Maintaining Your Crouton Linux System

Hello, guys. If you've read my Instructable on installing Linux on your Chromebook, then you know that my Linux username is Insector. Greetings. If you have installed Linux on your Chromebook, then this guide will be hopefully helpful to you. If not, look up How to Install a Linux OS on your Chromebook. I made that one. This is, of course, assuming that you have a Chromebook that you wish to run Linux on. Anyway, this Instructable will tell you how to update your Linux environment, encrypt your Linux environment, back up your Linux environment, and finally, delete your Linux environment *Read with a fearful expression on your face. It makes it much more fun to read.*

Eventually, Crouton will update, and this will keep your Linux environment from running properly. Fear not, frail mortal, for the problem is really easy to fix. You will first enter your Crouton Linux system, which can be easily done by running these 2 commands from Crosh:

shell

sudo enter-chroot

This will open your Linux environment right there in Crosh. You can, of course, run the following and navigate to your terminal:

shell

sudo startname

where name is the name of the desktop thingy that you run. Refer to the Instructable I mentioned earlier if you need an explanation of what in the world I'm talking about. Next, you will run:

sudo croutonversion -u -d -c

After that does its thing, exit the Linux environment and run:

sudo sh ~/Downloads/crouton -u -n name

where name is the name of the Linux distro that you use. This will do some crazy stuff, and after what seems like an eternity, your computer will finish. You are now updated and stuff. At this point, I recommend a little dance, but that's just me.

Encrypting your chroot (fancy word that basically means your Linux environment) will do stuff like make it so that a password and encryption phrase are required to start the Linux environment, and also help protect your Chromebook from any viruses that the Linux environment may get. The command for this is really similar to the one in the previous step:

sudo sh ~/Downloads/crouton -u -e -n name

where name is the name of the distro. Your computer will print out some stuff, and say to wiggle your mouse, and eventually ask for a password and encryption phrase. That's all there is to it. Good job. Go buy yourself an ice cream.

Sometimes, bad stuff happens and you lose stuff that matters to you. Some people sit down and cry. Others get addicted to coffee. But not us! Not me, because I'm already a coffee addict, and not you, because you backed up your chroot. To back up your chroot, run this command:

sudo edit-chroot -b name

where name is, you guessed it, the name of your chroot, which, if you are like me, will be the name of the distro. Later, to restore this backup, run:

sudo edit-chroot -r name

By now you should have the name thing figured out.

Ok, so using that picture probably breaks copyright laws. I'll fix that: all rights to the Cyberman image belong to BBC, etc, whatever, stuff that means this image isn't mine and that I take no credit for it.

You may install a Linux environment that you don't like. For example, I installed Debian Wheezy with an LXDE desktop. This takes up a good hunk of memory, and it can be frustrating when you run out of memory to use. It's also possible for the chroot to get a virus. So, if you don't like it or can't use it, you can delete. Simply run:

sudo delete-chroot name

Where name is the name of the distro. Like I've already said several times. Be warned, however. This action is irreversible, but really, really satisfying. Just make sure you save the files you want to keep to a usb stick or something.

Die, useless chroot!

So now you know more than you used to, I hope. I have told you how to do beautiful things, and I've told you how to do terrible things. Should you be happy? Sad? You should now be able to update, encrypt, back up, and even delete chroots.

Ok, so not that beautiful and not that terrible. Still, good luck. Until next time, fare thee well.

Oh, and don't forget to comment if you have questions or if I forgot something.

Bye.

Thanks for reading.

Sorry, I don't know how to end things.