How to Use The Betacraft Launcher (Chromebook)

To join Jacob’s Beta 1.7.3 Server, you’ll need the Betacraft Launcher. This launcher makes it possible to play older Minecraft versions like Beta 1.7.3, since Mojang’s old authentication servers are no longer available.

Follow the steps below to get set up on your Chromebook:

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Step 0 — Enable Linux & Install Java 8

First, we need to turn on Linux on your Chromebook so it can run Java apps.

1. Open your Chromebook’s Settings (the gear icon).
2. Click on Advanced on the left menu, then select Developers.
3. Next to “Linux development environment,” click Turn on.
4. A setup window will appear. Click Next.
5. It will ask you to choose a username. You can just leave it as whatever it suggests.
6. It will ask about disk size. The “Recommended” size (usually around 10GB) is perfectly fine.
7. Click Install. This will take a few minutes. Once it is finished, a black window called the Terminal will pop up automatically.

Now, let’s install Java 8. In that black Terminal window, type the following command exactly as shown and press Enter:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Wait for it to finish scrolling through a bunch of text. When it stops, type this second command and press Enter:

sudo apt install openjdk-8-jre -y

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Step 1 — Download Betacraft

Go to the official site in your web browser:

https://betacraft.uk/downloads

Under the Betacraft Launcher v1 section, click the download link for Linux (this will download a file ending in .jar).

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Step 2 — Move & Open Betacraft

Now we need to put that file where your new Linux environment can see it.

1. Open your Chromebook’s Files app (the blue folder icon).
2. On the left side, click on Downloads to find the file you just downloaded.
3. Right-click (or two-finger tap on your touchpad) the downloaded file and select Rename. Change the name so it is exactly betacraft.jar and press Enter. (This makes it way easier to type).
4. Click and hold the betacraft.jar file, drag it over to the Linux files folder on the left sidebar, and drop it in there.
5. Go back to your black Terminal app. Type the following command and press Enter to launch the game:

java -jar betacraft.jar

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Step 3 — Select Minecraft Version

In the launcher:

1. Click the Version Selector dropdown.
2. Choose:

Beta 1.7.3

3. Check the Proxy option — this ensures online play works correctly.

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Step 4 — Login Options

When you press Log In, a small window appears with:

• A link (to Microsoft’s login page)
• A login code

Follow these steps:

1. Click the link, or open it in your web browser.
2. When prompted, enter the code shown in the Betacraft window. Example: X1YZ-9ABC
3. Log in with your Microsoft account as usual.
4. Once successful, the launcher will confirm you’re signed in.

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Step 5 — Add the Server

Once the game launches, go to:

Multiplayer

Enter the following details:

Server Address: server.jacobvanwie.org

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