Chromebook How-To & Trouble-Shooting

Troubleshooting is annoying, but it is a very useful skill to possess. It allows you to solve the problem yourself and continue doing what you want instead of having to wait to hear back from someone or bring a device in for repair. This is a non-comprehensive list of things to try. To turn off the device, just hold the power button longer. If freezing is a consistent issue, bring the device in for repair. 

This is not troubleshooting, per se, but another piece of advice: Reducing the Chance of Losing Work When Submitting to Google Classroom

Also, sometimes there are large problems due to a change or outage (google outages are listed here). Please check your email (often an email from dwininger) and it may explain the issue.

Chromebook Care: English / Other Languages

For directions on printing from your Chromebook from home, click here.

For directions on using your Chromebook to scan QR codes, click here.

Chromebook Keyboard Shortcuts

Turning on Accessibility Features

If you know where it is and it is safe (e.g. at home), go to the Library and get a loaner. It will need to be returned by the end of the day.

If you do not know where it is, you should come to the Technology Office (Room 163  ¾) and we will issue you a loaner.  The replacement process depends on how final the loss is. If you are certain it is gone, we will start it then. If it may just be misplaced, we generally wait a week or two before starting the replacement process.

Missing / Lost

This is when you do not know what happened to your Chromebook. We have had situations where students are certain they left the device in say "Spanish Class" only to find the device back at their house. So, it is recommended you retrace your steps, check all of your classes (and ask your teachers, as many put them to the side and expect you to come find it), all deans offices / the main office, and all charging stations (Library, IDLC, Freshman Mods (near Room 180), across from Main Office, outside Room 225, and outside Room 241). You may need to check those locations more than one time. If it is never found, you will be charged for a replacement. If financial concerns exist, reach out to your counselor. If you previously paid for a replacement and it is found, you will be refunded (but there is some red tape, so it will not be instantaneous).

Stolen

If you are certain it is stolen, notify us right away as we can disable the device and clear all information off remotely. We also prefer you file a police report eventually, though if you are unwilling it will not hold up the process. In most cases, you are charged for a replacement, but exceptions are sometimes made depending on the circumstances. If financial concerns exist, reach out to your counselor. 

Additional Information / Cost

See this LPS Technology Doc for the most up-to-date policies.

If you are at school and your Chromebook does not have enough charge (and there is no known problem) - do not come to the tech office. We do not loan chargers.

1. Each department has a set of chargers that can be used in class - ask your teacher.

2. If you are in the Main Building there are charging stations located by the Main Office, in the Library, Freshman mods (near Room 180), and two in the second floor hallway (outside Rooms 225 and 241). There is an additional charging station in the IDLC.

3. You can also go to the Library for a loaner to use while you leave your device there to charge.

If you are having trouble charging your computer:

Some of these could solve the problem, some may just narrow down what the problem is.

1. Try a different wall plug (and maybe on a different circuit) - if it works, issue is the wall plug you were using. Note: The science building has a lot of bad lab desk  and wall plugs.

2. Try turning your charger over (plugging it into the computer "upside down" to how you had it). Also, some models of Chromebook have more than one USB-C port for charging, so try the other ports as well. If at least one of those ports works, we typically do not replace your Chromebook.

3. (May not be possible) Try a different charger - if it works your charger may be the issue (see next section).

4. Try Hard Reset / Power-Refresh

5. If it still does not charge, and the issue might be your charger, look at the next section. If the charger works on other devices, but not yours, you will need to bring your computer to Room 163 ¾ for repair.

If the issue appears to be your charger...

1. If it is lost, you are responsible for replacing it. See the note at the bottom of the main page "Lost/Damaged Chromebook chargers"

2. If the charger is damaged or does not work, but other chargers  do work, you can bring your charger to the tech office for an exchange. 

A surprisingly effective strategy for several problems — most recently if if you keep being redirected to accounts.google.com (which is blocked on LPS devices) — is removing yourself from the computer.

For the most part, chromebooks just connect to the internet and very little is stored on the device. If you download a lot of images and do not put them in drive (note: if important, put them in drive), so removing yourself will not result in any loss of work, bookmarks, etc.

These steps will remove you from your device and possibly solve your problem:

1. Log out of the computer

2. On the login screen, click the down arrow by your name and choose "Remove User"

3. Follow any prompts to remove yourself.

4. Log-in to Chromebook again.

5. Maybe your problem is solved?

1. First do a Power-Refresh (see first section of this guide)

2. Go to https://www.onlinemictest.com/ and see if your mic does anything. If it doesn't OR it is going haywire despite not making any noise, see next step.

3. If this doesn't sufficiently improve things...you need to fill out a service desk ticket and bring it to Room 163 ¾ for a replacement during office hours.

Password Issues: If you think your password has been compromised, cdavid@lexingtonma.org ASAP.

Google Products Seeming to Not Work: For instance, you can't create a doc or submit via classroom. Assuming internet connectivity is not issue, check the google status dashboard as it may be a google issue.

Lost Google Files: It is possible to recover deleted files, just email us details. On a different note: DO NOT organize the folder that says "Classroom" in your drive unless that class is over. It will potentially cause many problems otherwise.

1. First, try a power-refresh

2. If bluetooth is greyed out or does not appear after this, you will need to come to the Tech Office.

3. If bluetooth is now visible, try to re-pair the bluetooth device you want to connect (For instance: air pods).

Someone pressed the keyboard combo esc-power-refresh. Unfortunately we will need to re-set up your Chromebook.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Refresh

2. A window will pop up asking if you want to continue. Click Continue. 

3. Each press of the shortcut will rotate the screen an additional 90 degrees clockwise. 

2. It could be that a "friend" messed deeper in the settings....it is hard to explain everything, but they are contained in  Chromebook Settings → Device → Keyboard and inputs

Someone turned on one (or more) Accessibility Features. If you hover over the right corner time (possibly click) and then find "Accessibility" you can toggle things off. If zoomed in, you can still do it, but it is more annoying.