MX Linux Forum

on closer look that unit I posted has issues it goes without saying no matter what you buy read all condition statements closely.

Oh yes, no problem. This is why the source should have a warranty of some sort.
Bu thanks for the link anyway.

Yeri wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 9:09 am Hey thanks for both for the update.
I am going to take a second look at a cheap Chromebook.

Cheap Chromebook? Living in USA?

If so, check out Walmart Black Friday deal, Samsung 3 Chromebook for 99$ (same deal was last year and I got one)

Good: 4GB memory
Bad: 16 (ONLY!) GB sodered in storage, but you can add 128GB micro storage card for data
MX18 & MX19 works on it. With decent performance. Using it for travel.

Bad: you will have to do some work, it is not enough to remove back cover. Samsung hides write protection screw on the 'other side' of mother board. Which means, you will need to remove battery and then disconnect everything from motherboard to be able to take it out & flip over to remove it. Then assembly all back. With my bad eyesight and shaky hands I though I'm in trouble, but somehow did it anyway.

Then as described before, you need to:

- turn it on in developer mode and download and install custom bios. I could not get antiX to boot year ago and only few Linuxes and kernels worked. One of them was MX18 with 4.14 kernel. But since then, customized bios got updates and now, MX 18 and 19 works better. (with most Linuxes and most MX other kernels, keyboard didn't work) Only thing that is still not working is build in microphone. (didn't try with external)

Bottom line, I'm happy I got portable, light, with long lasting battery, a MX laptop for only 99$. After one year use I'm still happy I got it. But it will not pass for a daily driver

Hey thanks for the info,
I can order from the US and have it shipped, not a problem, but that sounds like a hell of a lot of work (at least for me as I prefer not to be opening up cases).
The key is to find one that can be modified for a decent price. How do you know whether it requires physical modification or not? That seems to be dependent on the model.
I did look at the GalliumOS website to see what models can be modified but doesn't seem to say any physical modifications are required.

Glad it works for your need though, hope for 5 more years of usage.

Yeri wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 1:16 pm 1 - I can order from the US and have it shipped, not a problem
2 - as I prefer not to be opening up cases
3 - How do you know whether it requires physical modification or not? That seems to be dependent on the model.
4 - I did look at the GalliumOS website to see what models can be modified but doesn't seem to say any physical modifications are required.

1 - I don't think you can, it is one day Black Friday Deal, you have to be in the store, that's why I asked
2 - I understand ;-)
3 - well for that model I wrote about, for 99$ on BF in Walmart (Samsung Chromebook 3) you need to, I did plenty of reading, trying to avoid opening it up. That is, if you want native only Linux install. If you don't mind that in the background Google is still running (yuck in my case!!!! lol) then you can always go with 'crouton' installation. I think most Chromium allows this, it is Linux install side by side with all other google stuff (ChromeOS). If you are going this route, make sure you are not getting machine with the least hdd space, since there will be ChromeOS and Linux on it. But you will not need to open the machine and you will not need to install customized BIOS. And (probably) google will still track you... not sure about that but I didn't want to take a chances

So bottom line, choose between 'Chrouton' (or crouton?) without the need to do physical modifications, or clean Linux install that usually require customized BIOS. and for overwriting BIOS you usually need to remove write protection screw on Chromebooks laptops. Typically, I didn't stay informed last 12 months after I got mine and converted it to MX. Newer models may be different. Good luck

Buck Fankers wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 2:12 pm If you are going this route, make sure you are not getting machine with the least hdd space, since there will be ChromeOS and Linux on it. But you will not need to open the machine and you will not need to install customized BIOS. And (probably) google will still track you... not sure about that but I didn't want to take a chances

Ah thanks, that is a concise summary. As you mentioned reading and finding the information online is key BEFORE purchasing.
I did read a few posts here and online about making sure the hard drive has enough space. The trick is keeping the costs down, but I will look.
I am not too concerned about tracking as it is mostly for investments and such, but good to have one upstairs and one downstairs as it is a pain working with a short-battery life laptop.

Thanks again.
p.s. ( I see what what ya did with the profile name there.).

Install instructions I used and posted in are over here

search.php?keywords=chromebook

viewtopic.php?f=104&t=42545&hilit=chromebook

RIght, ok thanks a lot. The second link is very helpful.