CR-48 Frequently Asked

Questions
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Table of Contents
CR-48 Frequently Asked Questions
What is this document about?
What is the official name of this Chrome OS notebook?
How do I use the track pad?
Can I use a mouse instead?
Are there any undocumented keyboard shortcuts?
Can I Use Ethernet?
How do I create a screenshot?
How do panels work?
Is there an easy way to view the file system without entering Dev mode?
How do I recover my Cr-48 to factory settings?
Will I lose any data by restoring?
Can I use USB tethering?
Why doesn’t ad hoc WiFi work?
Does Chrome OS support multiple updates channels, like Chrome’s stable, beta, and
developer channels?
I was on the Developer channel but want to go back to the Beta channel. I’ve
selected the Beta channel from the drop-down, but why hasn’t anything happened?
Is there a Task Manager, like Windows’ Ctrl+Alt+Delete?
Is there an accessibility mode?
Is there anything cool about the device that most users don’t notice?
Developer mode
Why would I want (or not want) to enter Developer mode?
How do I enter Developer mode?
How can I write to root?#heading=h.c3p565-51eu81
Viewing the file system
How can I change my log-in photo? The one I took sucks.
Do I have to use Verizon? (How to turn on GSM)
Helpful Links

[let’s add some structure at some point - sections]

Bulleted below is a to do list; please delete as you complete, or add to the to do
● Useful web-apps:
○ Scratchpad (online, syncable to different Chromes)
○ Subsonic (stream media from your PC at full quality)
○ Dooity (minimalist tagged note or todo-pad with HTML5 features
and offline access)
○ Kodingen (online PHP/Perl/Python IDE)
○ Pandora (online, extension, play streamed music from Pandora
without using a tab)
● https://groups.google.com/d/msg/chrome-notebook-pilot/-
2_WYpWRtD4/TmtRZGpKP7cJ - How to fix quiet microphone issues
● Pages will auto-refresh when the Cr-48 acquires a net connection.
● How many have been distributed ?
● What is currently not supported?
○ Java, Silverlight (Netflix), GPS, Bluetooth

What is the official name of this Chrome OS notebook?

It's called a "Cr-48". The name refers to a slightly unstable radioactive isotope
of the element Chromium. Cr48(Cr-48) is an unstable isotope of the element
chromium, with a half-life of about 21 hours.

How do I use the track pad?

● Move cursor: Single-finger movement
● Left click: Single-finger click or tap.
● To use tap-to-click, set it up in the Settings menu (Wrench > Settings >
Basics).
● MiddleScrolling: Two fingers can be used in an upward or downward
motion to scroll.
Using both your middle and ring fingers at the same time to swipe
diagonally (in an almost circular motion) across the track pad allows for
longer scrolling without having to pick your fingers up.
● Right click: Alt + click or two-fingered clicking with the fingers separated.
● click: Three finger click (three separate fingers on the track pad, push
down for a physical click) (to close tabs, open links in a new tab, etc). You
can also middle click by holding Ctrl (Control) and doing a single-finger
click.

Can I use a mouse instead?

Yes, you may plug in a USB mouse and use it instead of the track pad. Left click,
right click, middle click, and scroll should work. With the use of a hub, both an
external mouse and external keyboard can be used simultaneously. A few
wireless mice do not work with the Cr-48. Bluetooth is in the system but is not
enabled as of early February 2011. Most devices are automatically recognized
very quickly. :)

Where can I see all of the keyboard shortcuts?

If you wish to view the various key combinations or alternate key functions,
Ctrl+Alt+/ brings up an overlay. When in the overlay, press ctrl, alt, shift, etc.
(whatever you want for extra shorcuts!). Press the same combination
(Ctrl+Alt+/ ) again to hide the overlay.

Are there any undocumented keyboard shortcuts?

Yes: Ctrl+Alt+T (open a crosh terminal) is not listed in the keyboard shortcut
overlay (Ctrl+Alt+/). If your Cr-48 is in developer mode, the top row of keys can
behave like normal F# keys, as in Linux. For example, Ctrl+Alt+F1 will change
to the first terminal. Holding down the power button until you see your profile
picture will lock the computer. Holding it down longer will shut the notebook
down. Holding it briefly will give you a dialog to log out or shut down.

Can I Use Ethernet?

Yes, Ethernet is fully supported in the software, but you need a USB RJ45
Ethernet Network Adapter.

How do I create a screenshot?

Ctrl+"next window" (sixth button on the top row) creates a screenshot. The
screenshot will contain everything you see on your screen, including tabs, clock,
network display, and battery monitor. The “Screenshots” folder can be found in
the “Downloads” folder, which can be accessed in the Wrench Menu or with Ctrl-
J.

How do panels work?

Some apps open in panels (such as Google Talk and Scratchpad) and some
website pop-ups open in panels. If you want to open arbitrary sites in panels, try
the excellent Panelize extension (written by a Googler).

Is there an easy way to view the file system without entering

Dev mode?
Certain web pages/applications that use Flash-based uploaders
http://www.kongregate.com/ can allow you to view the file system. For example,
if you are using Dropbox, wheel click: Three finger click (three separate fingers)
you attempt to upload a file you will be able to access the file system. This
allows you to email yourself a file, save it to your downloads folder, and then
upload it to Dropbox if you wish. Picnik and Pixlr Editor are common apps used
to do so as well.

How do I recover my Cr-48 to factory settings?

It is highly suggested to create a recovery image in case something occurs that
corrupts the Chrome OS. It is also a great way to switch between Beta and
Developer Channels within chrome://settings/about after flipping the Developer
Switch.

There are official Google instructions for: Mac/Linux Users

And not-so official, but instructions nonetheless for: Windows Users

Feel free to setup a recovery image and reflash your Cr-48 to get an
understanding of what it entails; it doesn’t have to be malfunctioning/corrupted.
Follow these instructions to enter recovery mode: http://goo.gl/DlaD2 .

Will I lose any data by restoring?

The user accounts will need to be setup again, including the user picture.
Anything that doesn’t sync (passwords, search engine settings) will also be lost.
You will not lose your Verizon 3G configuration.

Can I use USB tethering?

Beyond simple WiFi tethering, the Cr-48 supports USB tethering (tested with a
Nexus One running stock Froyo) without any configuration.

Why doesn’t ad hoc WiFi work?

The Cr-48 can see but not connect to ad hoc WiFi networks. See
http://code.google.com/p/chromium-os/issues/detail?id=1327 for more
information.

Does Chrome OS support multiple updates channels, like

Chrome’s stable, beta, and developer channels?
Yes, the default is the Beta channel, but a Developer channel is also available.
This setting is in Wrench Menu > About Chrome OS, then click the “More Info”
link at the top.
I was on the Developer channel but want to go back to the
Beta channel. I’ve selected the Beta channel from the drop-
down, but why hasn’t anything happened?
The current way the update mechanism works doesn’t let you downgrade, so
you must wait for the beta channel to update first before anything will change.
Or you can reset your device to factory settings, detailed above.

Is there a Task Manager, like Windows’ Ctrl+Alt+Delete?

Yes, Shift+Esc or in the Wrench Menu, this is in all versions of Chrome. You can
view memory, CPU, and bandwidth usages for individual tabs and extensions.

Is there an accessibility mode?

Yes, but it is kind of buggy right now. There are links about it in settings, but
they are broken. What you can do is press “Ctrl+Alt+Z” on the sign in screen.

Is there anything cool about the device that most users don’t
notice?
The screen has an auto-brightness function that uses a light sensor just to the
left of the webcam. In addition, there are small LED lights in the top right
corners of the Left Shift button and the Mute button, but they are currently
unused. You can see them work right when powering the notebook up. Also, the
device has a built in GPS and Bluetooth, currently unimplemented. You can
access crosh, a dumb-downed version of shell, which is a command-line-
interface, by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T.
Developer mode
Why would I want (or not want) to enter Developer mode?
Entering developer mode breaks Verified Boot, one of the security features of
Chrome OS, and can make your notebook more vulnerable to viruses. You can
never go back. However, you are able to modify system files and load a
custom image without restrictions. You will test out brand new features.
Therefore, they may be buggy.

How do I enter Developer mode?

The official directions work extremely well (and are very well explained):
http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/developer-information-for-chrome-os-
devices/cr-48-chrome-notebook-developer-information

How can I write to root?

(Note: Writing to the root file-system breaks the auto update mechanism.)
In order to move (command: mv) files around the file-system, the user needs to
first make the disk writable. To do this, open up the Shell (ctrl+alt+t, then
enter ‘shell’), and from here enter:
sudo /usr/share/vboot/bin/make_dev_ssd.sh --remove_rootfs_verification

Then make sure to reboot your hardware (you can enter ‘sudo reboot’ to hasten
the process). Once back, open up Shell and enter:
sudo mount -o remount,rw /
sudo mount -o remount,exec /mnt/stateful_partition

You can create a bash script to take care of this if you would like, but afterwards
you can now move files around (for example, to /usr/bin). As an example, follow
these instructions to install nano (a text editor) onto your Cr-48: link.

Viewing the file system

If you have flipped the Developer switch, you can view a Graphical User
Interface for the file system by going to chrome://flags and enabling the
Advanced File System flag (you can also enable the Media Player for music
and videos). Now, enter the Shell and navigate to your /Downloads directory:
cd ~/Downloads
From here you will be creating Symbolic Links to various locations on your file-
system:
 ln -s ~/ HOME
ln -s / ROOT
ln -s /media MEDIA
After which, you’ll see these links listed in your Downloads directory (shortcut:
Ctrl-o). Click around and now you have unfettered access to your entire file
system (MEDIA is included for quick access to any inserted SD Cards).

How can I change my log-in photo? The one I took sucks.

In order to change the log-in photo, the user needs to first enable writing to root
(instructions above). Next locate the image to use (for this example, it will be in
the Downloads directory, or ~/). Then, with root writable move the file into the
appropriate directory and rename it to replace the old image (this is assuming
your Google Log-in username is loginname@gmail.com).
mv new-image.png /home/chronos/loginname@gmail.com.png
For the best look, make sure to select a 250x250 pixel image.

Alternate Way-
This way may be a little easier and does not require writing to root, only
need the Picnik chrome app http://www.thechromesource.com/replacing-your-
profile-picture-on-the-cr-48/
[Couldn’t this also be accomplished using Dropbox, since you can move files
with it?][Theoretically, but in Dropbox, the “download” option uses Chrome’s
built-in browser, which only goes to the Download folder. Picnik uses its own,
and starts at the root folder]

Alternate Way-
This is another way to change the log-in picture without writing to root.
You will have to power off the machine, take out the battery, and flip the
developer switch. Then reinsert the battery and power up the machine. It will
instruct you to press the space bar, and once you do it will tell you create a
recovery USB stick. At this point you can power off the device and flip the
developer switch back. Restart the machine, log into your account, and the
machine will turn itself off. Turn it back on and it will erase your partition and
then power off. Turn it on again and you will go through the initial setup
process, including retaking a log-in photo. All information is stored in the cloud,
so all data will be there once you finish. Cookies, remembered log-ins, and
browser-specific settings, however, will be lost.

Do I have to use Verizon? (How to turn on GSM)

The most recent developer channel version supports AT&T. GSM is capable on
this latest developer channel version with physical switch changed to developer.
(LINK)
Helpful Links
Buglist
● http://code.google.com/p/chromium-os/issues/list
● High profile known issues:
http://www.google.com/support/chromeos/bin/static.py?
page=known_issues.cs

Where can I find other Cr-48 users?

● http://www.reddit.com/r/CR48/
● https://groups.google.com/forum/#!
forum/chrohttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1oS4SWNBglL1NiXQhv1Ph3KI
N7Sxz_5hi61Mi-0uV2Vs/edit?hl=en&pli=1#heading=h.vjywel-9l53iume-
notebook-pilot
● http://www.chromeossite.com
● http://www.thechromesource.com
● http://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/group/chromium-os-discuss/topics
● http://groups.google.com/group/cr-48-test-pilots/
● http://www.quora.com/Cr-48-Chrome-Notebooks
● http://www.quora.com/Chrome-OS
● http://www.chromeosforums.net
● http://www.chromeoslounge.com

Vote for Most-wanted Cr-48/Chrome OS features (Unofficial)

● Java Support Perhaps? Update: It’s available if you’re in developer
mode (not channel) and install it. See here. But make the serious
decision to switch to developer mode.