Month: February 2022

BIRMINGHAM, AL—According to sources, local dad Dave Manheart recently completed a project that will help enable his family to save money on groceries. After much research and 10 weekends of hard labor, Dave has succeeded in constructing a backyard chicken coop. With a small investment of just $3000 on lumber and supplies, he now can get 16¢ eggs for free.  

“With the supply chain issues and inflation, it’s important to be independent,” said Manheart. “Plus, this new chicken coop will look really great on my wife’s Instagram feed, which is what this whole thing is really about.”

Local witnesses described Manheart’s pride in the newly constructed chicken coop as “really cute.” His wife assured reporters that they will enjoy eating ten eggs a day since they are free.  

After leveling a spot in the backyard with a backhoe Dave rented for just $500, putting together the coop was fairly easy and only resulted in two trips to the emergency room with accidental injuries. “Dave says his back will be fine now that he’s no longer lifting lumber, and the doctors had no problem re-attaching his finger,” said his appreciative wife Deb.    

“Daddy bought the cutest little baby chicks!” said his little girl.  “But then our dog Buster ate them so we had to get new chicks.” The dog now has an $800 invisible fence to keep him away from the chicken coop.  

“That was totally worth it,” said Dave as he proudly surveyed his handiwork.

At the time of publication, the homeowners association had issued a fine of $500 for the unapproved chicken coop.

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October 14, 2025, marks the end of support and security updates for the Home and Pro versions of Windows 10. That means it’s also the end of official guaranteed feature and security updates for Windows PCs that don’t meet Windows 11’s hardware requirements.

Viewed from early 2022, that date is still comfortably far off. Lots of Windows 10 PCs will break over the next 3.5 years, and plenty of people who actually want to upgrade to nicer or faster hardware will have opportunities to do so. But as someone who enjoys repairing, maintaining, and upgrading older hardware to keep it useful, we’ll be peering over the edge of that Windows 10 update cliff before we know it.

The question is: what happens to that hardware when Windows 10 goes away? Running Windows 11 on unsupported hardware is one possible solution, but we have no idea for how long Microsoft will actually allow installing, running, and updating Windows 11 on older PCs; the company could cut off these computers’ security updates tomorrow, or it could allow them to run the new OS indefinitely, and that uncertainty is hard to plan around.

A Linux distribution is another option, particularly the more user-friendly distributions like Ubuntu, Mint, or Elementary OS. But “user-friendly” is relative, and any Linux distribution can have parts that are obtuse and difficult for newcomers to learn. And, let’s face it, if a Linux distribution was going to truly compete with and succeed against Windows on consumer desktops and laptops, it probably would have by now.

Enter ChromeOS Flex, a Google-blessed and Google-supported version of its lightweight Linux operating system that will run on most standard PC hardware. It’s a successor to CloudReady, a ChromiumOS-based product that Google purchased in late 2020 and that we’ve covered since its very early days as a way to make aging PCs into ersatz Chromebooks.

ChromeOS (also Linux-based, but mostly trying to hide it) has managed to find a toehold in the Windows-and-macOS-dominated world of consumer PCs thanks in part to its simplicity, the backing of a large and well-resourced company, and easy-to-use management tools for schools and businesses. And with Flex, Google is offering those organizations the opportunity to switch their Windows laptop fleets to ChromeOS fleets virtually overnight, while also offering users of aging PCs an alternative OS to try.

We’ve downloaded and installed the first developer version of ChromeOS Flex and read through all of its documentation to figure out the kind of hardware it will run on and how it’s different from the CloudReady operating system it’s replacing.

Beware: Beta

You’ll find ChromeOS Flex listed among all the “real” Chrome hardware in the official Chromebook Recovery Utility. Select ChromeOS Flex as your device manufacturer and the dev channel build of Flex will show up. There’s no need to download different images for different devices or CPU types. The installation documentation is pretty clear and has lots of details if you need them.

The dev channel build of Flex, based on ChromeOS version 100, is clearly a pretty early version of the operating system. It’s still labeled as “CloudReady” in more than one place, and Google’s list of certified models is filled with reminders to expect minor or major issues. As with CloudReady, it’s possible to run ChromeOS Flex entirely from the USB install drive if you want to try the OS without formatting your internal storage, and that’s what we’d recommend for now.

System requirements and “supported hardware”

At a very bare minimum, ChromeOS Flex doesn’t need much to install and boot, especially compared to Windows 11:

• A 64-bit x86 processor (ARM isn’t supported, nor are 32-bit CPUs)
• 4GB of RAM
• 16GB of internal storage
• USB booting support and full administrator access to the BIOS

Google does note that “components made before 2010 might result in a poor experience.” And if you’re trying to install the OS on an old Intel Atom PC, you might also be out of luck—Intel’s GMA 500, 600, 3600, and 3650 integrated GPUs “do not meet Chrome OS Flex performance standards.” Broadly, though, if a PC runs the 64-bit version of Windows 10 reasonably well, then it should at least boot and run.

To get the best, most Chromebook-like experience—and to be eligible for Google-provided software and hardware support—Google will maintain a list of certified hardware models that it will individually test, troubleshoot, and optimize for. Google’s list of certified models looks pretty similar to Neverware’s list of certified models for CloudReady, which means that it’s heavily weighted in favor of business laptops and desktops. But it includes hardware going all the way back to first-generation Intel Core PCs (and even a handful of Core 2 Duo models), which casts a pretty wide net. Unlike Neverware, Google hasn’t published end-of-support dates for any of these models. But assuming it continues to use Neverware’s timeline, most certified models can expect software support for 13 or 14 years after they were originally introduced.

Google doesn’t require either Secure Boot support or a TPM to install or run ChromeOS Flex, but it recommends that you enable both on PCs that support them. Without the Google-sanctioned security hardware, ChromeOS Flex PCs don’t support ChromeOS’s Verified Boot feature, but enabling Secure Boot “maintain[s] the same boot security as Windows devices.” And having an enabled and working TPM 1.2 or 2.0 module allows for more secure device encryption and support for hardware-backed certificates, among other things. If you’re switching to ChromeOS Flex from Windows, you may need to clear your TPM and then re-enable it so that ChromeOS can use it.

For testing, I used many of the same aging PCs that I used when testing Windows 11 on unsupported hardware. I had the best experience on the newest of those PCs, a 2016-era Dell Latitude 3379 two-in-one with a Core i3-6100U and 8GB of RAM. But Flex also installed and ran OK on an older Windows 7-era HP Pavilion dv5 with a Core i3-540 and 4GB of RAM, albeit with some graphical artifacts and no audio coming out of the speakers (admittedly, this laptop is nowhere on the certified hardware list, though a few other systems of the same vintage are listed).

Hardware limitations

Even assuming that you’re running it on certified hardware, Google has a list of PC features that Flex won’t support and hardware functionality that it isn’t guaranteeing. This includes biometric login devices like fingerprint scanners and IR cameras, SD card readers, display outputs, optical drives, FireWire and Thunderbolt ports (though Thunderbolt 3 and 4 ports should work fine in USB-C mode), and stylus and pen input. External Wi-Fi dongles “often work,” but Google isn’t testing them specifically.

Google also says that boot speed, power-saving features, and battery life might be affected when you install ChromeOS Flex, even on fully certified models. This is par for the course for Linux running on most PCs or Macs, which generally works fine but can reduce battery life because the software hasn’t been optimized for the particular hardware you’re running it on.

Before you take your sluggish old computer down to the e-waste disposal site, try bringing it back to usefulness by installing a Chrome operating system. Google has opened the downloading gates to Chrome OS Flex, a new iteration of its versatile OS, and it might be the perfect solution if your older Mac or PC is having trouble swallowing updates to its native operating system.

Flex is designed to modernize older computers by installing a leaner, cloud-focused OS. While it doesn’t have all of Chrome’s features, Google promises it will basically make your Mac or PC look and feel like a Chromebook running Chrome OS.

Google says Chrome OS Flex will provide a “fast, modern work experience from anywhere” that will make your gear boot faster, access VDI (virtual desktop interface) and web apps quickly, and prevent it from slowing down over time. Plus, it’s free.

While overhauling your computer with Chrome OS isn’t a new hack—CloudReady came out in 2015—Flex OS provides more flexibility that warlier options by offering dual-booting, allowing users to easily switch between operating systems with a simple restart.

Before you install Chrome OS Flex, know that it is in early access mode, so there could be bugs/instability. Also, it won’t do everything Chrome OS does—some features are dependent on the hardware you’re using to run the OS, and Google Play and Android apps aren’t supported at all. (Here’s Google’s list of the differences between Chrome and Chrome OS Flex if you need more details.)

How to install Google OS Flex on your laptop or desktop

• Get a USB drive—8GB or larger.
• Register yourself.
• Read (and follow) the instructions for creating a Chrome OS Flex USB boot stick.
• Reboot your computer with Chrome OS Flex USB inserted.
• Enjoy your Chrome-based computer.

I tried this out, and installation was as easy as promised. I offer you the above photographic proof that my 12 year-old iMac is now an iChromeFlexMac (or something.)

  

Google today announced a new operating system, Chrome OS Flex, free-to-use, cloud-based OS built to convert old PCs or Macs into Chromebooks.

The new OS was developed by Google a few years after acquiring Neverware—the makers of Cloudready—and was primarily made for schools and businesses with fleets of old PCs or Macs that have been bogged down after years of use. Google argues these systems could be revitalized by stripping out Windows or macOS and installing Chrome OS Flex, a lightweight operating system that can run on weaker hardware and remain stable for years due to its reliance on the cloud. Most importantly, Chrome OS Flex will get the same attention from Google as Chrome OS—that is, it relies on an identical code base and will receive the same release cadence.

Thomas Riedl, director of product for enterprise and education on Chrome OS, told us that Google invested heavily in ensuring that UIs are consistent across both operating systems and brought primary Chrome OS features, including the Google Assistant, Chrome browser, and cross-device Android tools, to Flex.

“With such similar end-user and IT experiences, it’s also easy to transition from Chrome OS Flex to Chrome OS devices when you’re ready to purchase new hardware: With Chromebooks, Chromeboxes, and Chromebases, you’ll experience end-to-end optimization across hardware and software with the strongest security and largest app ecosystem through the Google Play Store,” Riedl wrote in a blog post.

Chrome OS Flex could be a saving grace for businesses attempting to operate with a mixed fleet of older Mac or PCs and newer Chromebooks. Those aging systems could not only be given new life running Chrome OS Flex but with Chrome Enterprise Upgrade, they can be managed within the same Google Admin console as newer Chrome OS devices. It would also be much easier to move everything over from Flex to a new Chromebook when it’s time for a hardware upgrade.

“Oftentimes, Windows forces them [consumers] to use systems for shorter than they should. We have Chrome ready for you and you don’t have to buy new hardware,” Riedl said. He went on to say that the first 100 Chrome OS releases were on Google’s own devices, but the next will be on “whatever hardware you throw at it.”

Google also makes a sustainability argument in that moving to Chrome OS Flex could rejuvenate laptops that are on life support before they’re shipped off to a landfill. Businesses might also switch to Chrome OS Flex for specialized hardware like kiosks and digital signage, and in one extreme use case, a Scandinavian hotel chain switched to Chrome OS (using CloudReady) to flee from a ransomware attack.

Google says Chrome OS Flex can run efficiently on devices that are up to 13 years old—a bold claim we are eager to try out once we can get our hands on an Apple PowerBook G4.

“You can go back 10 or more years and people are still getting a really good experience. I do think you’ll get some advantages with speed or performance but one of the more profound things is that Windows won’t stay as performant on year five as on year one. Chrome OS Flex won’t age as poorly and won’t accrue that baggage over time,” Forrest Smith, a product manager for Chrome OS, told Gizmodo.

There are some notable limitations with Flex, most of which stem from using hardware made for another OS. For example, Chrome OS Flex devices running on PC or Mac hardware won’t have the same key shortcuts as Chromebooks. Moreover, certain device drivers aren’t compatible with Flex; as a result, the webcam on some MacBook models won’t function properly.

Riedl also concedes that while Flex is supposedly more secure than a PC, it isn’t quite as safe as a Chromebook given the software/hardware disconnect. Google says it will be transparent with customers in describing the risks of switching to Flex and plans to publish a list of certified device models with notes outlining which features do and don’t work.

While testing Chrome OS Flex is as easy as booting it from a USB drive—a process that should take about 30 minutes—replacing an OS with another across an entire fleet is non-trivial. Smith says that while IT admins are comfortable with the installation process, it isn’t something anyone can pull off. The long-term goal, however, is to simplify the process and broaden the adoption of Chrome OS Flex to individual users.

“At Google, we were very tempted to just go big and to put it out to everybody, but over the years, we’ve learned that having a focus is good. Our most loyal fans are those who tinker with it and try it out so what you’ll see is that you have an installer and can try it out yourself,” Riedl said.

These are still early days for Chrome OS Flex, and Google admits it hasn’t done any large-scale testing just yet. With this early access period, the company is giving users a chance to play around with the OS and provide feedback before it pushes it out to market. Those who want to give Chrome OS Flex a try can do so by loading it from a USB; this method gives you a “risk-free” way to try Chrome OS Flex before doing a full OS swap.

Google says a stable version of Chrome OS Flex will be made available “in the coming months” and to expect bugs in its current state. Those who were using CloudReady will be upgraded to Chrome OS Flex free of charge.