RAW Disk Images and Partitions

One of the significant limitations of ChromeOS for advanced users is the lack of built-in tools for writing disk images to USB flash drives and MicroSD cards. This functionality is essential for various use cases, such as creating bootable drives for different operating systems, flashing firmware onto embedded devices like Raspberry Pi, or working with recovery images for specialized hardware.

While ChromeOS provides a secure and streamlined computing experience, it does not natively support tools like Rufus, Etcher, or dd, which are commonly used on Windows, macOS, and Linux for writing disk images. However, there are workarounds available that allow users to perform these tasks effectively. This section of the guide explores multiple methods for writing and clearing disk images on external storage devices, including leveraging the ChromeOS Linux container (Crostini) to install Linux-based utilities, using Android applications that support image writing, and utilizing web-based solutions where applicable.

By following the steps outlined in this guide, advanced users can expand the functionality of their ChromeOS devices and perform disk imaging tasks without requiring access to another operating system.