[pipposanta]

Hi to all,
if you are reading this guide probably you would like to install Chrome OS on Dell Mini 9. Good! Let’s Begin!
First, you need to know the exact name of the os you will install is Chromium OS that’s the opensource version of the Google OS while the Chrome one is the one installed on the ChromeBooks. So we are not installing Chrome OS but Chromium OS.

There are various builds of Chromium OS around the web the most famous are the Hexxeh ones (especially the Vanilla builds) Here comes problem... The Mini 9 has a Broadcom wifi chipset which has a semi-closed driver and so it’s more difficult to make it work. I tested a lot of these builds so I simply put a list of the ones that works and the ones that doesn’t.

Wifi works:
Semi-Official Dell May 13th build: http://linux.dell.com/files/cto/
Hexxeh Flow (Very old) http://chromeos.hexxeh.net/

Wifi doesn’t work:
Hexxeh vanilla builds http://chromeos.hexxeh.net/vanilla.php

I personally recommend the Dell May 13th build since it has working wifi and it is not too old. the guide is written specifically for the Dell May 13th build.

After having choosed the best build of Chromium OS we must put it on a pen drive to boot it.
If you are on Windows download win32diskimager, start it, select the extracted image and click write.
If you are on Linux or Mac type in a terminal:
dd if=name_of_the_chromiumos_image of=pen_drive_device
After that insert the usb pen drive in you mini 9 and while the mini is starting press ‘0’ a few times to open the boot options. Select the pen drive from the boot options menu. Chromium OS should boot.

The first time you will need to use the ethernet connection to setup the account then you’ll need to setup the wireless drivers and you’ll be able to use the wifi. Simply follow these instructions: http://linux.dell.com/files/cto/README-May13.txt

There will be no sound when using the Dell May 13th image simply open a terminal (ctrl+alt+T) and issue the following commands:
1) shell
2) sudo -s
3) enter the required password -> dell1234
4) alsamixer
after that you will see the volume bars for all the sound devices present on the system... turn all up with the arrow keys.. use ‘m’ to unmute if a muted device is eventually present.
exit pressing esc
type alsactl store to make the changes permanent.