compareeHub

A 20 DOLLAR SCHOOL CHROMEBOOK TURNED INTO A HOME SERVER

Schools retire Chromebooks fast. A cracked one cost about 20 dollars on eBay, and inside is a working Intel computer waiting for a second life.

by logan.local

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

HomeAutomation

difficulty
●●●○○
time
a weekend
license
Unlicense
repo
repo ACTIVE794 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Videos
1
Jump to section

COMPAREE VERDICT

This is an honest way to reuse hardware that schools retire quickly, but it is not a one-click job, and the MrChromebox docs say so bluntly. The UEFI Full ROM firmware turns the Chromebook into a normal PC. Logan then installs ZimaOS onto the built-in 32 GB eMMC, adds a 2.5-inch drive over a USB 3 adapter, and installs Jellyfin from the ZimaOS app store. The result is fanless and silent and draws about 5 to 10 W under full load, according to the video. The limits are real: direct play is fine but transcoding is weak (no 4K HDR), there is no SATA or PCIe so all storage hangs off USB, and both the small eMMC and a used school laptop are unknowns for reliability. Before buying, check the board on the Supported Devices list. Avoid ARM models and devices still enrolled by a school, since managed devices generally cannot enter Developer Mode. If you can find a supported cracked-screen unit for 15 to 25 dollars and you are willing to read the docs, it is a genuinely cheap media server.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —The MrChromebox firmware utility script and the full documentation are at docs.mrchromebox.tech; the scripts repository is under the Unlicense.
  • —UEFI Full ROM replaces the stock firmware and removes ChromeOS. The docs call the bricking risk small, and recovery needs a CH341A programmer or a SuzyQ cable.
  • —Only x86_64 (Intel/AMD) devices are supported. The HP Chromebook 11 G8 EE is listed as board VORTICON, with write protect disabled via battery disconnect or SuzyQ.
  • —There is no formal BOM. The video description links the 100 W Anker USB-C charger (needed to run without the battery), a Belkin dock and a UGREEN 2.5-inch USB 3 adapter.
  • —ZimaOS (IceWhale) goes onto the 32 GB eMMC, and Jellyfin is installed from its app store.
  • —logan.local removes and disposes of the battery to avoid charging a lithium cell 24/7; the board then runs from the USB-C charger.

Parts to buy

5 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • Supported x86_64 ChromebookFind
  • USB-C charger able to run it without the batteryFind
  • USB drive for the installerFind
  • 2.5-inch HDD/SSD with a USB 3 adapterFind
  • Optional laptop dock and an external monitor for setupFind

Can I build this?

Printnothing required
BuyA supported x86_64 Chromebook (logan.local: HP Chromebook 11 G8 EE with a broken screen, about 20 dollars on eBay), a USB-C charger able to run it without the battery (he links a 100 W Anker), a USB drive for the installer, a 2.5-inch HDD/SSD with a USB 3 adapter; optional laptop dock and an external monitor for setup
ToolsScrewdriver for the teardown, another computer to write the installer USB, an external display via USB-C or dock for setup, basic terminal familiarity
SkillsComfortable reading dense documentation, running shell commands and opening a laptop. The docs explicitly say this is not a one-click procedure.
TimeMrChromebox estimates 1 to 3 hours for a UEFI Full ROM install including the OS, plus the teardown and time spent reading the docs
CostAbout 20 dollars for the Chromebook (he suggests looking for broken-screen units in the 15 to 25 dollar range), plus the charger and storage if you do not already have them
SafetyRemove the lithium battery for permanent 24/7 use, as logan.local does, and dispose of it properly. A firmware flash carries a small brick risk, so save the stock firmware backup.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

Videos

Building a $20 Home Server you can actually buy in 202611:05

logan.local's build walkthrough, published 11 Mar 2026

More builds like this

All projects
A 47-dollar used PS4 turned into a home serverAutomationCasaOS: turn a retired office laptop into a private home server that replaces cloud storageHomeTurn a cheap IP camera into one that never phones homeHome

Gallery

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Check the MrChromebox Supported Devices page for your board name (HWID) and make sure it has UEFI Full ROM support. (ARM devices are not supported. logan.local used an HP Chromebook 11 G8 EE (board VORTICON, Celeron N4020, 4 GB LPDDR4).)
  2. 2.Read the entire MrChromebox Getting Started guide, including the warnings, the FAQ and Known Issues. (The docs budget 1 to 3 hours for a UEFI Full ROM install, and first-timers should allow extra.)
  3. 3.Remove the broken screen and disconnect the battery.(Logan takes off the keyboard tray, then unplugs the battery, the display cable and the Wi-Fi antennas, and lifts the screen assembly off. On this model, disconnecting the battery also disables firmware write protect.)
  4. 4.Enable Developer Mode (Esc + Refresh + Power, then Ctrl+D), open a shell and run the Firmware Utility Script. (Developer Mode wipes the device. Use an external monitor over USB-C or a dock, since the screen is gone. The command is: cd; curl -LOf https://mrchromebox.tech/firmware-util.sh && sudo bash firmware-util.sh)
  5. 5.Choose 'Install/Update UEFI (Full ROM) Firmware' and save the stock firmware backup when prompted. (Keep the backup somewhere safe (another PC or a USB drive). You need it for the easiest way back to ChromeOS.)
  6. 6.Flash ZimaOS to a USB drive, install it onto the 32 GB eMMC, then add USB storage and Jellyfin. (Logan used balenaEtcher or Rufus to write the installer. Afterwards, open the ZimaOS dashboard from any browser at the IP shown on screen.)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • Buying an ARM Chromebook, or a model without UEFI Full ROM support. Check the board name on the MrChromebox Supported Devices page before you pay.
  • Buying a unit that is still managed or enrolled by a school. MrChromebox notes that managed devices are generally locked down and cannot be switched to Developer Mode.
  • Skipping the documentation. MrChromebox warns that following a YouTube video or blog post with 'simplified' instructions 'will only end in tears'. Read Getting Started, the FAQ and Known Issues first.
  • Not saving the stock firmware backup. Without it, restoring is harder and you may lose the device's unique identifiers (VPD, serial number); end-of-life devices cannot go back to ChromeOS at all.
  • Expecting transcoding. The Celeron N4020 handles direct play, but HEVC transcoding was taxing in logan.local's test and 4K HDR is off the table.
  • Storage is USB-only (no SATA or PCIe on these boards), and the OS lives on the soldered 32 GB eMMC, whose long-term reliability is unknown. Logan's 500 GB drive was scavenged from a broken laptop, and he says not to trust important data to it without backups.

Which Chromebook models work?

Only x86_64 (Intel or AMD) Chromebooks listed with UEFI Full ROM support on the MrChromebox Supported Devices page. ARM models are not supported. Look up the board name (HWID), which appears on the Recovery and Developer Mode screens and at chrome://system. logan.local's HP Chromebook 11 G8 EE is listed as VORTICON, and its write protect is disabled by disconnecting the battery.

Can I restore ChromeOS later?

Usually yes. MrChromebox's script can restore the stock firmware either from the backup you saved while flashing or from a ChromeOS Recovery USB, and then you run a normal ChromeOS recovery. Two catches: once a device has hit its AUE/end-of-life date it cannot be reverted to ChromeOS, and without your own backup you may lose the device's unique identifiers (VPD, serial number).

Do I have to remove the battery?

On the HP Chromebook 11 G8 you disconnect it anyway to disable firmware write protect. logan.local then leaves it out for good: he argues it is not a good idea to keep a cheap lithium battery plugged in and charging 24/7. Without the battery the board runs from a USB-C charger (he links a 100 W Anker).

Will this handle Jellyfin or 4K video?

Direct play is fine: the N4020 just reads the file from the USB drive and sends it over the network. Transcoding is a mixed bag. The UHD Graphics 600 has VA-API acceleration, but in logan.local's test it did not work well, HEVC transcoding was taxing, and transcoding or tone-mapping 4K HDR is off the table.

What happens if the firmware flash bricks the device?

MrChromebox calls the UEFI Full ROM risk small but real. Recovering means flashing the chip externally with a CH341A USB programmer, or with a SuzyQ cable on supported models. The Unbricking section of the docs covers both. That is why the docs insist on saving a firmware backup.

Community builds

No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.

Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

What is the cheapest supported Chromebook you have seen locally, and would you keep the battery in as a built-in UPS or pull it like logan.local?

CompareeTEAM2d ago

Practical notes from our check of the sources: the MrChromebox docs are thorough and repeatedly warn that this is not a one-click process. They also confirm the details logan.local relies on: the HP Chromebook 11 G8 EE (VORTICON) is supported for UEFI Full ROM, and its write protect is disabled by disconnecting the battery. One correction to a common belief: you can usually get back to ChromeOS even without your own backup, using a ChromeOS Recovery USB, but not once the device has passed its end-of-life date. Transcoding is the real ceiling here: direct play works, but HEVC was taxing and 4K HDR is out.

logan.local

Logan runs logan.local, a YouTube channel about home servers, NAS hardware and budget homelab builds. He published the 20 dollar Chromebook server video on 11 March 2026, prompted by rising prices for entry-level options like the Raspberry Pi 5 and ZimaBoard 2.

Star the project on GitHub

DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
GitHub repo