I’m trying to help a friend install Linux on his EOL Lenovo N42-20. I’d prefer not to brick his device and I’m hoping you folks will have some specific instructions which preferably won’t require me to take the thing apart. The concept of a WP screw makes my head spin a bit though I’m not shocked knowing how Google works. He doesn’t want to keep Chrome OS at all. It’s been nothing but a headache for him from day 1. I’m good with Linux myself. I’m decent with Windows too. I don’t normally work on Chrome OS and I prefer not to because it’s different from one device to another and with no set standard it’s hard to gauge how to proceed. Any help would be welcome…
are the directions here and/or on my site unclear? Or are you just unsure how to identify the WP screw on your device?
Did a quick Google image search for the mainboard and circled the WP screw location for you
I currently don’t have the tools I used to back when I worked on computers every day. Accessing the WP screw isn’t really possible for me. I was also hoping that there would be a workaround. As the situation currently exists I don’t have a way to back up my friend’s system or really open it. He says he’s fine with that, I’m not. We’re both retired/disabled hence we’re on a fixed income. Being the guy that’s pretty tech savvy I’m the one my friends come to when they need a new machine or their old ones repaired. With Chromebooks I’m out of my depth, especially so with the older EOL machines that can’t be easily updated. It’s frustrating because on the one hand I want to help him and on the other I don’t want to be singly responsible for cutting him off from the internet. If you know of any other way to successfully pivot this machine into running something like Debian or RedHat without having to take it apart while at the same time completely conking Chrome OS I’m definitely interested.
unfortunately not - removing the WP screw and flashing the firmware is the only safe way to install another OS. Without removing the WP screw, you’re limited to flashing the RW_LEGACY portion of the stock firmware, which is designed to allow for dual booting. But it’s easy to get into a state where you can no longer use the legacy boot feature, and then you are stuck with not being able to boot anything.
there’s also nothing to back up really - move everything from Downloads to Google Drive, and you’re backed up.
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