROOT-A.img\lib\modules\4.14.157\kernel\drivers\…).
Problems comes when I try to save the image… no software I used (7zip, gBurner, ImgBurn, MagicIso, PowerIso) is able to save the image (neither editing just “Root-A.img” extracted from your build).
Some software says that the filepath is too long
So the point is: how do you actually edit/write those images in a single . img file?
I just need to add a single file to your build to make it perfect.
Thank you very much for your work.
Hi, i have a Voyo Vbook i3 2in1 convertible tablet, i tried this special version because on vanilla touchscreen doesn’t work.
But i have varius issue: Sound doesnt’ work (on cloudready and fydeos works but sound on headphones not), and also camera front and rear doesn’t work.
Another problem is that wifi, after return from sleep, stops working and only after reboot i can connect (this is a problem on each distro linux).
It’s possible to fix? This chromium os is the best OS for a convertible tablet, because windows is very heavy
Hi thank you for the build! I used special build 76 on Dell Latitude e6430. It’s being working great! But since build 78, wifi is no longer working.
How can I get Broadcom STA drivers back?
They are deprecated sadly. Nothing I can really do about that since the majority of Broadcom support is not in this very bespoke driver
Hi Arnold, I understand that google does not allow chromium OS build to support Family Link Managed accounts, is there any workaround for it?
I just got a new Dell Latitude 3470, and tried out the latest build of Android.x86, it worked flawlessly (with only a couple of really minor graphical bugs), so I thought I would give Chromium OS another try 🙂
Hi. Can i install any parental control on it? Or will family link work on this OS (it doesn’t work on cloudreadt)
Hello!
It Works very well! I tested it on a very old notebook with an AMD processor. Only the camera didn’t work, but I don’t need it. Can you implement APK support in the future? Would be great. Is it possible to dual boot? And how to activate developer mode?
Hi Arnold,
You mention the R85 Special (14/9/20) in the changelog, but the 7z file is not on the server;
Will this file be uploaded to the server?
Hi thank you so much for all your hard work on this and I Was wanting too know if it can be installed on the Chromebook model “Daisy XE303C12a01us thank you in advance
Would these builds work on an a rocketchip arm Asus C201p? Hasn’t had updates since summer because it is end-of-life, but it still very zippy, so I don’t think it is fair.
Try them and see!