Writing RAW Disk Images to SD Cards or Flash Drives

ChromeOS can write most disk images, such as a RAW Image (.img) or a CD/DVD Image (.iso) via the ChromeOS Recovery Tool. While this tool is often used for creating ChromeOS Recovery Media, there is a hidden menu that will allow users to select their own disk image instead of using a pre-defined ChromeOS image. 

You will need to provide a USB Flash Drive or MicroSD/SD Card that is equal to, or larger than the disk image that you wish to flash to your external media device. It is important to note that the external media device will be completely erased during this process. If your disk image contains multiple partitions, and you wish to clear all the partitions, you will need to follow the steps outlined in the section titled "Clearing Partitions from SD Cards or Flash Drives".

Before you begin, you will have to install the ChromeOS Recovery Tool from the Chrome Web Store. This is a free Chrome Extension. 

1) Launch the ChromeOS Recovery Tool and select the settings cog in the upper right of the screen.

2) Select "Use local image" and select the image file using the Chrome File Manager

3) Select the USB Flash Drive, MicroSD Card or Full Sized SD Card from the media drop down. Please note that this will show any external media device you have connected to your ChromeOS Device, so please take a moment to ensure you are selecting the correct device.

4) Select "Create Now" on the final confirmation screen

5) The disk imaging process may take several minutes to complete, depending on the size and speed of your media files.

6) When the disk image has been written, you will be prompted to remove your external media device. You may also delete your disk image file from your ChromeOS device if you need to reclaim space/

Please Note : The success message does imply that the external media file was designed to only be used on a ChromeOS Device, it will work on a standard PC or Single Board Computer (Such as the Raspberry Pi).