Neverware dual-boot software lets you run Windows or Chrome OS on your old computer

Software company Neverware has launched an updated version its CloudReady software that adds dual boot functionality to Windows PCs, allowing users to use a custom version of Google's Chrome OS on their computers.

The software has been launched to allow Windows users to boot up their PCs using a similar operating system used by Google's Chromebook laptops, which offers a stripped-back platform that doesn't rely on Windows applications. Due to its reliance on the cloud, Chrome OS doesn't require a lot of lifting from the machine itself, making it generally a faster operating system. Chromebooks have been steadily gaining favour worldwide as a result.

Once installed, CloudReady, which was made available as a free download in October 2015, gives users the option of booting the system in the regular Windows mode or in a Chrome OS build. Not only does CloudReady present a way of breathing new life into old PCs, but it also offers a stepping-stone to the faster Chrome OS that doesn't require businesses to do away with Windows systems entirely or invest in new hardware.

Andrew Bauer, president of Neverware, said: "The cost of embracing new technologies has been too high for too long. We want to remove the limit of just one operating system, so that the power of two platforms can be available to organizations and consumers without buying multiple devices."

According to Neverware, CloudReady has already been installed on more than 75,000 PCs and Macs worldwide and is currently being trialled by 10 school districts in the US. Mike Roberts, technology director for Quinlan Independent School District in Texas, added: "Dual-boot CloudReady will let us get better use from even our newest computer labs. It will give users the faster response and ease of use of a Chrome lab for most daily work, but the ability to reboot into Windows for heavier workloads like graphics or programming."