virtuallypotato/content/posts/2020/burn-an-iso-to-usb-with-the-chromebook-recovery-utility/index.md

---
series: Tips
date: "2020-12-23T08:34:30Z"
thumbnail: -lp1-DGiM.png
usePageBundles: true
tags:
- chromeos
title: Burn an ISO to USB with the Chromebook Recovery Utility
toc: false
featured: true
---

There are a number of fantastic Windows applications for creating bootable USB drives from ISO images - but those don't work on a Chromebook. Fortunately there's an easily-available tool which will do the trick: Google's own [Chromebook Recovery Utility](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chromebook-recovery-utili/pocpnlppkickgojjlmhdmidojbmbodfm) app. 

Normally that tool is used to creating bootable media to [reinstall Chrome OS on a broken Chromebook](https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/1080595) (hence the name) but it also has the capability to write other arbitrary images as well. So if you find yourself needing to create a USB drive for installing ESXi on a computer in your [home lab](https://twitter.com/johndotbowdre/status/1341767090945077248) (more on that soon!) here's what you'll need to do:

1. Install the [Chromebook Recovery Utility](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chromebook-recovery-utili/pocpnlppkickgojjlmhdmidojbmbodfm).
2. Download the ISO you intend to use.
3. Rename the file to append `.bin` on the end, after the `.iso` bit:
![My renamed ISO for installing ESXi](uoTjgtbN1.png) 
4. Plug in the USB drive you're going to sacrifice for this effort - remember that ALL data on the drive will be erased.
5. Open the recovery utility, click on the gear icon at the top right, and select the *Use local image* option:
![The CRU menu](vdTpW9t7Q.png)
6. Browse to and select the `*.iso.bin` file.
7. Choose the USB drive, and click *Continue*.
![Selecting the drive](p_Ieqsw4p.png)
8. Click *Create now* to start the writing!
![Writing the image](lhw5EEqSD.png)
9. All done! It probably won't work great for actually recovering your Chromebook but will do wonders for installing ESXi (or whatever) on another computer!
![Success!](-lp1-DGiM.png)

You can also use the CRU to make a bootable USB from a `.zip` archive containing a single `.img` file, such as those commonly used to distribute [Raspberry Pi images](https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/installation/installing-images/chromeos.md).

Very cool!
initial hugo import 2021-12-04 02:14:40 +00:00			`---`
fix series tags in post front matter to enable Related Posts feature 2021-12-09 01:41:47 +00:00			`series: Tips`
initial hugo import 2021-12-04 02:14:40 +00:00			`date: "2020-12-23T08:34:30Z"`
convert existing posts to pageBundles 2021-12-21 04:43:57 +00:00			`thumbnail: -lp1-DGiM.png`
			`usePageBundles: true`
initial hugo import 2021-12-04 02:14:40 +00:00			`tags:`
			`- chromeos`
			`title: Burn an ISO to USB with the Chromebook Recovery Utility`
			`toc: false`
flag some featured posts based on what's been popular so far 2021-12-18 04:25:06 +00:00			`featured: true`
initial hugo import 2021-12-04 02:14:40 +00:00			`---`

add image descriptions 2021-12-16 18:55:52 +00:00			`There are a number of fantastic Windows applications for creating bootable USB drives from ISO images - but those don't work on a Chromebook. Fortunately there's an easily-available tool which will do the trick: Google's own [Chromebook Recovery Utility](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chromebook-recovery-utili/pocpnlppkickgojjlmhdmidojbmbodfm) app.`
initial hugo import 2021-12-04 02:14:40 +00:00
			`Normally that tool is used to creating bootable media to [reinstall Chrome OS on a broken Chromebook](https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/1080595) (hence the name) but it also has the capability to write other arbitrary images as well. So if you find yourself needing to create a USB drive for installing ESXi on a computer in your [home lab](https://twitter.com/johndotbowdre/status/1341767090945077248) (more on that soon!) here's what you'll need to do:`

			`1. Install the [Chromebook Recovery Utility](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chromebook-recovery-utili/pocpnlppkickgojjlmhdmidojbmbodfm).`
			`2. Download the ISO you intend to use.`
			3. Rename the file to append `.bin` on the end, after the `.iso` bit:
convert existing posts to pageBundles 2021-12-21 04:43:57 +00:00			`![My renamed ISO for installing ESXi](uoTjgtbN1.png)`
initial hugo import 2021-12-04 02:14:40 +00:00			`4. Plug in the USB drive you're going to sacrifice for this effort - remember that ALL data on the drive will be erased.`
			`5. Open the recovery utility, click on the gear icon at the top right, and select the Use local image option:`
convert existing posts to pageBundles 2021-12-21 04:43:57 +00:00			`![The CRU menu](vdTpW9t7Q.png)`
initial hugo import 2021-12-04 02:14:40 +00:00			6. Browse to and select the `*.iso.bin` file.
			`7. Choose the USB drive, and click Continue.`
convert existing posts to pageBundles 2021-12-21 04:43:57 +00:00			`![Selecting the drive](p_Ieqsw4p.png)`
initial hugo import 2021-12-04 02:14:40 +00:00			`8. Click Create now to start the writing!`
convert existing posts to pageBundles 2021-12-21 04:43:57 +00:00			`![Writing the image](lhw5EEqSD.png)`
initial hugo import 2021-12-04 02:14:40 +00:00			`9. All done! It probably won't work great for actually recovering your Chromebook but will do wonders for installing ESXi (or whatever) on another computer!`
convert existing posts to pageBundles 2021-12-21 04:43:57 +00:00			`![Success!](-lp1-DGiM.png)`
initial hugo import 2021-12-04 02:14:40 +00:00
			You can also use the CRU to make a bootable USB from a `.zip` archive containing a single `.img` file, such as those commonly used to distribute [Raspberry Pi images](https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/installation/installing-images/chromeos.md).

			`Very cool!`