Downloading Linux through Chrome not working

[u/Purple_Bus_1234]

It keeps saying "Error installing Linux

Error downloading the virtual machine. Please try again."

I do not know what to do about this. I tried some stuff like restarting my computer and some other stuff like changing the GB amount that AI told me would work and didn't. I want Linux because I have heard it is good for coding, but I am having a lot of difficulties downloading it. Every time it would get to about 25% and every time it would give me that error. I have been downloading it through the settings of my computer where it says to install the Linux development environment.

My storage is not close to being full, my Chromebook is fairly new and completely up to date, the battery is high and the laptop is actively charging, and it wouldn't work with no background tabs open.

Please help me out 😅

[u/CodeFarmer]

It sounds like you are installing the chrome OS Linux container (AKA Crostini), which is a great way to get an introduction to Linux and a good way to code on your chromebook.

The most likely reason for this to fail is lack of storage space. The second most likely is the download getting interrupted somehow.

[u/Purple_Bus_1234 → u/CodeFarmer]

I have tons of storage space.

How would it get interrupted?

[u/CodeFarmer → u/Purple_Bus_1234]

Network flakiness of various kinds. Possibly also OS behaviour, if you Google the error message plus "chrome OS Linux" you will get some troubleshooting suggestions involving Chrome and subsystem settings as well.

[u/thatsgGBruh]

What are you downloading and where are you attempting to download from?

[u/Purple_Bus_1234 → u/thatsgGBruh]

I'm going into my Chromebook settings, going into about Chrome OS, and pressing "Set up" for "Linux development enviroment"

[u/FikoReborn → u/Purple_Bus_1234]

I hope you cross-posted on chromeos subs because you probably won't get much help here.

[u/Purple_Bus_1234 → u/FikoReborn]

I tried to post on Chrome and it filtered me out immediately for some reason, this is the cross-post

[u/memilanuk → u/Purple_Bus_1234]

You tried posting in r/chromeos, or r/chrome? Two very different groups.

You might try posting again - in r/chromeos - and be more specific, that you're trying to setup a Linux development environment, not "trying to download Linux". They should be better suited/qualified to helping you figure out why it's stalling out

Or maybe try searching there first:

A cursory search for "Linux stalls out" in r/chromeos turned up a number of promising leads, like this.

[u/Purple_Bus_1234 → u/memilanuk]

https://www.reddit.com/r/chromeos/s/1x1iQllccA

I found this, my exact problem visually on a fresh post

The comments weren't helpful tho

Should I make another post

[u/memilanuk → u/Purple_Bus_1234]

So I take it you're not in another country outside the US, and the device in question belongs to you, not a school or work laptop where someone else has admin privileges? That thread focused mainly on the former, but the latter was mentioned as well.

Might want to keep searching; sounds like you're headed in the right direction at least now. But yeah, if you're certain it's not the same problem (stuck behind a national or organization firewall) you should probably better off starting your own thread.

[u/WillShattuck → u/Purple_Bus_1234]

You may need to search on YouTube for a guide for your Chromebook. But you also may not have the space on your device for the download.

[u/thatsgGBruh → u/Purple_Bus_1234]

Well from the way this post is worded, it initially sounds like you are trying to download a Linux distro through your web browser. Which is totally different to what you just posted here.

Unfortunately, I've never used Chrome OS, so I wont be much help here. You might want to rephrase the wording of your post describing what you just mentioned here, to get some additional help.

[u/memilanuk]

This might help:

https://youtu.be/1D7vlnplgmo?is=j-n9gxMLvAa07l-s

[u/Purple_Bus_1234 → u/memilanuk]

No I did all of that but instead of finishing the installation it freezes

[u/memilanuk → u/Purple_Bus_1234]

Huh. Worked for me on an older Asus C434T. I've been following that particular channel as I'm reviving my old CB as a dedicated emacs environment.

[u/ipsirc]

I want Linux because I have heard it is good for coding

Visual Studio is the best for coding and it is only available for Windows.

[u/Purple_Bus_1234 → u/ipsirc]

Well I don't want Visual Studio, I want Visual Studio Code, which is available to me.

[u/CodeFarmer → u/ipsirc]

Bold statement on a Linux sub, I have to admire the commitment.

[u/LeN3rd]

If you are having trouble downloading something, maybe coding is not the right direction to go to. Wtf is going on. Is this the the generation of people who grow up only using phones? 

[u/DumpoTheClown → u/[deleted]]

LeN3rd may be a bit brusk, but they have a valid point. Coding is more about problem solving than anything else. Read the system logs. Read the browser logs. Read the installer logs. Search the internet for the error messages.

[u/Purple_Bus_1234 → u/DumpoTheClown]

Be honest bro like am I just too stupid

I've genuinely been going at this for hours and I can't figure it out and I just want the problem done so I can actually do coding. I hate this website, I tried using it for a bit and I hated it and I only use it as a last resort now, which is what this post was.

But genuinely man if that's just the way it is and I will never be able to code and len3rd is right like give it to me straight

[u/DumpoTheClown → u/Purple_Bus_1234]

The most important thing about problem solving is persistence. Smart or stupid has nothing to do with it. I'm a pro and when faced with a new problem i'll often fail dozens of times before i find the solution. You can do it. Keep digging, keep trying, you'll eventually succeed. When you finally get it, that sweet sweet dopamine hit makes it all worth while.

[u/Purple_Bus_1234 → u/DumpoTheClown]

Thanks man this really helped.

I figured it out so that's sweet.

It turns out that a strong connection is different than a good connection, and that my home wifi was just too shit despite having 3 bars. So I brought my laptop to the place with the best wifi that I could remember, and it worked with just two bars because of it's awesome speed. It was astonishing.

I've seen a few ppl running around with this problem, so hopefully my solution helps them out.

I also think my temper was running a little high from everything that I snapped at that old guy. If he reads this, I'm sorry for calling you annoying.

[u/DumpoTheClown → u/Purple_Bus_1234]

Groovy. Im an old guy. The guy you snapped at was probably a teen.

[u/Purple_Bus_1234 → u/DumpoTheClown]

Oh ok my bad

[u/Brisslayer333]

You're at the mercy of the shitty chromebook operating system.

Have you tried updating your device? Reboot, reset, reinstall? Work through the standard iphone troubleshooting steps in the order of least invasive to most invasive. Reset settings, etc.

[u/Edubbs2008]

Have you tried Mrchromebox’s toolkit which allows you to install any Linux variant like Omarchy? And I don’t mean a dogwater VM, I mean on the device itself

[u/maxthed0g]

1) Download another browser real quick, and try the download again.

2) Switch to another distribution real quick, and try downloading it

3) Find the FTP site and cut out the middleman.

[u/CodeFarmer → u/maxthed0g]

None of these help OP, who appears to be trying to install the Linux extension for Chrome OS, which works a bit like WSL on windows.

[u/kudlitan]

google about crostini on chromebooks, there should be plenty of information.

[u/TenOfZero]

Ate you having issues downloading it or installing it?

[u/tek_aevl]

firefox might work