How I downloaded Linux on FydeOS (and what actually worked)

Posted byneifferhussian

I’m Kayla, and I used FydeOS on an old Dell XPS 13 and a tiny mini PC. I wanted Linux tools without giving up that clean, fast Chrome feel. I got it working. I also hit a few snags. Here’s my real play-by-play.

Honestly, it wasn’t hard. But it wasn’t magic either. And Steam? That’s a whole mood.
If you're curious how FydeOS stacks up against other lightweight distros, there's a solid comparison over at Desktop Linux Reviews that helped me set my expectations. For an even more granular walkthrough of the exact download process, the step-by-step guide they posted on “How I Downloaded Linux on FydeOS (and What Actually Worked)” lines up almost perfectly with what I saw.

If you’d rather kick the tires in a virtual machine before touching real hardware, FydeOS has you covered with their own instructions—check out the official guide on installing FydeOS on VMware for an easy sandbox. That whole “try before you buy” vibe reminds me of how you can rent a fancy outfit for a single event—sites like One Night Affair make it painless to browse and reserve designer gowns just for the night, sparing you the hefty purchase price while still letting you show up in style.

My setup, so you can compare

  • FydeOS for PC on a 2015 Dell XPS 13 (8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD)
  • Also tried on a MinisForum mini PC at my desk
  • Wi-Fi, nothing fancy
  • A USB mouse, because trackpads can be fussy during setup

Need cheap test hardware? If you’re anywhere near Ames, Iowa, the local classifieds scene has a hidden gem: browse Backpage Ames where tech sellers post lightly-used Chromebooks and mini PCs daily, making it easy to score a budget machine that’s perfect for experimenting with FydeOS without breaking the bank.

You don’t need the same gear, but more RAM helps. Four gigs works. Eight gigs feels smooth.

Step 1: Turn on Linux in FydeOS settings

FydeOS has a built-in Linux mode. It’s like a little Debian box inside your system. You flip a switch, and bam, Terminal shows up. (Need a deep-dive? The FydeOS official guide to setting up the Linux environment walks through every click and option.)

Here’s what I did:

  • Open Settings.
  • Go to Developers.
  • Find Linux environment (sometimes called Linux Beta) and click Turn on.
  • Pick the disk size. I picked 20 GB at first. I later bumped it to 40 GB because… Steam.
  • Wait a few minutes. You’ll see the Terminal app appear.

If you don’t see Developers, update FydeOS and reboot. I had to restart once on the mini PC before it appeared.

Step 2: First moves in Terminal

When Terminal opens, it drops you into a Debian container. It’s pretty bare. So I did the usual cleanup.

  • Update the package list: sudo apt update
  • Upgrade the base stuff: sudo apt upgrade -y

If it asks to restart services, say yes. I kept a cup of coffee nearby. It took 2–5 minutes on my Wi-Fi.

Out of space? You can resize later:

  • Go back to Settings > Developers > Linux.
  • Click Disk size and slide it up. I went from 20 GB to 40 GB when Steam complained.

Real apps I installed (and what happened)

I installed three things to test real life: coding, art, and games.

1) VS Code for coding

  • Quick way (works fine): download the .deb from the official site, save it in Downloads, then run sudo apt install ./Downloads/code*.deb
  • After install, I opened VS Code from the Launcher. It ran smooth. Extensions installed fine.
  • I used it to edit a Node project. Git in Terminal worked, too.

I tried the Flatpak version later. It also worked, but the .deb felt snappier on my XPS.

2) GIMP for image work

  • Install: sudo apt install gimp
  • I opened a 12 MB PNG and did some light edits. Cropping, healing tool, text. Not Photoshop fast, but no stutter.
  • Bonus: I shared a folder from FydeOS into Linux, so I didn’t have to copy files around. More on that below.

3) Steam, because curiosity is a trap

  • First, enable 32-bit packages: sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386 && sudo apt update
  • Then install: sudo apt install steam
  • On my XPS 13, Steam launched and signed in. Small indie games ran. But heavy 3D stuff? Meh. You may not get full GPU power here.
  • If you only want Stardew-style games, you might be okay. I tried two pixel games and got good frames. Big shooters—nope.

You know what? It was still fun to try. I just wouldn’t buy new games for this setup.

Moving files between FydeOS and Linux

This part is easy once you know the trick.

  • Open Files.
  • Right-click a folder (like Downloads).
  • Click Share with Linux.

Now, inside Terminal, that folder shows up at /mnt/chromeos/MyFiles/Downloads. I edited photos right from there. No weird copying. Nice and clean.

Flatpak path (when I wanted newer apps)

Sometimes the Debian repo packages are a bit old. I used Flatpak for a couple of newer picks.

  • Install Flatpak: sudo apt install flatpak
  • Add Flathub: flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
  • Install apps, like Obsidian: flatpak install flathub md.obsidian.Obsidian

The Flatpak builds were a touch bigger, but they looked fresh and ran well. On my mini PC, I kept Flatpak. On the XPS, I stuck with .deb for VS Code.

Fixes for the hiccups I hit

  • Linux option missing in Settings:
    • Update FydeOS, then reboot.
    • Check Developers again. It took one restart on my mini PC before it showed up.
  • Super slow apt update:
    • It used a far mirror for me once. I edited /etc/apt/sources.list to use a closer Debian mirror. If that sounds scary, try again at a different time of day. Late evening was faster on my home net.
  • No space left on device:
    • Settings > Developers > Linux > Resize disk. I moved from 20 GB to 40 GB and it saved the day.
  • Linux broke after I messed with system stuff:
    • Remove and reinstall Linux from Settings > Developers. Warning: this wipes your Linux apps. I backed up my project folder to MyFiles before I did this.

Little tip: powerwash or a fresh install of FydeOS will also clear your Linux container, so keep your work in shared folders or push to Git often.

Who this feels right for

  • Yes: web folks, students, light dev work, writing, Python, CLI tools, image edits, note-taking.
  • Maybe: music production or 3D art. It runs, but latency and GPU limits may bug you.
  • Not my pick: heavy gaming. Steam ran, but it wasn’t a dream.

A quick real-world example

I wrote a small Flask app on the XPS:

  • Installed Python tools: sudo apt install python3-pip
  • Created a venv, installed Flask, and ran flask run.
  • Opened the app from FydeOS in Chrome at http://localhost:5000.
  • Edited code in VS Code. Saved. Refreshed. It felt like a normal dev laptop, just quieter.

Then I hopped to GIMP, cleaned a logo, saved it to Downloads, and pulled it into the app. No drama.

Final thoughts

FydeOS with Linux felt like a tidy desk. It’s not a powerhouse rig. But it’s steady, simple, and way less fussy than I expected. I got real work done. I even played a cozy game or two.

Would I switch my whole studio to it? No. But for a spare laptop, a kid’s school machine, or a café coding box—it’s great. And when apt upgrade finishes without errors? That tiny win feels good.

If you follow the steps above and keep an eye on disk size, you’ll be fine. And if Steam gives you side-eye, don’t take it personal. It does that to me too.