Why do my Chromebooks keep losing their OS and what can I do about it?

July 2, 2018 12:44 PM

I've owned three Chromebooks (original Pixel and two Pixel LS). Each has eventually given me this error: "Chrome OS is missing or damaged. Please insert a recovery USB stick or SD card," and a url with instructions. Following the instructions never works and the machine is useless. Why does this keep happening and what can I do about it?

Also, I should explain that I travel a lot. The machines were bought in the USA and Google refuses to service them from anywhere within the USA, even if I offer to pay shipping.

So, essentially, when one breaks outside of America and I cannot get back within the warranty period, the machine is then useless.

As a result, I refuse to buy any more of Google's products (and don't understand why, if this has happened to 100% of Chromebooks I've had, anyone would continue to buy them). (The first I got was a gift, the second I bought, and the 3rd was a warranty replacement for the 2nd.)

When the last LS got this error, I called Google support as I was in the USA and they had me punch in a bunch of keys and then read them off something that appeared which led them to immediately say, "Yeah, that can't be fixed". I assume that they really mean, 'That can't be fixed by a layperson."

I would love to be able to fix my current Chromebook LS instead of throwing it out. I mean, how on earth can a computer checking the web and email lose its damn OS?!

Does anyone have any advice or can recommend someone in Toronto who might be able to fix this outside of following the basic instructions in the URL?

Lastly, the model is SAMUS E25-H7R-W5L.

posted by dobbs to Computers & Internet (3 answers total)

This sounds like a failure in the SSD (the eMMC unit), which would explain why the USB recovery does not work either.

With most chromebooks this is easily solved by buying a new eMMC chip and popping it in, but it looks like the SSD is soldered on the Pixel.

If you can find a repair shop willing/able to desolder the SSD, install a new one, solder it back on, that's the most direct way to fix it I can think of. They'll probably need some fancy gadgets like a soldering reflow oven to get it done right.
posted by dis_integration at 1:06 PM on July 2, 2018

You can probably boot some LiveUSB recovery environment to at least get a sense of whether the eMMC is actually dead or just corrupt in a way Google's tools don't handle well and possibly reflash it manually.

Since my particular Chromebook uses an m.2 SSD, I can't be more specific, sorry. :(
posted by wierdo at 5:21 PM on July 2, 2018

Are you sure you're putting the right recovery image on the USB? When I had to recover mine, the specific model wasn't listed, so I had to try a few that were close to it before I found one that worked. On the plus side, I labelled the USB stick and tossed it in a drawer so that it'll be handy the next time the OS decides to go MIA.
posted by mannequito at 6:59 PM on July 2, 2018