Suggestion for MrChromebox.tech

Site Feedback
1

I’m happy with this forum and especially the fast good feedback I get with my questions/issues.

I am considering in moving to the UEFI firmware.
MrChromebox.tech site gives excellent technical information that I’ve read.

What I would like to be added as a suggestion:

  1. if I choose to install the UEFI firmware, it is not clear to me whether I need to disable RW myself, or that the install process will disable it for me. I think I read some parts that it’s done, while on the menu it seems to me as a pre-requisite

  2. before I do major steps like installing firmware, I would like to know more how the UEFI firmware menu looks like.

I know it is an extra effort, but it would be nice to spend a web page on that with screen shots and explanation of menu items

That’s all. And thank you for your time

2
  1. the documentation for the script says that hardware WP must be disabled in order to flash the UEFI Full ROM firmware. The WP documentation describes how to disable HW WP and states that SW WP will be disabled by the script.

How can I make that more clear?

  1. that’s not unreasonable
3

thanks again sir. I must be getting old to have misread that.

i went to youtube and found this very good and patient explanation of the UEFI firmware install process.

4

are there specific points in that video that would make sense to add to my site?

5

I re-read your site again. All the information is there, except a few items I will mention.

But the most obvious is to regroup so the info is structured from the perspective of the user that wants to achieve:

  1. RW_LEGACY - keep ChromeOS and wants to multiboot Linux only
  2. Full ROM - have full functionality of Windows or Linux, and loose ChromeOS

Here is my proposal:

  1. Getting started - mention also “multi-boot Linux besides ChromeOS”.

Instead “Flash the UEFI Full ROM Firmware” refer to Flashing Firmware.

Finally refer to Booting OS.

  1. Firmware utility script - as a reminder of what the user wants, add a NOTE - choose option 1 - if you want to multi-boot etc.

  2. Flashing Firmware

Rewrite the first sentence - “Before you flash the firmware you have done steps 1, optionally 2 and 3.”

Elaborate more on the subparagraphs of “Booting”:

  • put screenshots for each subparagraph. Most users like me don’t know how a “payload menu selection” looks like.
  • put screenshot of the Q&A dialog of a Full ROM. Remind the user to prepare a usb drive to backup, if for whatever reason he wants to go back to ChromeOS.
  1. Booting OS

Make here like in “Flashing firmware” 2 paragraphs - RW_LEGACY | Full ROM, so the user can follow his/her workflow. And put the
grub menu schreenshot under RW_LEGACY.

1 Like
6

That screen isn’t the same on every Chromebook.

7

How about this proposal taken from chromiumOS doc:

" * Devices in Developer Mode will show a warning screen on every boot. The screen will time out after 30 seconds, playing a warning beep.

  • From the warning screen, the following keyboard shortcuts are available:
    • Ctrl + D: Boot the system from the internal disk [i.e. ChromeOS]
    • Ctrl + U: Boot the system from an external USB stick or SD card.
    • Ctrl + L: Chain-load an alternative bootloader (e.g. SeaBIOS). This may allow booting other Operating Systems like Linux more easily."

The first time after MrChromebox’ firmware is flashed with option RW_LEGACY, entering Ctrl + L expects to boot from external USB or SD. You have prepared and inserted a live iso of the Linux distro you want to install.

8

I’ve integrated some of your suggested changes.

Adding examples of the RWL boot screens is on my to do, it’s just going to take some time to collect them all (with decent quality pics).

2 Likes
9

I’m also open to continued suggestions, either here or via the github issue tracker

1 Like