Updating and Upgrading Linux on Your Chromebook

Chromebooks offer lightweight and secure computing thanks to Google's ChromeOS. With recent models, you can also enable Linux support to access powerful terminal tools and packages. To keep your system up-to-date, it's important to regularly update and upgrade Linux on your Chromebook.

In this guide, we will walk through the steps to:

• Enable Linux support on your Chromebook

• Access the Linux terminal

• Update packages using apt

• Upgrade to the latest OS release

• Verify the new version after upgrades

Follow these steps, and you can ensure your Chromebook Linux environment stays current.

Enabling Linux Support on Chromebook

Recent Chromebooks include inbuilt support for running Linux apps and tools. To activate this, you need to switch on the Linux Development Environment.

Here are the steps to enable it:

1. Open Settings from app menu and go to the Advanced section

2. Click on Developers and find Linux Development Environment

3. Click the Turn On button to activate Linux support

4. In the setup screen, choose a username and allocate disk space

5. Click Install to begin setting up the Linux environment

The first time takes 5-10 minutes. Once done, you will have access to a Linux terminal along with tools like Vim and Emacs.

With Linux enabled, you can proceed to update and upgrade packages.

Accessing the Linux Terminal

To use Linux capabilities, you need access to the terminal. Here is how you can open it:

1. From the app menu, click the Linux apps folder

2. Locate and launch the Terminal app

3. The Penguin icon starts the bash shell terminal

Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+T to open Terminal. Familiarize yourself with basic Linux navigation commands like cd, ls etc.

Now you are ready to run commands for managing updates and upgrades.

Updating Packages in Chromebook Linux

Like any Linux distribution, Chromebook package management is handled by apt. To install updates, use:

sudo apt update

This fetches the latest package lists from configured repositories. Always run this first to ensure you have metadata for any available updates.

To actually install updated packages:

sudo apt upgrade

This downloads and installs fresher versions of packages where updates are available.

Answer Y when prompted to proceed with the upgrade process. All outdated packages get updated to their newer versions.

You can even combine the two steps in one command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

The -y flag auto confirms prompts for upgrade, avoiding need to press Y each time.

Upgrading the ChromeOS Release

In addition to package updates, you should also upgrade ChromeOS to the latest release. This ensures you get the newest features and security updates.

Use the dist-upgrade command for this:

sudo apt dist-upgrade

This will fetch the latest ChromeOS upgrade and apply it. The upgrade process can take 10-15 minutes to complete. Answer Y when prompted.

A reboot is required after dist-upgrade to boot into the new OS version.

Verifying the Linux Environment

Once the upgrade is complete, verify you are on the latest OS release:

cat /etc/os-release

This will print details including PRETTY_NAME which shows the current ChromeOS version.

Compare this with the latest stable channel to confirm.

Also check Linux kernel version:

uname -r

This should reflect the newest kernel from package upgrades.

Now your Chromebook is ready with updated Linux tools and the newest ChromeOS features.

Keep Your Chromebook Linux Environment Updated

Having Linux support unlocks powerful command line tools for your Chromebook. But like any Linux distribution, it requires periodic maintenance through updates and upgrades.

Following this guide, you can:

• Enable the Linux Development Environment to access Debian packages

• Use the Terminal app to access bash shell

• Employ apt to install package updates

• Upgrade ChromeOS itself to the latest release

• Verify successful upgrades by checking the version

Setting aside time for routine maintenance ensures you have the newest features, security fixes, and compatibility. Plus, it avoids the need for major time-consuming upgrades later.

With both ChromeOS and Linux staying updated, your Chromebook provides the perfect harmony of web-based convenience and Linux power. Maintaining your system gives you the best of both worlds in a secure and reliable package.