We named ours “ChromeOS” and set the VM type to Linux and Other Linux.įor the hard drive, we’re going to use an existing drive.

Now we’re going to create the virtual machine. Once downloaded, extract it somewhere on your hard drive. Make sure to download the Virtualbox file. Thankfully, we have ChromiumOS, the open-source little brother which you can download free here. They locked it within the company’s proprietary walls. The first issue with trying to install a virtual copy of ChromeOS is that Google does not actually provide official software for our use.

Sufficient RAM and storage to run a virtual machine Step One: Materials.

Just download the correct version for your OS and you’ll be good to go) Stuff You’ll Need ( Note: We have followed the process on a Mac, but it’s identical on Windows. We took the leap and installed the OS below. You can run ChromeOS within a virtual window this way, giving you a way to try the Google way of doing things without having to shell out for an entire Chromebook. The most obvious solution was Oracle’s Virtualbox, a free and open-source virtualization program for Windows, OS X, and Linux. The whole setup is nothing but a browser, a portal for you to get online and use Google’s services.

It’s fast, lightweight, and quite literally runs nothing but Chrome. For people who still want a PC-like experience, the company offers a set of laptops running a highly customized version of Linux. This is Google’s answer to the desktop question. If it got its way, you would never have to use anything other than Google products.Įnter ChromeOS. With each new service, Mountain View is moving closer to its obvious goal – creating a complete, end-to-end ecosystem for its users.

We’ve seen some seriously amazing web apps like Google Docs, Google Drive, and Google Play Music.

Over the last few years, Google has made some cool products for the internet.

Chromebook emulator mac