I freed an HP Chromebook 11 G5 EE, codename RELM, from #Google today using the mrchromebox #coreboot firmware script.

It is very similar in specs to the Dell Chromebook 11 models I have been using, code name CANDY.

I may attempt to install #netbsd on the HP #corebootbook this evening or on Sunday.

My "go to" distro on these machines has been #Devuan, which has worked well.

Just sold a refurbished Dell Latitude 3340 to a repeat customer. She requested #Linux, as she's used that on laptops she's purchased from me before and prefers that over Windows.

#LinuxMint #Debian Edition is what I am installing for most people who want Linux now. Slowly moving toward #Devuan, as I have sold at least six #corebootbook laptops locally with Devuan.

@dem32

I rarely use a handheld phone, so I don't plan on getting the Pine Phone Pro.

A friend lent me his Pine Phone (and I may buy it from him), but I haven't done much with it yet.

When I am out and about I use a #corebootbook for most of my text and calls.

When I am in the office, I make most of my calls with a Logitech headset. I use phone.com for my VOIP provider that has a good web based interface for texts and calls.

I do also have a Samsung S5 with @e_mydata on it that I use as a backup in case I encounter a problem with my laptop. The phone is in airplane mode most of the time.

I just ordered nine HP ChromeBook 11 G5 EE Laptops with Intel Celeron N3060 1.60GHz 4GB RAM 16GB storage.

Will be turning them into #corebootbook laptops and using them for an educational activity through the end of this year.

I look forward to comparing them with the other Chromebook laptops that I have turned in to #corebootbook laptops.

I expect the HP ChromeBook 11 G5 EE (hardware ID: RELM)to be very similar to the Dell Chromebook 11 (hardware ID: CANDY, model 3120) that I have already done quite a lot with.

@Coyote

The X300 is a great model. I really wanted one when they first came out. I think I now have one in my collection of computers, or a similar X301. It's not in fully working order, but I think it boots.

I can sell Chromebooks converted to #corebootbook laptops. Will be giving one away to a random subscriber of my substack after it reaches 100 subscribers.

@Coyote

Battery life is excellent on the Chromebook #corebootbook laptops, though. I really like them for that. I use one for my work road trips.

I like the Dell Chromebook 11 keyboard better than the Acer C740's keyboard that I am using now. But the performance is better on the C740, so that was one reason for the switch. The other reason is that I'm testing out different #corebootbook models.

I delivered two #corebootbook laptops to business customer today.

Here's my system release count so far:

CoreBootBooks sold locally: 6

Conversions from ChromeOS on customer owned laptops: 1

CoreBootBooks given away out and sent out of the local area: 1

So now up to eight #corebootbook laptops freed from Google's limited support ChomeOS with #coreboot and then loaded with Linux.

I'll be giving another one away to a random subscriber of my substack newsletter once I reach 100 subscribers.

https://retroedgetech.substack.com/

I've been using a #ThinkPad T470s for the last few weeks as my secondary laptop around home (use a #corebootbook for travelling).

There are some really good things about the ThinkPad T470s. I do like it's size and weight. It's slim, but not too lightweight.

It can be charged by three different means, the regular rectangular #Lenovo DC jack, the USB C (thunderbolt) port and the docking station port. That's an oddity, as usually laptops only have one or two ways to get power.

I've been using it with #Devuan #Linux, but I sold one to a customer as a replacement for an earlier generation ThinkPad X1 Carbon and he has had a good experience on it with Windows 10.

The only thing I don't really like for a refurbisher's standpoint is that the T470s has two internal batteries. This makes it more expensive to replace both batteries and they don't hold as much of a charge due to both of the batteries being so slim so that they can fit inside the case.

I'd rather have the traditional ThinkPad "bridge battery" system of one internal battery and one hot swap-able external battery with the option of having a larger extended battery. But that adds significant thickness and weight, which doesn't fit with the "s" series of laptops like the T470s,

The T480s has one internal battery but changes the charging ports and docking station type. Long term, the T480s may be better for me to sell as a refurbisher due to only having one internal battery.

Overall, I like the T470s and am enjoying using it. I do recommend it if you are looking for a 14 inch lightweight #laptop.

Going to be selling two more #corebootbook laptops locally.

Will be giving one away to a randomly drawn subscriber of my email newsletter once I reach 100 subscribers.

https://retroedgetech.substack.com/

@Charadon @RL_Dane

I plan on using #netbsd, but haven't done much with it yet.

I chose it for similar reasons, but good to see you put it in words.

For me, it also seemed like it would work well on old hardware (Pentium 3, 4 and Core 2 Duo/Quad.

Hope to get some experience running it on that hardware soon. I also plan to use with ethernet, so don't need wifi, but would be great to get it working with netbsd on a #corebootbook

@splitshockvirus

I don't use a smart phone (much) and I no longer have a phone plan.

I switched to phone.com as a provider and use their web app to do most of my texts and calls.

I use a #corebootbook when traveling and that handles phone calls fine in most situations.

Got a US Cellular hotspot with internet only. No phone plan, no contract.

It has mostly been working well for me.

I do often carry a Samsung Galaxy S5 with @e_mydata on it, which is a #privacy focused version of Android. I have the phone.com app on that and sometimes use it to make calls but usually use my #corebootbook

I did end up using the maps and gps features to get to a hard to find place today, but most of the time I have the GPS turned off and the Samsung Galaxy in airplane mode.

Confirmed. I will be selling another #corebootbook locally. The customer wants it mostly for distraction free offline writing, so asked me to remove the wifi chip. That also helps with #privacy, too.

It'll have #devuan installed.

I may be selling (locally) another #Dell #Chromebook converted to a #corebootbook later this week.

Will be giving one away to a random subscriber of my email newsletter after it reaches 100 subscribers:

https://retroedgetech.substack.com/

@10leej

Thank you for the elegant, built in #Linux solution. Your suggestion is what I was looking for.

Dramatic difference.

On the Acer C740 with 32GB SanDisk m.2 SATA SSD the completion time was:

31.447 seconds

On the Dell Chromebook 11 with eMMC storage it was:

1 minute, 18.551 seconds.

I guessed the SATA SSD would be faster, but now I know by how much! That makes the Acer more than twice as fast as the Dell when loading data from the disk.

#corebootbook testing

Used #clonezilla to make an image of my Dell #corebootbook (model CANDY) with #Devuan, then used Clonezilla again to restore it to an Acer C740 #Chromebook (model PAINE). Used the advanced options to expend the storage from 16GB to 32GB. Looks like it all worked well.

Seems like the everything worked well. It feels snappier, even though the processor doesn't have as high of a boost speed.

Might be the difference between the m.2 SATA SSD on the Acer compared to the eMMC storage.

I would like to run some storage speed tests between the two devices to compare. Does anyone recommend a #Linux command line storage test?

Just freed an Acer #Chromebook C740 from #google with #coreboot

#antiCorporate #corebootbook

This laptop, I pulled out the motherboard with 2GB memory and put in another one that had 4GB. The memory is soldered to the motherboard on all the Chromebooks I've seen.

I then took that C740 board and put it in a C720 laptop. That motherboard seemed to be dead, so took it out and the C740 board fits almost perfectly. The exception is just the connectors for the wifi antennas were a larger size on the C720 than on the C740. That's an easy fix as I can scavenge the correct connector size from another device if I really want to get this laptop fully functional with wifi.

@dallin

On my #chromebook #corebootbook laptops, I use #Cinnamon desktop environment and have tested the /etc/default/keyboard setting on #Devuan and #LinuxMint #Debian Edition.

Have tested on CANDY and PEPPY hardware models.

On the CANDY model, I could only get sound (internal audio) working with #Devuan, I didn't have success with any other Linux software distribution.

@parasurv@mk.nixnet.social

I do sell some #corebootbook models if your wanting something that already has #Google #Chromeos removed.

If you want to do it yourself, ebay has quite a few available.

Full installation success on the Acer C720 #chromebook

Now a #corebootbook with #LinuxMint #Debian Edition.

This Acer C720 has been successfully turned into a #corebootbook !!!

A bonus over the Dell Chromebook 11 that I use as my primary laptop is that the sound works right away without doing anything special in Linux Mint Debian Edition. Wifi is also working (shows up anyway, I have been using a USB to ethernet adapter for the whole process as I have wifi turned off in my shop most of the time).

On my Dell Chromebook 11, the only linux that I could get the sound to work on was #Devuan (my first choice for my own use now anyway).

I probably will install #LinuxMint #Debian Edition for my client.