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Google may add Windows 10 dual-boot option to Chromebooks
Google appears to be working on dual-boot support for Chromebooks. XDA-Developers has discovered that Google has been working to support an "alt OS mode" for its Pixelbook laptop for months now. Dubbed "Campfire," an obvious nod to Apple's own Boot Camp feature, Google's dual-boot is rumored to support Windows 10 on Chromebooks.
XDA-Developers claims Google is attempting to pass Microsoft's hardware certification for Windows 10 to allow its Pixelbook to officially run the alternative operating system. References to Microsoft's Windows Hardware Certification Kit have appeared in development builds of Chrome OS, and Google's Campfire work might extend to other new Chromebooks in the future.
Dual-boot support is said to be arriving on the Pixelbook soon, as Google engineers are pushing through multiple changes for Chrome OS to support the new feature.
That makes Google's recent attack ad a little funnier.
Also at Engadget, The Register, 9to5Google, Tom's Hardware, and CNET.
See also: Why cheap Chromebooks running Windows will benefit Google, not you
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 14 2018, @02:47PM (4 children)
Doesn't windoze certification require a locked down bios?
(Score: 2) by KritonK on Tuesday August 14 2018, @05:19PM
I would think that if the BIOS reports that its is locked, even if it isn't, this would work around the problem. I assume that Google is in control of the Chromebook BIOS, so that they can do whatever they like with it.
(Score: 2) by jmorris on Tuesday August 14 2018, @05:28PM
You are getting to the big question but no, Secure boot is ALLOWED to be switchable on a laptop form factor in the current terms, which is actually less restrictive than current Chromebook practice where it is locked hard unless you do something to put it into "Developer Mode" where it splashes nasty warnings and beeps every time you boot. So Google could continue current practice and comply.
No, what this means is Google will have to install a UEFI BIOS which they have not been doing to date. It means the full panoply of bullcrap needed to have a "PC Compatible" environment such as ACPI. Before they were basically treating them more like a tablet or phone and using a simple bootloader that loaded the kernel and initrd and after jumping to it got out of the way. Now it will have to remain in ring -1 to "provide services" and spy. Plus the spying and ill behavior of every new Intel Chip, but that is Intel spying and I guess Google wants in on it beyond what they can do with the whole fricking OS.
Of course if they load Windows they lose the top of the stack and needed to dig in deeper. So will Google put a Microsoft Compliant keyboard on em now to get the right to put the sticker on the case and buy at the premier partner OEM pricing level? Will Microsoft permit buying Windows at that tier for a dual boot? They NEVER have in the past, that was part of the endless fights with the Justice Dept. Remember when BE offered BE OS for free to the first OEM brave enough to preload it, even as a dual boot, and everybody told em it wasn't allowed?
And the really good question. Will they allow replacing one or both of the preloads with Linux? Even with something like Fedora that can run in a Secure Boot environment because they bought the signed boot loader?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 14 2018, @05:37PM
It requires Secure Boot. However, Chrome OS already uses Secure Boot as part of their boot process. It is worth noting that adding Windows to the boot process doesn't mean changing any part of the Secure Boot process or the Verified Boot process. Instead, you either chain load or ask the UEFI to load a different kernel as your last step of the process.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday August 15 2018, @01:21PM
Chrome OS is locked down. Yet it offers you "developer mode" to unlock it and not have verified boot. Chromebooks make it very clear, unavoidably clear, at boot time that you are NOT using verified boot.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.