Chromebook Issues

Unfortunately, sometimes our Chromebooks have issues.   
Here are some common issues with solutions. 
For step by step instructions on the solutions, please see  below.


Frequent Issues:

Is your Chromebook frozen or acting glitchy?  Has the mouse arrow disappeared?
     Try a hard reset.
     Make sure you are running the most current version of Chrome OS.  Your Chromebook may need an update.

Are you having trouble connecting to the Wi-Fi/Internet? 
      Try removing the user.

Is your Chromebook not powering on?

     Try a hard reset with a charger.

Is your microphone or webcam not working?
     Make sure you have given the website permission to use the microphone/webcam.
     You can try restoring user settings.
     Make sure you are running the most current version of Chrome OS.  You may need an update.

Are you having formatting issues, like the screen is flipped or the mouse arrow is too large.
     Please see the video at the bottom of this page for solutions to a variety of formatting issues.


These Solutions Didn't Work:

If none of these troubleshootings suggestions worked, you have one or two choices:

1.     Please take your Chromebook to the library on your next day of school.

2.     You can submit a help desk ticket for assistance at [email protected].

   

Solutions:

Hard Reset:

Press the "refresh" and "power" buttons at the same time for a couple of seconds.  This will shut the Chromebook down and reboot it.  The screen will go black for a moment, and then the white Chrome screen will appear as it boots up.

What is a hard reset good for?

1.     Will unfreeze a frozen Chromebook.

2.     Will bring back a mouse arrow that is missing or has frozen on the screen.

3.     Will help with websites or documents that are loading slowly.

4.     When a Chromebook is acting "glitchy."  However, this does NOT work if the LCD is glitchy.

5.     Will help when keys are not typing at all.

hard reset.jpg

Removing the User:

From the Home Screen, click the drop down menu on the right side of the student's name where they would log in and select "Remove Account."  This will be a gray bar or button to click.  It will then prompt you to click this again before performing the operation.  This time the button will be a reddish orange color.  See the photos below for both of these.  The person will then have to add themselves back onto the Chromebook.  This resets the users Profile Settings, which can resolve several issues.

What is Removing the User good for?

1.     Helping a Chromebook who won't load websites or documents.

2.     Helping a Chromebook that is not connecting to the wi-fi, either here or at home.  This is the best fix for this

        issue, especially when it connects at school but not at home.

3.     Can also help when a site is not working properly, like Canvas.

4.     If the mouse arrow has disappeared or is frozen on the screen, this is NOT an option to try to fix it.

  

                                IMG_0864.jpg  IMG_0865.jpg   

Restoring User Settings:

Sometimes, user settings get changed.  This can cause a variety of issues, which are listed below.  When the settings are changed, we just need to restore them to the default settings.  To do so:

     1.     Open up a Google tab and go to chrome://settings.

     2.     On the left side, you will see a menu.  Clip the arrow for "Advanced."  This will pop up a new list of menu choices.

     3.     From that menu, click on "Reset Settings."  

     4.     On the next screen, click the arrow to the right of "Restore settings to their original default."

     5.     Then you will get a pop-up box that asks if you want to reset settings.  Click to blue button to reset settings.

     6.     Once this is complete, close the tab and then sign out and sign back into the Chromebook. 

     Sometimes, it is also helpful to remove the user (see instructions above) to help completely reset the person's settings.

What will restoring user settings help fix?

     1.     Speakers or microphone not working for a particular site.

     2.     A particular website is not allowing a student to log in.

     3.     Sites being blocked that are not blocked for other students.

restore settings.jpg  

Hard Reset with Charger:

A common issue with the Dell 19-21 is that it often goes to sleep.  However, what it looks like is that it won't power on or charge, so your first instinct is to think that the battery and/or motherboard have gone bad.  In reality, it just needs to be "woken up."  When this happens, plug in a charger and then do a hard reset.  The white power light on the side of the Chromebook will light up, and then shortly thereafter, the white Chrome screen will appear as it boots up.

What is a Hard Reset with Charger good for?

1.     When a Dell 19-21 will not power on or charge.

2.     This SOMETIMES works with a Dell 17 and 18 that won't power on or charge, but that's rare.

 

Chrome OS Update:

Chromebooks will do a lot of glitchy things when they are not running the current version of Chrome OS.  Usually, when this happens, the tool bar of the Chromebook will have a box that says "RESTART TO UPDATE."  All you have to do is click on that, and problem solved.  But sometimes, that box does not appear when the Chromebook doesn't "take the update well."  If it doesn't, you need to open a tab in Google and type chrome://help in the URL box.  This will take you to settings where you can check to see if you are running the current version, and, if not, you can run an update.  Depending on how outdated a Chromebook is, this can take quite a bit to complete. 

In the first image below, you can see that going to chrome://help will take you where you can see the version.  There you can click "Chrome OS Settings" in blue to take you to a page where you can check your version.  The second photo shows the button you can click on the right to check to see if you need an update.  The third photo shows you the screen you will see when it is done checking your version and updating to the current version if that was needed.

When a Chromebook is acting really weird or glitchy, this is the first thing I check!  Then I try a Hard Reset or Removing The User.

 

What issues will running a Chrome OS Update fix?

1.     Videos not playing on Canvas or YouTube.

2.     Sounds not working (speakers, microphone, headphones).

3.     Chromebook screens going black for a few seconds and then coming back (looks as if the Chromebook is

        shutting down and coming back on).

4.     Websites or documents not loading quickly or not loading at all (just spinning).

5.     Not wanting to connect to the Internet/Wi-Fi.

6.     Websites like Canvas not working properly or acting glitchy (like not allowing you to log in).

7.     When keys on the keyboard are not typing the characters they are supposed to be typing.

8.     Since you do not have a mouse arrow, this is NOT an option for trying to restore a missing or frozen mouse arrow.

IMG_0861.jpg   IMG_0866.jpg     

IMG_0863.jpg   

Permissions for Webcam and Microphone:

There are several websites and applications that require permission in order to access the webcam and/or microphone.  Examples would include sites like Flipgrid, Zoom, WeVideo and Screencastify.  Usually, when you first use that site or application, it will ask you if you want to give permission for the site/app to access the microphone and camera.  These usually appear as small pop-up boxes near the URL/tool bar across the top.  Many students do not pay attention to what the pop-up says and quickly click NO.  

So, when a student indicates that the camera or microphone won't work, it is important to see whether or not they gave permission for them to be used.  On their Chromebook, to fix this, you will need to be logged in as the student, so you can ask Ms. Botkin to log that student in.  Then, go to the website.  In the upper left of the URL, you will see a symbol that looks like a padlock.  Click on the padlock, and you will receive a pop-up box.  In that box, click Site Settings at the bottom.

IMG_0859.jpg  

Now, scroll down until you see "Permissions."  Under that, you will see Camera and Microphone.  To the right of each of those, you will see a drop down arrow.  Click on the arrow, and set for "Allow."  And now their problem is SOLVED!

IMG_0860.jpg

Other Possible Solutions (especially formatting/settings):




 

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