NOTEResetting the
Chromebook, also known as Powerwash, can be attempted before Recovering the Chromebook. Recovering the Chromebook is the last resort.
Power issues
Table 1. Power issueThis table describes power issue
Power
issues
Issue
Possible solutions
Chromebook would
not Power On
If the Chromebook will not turn on, follow these
steps:
Remove all external devices.
If the Chromebook starts, reconnect devices one at
a time while restarting the computer to figure out which device is
causing the problem. You are done.
If the Chromebook still does not start or exhibits
the same problem, do not reconnect anything, and continue troubleshooting.
The battery life might be too low. Plug the Chromebook
into the AC adapter and let it charge for at least an hour and try
turning it on again.
NOTE When a new Chromebook is used for the first time, the battery is
still in shipping mode. To resolve this issue, turn off the Chromebook
and plug in the AC adapter and turn on the Chromebook again.
Depending on the Chromebook you have, you may see
a power indicator light close to the charging port. If you have let
the Chromebook charge and the light is not coming on, perform a hard
reset.
NOTE You can
perform a hard reset by pressing Refresh + Power.
Use a different AC adapter with the same power voltage.
Remove the AC adapter, and turn on with the battery
power only.
If the Chromebook's screen is blank, try the following
troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue, checking to see if the
screen turns on after each step:
Make sure the Chromebook is on. If you are using the
battery, plug the Chromebook in and press the power button.
Restart the Chromebook by holding the power button
down until the device turns off, then turn it back on again.
Reset or Recover the Chromebook.
Audio, screen,
and camera issues
Table 3. Audio, screen,
and camera issuesThis table describes audio, screen, and camera
issues
Audio,
screen, and camera issues
Issues
Possible solutions
Audio issues
If you hear static, or the volume from the speakers
is low when attempting to listen to audio:
Make sure the device is not muted. Try adjusting
the volume.
Try rebooting the Chromebook.
Try playing audio from various sources, including
YouTube and audio files stored locally on the Chromebook.
If the speakers are not responding when attempting
to listen to audio:
Unplug the device from all cables (USB, headphones,
and displays).
Try playing audio from various sources, including
YouTube and audio files stored locally on the Chromebook.
Try rebooting the Chromebook.
If audio still does not respond, try to Reset or Recover
the Chomebook.
Screen issues
If the screen is not operating properly (images
are too dark or no image is appearing):
Try adjusting the brightness with the brightness
keys at the top of the keyboard.
In the status area in the bottom-right of the screen,
check the display and make sure there are no issues with a mirrored
or extended display.
Try rebooting the Chromebook
If the screen issues persist, try to Reset or Recover
the Chomebook.
Camera issues
If the camera is not operating properly (blurry
images or poor performance):
Check that the camera is not being blocked or covered
by a privacy screen or other obstruction.
Try using different apps that use the camera. Try
a Google+ Hangout or the onboard camera app
Try rebooting the Chromebook
If the camera issues persist, try to Reset or Recover
the Chomebook.
Bluetooth issue
Table 4. Bluetooth issueThis table describes bluetooth issue
Bluetooth issue
Issue
Possible solutions
Bluetooth issues
If you run into issues while attempting to pair
or use a Bluetooth device with the Chromebook, try the following steps
to resolve the issue:
First, make sure that the Bluetooth device you are
trying to pair is supported by the Chromebook.
Try disabling and re-enabling Bluetooth connectivity
from the status area in the lower-right corner.
Try restarting the Chromebook.
If you are still encountering issue with bluetooth,
try to Reset or Recover the Chomebook.
If the touch pad has stopped responding, try the
following steps to resolve the issue: Try moving the cursor after
each step:
Tap the Esc key several times.
Drumroll the fingers across the touch pad for a few
seconds.
Restart the Chrome OS by holding down the power button
until the device turns off, and then turn it back on again.
If the cursor still does not move when using the touch
pad, try logging in from the Guest account using the tab key to navigate.
If users experience touch pad issues with the account
that is not the owner (primary) account, delete the user account and
re-create it. Again, use the tab key to navigate.
If none of the above steps work, try to Reset or
Recover the Chomebook.
Top row of keys (Hotkeys) not
responding
If a hotkey (like the volume or brightness keys)
are not responding, try the following troubleshooting steps, making
sure to test the keys after each one:
If the affected key is volume or brightness, check
to make sure you are not at the upper or lower limit for that setting.
If the backward or forward buttons do not work, check
that the same icons in a web browser are not grayed out. For example,
if the back button on a web page is grayed, this is because the browser
is not aware of a page to move backward to.
Restart the Chrome OS by holding down the power button
until the device turns off, and then turn it back on again.
Try using the keys in the Guest account.
If users experience hotkey issues with the account
that is not the owner (primary) account, delete the user account and
re-create it.
If none of the above steps work, try to Reset or
Recover the Chomebook.
Chrome OS issue
Table 6. Chrome OS issueThis table describes chrome OS issue
Chrome OS issues
He’s Dead, Jim! error message
If the Chromebook becomes slow or unresponsive,
and the He's Dead, Jim! error message appears, the system could
be running low on memory.
NOTE If you terminated the
process using Google Chrome's Task Manager, the system's task manager,
or with a command line tool, this message will appear as well.
If the page was not ended intentionally, reload the
page to continue. If the message continues to appear, try closing
inactive tabs or other programs to free up more memory.
If issue persists, please see He's Dead, Jim! from
Google knowledge base.
Chrome OS is missing or damaged
If the Chromebook does not start and displays
the message, Chrome OS is missing or damaged. Please insert a recovery
USB stick into the USB ports on the device:
Perform
a system recovery. See performing Recover Chromebook for more information.
Chrome OS stops responding and
nothing moves on the computer display
If the Chrome OS stops responding and nothing
moves on the computer display:
Turn off the computer.
Disconnect all peripheral devices, and remove all
USB devices and media cards.
Disconnect the AC adapter.
Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds.
Reconnect the AC adapter, and turn on the system.
If issue persists, please perform a Reset or Recover
the Chromebook.
Lost / Forget Sign in password
(Chrome OS)
If you lost/forget the sign-in password to the
Chromebook:
Check if this is a managed device (Enterprise enrolled
device).
If this is a managed device, please contact the administrator
to have them reset the password via Google Admin Console.
If this is not a managed device, please proceed with
the following steps:
