Building_ChromiumOS

Step-by-Step Guide to Building Chromium OS on Debian

Prerequisites

An x86_64 64-bit Debian or Ubuntu system with at least 8GB of RAM
An Internet connection (faster is better)
A good amount of free disk space and time
A 16GB USB drive 

Start Here 

https://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/developer-guide

Install the needed packages

$ sudo apt-get install git-core gitk git-gui curl lvm2 thin-provisioning-tools python-pkg-resources python-virtualenv \ 
subversion python-oauth2client

Configure Git

$ git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
$ git config --global user.name "Your Name"

Install depot_tools

$ cd ~
$ git clone https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/tools/depot_tools.git

Make sudo more permissive

$ cd /tmp

Copy and paste, or carefully type each of the following lines one at a time, hitting the Enter key after each.
*If you copy/paste this in a big chunk it's not going to work at all. 

$ cat > ./sudo_editor <<EOF
#!/bin/sh
echo Defaults \!tty_tickets > \$1          # Entering your password in one shell affects all shells 
echo Defaults timestamp_timeout=180 >> \$1 # Minutes between re-requesting your password	
EOF

$ chmod +x ./sudo_editor 	
$ sudo EDITOR=./sudo_editor visudo -f /etc/sudoers.d/relax_requirements

Configure the Environmental Variables

$ vi ~/.bashrc

Add the following line at the very bottom of your .bashrc file:

export PATH=$PATH:~/depot_tools

Source .bashrc
$ . ~/.bashrc

Make a directory for Chromium OS

$ mkdir -p ${HOME}/chromiumos
$ cd ${HOME}/chromiumos

$ repo init -u https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromiumos/manifest.git

$ repo sync -j4
If you get errors just run the command again until everything syncs up. 

This takes a while, so now is a good time to get your Google API Keys sorted out.

Add Google API Keys

This needs to be completed prior to building the Chromium OS image.

https://www.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/api-keys

1. Subscribe to Chromium Dev’s Google Group https://www.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/api-keys (mandatory)			

2. Navigate to https://console.cloud.google.com/ 

3. At top left, between Google Cloud Platform and the search bar, select the menu with 3 dots. 
In the pop-up menu  click on box with the + the in the top right corner. 
Create a project.
Click on the hamburger menu in the top left corner, then scroll down to APIs & Services in the new menu.  
In the submenu select Credentials.
Select Create credentials > API key

4. In the API key created dialog copy your API key.

5. Open a new terminal window and cd to your home directory 

6. Make a file .googleapikeys, adding in your own keys as you get them: 
google_api_key = "your_api_key"
google_default_client_id = "your_client_id"
google_default_client_secret = "your_client_secret"

7. You should have the API key already. 
Follow the rest of the steps as outlined here 
https://www.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/api-keys to obtain your own client id and client secret. 

8. Paste these credentials into the .googleapikeys file and save it.

9. After completing this step the API keys will be automatically baked-in to all of your Chromium OS builds. 

Create a chroot


$ cd ~/chromiumos/chromium

Enter the command to download and enter the chroot
$ cros_sdk

While inside the chroot you will see a special cros-chroot prompt 
~/trunk/src/scripts $ 

After the initial download cros_sdk enters the chroot.

Select a board
~/trunk/src/scripts $ export BOARD=amd64-generic

Set the Chronos User Password

Set the password that you will use to enter the command line in Chromium OS. 
You need to repeat this step every time you build a new image.
~/trunk/src/scripts $ ./set_shared_user_password.sh

Build packages

Build all of the packages for the board
~/trunk/src/scripts $ ./build_packages --board=${BOARD}

If you get errors just run the command again until it completes.

Build a disk image 

Build the developer image with the additional developer packages built-in
~/trunk/src/scripts $ ./build_image --board=${BOARD} --noenable_rootfs_verification dev

Write the Chromium OS image to USB

Making a Chromium OS USB installer is easy. 

Plug a 16GB USB drive into your PC.
~/trunk/src/scripts $  cros flash usb:// ${BOARD}/latest

Select the USB device from the options and confirm.
cros_flash writes the image while keeping you informed of its progress. 

Great Job!

Remove the USB and take a moment to feel like something of a technical badass.
If you skipped the API keys part you’re going to be devastated to learn that your build is *useless, 
so go back and finish that, and then repeat the steps for Building Chromium OS.
Also, use this time to remind yourself that using Chromium OS is an involved process that 
requires you repeating this process (or other manual update process) every single time you want to update. 

*It will boot and install to a SSD, but you’re going to be sad.

// DISCLAIMER!!!
Chromium OS and Chromium don’t auto-update.
Chromium OS isn’t for general consumer use.

Make a Dual-Use Chromium OS USB Installer
You can use this device at least two ways:
1. Boot the X220 from the USB and run Chromium OS as-is 
2. Boot the X220  from the USB and install Chromium OS to the SSD

Installing Chromium OS on a SSD

Insert the USB drive into the X220 and boot.

At the Welcome screen enter VT2 by pressing Alt + Ctrl + F3
login: chronos
Log in with the password that you set earlier. 

Make sure that you have a *SSD in your X220.
*Any data on the SSD will obviously be totally destroyed by this process

$ sudo /usr/sbin/chromeos-install --dst /dev/sda

Hit the y key and let everything run, it will throw errors.
Exit VT2 by pressing Ctrl + Alt + F1								
Power off and remove the USB drive.

Boot Chromium OS from SSD

At the Welcome screen enter VT2 by pressing Alt + Ctrl + F3
Log in.

Make your rootfs writable 
$ sudo /usr/share/vboot/bin/make_dev_ssd.sh --force --remove_rootfs_verification 

Exit by hitting Alt + Ctrl + F1 

Remove the USB drive and boot into your new Chromium OS ThinkPad X220.

EXPERIMENTAL SETTINGS

Navigate to chrome://flags 

Here are some of the flags that I find useful. 
The flags are constantly evolving, so check for new ones after every new build/install.
To check them out just enter them in your Chromium browser’s omnibox.

#ash-enable-night-light   								
#enable-zip-archiver-packer
#smooth-scrolling 
#enable-easyunlock-promotions  

Search in chrome://flags for md and enable the material design components.

This looks promising, as it should work with X220 hardware	
#quick-unlock-fingerprint

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND HARDWARE UPGRADE GUIDES WITH IMAGES

https://anddevw.com/gdgsf-chromepad-chromium-for-thinkpad/