Chromebook Installation Guide

DNAGedcom Client runs on Chromebooks through ChromeOS's built-in Linux development environment (formerly “Crostini”). This guide walks through enabling the Linux container, picking the correct package for your Chromebook, and installing the Client.

System requirements: a Chromebook that supports the Linux development environment (most Chromebooks released since 2019; some school-managed devices have it disabled by IT policy). At least 4 GB of RAM is recommended; 8 GB or more is comfortable for larger gathers.

Step 1: Enable the Linux Development Environment

If you've already turned this on for another app, skip ahead to Step 2.

  1. Open Settings on your Chromebook (gear icon in the system tray).
  2. In the left sidebar, click Advanced, then Developers.
  3. Find Linux development environment and click Turn on (or Set up).
  4. Accept the default username and disk size when prompted. The default disk size is fine for DNAGedcom; if you plan to gather very large kits, bump it up to at least 20 GB. You can resize later under the same Linux settings.
  5. Wait for ChromeOS to download and configure the Linux container. This takes a few minutes.

When it's done, a Terminal app appears in your launcher. That's how you'll install DNAGedcom.

If Linux development environment doesn't appear at all in Settings, your Chromebook either doesn't support it or has it disabled by an administrator (common on school-issued devices). Without Linux support, DNAGedcom can't run on this Chromebook.

Step 2: Identify Your Chromebook's Architecture

Chromebooks come in two CPU flavors. You need the matching DNAGedcom build:

To check, open the Terminal app you got in Step 1 and run:

uname -m

x86_64 → download AMD64. aarch64 → download ARM64.

Step 3: Download the Installer

From the Chromebook's regular Chrome browser (not the Linux terminal), download the package matching your architecture:

Download AMD64 (.deb)   Download ARM64 (.deb)

The file lands in your Downloads folder. Note that on a Chromebook, ChromeOS Downloads and the Linux container have separate file systems by default. The next step shows how to bridge that.

Step 4: Install the Package

The simplest path is also the most ChromeOS-native:

  1. Open the Files app on your Chromebook.
  2. Navigate to Downloads and find the .deb file you just downloaded.
  3. Double-click the .deb file. ChromeOS opens an “Install with Linux” dialog.
  4. Click Install. ChromeOS hands the package to the Linux container, runs dpkg, and reports success.

If the GUI install fails or you'd rather use the terminal, copy the file into the Linux container's home folder first (drag from Downloads to the Linux files section in the Files app), then in the Terminal:

sudo dpkg -i ~/DNAGedcomInstaller4_amd64.deb
sudo apt-get install -f   # only if dpkg reported missing dependencies

(Substitute the ARM64 filename if that's what you downloaded.)

Step 5: Launch DNAGedcom

After installation, DNAGedcom Client appears in your Chromebook launcher inside the Linux apps folder (the icon may be labeled simply “Linux apps” or “Linux” depending on your ChromeOS version). Click it to launch.

The first launch downloads an embedded Chromium browser used for gathering data from A* and 23andMe (about 150–200 MB, one-time). Subsequent launches are fast.

Step 6: Initial Setup

Once DNAGedcom is running:

  1. Log in with your DNAGedcom credentials.
  2. Click the gear icon in the top-right to open Settings.
  3. Choose a folder for the database. On a Chromebook, anything inside the Linux container's home folder works. We recommend creating a DNAGedcom folder inside the Linux home directory.
  4. Give the database a name (optionally include the tester's name for kits you manage for others).
  5. Click Save.

You're now ready to start gathering DNA data. See the Getting Started guide for a full walkthrough.

Sharing Files Between Linux and ChromeOS

The Linux container and ChromeOS keep their files separate by design. Two practical implications for DNAGedcom users:

Troubleshooting

Make sure you've completed Step 1 and that the Linux container is running. Look for a small Linux icon in your system tray. If you've recently restarted, ChromeOS may not have brought the container up automatically — open the Terminal app once, wait a few seconds for the container to start, and try double-clicking the .deb again.

You downloaded the wrong package for your Chromebook's CPU. Run uname -m in the Terminal to confirm whether you're on x86_64 (AMD64) or aarch64 (ARM64), then re-download the matching build.

Some entry-level Chromebooks have very limited RAM (4 GB) and slow eMMC storage that struggle with large gathers. A few things to try:

  • Close other apps and Chrome tabs while gathering.
  • Gather at higher cM thresholds (30+ cM) to reduce the working set.
  • If your Chromebook has very limited storage, increase the Linux disk size in Settings > Linux development environment, or move the database to an external SD card / USB drive (mounted into the Linux container via Files > Manage Linux sharing).

If performance is still unworkable, the Client may simply be too heavy for that Chromebook. A more capable device, or running DNAGedcom on a different machine, may be the right call.

From the Terminal:

sudo apt remove dnagedcominstaller4

To remove the Linux container entirely (every Linux app along with it), open ChromeOS Settings > Advanced > Developers > Linux development environment and click Remove.

Need help? Email support@dnagedcom.com and include your Chromebook model, your ChromeOS version (Settings > About ChromeOS), the architecture (uname -m output), your DNAGedcom username, the Client version, and the log file from the Settings page.