If you’re a RuneScape fan, you’re probably itching like crazy to play it on your Chromebook.
So, you go to their site, attempt to load RuneScape, and you’ll notice that your Chromebook can’t even run the java environment required to play the game in the first place.
This is because of the way Chrome OS was built, and you’re about to see why it’s a good thing.
Don’t be disappointed. You’ll soon be able to grind all day and level up your skills in just a bit.
Last updated: 1/7/19. This guide will constantly be updated when needed to provide an accurate installation process. Did you find an error? Is there a missing step? Please leave a comment and I’ll update this page promptly when a solution is found. (You can leave comments after the article.)
Why doesn’t RuneScape work with Chrome OS?
Chrome was built without java support for a reason- and that reason is security.
Third-party software and installations are disabled. Java is disabled. Flash is disabled. All of these are safety measures to make Chrome OS nearly invulnerable to attacks.
This is why you don’t need antivirus or any other special software. Your laptop is pretty much bulletproof from the start.
But, this is also why Chromebooks can’t play Minecraft or RuneScape out-of-the-box. Chrome OS is locked down for security and this is a contributing factor to why it’s one of the safest operating systems around.
Of course, being so restrictive can be very limiting in terms of functionality such as installing software, compatibility, and in this scenario playing games.
But thankfully, there’s a pretty easy workaround to get the game running on your device. And that’s what this tutorial will help you accomplish.
Before we get started, there are a few things you should know:
- You should know that you need to have some idea of using the command prompt (terminal) to do this. It’s not difficult, but it’s easy to make a mistake. If you’ve never used the command prompt before, it’s okay. Just follow the steps below and make sure you type in each line of code exactly as stated here otherwise your laptop will throw an error.
- Setting your Chromebook up for RuneScape requires that you enable Developer Mode on your laptop. This is potentially dangerous in the sense that you can screw up your laptop, but you can always do a Powerwash and reset your Chromebook to factory settings.
- Be sure to backup all your personal files, pictures, data, images, and whatever else you have saved to your laptop before doing this. You can use cloud storage like Google Drive or use an external hard drive to easily save your stuff. The process we’re about to go through involves erasing your local storage, so it’s important you backup all your necessary stuff. Don’t blame me if you don’t. (Yes, you’ll really lose all the data on your disk.)
It’s also worth mentioning that if you’re attempting to do this on a device you don’t own (such as a school or work laptop), it may not work if your network has disabled Developer Mode. Chromebooks that are managed or enrolled in a network usually have Dev Mode and other administrative features turned off. You should consult your IT admin.
Okay, are you ready?
Let’s install RuneScape on your Chromebook. Woot.
Here’s how to do it.
Linux will let you run RuneScape
To get around the Java-less environment of Chrome OS, we’ll have to install Linux.
Linux is an operating system (technically, it’s a kernel) just like Windows, Mac, and Chrome OS. If you’ve been playing games for any amount of time, you know what Linux is.
It’s widely used among developers and computer enthusiasts around the world. It’s secure, free, open-source, and offers a lot of features just like Chrome OS.
For our purpose, Linux can run Java applications- which is exactly what you need to run the game.
To play RuneScape, you’ll need to be able to run java. Linux runs java. Therefore, you’ll need Linux. To get Linux, you’ll need Crouton.
Did you ever notice how free and open-source software happens to always be the savior? Just food for thought.
Hardware requirements
You don’t need that much power to run the game.
The game is already highly-optimized to run on any device- including low-end devices.
A basic Intel Celeron Chromebook with at least 4GB of RAM should do the trick. But that’s not set in stone. I’ve seen people online play the game with even 2GB of RAM. Although it’s noticeably laggier and framerates drop, it’s still playable.
The majority of Chromebooks have Intel HD Graphics as an integrated GPU, so you have some decent power to render the game. If you’re running Intel, you have Intel HD Graphics.
Also, note that this will only work for Intel-powered Chromebooks.
Most are powered by Intel processors, but some are ARM-based or MediaTek-based. You’ll want to avoid these because they’ll just cause headaches and probably won’t work with this tutorial.
You can easily check if you have an Intel-based CPU by just looking at your Chromebook’s stickers- this is the easiest way. If it has an Intel processor, you’ll likely find the infamous blue-and-white Intel sticker somewhere on it. If not, look at the bottom panel. There should be a label with a bunch of information on it. Scan for something that states it has an Intel processor.
Another way to check your Chromebooks hardware specifications is to use the built-in function in Chrome OS.
Here’s how:
- Open Chrome Web Browser
- Type in “chrome://system” (without the quotations) in the address bar and press Enter.
- Look for “cpu” on the left and check what you have on the right.
As a last resort, you can just look up your specific model online and check the system specs.
If you don’t have an Intel CPU, don’t waste your time with this guide. It won’t work. Sorry.
But if you’re a hardcore fan of the game, consider buying an Intel-based laptop. I have a Chromebook buyer’s guide for that. You can pick one up for less than $150 that plays the games you crave.
If you do have an Intel processor, then go ahead proceed to the following steps.
So, if you have an Intel-powered Chromebook and you’re ready to play RuneScape…
Let’s go.
Enable Developer Mode
To install Linux, you’ll need to have Developer Mode switched on.
I wrote a complete step-by-step tutorial on how to enable Developer Mode on your Chromebook.
So check out the tutorial and follow the steps there, then come back here and proceed. This is also where you’ll need to make sure that you’ve backed up your stuff before proceeding (the guide covers it). So, connect that external hard drive or load up that cloud service and start backing up your stuff.
It should be fairly straightforward and easy to switch.
If you have any questions about enabling it, post them here and I’ll get back to you ASAP.
Download Crouton on your Chromebook and install Linux
Okay, so now you should have Developer Mode enabled.
Next, we’ll download Crouton, which is basically an installer that installs Linux on your Chromebook using a few lines of code (don’t worry, it’s easy).
For simplicity’s sake and to keep things in perspective, Crouton is just a launcher that installs Linux. Don’t get confused over the naming.
But to make things more confusing, we’ll be installing Ubuntu, which is a distro of Linux using Crouton.
And on top of that, we’ll be installing “Xfce,” which is a specific desktop environment of Ubuntu.
And lastly, we’ll be using the “Trusty” version of Xfce.
Is that too much? Don’t worry too much. It’s all pretty much done automatically. And you’ve also got the power of this tutorial to help you on your quest to chop down some trees.
Step 1: Download Crouton from the GitHub page here.
I suggest you also read over Crouton’s FAQ page as it covers important information, such as adding support for touchscreens, encryption, default browsers, and such.
If you decide to add additional features, modify the lines of code below to fit your needs.
To keep things simple, I’ll be supplying just the bare-bones code below.
Note: Be sure to save Crouton to the default “Downloads” folder or else it won’t work with the following steps. If you have a custom folder to save your stuff that you download from the Internet, you’ll have to verify that it’s saved in the default folder.
Step 2: Open up the command terminal by pressing “Ctrl + Alt + T” and you’ll get a popup box ready for your code input. Don’t panic.
At the command line, type the following lines of code (without the quotations) exactly as shown- the code is case sensitive:
Type “shell” and press Enter.
Type “sudo sh ~/Downloads/crouton -r trusty -t xfce” and press Enter.
What this will do is install “Trusty” on the Xfce desktop environment. If you don’t know what this means, don’t worry about it.
I chose Xfce because it’s a fast and minimalist environment that’s just plain and simple. It’s easy to use as well so people who are new to Linux are less prone to errors and confusion. It’s pretty much like vanilla Linux.
For more advanced users, there are many different desktop environments of Linux and modifiers you can install and play around with.
Note: The “-trusty” command is optional, but it’s recommended to prevent errors from possibly occurring later in the process.
If you need extra help on this step, I wrote a tutorial that covers installing Linux step-by-step you can reference.
Did you get an error? If you’re getting an error that reads:
“sh: Can’t open /home/chronos/user/Downloads/crouton”
Don’t worry. It’s quite common and easily fixed.
All you need to do is delete Crouton from your disk, and then download it again. Then try typing in the code again.
You can refer this guide if you need detailed help.
For some reason, it’ll work automagically on the second try. I have no idea why this is. It’s weird.
Still not working? If Crouton is still throwing errors, there’s another way to get it running. I was informed about this method by an awesome reader (thanks, Seth!).
Here’s how:
- Install the Crouton Integration extension from the Chrome Web Store. It’s an unlisted extension, so you’ll need to install it through the special link provided.
- After you install it, run it. It’ll prompt to download the default Crouton file to your hard disk. This should be the basic file (no tar.gz or .zip).
- When it’s done downloading and saved on your Chromebook, try typing in the code again. Remember to type it exactly as shown.
Step 3: Start up Ubuntu.
After the installation completes, type in:
“sudo startxfce4”
If you’re using a different desktop environment, replace “xfce4” with whatever you chose.
Step 4: Install all updates to make sure you have the newest improvements and patches.
You can do this by booting into Ubuntu, type the following commands:
“sudo apt-get update”
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade”
Then type in:
“sudo apt-get install software-center”
These steps will update your Ubuntu to the newest version, and install the software center which makes installing applications on your Chromebook via Ubuntu much easier.
Tip: You can use “Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Left/Right Arrow” to switch between Chrome OS and Ubuntu easily. So if you have issues looking up how to do something in Ubuntu, you can switch to Chrome and look it up using your familiar browser.
Download the RuneScape installer
Okay, so at this point, you should have a Chromebook with Ubuntu installed.
Next, we’ll actually install RuneScape on your Chromebook.
Step 1: Boot up your Ubuntu installation from Chrome OS.
Open up the terminal by pressing “Ctrl + Alt + T” and type the following lines of code (again, without quotes and with proper casing):
“sudo apt-add-repository ppa:hikariknight/unix-runescape-client”
“sudo apt-get update”
“sudo apt-get install unix-runescape-client”
After that, the game will install on your Chromebook. You’re almost ready to play. Congrats.
Step 2: Type in “runescape” and hit Enter. The game will boot and you’re all set.
The game will start and you’ll be presented with the login screen.
You’re done! You should now be able to play RuneScape on your Chromebook! Congrats again!
Improving the performance of RuneScape on your Chromebook
Adjust game settings
If you have a cheap Chromebook, you may notice that the game chugs and doesn’t run too smoothly.
When I first launched RuneScape, I was getting about 12FPS on my Acer Chromebook CB3-131 (Intel Celeron, 2GB RAM).
If you’re a gamer, you know that playing at anything under 30FPS is less-than-optimal.
So what I did was switch the game over to Legacy mode, which is made to run on weaker and older computers. This alone boosted me up to about 22FPS. It’s not even close to ideal, but it’s playable.
You can also change the graphics settings within the game. Change the resolution to the lowest playable resolution for another performance boost.
You can disable any background applications you may have running to squeeze out some more performance. Playing in a smaller window also seems to help as well, along with lowering all the in-game settings.
I’ve also read that disabling audio boosts performance, but I haven’t really seen any improvement by doing so. I’d rather lose a few frames for audio. That sweet, sweet music.
I could play the game averaging about 20-22FPS. But when I enter populated towns, it drops down to a chuggable 10-12FPS. This is the only drawback. That’s why I spent most of my time questing with a friend in lower-population areas.
My friend also has this installed on his laptop. He’s running an Intel Core CPU with 4GB of RAM. He’s averaging about 50FPS with dips down to about 40FPS in populated areas. The game runs smoothly and looks amazing. His game settings are just about low-medium, so it’s still palatable enough to play.
It’s a huge world of difference. Running the game on a faster CPU with double the RAM is like night and day.
If you’re seriously a hardcore gamer and you need to play this on your Chromebook, you may want to consider getting a more powerful laptop.
Upgrade your device
If you’re thinking about upgrading your rig, there are a ton of models out now that sport plenty of power.
Modern Chromebooks often have at least 4GB of RAM and are often running newer processors, such as Intel Core CPUs.
This provides plenty of power for you to run the game like butter. A lot of them also have touchscreen support and convertible bodies. This makes playing games, in general, a lot more pleasant.
(Thinking about upgrading? Check out this list of the newest Chromebooks on the market.)
Use an extension
Some users have also suggested getting a Chrome extension from the Chrome Web Store to improve performance.
This works, but it depends on your usage habits.
For instance, you can download The Great Suspender which will automatically suspend idle Chrome tabs. This, in turn, will reduce RAM usage and free it up for Runescape.
But then again, if you don’t have multiple tabs open, it won’t really boost game performance.
Install OS Buddy
You can easily run OS Buddy alongside the game on Linux.
If you haven’t heard of OS Buddy, it’s basically an old-school toolkit for running the game with some awesome features implemented. Hardcore fans of the game see it as a must-have toolkit.
Their site is called, confusingly, RSBuddy. But don’t fret- they’re pretty much used interchangeably.
You can get all this and more with just a single download. OS Buddy runs alongside your RuneScape client on Linux and doesn’t require any changes. It comes in both a free version and a premium version. If you’ve never used it before and you’re looking to increase your gameplay experience, you should definitely install the free version.
If you like it enough, you can upgrade to OS Buddy Pro. OS Buddy Pro improves your game experience by adding a ton of nice little trackers, taggers, helpers, and even graphics options. Some of the most useful functions include the following:
- Use OpenGL graphics
- Adds a combat tracker
- Adds a clue scroll solver
- Use bank tagging
- Use screen markers
- Adds skilling helpers
- Adds a bank evaluator
If you’re interested, you can check out the full feature list here.
Personally, I just use the free version as I don’t play the game enough (too many games, too little time) to get my money’s worth of the pro features. However, I can see a hardcore fan totally taking advantage of these trackers.
Anyway, you can easily download and install OS Buddy on your Chromebook.
Here’s how:
Step 1: Download the Debian package of OS Buddy from their official site.
Be sure you download the right package or else it won’t launch!
Step 2: Launch the command terminal (“CTRL + ALT + T”).
Step 3: Navigate to the directory where you installed OS Buddy (use “cd” to change the directory).
If you’re not familiar with Linux commands, you use “cd” to change the directory. You need to navigate and specify the exact directory where you downloaded OS Buddy in.
For example, if you downloaded it to your “Downloads” folder, you’d type in something like “cd /home/user/downloads/…” in order to run it properly.
If you get an error while trying to install it, you probably have the wrong directory specified. Linux is very picky!
Step 4: Launch OS Buddy using the following command:
“Java -jar OSBuddy.jar”
The game should launch with OS Buddy as well.
If not, leave a comment and let me know and I’ll try to help you out =].
Looking for Old-School RuneScape (OSRS)?
You can choose between the two games, OSRS and RS3 at the launcher window.
This thing has changed so many times that it’s hard to keep updated on it, so you may have to do some research in order to play OSRS. It used to be available in the “Options” or “Settings” tab, but some readers have reported that it’s gone missing or that you need to punch in a few commands to switch from RS3 to OSRS.
If you’re having difficulties, please leave a comment and let me know. OSRS is possible and has been done, but the process of making it happen is extremely tedious.
Troubleshooting
The most common problem readers get is their laptop throwing an “unknown command” error after they type in their first line of code (“sudo”).
This is often because Dev Mode isn’t enabled, or they’ve enabled it but Chrome OS tends to revert back to the default mode.
After you enable it, it’ll stay active until you close the lid, shut down, or restart your Chromebook. The next time you boot it up, you’ll be prompted with a warning screen stating that OS Verification is OFF. (This pretty much means Dev Mode is still on.)
You need to press the right key in order to keep it off. If you press the wrong key, it’ll automatically go back to the system defaults (OS Verification ON). This is good for security but bad for trying to hack a game into Chrome OS.
If you let it revert, you’ll have to do this process all over again every time it resets itself. Be sure to press the right key. Read the warning prompt. It’ll tell you which key to press in order to keep Dev Mode activated.
If you’re having other issues, you can leave a comment and I’ll get back to you ASAP.
Lastly, if you’re a visual learner, here’s a video going over pretty much the same steps (there are slight differences, but the process is nearly identical):
Did you get it working?
Well, that’s about it.
You should now be able to run RuneScape pretty smoothly on your Chromebook, and start training your fire-starting and fishing skills ASAP. If you have any issues, please let me know in the comments below.
Note that this guide doesn’t work for every single model. Strangely enough, some work and some don’t- even if it’s the same operating system. There is no universal guide that works for all Chromebooks.
However, with minor tweaks and such, you can get RuneScape to play on most Chromebooks.
Again, if you’re having issues, leave a comment and I’ll see what I can do.
But first, try to tinker and see if you can figure it out yourself.
It’s always good to learn and become a Chromebook master. If you can grind for hours cutting logs, you can research for hours getting this to work. Though, it should be easy enough to get it running.
Let me know if this guide has helped you. And if it did, consider telling a friend so they can tag along with you on your epic adventure to grind some skills.
I can’t switch back from Linux to chrom please help I tred using Ctrl+alt+shift+left/right arrow
Hey Joe,
Are you using the Back/Forward arrows at the top of your keyboard (not the arrow keypad)? With the other keyboard combinations and these two arrows, the switching should work.
Let me know if you’re still stuck.
I keep getting the error “sh: Can’t open /home/chronos/user/Downloads/crouton” and following both fixes for it, but it still is happening. Do you know how to fix it?
So when switching between Chrome OS and Ubuntu, my Chrome OS goes whack. I will be doing fine in Ubuntu, but the when I switch back to Chrome OS, the screen is all blurred and looks like a dark theme or something. It is impossible to see and this happens everytime I try to use Ubuntu, and even when I log out of Ubuntu it is the same way until I restart my chromebook. By the way, I am using an HP Chromebook running Intel Celeron n3350 processor. Please help!
first off tysvm for this guide, i can play runescape without a problem. any way you can help me figure out runelite? ive tried and tried and tried and im just stuck. any new angle to try would be greatly appreciate.
Hey im getting a error code on chrome os downloading runescape “sudo apt-add-respository “ part, it says error: unknown command:sudo?
I am able to play it after following your instructions . I am playing on the Asus Chromebook flip intel core m3 . I’m not really computer savvy. My thing is how do I go back to the regular chrome book look it’s currently playing on the Linux but is there a way to pull up the game without opening the command and typing in the info to pull up Linux or that is the way you have to play ? I’m asking because when opening up external links on Runescape to open the store it tells me to copy… Read more >>
Hey Rosegold,
Glad you got it working! You can switch between Chrome OS and Linux by using “CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + Forward/Back Arrow.” This is the shortcut so you don’t need to use the command prompt.
As for a gaming computer, do you mean specific to a Chromebook? If so, you can check out this buyer’s guide. Written for Minecraft, but should work just as well for RuneScape.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks.
I am getting this error code after playing for a couple mins, game will crash and leave me with a black screen. Will be waiting to hear back, Thank you. Trying to load icon file: /home/humanpopcorn/.config/runescape/share/img/RuneScape3/jagexappletviewer.png Loader init Init 1 Init 2 Init 3 Init 4 Init 5 Init 6 Init 7 Init 8 Loader show Loader set message Config url:http://www.runescape.com/k=3/l=0/jav_config.ws Config URL is http://www.runescape.com/k=3/l=0/jav_config.ws # [ timer expired, abort… ] Aborted (core dumped) Error: client.init:1222 sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0 sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke:62 sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke:43 java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke:498 Rs2Applet.a:24 Rs2Applet.init:485 app.appletviewer.a:846 jagexappletviewer.main:34 | java.lang.RuntimeException | sun.awt.image.ImageFormatException: Unsupported color conversion request at sun.awt.image.JPEGImageDecoder.readImage(Native Method) at sun.awt.image.JPEGImageDecoder.produceImage(JPEGImageDecoder.java:141) at sun.awt.image.InputStreamImageSource.doFetch(InputStreamImageSource.java:269) at… Read more >>
When i enter the command sudo apt-get install unix-runescape-client, it gives me this message: E: Unable to locate package unix-runescape-client. Any ideas on how to solve this? I feel so much close to it
Having the same problem. Tried a million things (spent about 6 hours so far trying to get Runescape to run), and I keep hoping the next one will work.
Hey Mat Cauthon,
What errors are you getting in the console when you ran through each method? Could you type them here or post a screenshot? Was it throwing a consistent error or you were getting random strings each time?
I’ll have to take a look into this to see what broke.
Thanks.
I got stucked after i typed apt-get install software-properties-common, it keeps asking for a password ( [sudo] password for username:) but i never created a password. Thanks for the help
im stuck on the sudo apt-add-repository ppa:hikariknight/unix-runescape-client part when i type this command in it ask for password, once entered it says apt-add-repository: command not found. Thanks will be waiting for a response
Hey there,
You may have to run this command first:
“sudo apt-get install software-properties-common”
Then try running the PPA line again.
Let me know if you’re still getting an error.
Thanks.
everything works for me until i try to do the first command for installing runescape please help
All was going well until I made my password and forgot it. Now I can’t get any further. How do I reset my password or delete the whole thing to start again?
Hey RagingSamoan,
You can boot into Grub by holding Shift when you launch Linux.
Then choose the second option from the list (typically) which is something like (Ubutun, with Linux Recovery Mode).
Then choose the “root” option.
Then type “passwd user” where “user” is the username you chose to reset it.
This requires a small bit of technical knowledge, but if it doesn’t work, you can always just Powerwash your computer and restart. It should be easier the second time around anyway since you’re somewhat familiar with the process.
Let me know if you have any other problems.
Thanks.
One powerwash later and I got it all sorted, the only thing that isn’t working right is the fact that I can’t swap between Ubuntu and Chrome OS with the Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Arrow Keys, any ideas on how to fix this?
Hmm, try using “CTRL + ALT + F1/F2” instead. Does that work?
Thanks.
Hey, thanks for the guide! I managed to get it all downloaded and running thanks to help from my brother, however I only realized after that this was for RS3. How can I get Old School Runescape on my ubuntu instead? Thanks!
Hey. I don’t know what I’ve done, but when I put sudo sh~/Downloads/crouton/ – r trusty t- xfce it asks for a password. No username, just password.
Also, nothing comes up when I type anything ;it stays blank
OK. Fixed it. Turns out I’m an idiot who didn’t refer back to the guide to make sure I put everything in right (I put ‘… -r trusty t-…’ and not -‘… -r trusty -t’
Hey Drew,
Haha, no problem! Linux is extremely precise and doesn’t take anything other than what it wants. You’d be surprised how many times that’s happened to me only to loop around for an hour just because of a missing character!
Anyway, I’m glad you got it working. Let me know if you need help.
Thanks.
For OSBuddy, when I try the command java -jar OSBuddy.jar it says unable to access jarfile OSBuddy.jar
Please help
Help would be appreciated, thanks
this is my problem exactly. any help would be appreciated.
Same problem here
when i do this step ‘
Type “sudo sh ~/Downloads/crouton -r trusty -t xfce” and press Enter. ‘
it asks me for a password but i never set one up, what next?
Hey Malaikai T,
When you punch in that line, it’ll install the Linux files and prompt you to create a username and password. It should be asking for you to set up a password and user for the first-time account creation. Is it prompting for just the password?
Thanks.
I’m currently doing this now and am experiencing the same problem. It’s only asking for what seems to be a pre-existing password, not to create a new one. ANy help would be appreciated!
Hey Chunks,
I know this may sound redundant, but could you explain the steps you took so far to replicate the password prompt to trigger? I’m looking into this and any details/diagnosis helps! Will get back to you shortly.
Thanks.
Hey. I’ve installed it and it has been working perfectly fine. Yesterday at exactly midnight, the game crashed and I’ve been getting „error game crash“ everytime I try to run it. Would you be able to help? 🙂
Hey Lilo,
You should try doing an update by running the command:
sudo apt-get update
Then try restarting your Chromebook and launching RuneScape again.
Let me know if it still crashes.
Thanks.
It works fine!! Thank you for your help Andy!!
Hey Lilo,
Awesome! I’m stoked you got the game running on your system!
Let me know if you happen to run into any snags. And thanks for your kind words =].
Hey man GREAT guide, can’t tell you how much I appreciate it and how easy it was to use. My only question is how can I install Old School Runescape?
Hey Dennis,
I believe you can use the launcher to choose between the two clients. There’s some kind of toggle setting on it as reported by readers (it’s been quite a while since I last launched the game on my Chromebook), but I remember seeing a dropdown menu or something like that.
Did the game successfully install? Try sifting through the options and looking for OSRS. The game may have updated and changed around the UI since then.
Let me know if you can’t find it. And thanks for the kind words. This is why I write =].
Hey Andy,
Thanks for the reply yes I able to install and run Runescape3, however the dropdown menu on the launcher only have options to change the background of the launcher. it seems that the launcher was only to install RS3. if you could help me look into it maybe there is a separate client to download? or a guide to get Java running on Netsufe (the browser on Ubuntu)?
Hi Dennis, Thanks for pointing this out! I’ll have to look into it and see if I can find a solution. I know there’s a quick fix to this but it may not work anymore. You can try it if you’re up for it. All you need to do is run: “sudo gedit /usr/games/runescape” Then replace every “https://www.runescape.com…/jav_config.ws” with “https://oldschool.runescape.com/l=en/jav_config.ws” Note that if you run the code and you get an error, you’ll need to use whatever notepad application you have installed on your version of Ubuntu. Just replace “gedit” with the proper application name. Another option is to use… Read more >>
i finally got everything to work, but i still have one problem. when i put in “sudo apt-add-repository ppa:hikariknight/unix-runescape-client” in xfce, it doesnt recognize sudo apt add repository
sudo: apt-add-repository: command not found
the other 2 commands work but this one doesnt
why?
btw, i think you are doing a great job of getting back to everybody and answering their questions
Hey again oliver child,
Props to you for taking the initiative and figuring out the previous problem. That’s what we need more of around here!
The “command not found” error may be an easy fix.
First, try updating:
sudo apt-get update
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:hikariknight/unix-runescape-client
Or this command if that one fails:
sudo apt-get install -y software-properties-common
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:hikariknight/unix-runescape-client
And if that doesn’t work, try this:
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/hikariknight/unix-runescape-client/ubuntu trusty main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/hikariknight/unix-runescape-client/ubuntu trusty main
Let me know if you’re still stuck. Please copy/paste the error output here if so.
And thanks for the kind words =].
hey, after installing crouton and entering in the prompts, after about 15 minutes of code running im asked to put a username, followed by a password. i didnt know what to do so i entered my name as my username, but then discovered that when i tried to type the password in, the keyboard wouldnt register. im going to delete and retry again but im hoping you have a solution for this. Thanks
Hey EndlessFearz,
That’s normal =]. When you type in a password, the cursor doesn’t move. This is a security feature of Linux.
But as you’re typing, it’s actually registering every key press you push! When you try again, just be careful of the password you set, because this type of setup makes it easy to mistakenly set a password you didn’t intend to.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Thanks.
hey thanks for replying, i was wondering what the code is for osrs instead of rs3? i really only have interest in osrs.
thanks
also, just got to the part where i have to put sudo apt-get update. i get an error code saying unknown command: sudo
Hey again EnlessFearz, You can try running these commands for OSRS: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:hikariknight/unix-runescape-client sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install unix-runescape-client Be sure that you’re logged in as the root admin or else it’ll throw an error. And make sure Dev Mode is enabled =]. Look for the options to switch to OSRS instead of RS3 when you see the launcher. You can then hit the Ubuntu button and search for “runescape” and it should show somewhere in Games > Runescape. As for the update command not working, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. If something looks weird when… Read more >>
Thanks for the tutorial. Everything more or less worked. Ubuntu installed, Runescape installed BUT… I have a few problems that dont allow me to play immediately Im new to the game so i have to create an account BUT the web browser in ubuntu isnt very compatible and doesnt let me see captchas so i couldnt make the account. Currently trying ot download a new browser in ubuntu but its taking like 20 min to download a 50 MB installer. ****** weird. not sure if itll work though I cant switch back and forth between ubutuntu and Chrome with the… Read more >>
derr i can make a runscape account while in chrome os
i was playing good. now i just gotta figure out how to properly fullscreen
and I just realized closing and opening the laptop fixes the negative image problem i was having
Hey Naetyo, Glad you got it working! Yeah, there’s bound to be some issues when trying to do this- it never works perfectly, but even with the glitches and bugs galore, at least you’re playing RUNESCAPE =]! I think, for the future, I’ll update this guide so that Ubuntu comes downloaded with the Chrome browser by default. This way, downloads may be faster and CAPTCHAS should show without any problems. Thanks for pointing out all the issues and detailing your install. This will help future players, and I’ll use this as a reference to update the guide. And thanks once… Read more >>
Now that chrome os has linux, how do we install runescape through this?
Hey Rumatum,
You’d simply install it with the command prompt, I believe. Just press “CTRL + ALT + T” to launch it and type “shell” followed by the installation fetch.
And that should do it! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks.
Ive been trying ever since chrome os added linux support (I think on the 19th). Ive tried as many methods as I could find, and I couldnt get them to work. I came very close with one, but it ended with an authentication error I couldnt figure out how to get around. Using the linux supported chrome os, the command “shell” and “sudo apt-add-repository ppa:hikariknight/unix-runescape-client” could not be recognized. I have followed your tutorial before, and it worked fine. Now that chrome os has linux support, I dont think cruton is needed (correct me if I am wrong). And using… Read more >>
FOR ME those commands lines work fine when inside the linux os. But when typing those commands while in chrome os i get a “command could not be found” messge.
Now that chrome os has linux, how do we install runescape through this?
Just solved my last issue as well (would respond to my own threads, but not allowed to). In order to run the Ubuntu I have to close crosh, re-open it, and:
crosh> sudo startxfce4
Then Ubuntu will open (my problem was that I typed this correctly in the wrong place, then typo in the right place)
Hey Elliander Eldridge,
Props to you for taking the initiative and solving the issues! That’s what I like to see and what the world needs more of =].
Sorry about the late reply. Been swamped with work lately.
Did you happen to get RuneScape working yet?
Thanks.
Unfortunately not. Sure, I got Runescape installed on Ubuntu and I was able to launch that program, but I haven’t played in years and I’ve been stuck trying to reset my password. In Chromebook: I can view the webpages OK, but when it goes to having my password reset I am required to click a google capcha that is not interactable. In Ubuntu: The web browser is… weird. Every page I go to looks distorted and/or black unless I resize it between every page click, and google capcha doesn’t appear at all so I can’t reset there. Additionally, I noticed… Read more >>
Hey again Elliander Eldridge, I’ve encountered the memory usage crashing a few times here and there, but it was quite rare back then when I had everything set up and going! But I’m pretty sure your experience is a lot more recent and is the current state of affairs. I’ll need to do a fresh install of Ubuntu on my Chromebook and see what’s going on. In the meantime, you could try using KDE instead of xfce. They’re both polar opposites in terms of distros, but have similar functionalities. This may just fix a few of the issues you pointed… Read more >>
Out of curiosity, since we have to be in dev mode anyway, why not install Java runtime environment directly to not only run Runescape, but also be able to use it’s website and any other website that still uses Java? Granted, the newest guide I can find for that is from 2016 so things have probably changed since then, but what would be the consequence of doing so? In my current software engineering class I am required to develop in Java anyway, so being able to install Java runtime environment, IntelliJ IDE, and to run both websites and my own… Read more >>
I was able to resolve my previous issue (which I can’t respond to) by using: sudo sh ~/Downloads/crouton -r trusty -t xfce -t touch -u Which was for reinstall, but worked to allow everything to essentially resume. However, now I can’t get any further. It’s installed and I see this: _______ Here’s some tips: Audio from the chroot will now be forwarded to CRAS (Chromium OS audio server), through an ALSA plugin. Future Chromium OS upgrades may break compatibility with the installed version of CRAS. Should this happen, simply update your chroot. You can flip through your running chroot desktops… Read more >>
Problem: My internet connection was briefly interrupted during a step and now I can’t restart it. It tells me to delete the directory or try a different name. I’d rather delete, but can’t seem to:
chronos@localhost / $ sudo sh ~/Downloads/crouton -r trusty -t xfce -t touch
/usr/local/chroots/trusty already has stuff in it!
Either delete it, specify a different name (-n), or specify -u to update it.
chronos@localhost / $ sudo delete /usr/local/chroots/trusty
sudo: delete: command not found
Do I have to delete the entire install of chroot via:
sudo delete-chroot chroot
and start completely over?
I’m having difficulty with opening the OSbuddy, I’ve done all the steps and it begins to load, but then it just force closes after it starts. Any ideas to a solution?
Hey there,
Are you getting any error output when you launch it? I’ll take a look and see if I can find a solution.
Thanks.
There are no errors or anything else for that matter. It goes all the way through loading OSbuddy up until it says “Launching OSBuddy” and then it crashes after that. That’s when I try the windows version. If i try the DEB it just says Unable to access jar
Thanks. Let me know look into this and I’ll get back to you. I’ll try to get you a solution by next week. If you happen to find a fix, let me know!
I’ve tried downloading and redownloading crouton multiple times and although I’m typing the FIRST LINE of code in exactly as shown the next line that pops up is “sudo: sh~/Downloads/crouton-r: command not found” so at this point I’m not sure what to do.
Hey woahhayleigh,
I’d suggest following this guide exactly as shown:
https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton/wiki/Common-issues-and-reporting
Let me know if you’re still stuck.
Thanks.
Can you make a walk through on how to properly install OSBuddy on chromebook ubuntu greatly appreciated.
Hey Chrome OS User,
I’ll try. Thanks for the suggestion. Will update this tutorial when it’s done.
When I type in runescape for the last step nothing happens it says command not found
i’m at sudo apt-add-repository ppa:hikariknight/unix-runescape-client and it says command not found. kind of a noob with linux, so if anyone can help, i’d really appreciate it.
Hey badfish,
Launch the command prompt and copy/paste this block all at once:
sudo -s — < < EOF mkdir -p /etc/apt/sources.list.d echo "deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu_14.04_aka_trusty.temp.list
apt-get update
apt-get install libglew1.10 libpng12-0
rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu_14.04_aka_trusty.temp.list
wget -O – https://content.runescape.com/downloads/ubuntu/runescape.gpg.key | apt-key add –
echo “deb [trusted=yes] https://content.runescape.com/downloads/ubuntu trusty non-free” > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/runescape.list
apt-get update
apt-get install -y runescape-launcher
EOF
This should be working on the latest version of Ubuntu. I saved it from a thread from the RS forums.
Let me know if you’re still stuck.
Thanks.
I got a problem after following all of the steps and everything is working fine nut when i try to switch from ubuntu to chrome OS my screen just freeze and i can’t do anything, nothing is happening. When i use the key shortcut to switch again i can use ubuntu normaly again. The problem is that i need to restart my chromebook to use chromeOS again.
Hey vivid,
Try following this guide exactly as shown. It should fix the issue by updating your chroot:
https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton/wiki/Common-issues-and-reporting
Let me know if it doesn’t.
Thanks.
What codes do i have to type in if i want to download “oldschool runescape” to my chromebook??
Hey Rwnshmrtz,
You can download the OSRS client if you want to run the old school version. The process is a little different and it’ll require a little tweaking to get it running. You can find all the information you need in this thread:
http://services.runescape.com/m=forum/forums.ws?409,410,916,65990459
Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks.
there actually is an option when you type in “runescape” to launch the game, in the upper right hand corner drop down tab where it says “runescape.prm” just select the option “oldschool.prm”
Thanks for pointing that out! Totally missed it every time!
when im on the last step putting in sudo apt-get install unix-runescape-client , it says that the program could not be found.. what should i do
Hey Mark,
Could you copy/paste the error log here? I can help you out better with the log.
Thanks.
hey I am having the same issue.
My error states
E: Unable to locate package unix-runescape-client
Hey Dreamcore,
Try running these commands in Linux:
sudo add-apt-repository main
sudo add-apt-repository universe
sudo add-apt-repository restricted
sudo add-apt-repository multiverse
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:unix-runescape-client
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install unix-runescape-client
If that doesn’t work, I’d recommend installing it via Lutris or PlayOnLinux. Both of these methods work simply by installing the program, searching for RuneScape, and then installing it like how you would on another DRM platform like Steam. If you need help, you can check out this tutorial for World of Warcraft that covers the process in detail. Just replace “WoW” with RuneScape.
Would this work for Runelite too?
Hey Mike,
I’ve never tried using Runelite on Linux, but it’s worth a shot. From a quick glance-over, I think it’ll work but requires some fiddling around. Depending on how comfortable you are with Linux, you may be able to get it running.
Thanks.
it happens as soon as i try to install crouton
Getting the “cannot check release signature ;keyring file not available” any idea what could be causing this?
Hey Keith,
It’s probably from the install files being leftover.
Try this:
“rm -rf /tmp/crouton-installer-cache/crouton”
Then run the Linux install command again.
Let me know if it you’re still stuck.
Thanks.
When I type “sudo apt-add-repository ppa:hikariknight/unix-runescape-client” it’s saying “sudo: apt-add-repository: command not found”
Hey Noel,
Try running this command first:
sudo apt install –reinstall software-properties-common
Then try again and see it works.
Let me know if you’re still stuck!
Thanks.
WARNING: Running in fallback mode! rsu-queries will use the system perk so some API calls may not work until you install certain modules Warning: Wx: :WebView module not found, API calls using Wx: :Webview will not work Use of uninitialized value $apicall in substitution (s///) at /pot/runescape/rsu/apiquery.pm line 48 Use of uninitialized value $apicall in concatenation (.) or string at /opt/runescape/rsu/apiquery.pm line 51. Syntax error at (eval 49) line 1, at EOF …caught at /opt/runescape/rsu/apiquery.pm line 51.
I got this after trying to run RuneScape.
WARNING: Running in fallback mode!
Ray-queries will use the system perk so some API calls may not work until you install certain modules
Warning: Wx: :WebView module not found, API calls using Wx: :Webview will not work
Use of uninitialized value $apicall in substitution (s///) at /pot/runescape/rsu/apiquery.pm line 48
Use of uninitialized value $apicall in concatenation (.) or string at /opt/runescape/rsu/apiquery.pm line 51.
Syntax error at (eval 49) line 1, at EOF
…caught at /opt/runescape/rsu/apiquery.pm line 51.
I was able to get through every step (I think successfully). But when I launch Runescape, the picture will not load? I can hear sound, just no picture.
Hey there,
You may have to update your copy of Ubuntu. Launch the command prompt and run the following commands:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
Then restart your device and try running the game again.
Let me know if it still doesn’t work.
Thanks.
Hey there,
You may have to update your copy of Ubuntu. Launch the command prompt and run the following commands:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
Then restart your device and try running the game again.
Let me know if it still doesn’t work.
Thanks.
Still nothing 🙁 I did the entire process again with no success. When I try to upgrade ubuntu, I get all 0’s. Not sure if this helps any but thanks for the effort.
Hi, disregard last post. I was able to get it to work! I just had to mess around with the setting in the RS launcher. Thanks!
Hey Pepe,
I’m stoked you got the game running! Thanks for taking the initiative!
Let me know if you have any other issues =].
Thanks.
Things have been going great for 2 weeks! But starting today, I’ve been having trouble switching between ChromeOS and Ubuntu. I’ve updated and upgraded but still no help. Any suggestions?
Hey Pepe,
Are you still in Developer Mode by chance? You can check by running a command prompt “CTRL + ALT + T” and typing “shell” and checking if you get an error.
Chrome OS has a security setting that reverts it out of Dev Mode, and that’s usually a good place to start when you hit a snag.
Thanks.
ok so i downloaded trusty and everything worked. i downloaded all the runescape files everything finished. but when i go to type runescape in it keeps telling me i have no wc webview module. what can i do to fix this???
Hey travis,
Could you copy/paste the error output?
Thanks.
Hi everything was going well until the fourth step. Everytime i try and type sudo apt-add-repository ppa:hikariknight/unix-runescape-client, or sudo apt-get update, the shell says that, ” apt-get”, or “apt-add”, isn’t a command. this is the very first thing ive done like this and am very confused.
Hey Lemonhead, Could you post the exact error output you’re getting? You’re entering the commands in Linux, correct? Chrome OS won’t accept these commands because it won’t recognize them. Another thing is that Developer Mode may be off (which means that Linux won’t be working). An easy way to check is to launch Chrome OS and then launch the command prompt (“CTRL + ALT + T”) and type the following: “shell” And if you get an error (“ERROR: unknown command: shell”) that means that Dev Mode is off and you’ll need to enable it again. It can switch off if… Read more >>
When prompted to make username and password it wouldn’t let me do a password??
Hey there,
It does, but the cursor on the screen stays in place. When you type, you’re actually typing a password but the cursor won’t move. it’s a security measure built into Linux. So just be careful as you type or else you may create a password by random.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks.
When I try running OSBuddy i get this error inside OSBuddy: Error overwriting old loader /usr/share/osbuddy/OSBuddy.jar (Permission denied) . When I run the command “sudo java -jar OSBuddy.jar” the loader works and doesn’t throw any errors but OSBuddy never actually opens up. Thanks for the help!
Hey there,
Could you run this command in the command prompt and let me know the output:
“java -version”
I’ll see if I can help you out =].
Thanks.
I did this, is there any way of resetting he password?
Hey williamgraiden,
If you can manage to log in successfully, then there’s a way to change the admin password. However, there’s no way to do this without logging in first that I know of.
If you’d like, I can provide a few steps to reset it provided you have access. Just let me know.
Thanks.
Two questions:
1. How to play/download osrs on a chromebook using this.
2. Is it possible to play RSPS’ on a chromebook? They’re .jar files so idk if that’d conflict with anything on the linux platform or not
Hey Zack, 1. You can run OSRS on your Chromebook (provided that it meets all the hardware requirements), but it’ll require you to jump through a few hoops. After Linux is installed, you’ll need to grab Oracle Java and install it. Then you download OSBuddy from here. Then you need to locate the .jar file for OSBuddy (usually located in a “shared” or “src” folder). After you find it, just launch the .jar file. If Oracle Java installed properly, it should launch without issue. But likely you’ll run into some errors here and there. You can try Googling them for… Read more >>
When I download osbuddy the deb file is osbuddy_1.2_all.deb and when i try to open it in the terminal with java -jar osbuddy_1.2_all.deb it says the file is invalid or corrupt. When I down the windows suitable version it’s the .jar file you described but that also won’t open, it crashes instantly. What do I do?
Hey shtb,
It sounds like a few users are all having issues with OSBuddy at the moment.
I’m looking into this for a solution. There must’ve been an update that corrupted a file or something.
Thanks for bringing this up.
I will say I’ve been playing rs since august and have used osbuddy before for maybe like two weeks. One day it decided to crash and it has not opened up since, probably been over 6 months, I use Konduit now which is very easy to download and use, but still, there’s some neat feature on osb like the actively traded real time price on ge that would be helpful sometimes. But yeah, ever since that one day where osb crashed I’ve been deleting the package redownloading it, etc. many times and it just will never work. I have Oracle… Read more >>
Hey shtb,
Thanks for the tip! Perhaps there’s a way to integrate Konduit into this whole thing. And thanks for the kind words. This is why I write =].
I’ll report back if I find a solution.
Thanks again.
Any solution?
Hello, everything worked great until I entered the hikariknight code in the Ubuntu terminal. It says the command is not found and I don’t know what to do? Thanks
Hey Smihtty,
Could you give the exact error that it outputs? Just paste it here (or a portion of it). I’ll see if I can help you out.
Thanks.
After I enter the code it says:
Reading package lists… Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information… Done
E: Unable to locate package unix-runescape-client
I’m sorry, the comment I just left is incorrect. After I put the code with hikariknight included I get this message:
Sudo: apt-add-repository: command not found
This is my problem.
Hey Smihtty,
Hmm…try using the Debian commands instead. Launch the command prompt (“CTRL + ALT + T”) and try running these commands:
echo “deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/hikariknight/unix-runescape-client/ubuntu trusty main” | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list
sudo apt-key adv –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com –recv-keys 9BA73CFA
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install unix-runescape-client
Let me know if you get an error.
Thanks.
Hey Andy, I ran into the same problem as Smihtty. I would like to know if you could separate the above commands more individually. I just cant seem to decipher where they start and end. Thank you very much for your time.
Hey Evan,
Sure thing. Hopefully, this makes it a little easier to understand:
1. Launch commnad prompt (“CTRL + ALT + T”).
2. Type in:
echo “deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/hikariknight/unix-runescape-client/ubuntu trusty main” | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list
3. Then type:
sudo apt-key adv –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com –recv-keys 9BA73CFA
4. And finally type:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install unix-runescape-client
Remember that casing matters and to type each line and hit Enter after it.
Let me know if you get an error.
Thanks.
Thank you so much for responding. It says “ERROR: unknown command: echo”. I believe it said something similar yesterday regarding “sudo” until i used “shell” to change to a “local host”. Should the preceding word be “crosh” like it is? I’m thinking i could have made an error in some of the processes I was trying to follow you on. I believe i successfully installed ubuntu. I have to say that i don’t have any prior experience with using the developer or using coding, so i apologize. Thanks again.
Hey Evan,
No problem =]. I’m stoked you got it figured out. It’s easy to get confused especially if you have no coding background.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks.
How do you update the Ubuntu desktop, the one installed seems really out of date. Also, is there’s a way to download the NXT client?
Hey Suh, I’m assuming you’re running Xfce. It’s a slightly older desktop environment without all the eye-candy. I figure this is better for Chromebooks so they can dedicate their limited resources to running the game and getting better performance, so that’s why I stuck with Xfce. But if you have a more powerful Chromebook (or you just want a modern desktop environment), you can try many different distros- take a look at KDE: https://www.kde.org/ It’s modern and has a ton of special effects, animations, and all that good stuff. You can also update your version of Xfce by running the… Read more >>
I have an hp chromebook and whenever I try to install updates (Download crouton: step: 4) I get an error message that reads
E: Could not get lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock – open (11: Resource temporarily unavailable)
E: Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg/), is another process using it?
Hey Naomi,
This usually happens when it’s trying to do something in the background and gets stuck.
First, I’d try restarting your Chromebook. And then trying the step again.
If that doesn’t work, then launch your command prompt (“CTRL + ALT + T”) and run the following commands:
sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock
sudo dpkg –configure -a
And then it should work. Let me know if it doesn’t for some reason.
Thanks.