Chromebook running openSUSE

English Install/Boot/Login
1

I installed openSUSE 13.2 on my Acer C720 Chromebook about two years ago. It was a complicated procedure but it ran very well. Then someone trashed it by starting Chrome. One of our members suggested installing GalliumOS and I did but there were serious systemic errors. So I installed Lubuntu 16.04. It works, but I don’t like it. So I am considering going back to 13.2 but I am concerned about running an unsupported version with no updates. Could someone give me an idea of how dangerous that might be for malware? I use Thunderbird, Opera without Java, Firefox with Java but cleared at exit, and Wine running RS-DOS emulator running Microware OS-9, and pretty much nothing else.

Thanks in advance.

2

What is your machine’s CPU?
According to a Google search, it’s a Celeron with 64-bit support
http://ark.intel.com/products/75608/Intel-Celeron-Processor-2955U-2M-Cache-1_40-GHz

So,
You should be able to install the regular x64 LEAP or TW versions of openSUSE without any issues.
As for running any old, unsupported version of openSUSE… There are many unpatched vulnerabilities you’d be subject to, for instance the “Dirty Cow” kernel exploit of last year (2016).

TSU

3

Yes it’s a Celeron 64bit. The reason I asked was because of this report…

https://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php/519246-Install-LEAP-42-1-on-Chromebook

4

Yes, it was a remarkably easy installation. Now I have to reassign some keys as the Chromebook keyboard is missing several usable functions. Like DELETE and SHIFT-LOCK. Thank you for the great advice.

5

If I may suggest, take the time and install 42.2 or Tumbleweed on the machine and see how it goes. I have a Chromebook with a Chroot Linux environment and it works well but I am real tempted to wipe and put openSUSE on it. If you do this, I would be real interested in your experiences.

Cheers!
-Nathan

6

As a side note GeckoLinux has live version and is fully based on openSUSE so you can try it before you actually install

https://geckolinux.github.io/

7

That’s a good call. I should give it a go. I’ll report back my findings whenever I can get the time to do it.

Cheers!
-Nathan

8

People in general should know that only the highest end Chromebooks are x64.
Most Chromebook models have an ARM processor, so their experience may be different.

TSU

9

I can recommend the Acer C720-2848 which is Celeron x64 2955U powered and sells for under $200 in the U.S. I am planning on buying a second one. It’s VERY fast. One shortcoming is the 16GB SSD. But plugging a bigger SSD in the slot solves that. The biggest problem I have had is people opening it and not following the large warning label I pasted on the keyboard. Instead of pressing CTL + L to start Linux they follow the ChromeOS instruction, press SPACE and all is lost. I am looking for a locking belt to protect it.