Google is reportedly working on a dual-boot feature for Chromebooks. The developing team at Google is apparently working on many code-commits, and the feature will possibly be soon announced officially by Google. Originally named as Alt-OS under the Project Campfire, the feature is now dubbed as dual-booting which is certainly more descriptive. While many code-commits still use Alt-OS, the front facing perspective is termed as “Dual Boot”.
The project is still under developments, and for now, the only device being tested is Eve, the Pixelbook. This is the only device with a Campfire build of Chrome OS. Google will supposedly bring dual-booting to a single model of Chromebook and then will roll out for other gradually which makes sense.
Chromebook will dual-boot with Windows 10
There will obviously be some hardware changes required to switch from Chrome OS to Microsoft Windows OS. Google is planning to mark off 40GB of storage for Windows, but again, there is no official announcement yet released. Eve has the required hardware drivers for Windows.
So, for now, Google is using only Eve to test the feature and booting both the Operating Systems back on forth. The major concern while switching the OS is security and Google surely is working on it. The project seems to be ready almost and might soon be announced officially.
Google might probably make the announcement at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show, though Microsoft is not seen at CES for the last few years. Usually, Microsoft’s device partners put up at the CES show floor.
We know that Chromebooks are not the fully featured devices like Windows and this new dual-booting feature will certainly be loved. We just wish the Chromebooks hardware to be compatible with Windows OS and deliver the great Windows experience. We have no idea when the feature will be rolled out, so just keep a check on our updates.
You can read more at the source.
Dumbest idea ever. There’s no reason anyone needs to run an alternative OS natively outside of a VM on a Chromebook. Only an idiot would want this.
No thanks! my 4Gb RAM Chromebook is light on it’s feet with a stable OS, no update issues, no heavy resources and not prone to malware. If I want Windows like appendages I’ll use Linux based apps to do offline work.
I can’t wait! Now I can use putty for work 😉
With the Chrome OS 70 update, 8 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, and a i7 chip Chromebase on a 112 MPS net speed; DO NOT make a dual-boot part of a future update, I am set for the future not the ugly Windows 10 past I left years ago.
A viable dual boot Chromebook would only be useful if the Windows 10 OS side of the computer had access to at least 110 GB of storage. Because most windows apps require offline memory to function and store data, it’s not realistic to have any type of computer have less than 240 GB of storage in a hard drive in any form. Besides the storage requirements, Windows based systems often work better with more ram memory, more CPU cores, and better video cards.
I guess.. Dual boot chrome tablet will be available. Window OS will be Win 10S or lite.
??
Have had chromebooks for years and rarely need to boot up the W10 laptop …Don’t miss it’s slowness and constant updates and messages … Chrome is the future , Windows is so 1990’s..
Explanation: PuTTY is a free Windows program that allows it to log into Linux remotely, e.g., to maintain a web server or access a supercomputer. Chrome OS and Linux, the two environments already supported by Chromebooks, support this natively, hence the humor of suggesting switching to Windows to use a 3rd party tool to replicate a key feature already built into the native OS.
(PuTTY is likely a word play on TTY, or teletype, and the command “put”, which moves a file from Windows to the remote system.)
Going to be a disaster. Windows to take up 40GB!! HAHAHA. Well, it looks like the price of Chromebooks is going to skyrocket as people who want these dual-boot machines will need a chromebook that has at least 256gb. So will Google release a TB chromebook? that thing would cost $2,000!!!! I went to chrome for a reason. I hope it remains as an optional installation and not a mandatory one.
Great, rewrite someone else’s piece from months ago.
user name checks out.
I think you overestimate the number of people who will be dual booting chromebooks.
This is fantastic for the 256 / 512 gb Pixelbook users who still need occasional access to Windows. But that is hardly the general population.