Table of Contents
- Inspiron 3181 2-in-1 Service Manual
- Working on your computer
- Disassembly and reassembly
- Software
- Diagnostic and troubleshooting
- Contacting Dell
DELL 3181 User Manual
Displayed below is the user manual for 3181 by DELL which is a product in the Notebooks category. This manual has pages.
Related Manuals
Inspiron 3181 2-in-1
Service Manual
Regulatory Model: P26T
Regulatory Type: P26T001
Notes, cautions, and warnings
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your product.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem.
WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.
© 2017 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Dell, EMC, and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks
may be trademarks of their respective owners.
2018 - 08
Rev. A00
Contents
1 Working on your computer............................................................................................................................. 5
Safety instructions.............................................................................................................................................................5
Before working inside your computer..............................................................................................................................5
After working inside your computer.................................................................................................................................6
2 Disassembly and reassembly.......................................................................................................................... 7
Recommended tools.......................................................................................................................................................... 7
Screw size list..................................................................................................................................................................... 7
microSD card.......................................................................................................................................................................7
Removing microSD card..............................................................................................................................................7
Installing microSD card................................................................................................................................................ 8
Base cover.......................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Removing base cover.................................................................................................................................................. 8
Installing base cover.....................................................................................................................................................9
Battery.................................................................................................................................................................................9
Removing battery - optional....................................................................................................................................... 9
Installing battery..........................................................................................................................................................10
Keyboard lattice and Keyboard....................................................................................................................................... 10
Removing keyboard....................................................................................................................................................10
Installing keyboard...................................................................................................................................................... 13
Power switch board..........................................................................................................................................................14
Removing power switch board..................................................................................................................................14
Installing power switch board....................................................................................................................................15
Audio board....................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Removing audio board................................................................................................................................................15
Installing audio board..................................................................................................................................................16
Power connector port......................................................................................................................................................16
Removing power connector port..............................................................................................................................16
Installing power connector port................................................................................................................................ 17
Speaker.............................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Removing speaker...................................................................................................................................................... 18
Installing speakers.......................................................................................................................................................19
Display assembly...............................................................................................................................................................19
Removing display assembly....................................................................................................................................... 19
Installing display assembly.........................................................................................................................................22
Display back cover........................................................................................................................................................... 22
Removing display back cover................................................................................................................................... 23
Installing display back cover......................................................................................................................................24
System board....................................................................................................................................................................24
Removing system board............................................................................................................................................24
Installing system board.............................................................................................................................................. 27
Palm rest........................................................................................................................................................................... 28
Replacing palm rest....................................................................................................................................................28
Contents 3
3 Software......................................................................................................................................................30
Operating system.............................................................................................................................................................30
Chrome OS................................................................................................................................................................. 30
Veried Boot................................................................................................................................................................31
Disk Partition Map......................................................................................................................................................32
Developer and Recovery mode................................................................................................................................ 33
Coreboot and U-boot Custom Firmware................................................................................................................ 33
Chrome vs Chromium OS......................................................................................................................................... 34
View system information.................................................................................................................................................34
Dell activity light............................................................................................................................................................... 37
4 Diagnostic and troubleshooting....................................................................................................................40
Dell activity light...............................................................................................................................................................40
Basic troubleshooting......................................................................................................................................................40
Power issues................................................................................................................................................................41
CROSH..............................................................................................................................................................................45
CROSH commands..........................................................................................................................................................45
Chrome commands..........................................................................................................................................................47
Commonly used CROSH command.............................................................................................................................. 53
Check battery charging status.................................................................................................................................53
Resetting Inspiron Chromebook.....................................................................................................................................60
Recovering the Inspiron Chromebook...........................................................................................................................65
Recovering the Inspiron Chromebook.....................................................................................................................65
5 Contacting Dell............................................................................................................................................69
4Contents
Working on your computer
Safety instructions
Use the following safety guidelines to protect your computer from potential damage and to ensure your personal safety. Unless otherwise
noted, each procedure included in this document assumes that the following conditions exist:
• You have read the safety information that shipped with your computer.
• A component can be replaced or, if purchased separately, installed by performing the removal procedure in the reverse order.
WARNING: Disconnect all power sources before opening the computer cover or panels. After you nish working inside the
computer, replace all covers, panels, and screws before connecting to the power source.
WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer. For additional
safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance
CAUTION: Many repairs may only be done by a certied service technician. You should only perform troubleshooting and simple
repairs as authorized in your product documentation, or as directed by the online or telephone service and support team.
Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty. Read and follow the safety instructions
that came with the product.
CAUTION: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an
unpainted metal surface that is grounded to ground yourself before you touch the computer to perform any disassembly tasks.
CAUTION: Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the components or contacts on a card. Hold a card by its
edges or by its metal mounting bracket. Hold a component such as a processor by its edges, not by its pins.
CAUTION: When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its pull-tab, not on the cable itself. Some cables have
connectors with locking tabs; if you are disconnecting this type of cable, press in on the locking tabs before you disconnect the
cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before you connect a
cable, ensure that both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned.
NOTE: The color of your computer and certain components may appear dierently than shown in this document.
Before working inside your computer
1 Ensure that your work surface is at and clean to prevent the computer cover from being scratched.
2 Turn o your computer.
3 Disconnect all network cables from the computer (if available).
CAUTION: If your computer has an RJ45 port, disconnect the network cable by rst unplugging the cable from your
computer.
4 Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.
5 Open the display.
6 Press and hold the power button for few seconds, to ground the system board.
CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before performing Step # 8.
CAUTION: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an
unpainted metal surface at the same time as touching a connector on the back of the computer.
7 Remove any installed ExpressCards or Smart Cards from the appropriate slots.
1
Working on your computer 5
After working inside your computer
After you complete any replacement procedure, ensure that you connect any external devices, cards, and cables before turning on your
computer.
CAUTION: To avoid damage to the computer, use only the battery designed for this particular Dell computer. Do not use batteries
designed for other Dell computers.
1 Connect any external devices, such as a port replicator or media base, and replace any cards, such as an ExpressCard.
2 Connect any telephone or network cables to your computer.
CAUTION: To connect a network cable, rst plug the cable into the network device and then plug it into the
computer.
3 Connect your computer and all attached devices to their electrical outlets.
4 Turn on your computer.
6 Working on your computer
Disassembly and reassembly
Recommended tools
The procedures in this document require the following tools:
• Phillips #0 screwdriver
• Phillips #1 screwdriver
• Plastic scribe
NOTE: The #0 screw driver is for screws 0-1 and the #1 screw driver is for screws 2-4
Screw size list
Table 1. Screw list
Component M2.0x3.0 M2.5x7 M2.5x5.0 M2.0x2.0 Big Head
Base cover 7
Battery 3
Heat sink 6
Solid State Drive 1
Power button card 1
Audio card 1
DC in port 2
Display hinges (On MB) 6
Touchpad bracket 1 6
Motherboard 3
Display bracket 2
Motherboard bracket 2
WiFi bracket 1
microSD card
Removing microSD card
1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2 Press in on the microSD card to release it from the computer.
2
Disassembly and reassembly 7
3 Remove the microSD card from the computer.
Installing microSD card
1 Slide the SD card into its slot until it clicks into place.
2 Install the microSD card.
3 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Base cover
Removing base cover
1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2 Remove the microSD card.
3 To remove the base cover:
a Remove the mylar cap [1].
NOTE: The screw cover on the base cover is made up of a mylar sticker. To remove this screw, use a regular philips
driver and puncture the mylar cover. Once the mylar caps are removed it cannot replaced, and the screws will be
exposed from that point forward.
b Loosen the M2.5x7 captive screws that secure the base cover to the computer [2] .
c Pry the base cover from the edge.
NOTE: You may need a 3c plastic scribe to pry the base cover from the edge.
4 Lift the base cover away from the computer.
8Disassembly and reassembly
Installing base cover
If the system is shipped with M.2 SSD perform the following steps.
1 Toe in the base cover front edge into the system.
2 Press the edges of the cover until it clicks into place.
3 Replace the M2.5x7 screws to secure the base cover to the computer.
4 Install the microSD card
5 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Battery
Removing battery - optional
1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2 Remove the:
amicroSD card
bbase cover
3 To remove the battery:
a Disconnect the battery cable from the connector on the system board [1,2].
b Remove the M2.0x3.0 screws that secure the battery to the computer [3].
c Lift the battery away from the computer [4].
Disassembly and reassembly 9
Installing battery
1 Insert the battery into the slot on the computer.
2 Connect the battery cable to the connector on the battery.
3 Replace the M2x3 screws to secure the battery to the computer.
4 Install the:
abase cover
bmicroSD card
5 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Keyboard lattice and Keyboard
Removing keyboard
1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2 Remove the:
amicroSD card
bbase cover
cbattery
3 To remove keyboard:
a Disconnect the keyboard cable from the system board [1].
b Use the plastic scribe to the release the keyboard [2].
10 Disassembly and reassembly
NOTE: The two release holes for the keyboard are indicated by the "KB" labeling.
4 Slide the keyboard outwards, away from the computer.
Disassembly and reassembly 11
NOTE: Carefully pull the keyboard connector through the gap in the palm rest.
5 Lift the keyboard away from the computer.
12 Disassembly and reassembly
Installing keyboard
1 Align the keyboard trim with the tabs on the computer, and press it until it clicks into place.
2 Connect the keyboard cable on the system board.
Disassembly and reassembly 13
3 Install the:
abattery
bbase cover
cmicroSD card
4 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Power switch board
Removing power switch board
1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2 Remove the:
amicroSD card
bbase cover
cbattery
3 To remove the power switch:
a Disconnect the power switch cable from the power switch board [1].
b Remove the M.2.0x3.0 screws that secure the power switch board on the computer [2].
c Lift the power switch board away from the computer [3].
14 Disassembly and reassembly
Installing power switch board
1 Align the screw hole on the power switch board with the screw holders on the slot of the computer.
2 Replace the two M2x3 screws that secure the power switch board to the computer.
3 Connect the power switch cable to the connector on the power switch board.
4 Install the:
abattery
bbase cover
cmicroSD card
5 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Audio board
Removing audio board
1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2 Remove the:
amicroSD card
bbase cover
cbattery
3 To remove the audio board:
a Disconnect the audio cable from the connector on the audio board [1].
b Remove the M.2.0x3.0 screw that secures the audio board on the computer [2].
c Lift the audio board away from the computer [3].
Disassembly and reassembly 15
Installing audio board
1 Insert the audio board into the slot on the computer.
2 Replace the M2x3 screw that secure the audio board to the computer.
3 Connect the audio cable to the connector on the audio board.
4 Install the:
abattery
bbase cover
cmicroSD card
5 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Power connector port
Removing power connector port
1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2 Remove the:
amicroSD card
bbase cover
cbattery
16 Disassembly and reassembly
3 To remove the power connector port:
a Disconnect the power connector cable from the connector on the system board [1].
b Remove the M.2.0x3.0 screws that secure the power connector port on the computer [2].
c Slide and lift the power connector port away from the computer [3].
Installing power connector port
1 Insert the power connector port into the slot on the computer.
2 Replace the two M2x3 screws that secure the power connector port to the computer.
3 Connect the power connector cable to the connector on the system board.
4 Install the:
abattery
bbase cover
cmicroSD card
5 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Disassembly and reassembly 17
Speaker
Removing speaker
1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2 Remove the:
amicroSD card
bbase cover
cbattery
3 To remove the speaker:
a Disconnect the speaker cable from the connector on the system board [1].
b Remove the adhesive tape that secures the speaker cable on the computer .
c Unroute the speaker cable from the routing channel [3].
4 Remove the speaker from the computer.
18 Disassembly and reassembly
Installing speakers
1 Place the speakers into the slots on the computer.
2 Route the speaker cable through the retention clips through routing channel.
3 Ax the adhesive tape to secure the speaker cable on the computer.
4 Connect the speaker cable to the connector on the system board.
5 Install the:
abattery
bbase cover
cmicroSD card
6 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Display assembly
Removing display assembly
1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2 Remove the:
amicroSD card
bbase cover
cbattery
3 To remove cables:
a Remove the screw M2.0xM3.0 and lift the metal bracket that secures the WLAN card on the system board [1, 2]
b Disconnect the WLAN cables [3].
c Remove the screws M2.0xM3.0 and lift the metal bracket that secures the display cable on the computer [4, 5]
Disassembly and reassembly 19
d Lift the latch, and disconnect the cable [6]
4 Disconnect the sensor cable, and turn over the computer [1, 2]
20 Disassembly and reassembly
5 To remove display assembly:
a Remove the display hinge screws M2.5xM5.0 that secure the display assembly to the computer [1].
b Lift the display assembly away from the computer [2].
Disassembly and reassembly 21
Installing display assembly
1 Place the display assembly to align with the screw holders on the computer.
2 Replace the screws that secure the display hinges to the palm-rest assembly.
3 Flip over the computer and connect the sensor cable on the system board.
4 Connect the display cable to the connector on the system board.
5 Place the metal bracket over the (display cable) connector, and tighten the M2.0x3.0 screws to secure the display cable to the
computer.
6 Connect the WLAN cables.
7 Place the metal bracket, and tighten the M2.0x3.0 screw to the WLAN cable on the system board.
8 Install the:
abattery
bbase cover
cmicroSD card
9 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Display back cover
22 Disassembly and reassembly
Installing display back cover
1 Align the display back cover with the tabs on the computer, and press it until it clicks into place.
2 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
System board
Removing system board
1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2 Remove the:
amicroSD card
bbase cover
cbattery
3 Disconnect the following cables:
a sensor cable [1]
b power board and audio cable [2]
c speaker cable [3]
d keyboard cable [4]
e touch pad cable [5]
f power connector cable [6]
4 To remove metal bracket on the system board:
a Remove the screws on the metal bracket that secures the system board [1].
b Lift the metal bracket o the system board [2].
24 Disassembly and reassembly
5 To remove the metal bracket (WLAN and display cable):
a Remove the M2.0x3.0 screw and lift the metal bracket that secures the WLAN card on the system board [1, 2]
b Disconnect the WLAN cables [3].
c Remove the screws M2.0x3.0 and lift the metal bracket that secures the display cable on the computer [4, 5]
d Lift the latch, and disconnect the cable [6]
Disassembly and reassembly 25
6 To remove the system board:
a Remove the screws that secure the system board on the palm rest assembly [1].
b Lift the system board o the palm- rest assembly [2].
26 Disassembly and reassembly
Installing system board
1 Align the system board with the screw holders on the computer.
2 Tighten the M2.0x3.0 screws to secure the system board to the computer.
3 Connect the display cable to the connector.
4 Place the metal bracket over the connector and tighten the M2.0x3.0 screws to secure the display cable to the computer.
5 Connect the WLAN cables.
6 Place the metal bracket, and tighten the M2.0x3.0 screw to the WLAN cable on the system board.
7 Place the metal and tighten M2.0x3.0 screws to secure on the system board.
8 Connect the following cables:
a power connector cable
b touchpad cable
c keyboard cable
d speaker cable
e power board and audio cable
f sensor cable
9 Install the:
abattery
bbase cover
cmicroSD card
10 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Disassembly and reassembly 27
Palm rest
Replacing palm rest
1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2 Remove the:
amicroSD card
bbase cover
cbattery
dkeyboard
epower switch board
faudio
gpower connector
hspeaker
idisplay assembly
jsystem board
NOTE: Touchpad is not a standalone component and is assembled along with the palm rest.
NOTE: The component you are left with is the palm rest.
3 Install the following components on the new palm rest:
asystem board
bdisplay assembly
cspeaker
dpower connector
eaudio
fpower switch board
gkeyboard
28 Disassembly and reassembly
Software
This section provides information about the operating system, commands, and bundled software for Dell Inspiron Chromebook.
Operating system
This page contains information about the operating system used by the Dell Chromebook.
Chrome OS
Chromebooks are powered by the Google Chrome operating system, based on Google's popular Chrome browser. It has been developed to
provide a fast, simple, and more secure computing experience for users who spend most of their time online.
Key Benets
• Speed
• Simplicity
• Security
• Updatability
• Syncronisability
• High power at low cost
• Easy to learn and use
• Documents, calendar, e-mail, contacts, and tasks available online and oine, and all securely backed-up and synchronised in the cloud.
• Access to the Chrome web app store
3
30 Software
• Killer web apps
• The latest Intel Core processors
• Fun games
• Built-in support for popular le types and external devices
For more information about the Chrome OS, please visit the Chrome OS training page.
Veried Boot
Read Only rmware veries the integrity of Read/Write (R/W) rmware. R/W rmware veries the active Linux kernel. During run time,
the kernel veries each block read from disk.
If a verication step fails and there is no backup option, the machine enters recovery mode.
The Developer Mode switch turns o veried boot (at the Kernel stage) to enable users to run Chromium OS (or other OS). The BIOS is
always veried.
Software 31
Disk Partition Map
There are two copies of Chrome OS on disk: an active copy and a backup copy. Each copy consists of a kernel partition and a root le
system. The backup copy is updated automatically in the background. Users only need to reboot. The partition contains encrypted user
data and is also used in the factory for storing test software.
32 Software
Developer and Recovery mode
Table 2. Developer and Recovery mode
Developer Mode Recovery Mode
• Used to boot without verication.
• Can be turned on via key combination during boot.
• Stateful partition is wiped during transitions.
• Used in the factory to boot test image.
• Allows a user to reinstall the Chrome OS from a USB key or SD
card.
• Recovery mode is entered if veried boot fails.
• A user can force recovery mode via a key combination during
boot.
Coreboot and U-boot Custom Firmware
Coreboot (x86 only)
• Memory and chipset initialization
• Open-source, except for MRC binary from Intel.
U-Boot
• Performs veried boot
• Handles recovery and Developer Mode
• Open source code
Normal boot is very fast, as it takes less than 1 second to start loading kernel. Chromebook does not boot other operating systems such as
Windows or OS X.
Software 33
Chrome vs Chromium OS
Table 3. Dierence between Chromium and Chrome OS
Dierence between Chromium and Chrome OS
Chromium OS Chrome OS
• Is an open source project: http://www.chromium.org/
chromium-os
• Runs on regular PCs and Chrome devices
• Is based on Chromium OS
• Only runs on the Chrome devices with required hardware
features (TPM, RO rmware, recovery button, developer
switch).
• Includes additional licensed features such as the Netix plugin,
video codecs, and fonts
View system information
This page contains all the information about viewing system information for the Dell Chromebook.
Dell Chromebook does not support Dell BIOS. Hence, there are several ways to check system specications depending on the information
you are searching for. The table below lists some of the most commonly used methods to view system information and specications.
34 Software
Table 4. View system information
Commands Action and Purpose Screenshot
Chrome:help View basic OS information.
Chrome:settings View information such as
screen resolution options
(Device>Display settings),
touchpad, and other basic
hardware information.
Software 35
Commands Action and Purpose Screenshot
Chrome:system View advanced system
information such as the Google
Chrome version, BIOS
information, CPU information,
memory information, network
status, power supply
information, etc.
36 Software
Commands Action and Purpose Screenshot
Chrome:net-
internals
View advanced networking
information.
Dell activity light
This page contains all the information about the Dell Bright Light software that is used to control Dell Activity Light.
Overview
Dell Activity Light can be used as an indicator for the interaction between school teacher and student, and Dell has designed a software
over this feature. The application will not be factory installed when product RTS, but it can be downloaded and installed via the web-store
through the following link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/dell-led/klhphccnhmdlnljpdljjhehlmplnmini
Software 37
Raise your Hand/Answer Question/Discussion buttons
Students can either click the on-screen button or press keyboard hot key to on/o the Ask question LED. The on-screen button can be the
Chrome application in the menu or the shortcut icon on the task bar.
MultiColor Poll
Students can vote with dierent LED color by either clicking the on-screen button (suggested) or pressing keyboard hot key.
38 Software
Software 39
Diagnostic and troubleshooting
This section covers the diagnostics tool and troubleshooting information for eld service technicians.
Dell activity light
The Dell Chromebook activity light LED indicator is located on the back of the display cover of Chromebook as shown below:
The activity indicator supports 7 colors for Dell Active Classroom Application, including: white, red, green, blue, yellow, cyan, and magenta.
To control to toggle between these colors, use Dell Activity Light from the Chrome Web Store.
Basic troubleshooting
This page contains all the information for Dell Chromebook basic troubleshooting
NOTE: Refer to Google Help Center for the online troubleshooter.
NOTE: Resetting the Chromebook, also known as Powerwash, can be attempted before Recovering the Chromebook.
Recovering the Chromebook is the last resort.
4
40 Diagnostic and troubleshooting
Power issues
Table 5. Power issue
Power issues
Issue Possible solutions
Chromebook would not Power On
If the Chromebook will not turn on, follow these steps:
1 Remove all external devices.
a If the Chromebook starts, reconnect devices one at a
time while restarting the computer to gure out which
device is causing the problem. You are done.
b If the Chromebook still does not start or exhibits the
same problem, do not reconnect anything, and continue
troubleshooting.
2 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
rst time, the battery is still in shipping mode. To
resolve this issue, turn o the Chromebook and plug
in the AC adapter and turn on the Chromebook
again.
3 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.
4 Use a dierent AC adapter with the same power voltage.
5 Remove the AC adapter, and turn on with the battery power
only.
Display issue
Table 6. Display issue
Display issue
Issue Possible solutions
Screen is Blank
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:
1 Make sure the Chromebook is on. If you are using the battery,
plug the Chromebook in and press the power button.
2 Restart the Chromebook by holding the power button down
until the device turns o, then turn it back on again.
3 Reset or Recover the Chromebook.
Diagnostic and troubleshooting 41
Audio, screen, and camera issues
Table 7. 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:
1 Make sure the device is not muted. Try adjusting the volume.
2 Try rebooting the Chromebook.
3 Try playing audio from various sources, including YouTube and
audio les stored locally on the Chromebook.
If the speakers are not responding when attempting to listen to
audio:
1 Unplug the device from all cables (USB, headphones, and
displays).
2 Try playing audio from various sources, including YouTube and
audio les stored locally on the Chromebook.
3 Try rebooting the Chromebook.
4 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):
1 Try adjusting the brightness with the brightness keys at the
top of the keyboard.
2 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.
3 Try rebooting the Chromebook
4 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):
1 Check that the camera is not being blocked or covered by a
privacy screen or other obstruction.
2 Try using dierent apps that use the camera. Try a Google+
Hangout or the onboard camera app
3 Try rebooting the Chromebook
4 If the camera issues persist, try to Reset or Recover the
Chomebook.
42 Diagnostic and troubleshooting
Bluetooth issue
Table 8. 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:
1 First, make sure that the Bluetooth device you are trying to
pair is supported by the Chromebook.
2 Try disabling and re-enabling Bluetooth connectivity from the
status area in the lower-right corner.
3 Try restarting the Chromebook.
4 If you are still encountering issue with bluetooth, try to Reset
or Recover the Chomebook.
Touchpad and Hotkeys issues
Table 9. Touchpad and hotkeys issues
Touchpad / Hotkeys issues
Issue Possible solutions
Touchpad not responding
If the touch pad has stopped responding, try the following steps to
resolve the issue: Try moving the cursor after each step:
1 Tap the Esc key several times.
2 Drumroll the ngers across the touch pad for a few seconds.
3 Restart the Chrome OS by holding down the power button
until the device turns o, and then turn it back on again.
4 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.
5 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.
6 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:
1 If the aected key is volume or brightness, check to make
sure you are not at the upper or lower limit for that setting.
2 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.
3 Restart the Chrome OS by holding down the power button
until the device turns o, and then turn it back on again.
4 Try using the keys in the Guest account.
Diagnostic and troubleshooting 43
Touchpad / Hotkeys issues
5 If users experience hotkey issues with the account that is not
the owner (primary) account, delete the user account and re-
create it.
6 If none of the above steps work, try to Reset or Recover the
Chomebook.
Chrome OS issue
Table 10. 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.
1 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.
2 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:
1 Turn o the computer.
2 Disconnect all peripheral devices, and remove all USB devices
and media cards.
3 Disconnect the AC adapter.
4 Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds.
5 Reconnect the AC adapter, and turn on the system.
6 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:
1 Check if this is a managed device (Enterprise enrolled device).
a If this is a managed device, please contact the
administrator to have them reset the password via
Google Admin Console.
b If this is not a managed device, please proceed with the
following steps:
2 Sign in as guest or use a dierent PC.
3 Open an internet browser, and navigate to https://
www.google.com/accounts/recovery/
4 Select I do not know my password, and then enter the email
address that you use to sign in to Google.
44 Diagnostic and troubleshooting
Chrome OS issues
5 Click Continue and follow the on-screen instructions to reset
the password.
Other Chromebook lock up or freeze symptoms that are not listed
here
If none of the above symptoms match the Chromebook’s issue,
refer to Google Help Center for the online troubleshooter and more
help.
CROSH
This topic covers the information you need to know for the Chrome Shell (CROSH). CROSH and the Google Chrome URL commands
provide some troubleshooting tools, information, and advanced settings.
The Chrome OS does not support ePSA, Dell BIOS, the F12 boot menu, or DellConnect. There are no preboot diagnostics. All
troubleshooting must be done inside the OS. Chrome Shell (CROSH) and the Chrome URL commands provide some troubleshooting tools,
information, and advanced settings. CROSH is a command line interface similar to the Linux BASH or Windows command (cmd.exe)
terminals. Chrome OS is based on Linux, but CROSH does not recognize most Linux commands. The most useful commands for
troubleshooting are memory test, storage_test_1, storage_test_2, ping, and tracepath. Ping works dierently than it does in Windows. By
default, it repeats until you press <Ctrl> + <C>, and it does not show any statistics. The tracepath command is similar to the Windows
traceroute command. A detailed explanation of the commands can be viewed below, by typing help, or help_advanced in CROSH.
1 Open the Chrome browser.
2 Press <Clrl> + <Alt> + <T> The interface appears as shown in the screenshot below:
3 Type in the CROSH command for diagnostics. Type 'help' for a list of available commands. Type help_advanced to display a complete
list of commands for debugging purposes
Alternately, refer to CROSH Commands for the list of the CROSH commands available for diagnostics.
CROSH commands
The table below lists the available commands in Chrome Shell (CROSH).
Table 11. Help commands
Command Purpose
exit Exits the CROSH Shell.
help Displays this help.
Diagnostic and troubleshooting 45
Command Purpose
help_advanced Displays the help for more advanced commands, used for
debugging.
ping [-c count] [-i interval] [-n] [-s packetsize] [-W waittime] — Sends
ICMP ECHO_REQUEST packets to a network host. If is "gw", then
the next hop gateway for the default route is used. It works just like
the ping command on other operating systems. Press <Clrt> + <C>
to stop the ping process or halt any other command in CROSH.
ssh [optional args...] — Starts the ssh subsystem if invoked without any
arguments. "ssh <user> <host>", "ssh <user> <host> <port>", "ssh<
user>@<host>". or "ssh <user>@<host> <port>" connect without
entering the subsystem
ssh_forget_host Removes a host from the list of known ssh hosts. This command
displays a menu of known hosts and prompts for the host to forget.
top Sets the chaps debug logging level. No arguments start verbose
logging
Table 12. Advanced help command
Command Purpose
battery_test[<test length>] Tests the battery discharge rate for a given number of seconds. No
argument defaults to a 300 s test.
bt_console [<agent capability>] Enters a Bluetooth debugging console. The Optional argument
species the capability of a pairing agent the console provides; see
the Bluetooth Core specication for valid options.
chaps_debug [start|stop|<log_level>] Sets the chaps debug logging level. No arguments will start verbose
logging.
connectivity Shows connectivity status.
experimental_storage<status|enable|disable> Enables or disables experimental storage features.
_debug [<tag_expr>] [--help] [--list_valid_tags] [--reset] Adds and removes imam debugging tags.
memory_test Performs extensive memory testing on the available free memory.
modem <command> [args...] Interacts with the 3G modem. Run modem help for detailed help.
modem_set_carrier carrier-name Congures the modem for the specied carrier.
network_diag[--date] [--link] [--show-macs] [--wi] [--help] [--wi-
mon] <host>
Performs a suite of network diagnostics and saves a copy of the
output to your download directory
network_logging <wi|cellular|ethernet> Enables a predened set of tags useful for debugging the specied
device.
p2p_update [enable | disable] Enables or disables the peer-to-peer (P2P) sharing of updates over
the local network. This will both attempt to get updates from other
peers in the network and shares the downloaded updates with
them. Run this command without arguments to see the current
state.
rlz < status | enable | disable> Enables or disables RLZ.
rollback Attempts to roll back to the previous update cached on your
system. Only available on non-stable channels and non-enterprise
enrolled devices. Please note that this will power wash your device.
route [-n] [-6] Displays the routing tables.
set_apn [-n <network-id>] [-u <username>] [-p <password>] <apn> Sets the APN to use when connecting to the network specied by
<network-id>. If <network-id> is not specied, use the network-id
of the currently registered network.
46 Diagnostic and troubleshooting
Command Purpose
set_apn - c Clears the APN to be used, so that the default APN is used instead.
set_arpgw <true | false> Turns on the extra network state checking to make sure the default
gateway is reachable.
set_cellular_ppp [-u <username>] [-p <password>] Sets the PPP username and/or password for an existing cellular
connection. If neither -u nor -p is provided, this shows the existing
PPP username for the cellular connection.
set_cellular_ppp -c Clears any existing PPP username and PPP password for an
existing cellular connection.
sound <command> <argument> Low level sound conguration. Can be used to play/record audio
samples and enable beam forming on Pixel. sound beamforming
<on|o > will enable/disable the feature. sound record [duration]
will start recording. sound play <lename> plays the recorded audio
samples
storage_status Reads storage device SMART health status, vendor attributes, and
error logs.
storage_test_1 Performs a short oine SMART test.
storage_test_2 Performs an extensive readability test.
syslog <message> Logs a message to system log.
tpcontrol{status | taptoclick [on|o] sensitivity [1-5] | set
<property>< value>} tpcontrol {syntp [on|o]}
Allows the user to manually adjust advanced touchpad settings.
tracepath [-n] <destination>[/port] Traces the path/route to a network host.
update_over_cellular [enable|disable] Enables or disables the auto updates over cellular networks. Run
without arguments to see the current state.
upload crashes Uploads available crash reports to the crash server.
wpa_debug [<debug_level>] [--help] [--list_valid_level] [--reset] Sets the wpa_supplicant debugging level.
xset m [acc_mult[/acc_div] [thr]] xset m default Tweaks the mouse acceleration rate.
xset r rate [delay [rate]] Tweaks the autorepeat rates. The delay is the number of
milliseconds before autorepeat starts. The rate is the number of
repeats per second.
xset r [keycode] < on|o > Turns autorepeat on/o. If a keycode is specied, it aects only
that key. If not specied, it aects global behavior.
Chrome commands
Chrome:// pages contain experimental features, diagnostic tools, and detailed statistics. They are hidden in Chrome's user interface.
Chrome://about page lists all Chrome's internal pages. To view all the commands, type chrome://about in the Chrome browser URL as
shown below:
Diagnostic and troubleshooting 47
Table 13. Chrome browser shortcuts
Purpose Browser Shortcut Explanation
System Information chrome://system/ "Who am I".. BIOS version, and so on
Basic Connectivity Diags chrome://diagnostics/ Test for NIC and Internet connection
Chrome Information chrome://version More "Who am I" type of stu
Create Recovery USB Stick chrome://imageburner/ Google's version of DBAR/DBRM
Chrome Flags chrome://ags Experimental features beyond the scope of
what Dell supports
Memory Troubleshooting chrome://memory View running processes and memory
utilization
Module Load chrome://conicts Shows conicts of all modules loaded by
Chrome
Chrome Sync Status chrome://syncchrome://sync-internals Allows troubleshooting of connected
accounts
Connectivity Troubleshooting chrome://net-internals Comprehensive network/connectivity
diagnostics, including DNS analysis, Waterfall
and Bandwidth diagnostics, and so on
Histogram chrome://histograms Actual work and I/O audit
Credits chrome://credits References to all module/libs contributions
and their respective wiki/license URLs
Crash Reporting chrome://crashes Shows detailed crash report, if the feature
was enabled
Apps RAM Utilization chrome://appcache-internals Detailed memory usage for apps/extensions,
especially handy for 2 GB Chromebooks
Following are the 12 most helpful chrome:// commands that you should know:
48 Diagnostic and troubleshooting
Table 14. Helpful chrome commands
Chrome Commands Purpose Screenshot
chrome://ags From here you can enable some of the
experimental features that are hidden in the
Google Chrome browser. Please note that as
mentioned on this page, since these are
experimental, these might not work as
expected and might cause issues. Enable
these features, and use it at your own risk.
chrome://dns This displays the list of hostnames for which
the browser will prefetch the DNS records.
Diagnostic and troubleshooting 49
Chrome Commands Purpose Screenshot
chrome://downloads This is also available from the Menu >
Downloads. Shortcut key is Ctrl+J.
chrome://extensions This is also available from the Menu > Tools
> Extensions.
chrome://bookmarks This is also available from the Menu >
Bookmarks > Bookmark Manager. Short cut
key is Ctrl+Shift+O.
50 Diagnostic and troubleshooting
Chrome Commands Purpose Screenshot
chrome://history This is also available from the Menu >
History. Short cut key is Ctrl+H.
chrome://memory This will redirect to “chrome://memory-
redirect/”. This will display the memory used
by the Google Chrome browser. This also
displays all the process related to browser
with their PID, process name, and the
memory it takes.
chrome://net-internals This displays all networking related
information. Use this to capture network
events generated by the browser. You can
also export this data. You can view DNS
host resolver cache. One of the important
features in this feature is “Test”. If a URL
failed to load, you can go to “chrome://net-
internals” > click on “Tests” tab > type that
URL which failed, and click on “Start Test”,
which does some test and report you why
that URL failed. chrome://plugins/.
Diagnostic and troubleshooting 51
Chrome Commands Purpose Screenshot
chrome://quota-internals This gives information about the disk space
quote used by the browser, including the
breakdown of how much space the
individual websites took under temporary
les.
chrome://sessions This displays the number of sessions and
magic list that are currently running.
chrome://settings This is also available from the Menu >
Options (on Windows), and Menu >
Preferences (on Linux). From here you can
control various browser related settings.
52 Diagnostic and troubleshooting
Chrome Commands Purpose Screenshot
chrome://sync-internals This gives information about the Chrome
sync feature, including the Sync URL used
by Google, and sync statistics.
Commonly used CROSH command
This page contains information about the most commonly used CROSH commands to diagnose the Dell Chromebook.
Below are some of the most commonly used CROSH commands to troubleshoot a hardware issue.
NOTE: CROSH storage_test_1 and storage_test_2 are not supported on the eMMC storage device.
Check battery charging status
The Chrome Shell (CROSH) includes a simple battery health diagnostic test. This is to conrm that the battery is charging and to check on
the battery health and discharge rate. Follow the instruction provided to check on the battery charging status:
1 Connect the AC adapter to the Chromebook and a power outlet.
2 Turn on, and sign in to the Chromebook.
3 Open the Chrome browser.
4 Press CTRL + ALT + T to open CROSH.
Diagnostic and troubleshooting 53
5 Type battery_test 1 into CROSH, and then press Enter.
6 Check the result to conrm that the battery is charging.
Check battery health
Follow the steps to evaluate the health of the Chromebook battery, and check the discharge rate:
1 Disconnect the AC adapter from the Chromebook.
2 Turn on and sign in to Chromebook.
3 Open the Chrome browser.
54 Diagnostic and troubleshooting
4 Press CTRL + ALT + T to open CROSH.
5 Type battery_test 1 into CROSH, and then press Enter.
6 A screen displays the current battery health and discharge rate.
• If the Battery health percentage is greater than 50%, the battery is within the expected wear limits.
• If the Battery health percentage is equal to or less than 50% and the battery is less than a year old, the battery is outside expected
wear limits and might need to be replaced.
Diagnostic and troubleshooting 55
• If the test results show that Battery is Unknown, the battery might need to be replaced.
Checking memory
Follow the steps below to perform a memory check for Chromebook:
NOTE: This will approximately take 20 minutes to complete the test, and it also depends on the capacity of the memory.
1 Turn on and sign in to Chromebook.
2 Open the Chrome browser.
3 Press CTRL + ALT + T to open CROSH.
4 Type memory_test into CROSH, and then press Enter.
56 Diagnostic and troubleshooting
5 A diagnostic screen displays the result of the memory test passed without any errors.
Example of a memory test failure.
Diagnostic and troubleshooting 57
Checking network status
If you are having trouble connecting to the Internet, use the steps in one or more of the following sections to test the network adapter:
Follow the instruction to gather the information about the network and diagnose the network errors.
1 Turn on and sign in to Chromebook.
2 Open the Chrome browser.
3 Press CTRL + ALT + T to open CROSH.
4 Type network_diag into CROSH, and then press Enter.
58 Diagnostic and troubleshooting
5 Wait while CROSH performs a set of network diagnostic tests. A diagnostic screen displays the results of the network adapter health
test.
6 The diagnostic test log is saved as a.txt (plain text) le in the Files app.
Diagnostic and troubleshooting 59
7 If the diagnostic test returns a failure message, make sure the Wi-Fi adapter is enabled and connect to a network.
Resetting Inspiron Chromebook
This page contains all information about resetting Dell Chromebook.
All local user data stored on the Chromebook can be cleared by resetting it to its original factory state (also known as Powerwash).
This step might be helpful if you want to reset owner permissions or if you are experiencing issues with your user prole.
NOTE: All data stored on your Chromebook such as downloaded les, photos, owner permissions, and saved networks, will be
deleted for all accounts when performing a factory reset. After clearing this data, you will be guided through the initial setup
again. Resetting your device will not aect your accounts themselves, or any data synced to these accounts.
NOTE: Do not follow the instructions below if you're using a managed Chrome device, as you will not be able to re-enroll your
device after powerwashing it.
Follow these steps to reset your Chromebook to its original factory state:
60 Diagnostic and troubleshooting
1 Click the status area in the lower-right corner, where your account picture appears.
Diagnostic and troubleshooting 61
2 Click Settings as highlighted from the screenshot below.
62 Diagnostic and troubleshooting
3 Click Show advanced settings to expand the menu.
Diagnostic and troubleshooting 63
4 Click the Powerwash button.
64 Diagnostic and troubleshooting
5 Click Restart when prompted.
You can also reset your Chromebook from the sign-in screen by holding down the keys Ctrl+Alt+Shift+R and clicking Restart. (If you
are signed in to your Chromebook, sign out rst before you press on Ctrl+Alt+Shift+R, then click Restart. Once the Chromebook is
restarted, click Reset.)
After you restart the Chromebook, you should now see the setup screen. Follow the instructions on the screen to set up your Chromebook
again. Make sure you sign in with your primary Google Account, because this account is set as the owner account.
Recovering the Inspiron Chromebook
This page contains information about recovering Dell Chromebook.
Recovering the Inspiron Chromebook
Install a new version of the Chrome operating system on your Chromebook by going through the recovery process. You may want to go
through this process if you are having problems updating your Chromebook or if it stops working.
Diagnostic and troubleshooting 65
NOTE: All account information and data stored on your Chromebook, such as photos, downloaded les, and saved networks, will
be deleted. Owner privileges for your primary account will also be reset. However, the actual Google Accounts and any data
synced to these accounts are not aected by the recovery process. After the recovery process is complete, you will be guided
through the initial setup again.
Prerequisites:
Before starting this process, you need the following:
• A Chrome device, Windows, Mac, or the Linux computer with administrative rights.
• A 4 GB or larger USB ash drive or SD card that you do not mind clearing.
Step 1- Check for the Chrome OS is missing or damaged message
If you see this message, you can rst try to perform a hard reset on your Chromebook by pressing Refresh + Power. If you still see this
message after performing a hard reset, please proceed to Step 2.
If you see the Chrome OS verication is turned o message, refer to Chrome OS verication is turned o section below.
Step 2- Create the recovery USB ash drive or SD card
Insert a USB ash drive or SD card into your computer and follow the instructions below
Table 15. USB ash drive or SD card
Operating System Instructions
Chrome Device Instructions
Create a recovery ash drive by using the Image Burner. The tool
may not be available in all languages.
1 Type chrome://imageburner into the omnibox (browser's
address bar) .
2 Run the tool and follow the instructions that appear on your
screen.
NOTE: When recovering your Chromebook, make sure to
create the recovery ash drive on the same model.
Windows Instructions
1 Click this link to download the Recovery Tool. If you are a
network administrator for your school, business, or
organization, click this link to download the Recovery Tool: 2.
3.
2 Run the tool and follow the instructions that appear on your
screen.
3 After you recover your Chromebook, you must format your
USB ash drive or SD card using the Recovery Tool. If you do
not format your USB ash drive or SD card, you will not be
able to use all the storage space on your external device.
Additionally, your USB ash drive or SD card may not be
recognizable by Windows.
Mac Instructions
Create a recovery ash drive by using the Recovery Tool. The tool
may not be available in all languages.
1 Click this link to download the Recovery Tool.
2 Run the tool and follow the instructions that appear on your
screen.
After the process is complete, you might see an alert saying your
USB drive or SD card is unreadable. If this fails, try removing and
66 Diagnostic and troubleshooting
Operating System Instructions
reinserting your USB drive or SD card. Your USB drive or SD card
should now be ready to use for recovery.
Linux Instructions
Create a recovery ash drive by using the Recovery Tool. The tool
may not be available in all languages.
1 1.Click this link to download the Recovery Tool.
2 Modify the script permissions to allow execution with the
following command: $ & sudo chmod 755 linux_recovery.sh
3 Run the script with root privileges with the following
command:$ sudo bash linux_recovery.sh
4 Follow the prompts from the tool to complete building the
operating system image.
Reinstall the Chrome Operating System
1 Start your Chromebook.
2 When the Chrome OS is missing or damaged screen appears, insert the USB ash drive or SD card you created into the USB port or
SD card slot on your Chrome device
3 Wait for the Chromebook to boot up from the ash drive
4 Follow the instructions that appear on the screen.
5 On successful installation of the Chrome operating system, you will be prompted to remove the USB ash drive or SD card.
6 Remove the USB ash drive or SD card when prompted, and your Chromebook will automatically restart.
You should now be able to start your Chromebook as normal. Because the data stored on your Chromebook has been cleared, you will need
to go through the initial setup again. Make sure you sign in with your primary Google Account, because this account will be set as the
owner account.
Chrome OS verication is turned o Message
By default, Chromebooks are set to the normal user mode. If you've set the user mode to developer mode instead, you'll see a screen with
the message "Chrome OS verication is turned o" when you start up. Use the developer mode if you want to test your own version of the
Chrome operating system.
Press Ctrl+D to enter developer mode. If you press the space bar instead, you'll see a screen asking to recover your device.
Troubleshooting Tips
Table 16. Troubleshooting tips
Question Solution
I am unable to recover my Chromebook To help ensure that you are running the latest version of Chrome
OS once you recover your Chromebook, we recommend creating
the recovery media with the latest version of Chrome OS and avoid
using recovery media that may contain an older version of the
operating system.
An error message An unexpected error has occurred. Try the following steps:
1Conrm that you successfully completed all instructions
exactly as specied in Step 2: Create the recovery USB ash
drive or SD card above.
2 Try using a dierent USB stick or SD card.
Diagnostic and troubleshooting 67
Question Solution
3 If the problem persists, contact Google Chrome support team.
An error message You are using an out-of-date Chrome OS
recovery image.
You should download an up-to date recovery image. Simply follow all
the instructions exactly as specied in Step 2 above.
You successfully recovered your Chromebook but now you can not
use your USB or SD card with Windows
After you have completed recovery, you need to format your USB
or SD card using the recovery tool.
You successfully recovered your Chromebook but now Windows
does not recognize the whole size of the USB or SD card used for
recover.
After you have completed recovery, you need to format your USB
or SD card using the recovery tool.
68 Diagnostic and troubleshooting
Contacting Dell
NOTE: If you do not have an active Internet connection, you can nd contact information on your purchase invoice, packing slip,
bill, or Dell product catalog.
Dell provides several online and telephone-based support and service options. Availability varies by country and product, and some services
may not be available in your area. To contact Dell for sales, technical support, or customer service issues:
1 Go to Dell.com/support.
2 Select your support category.
3 Verify your country or region in the Choose a Country/Region drop-down list at the bottom of the page.
4 Select the appropriate service or support link based on your need.
5
Contacting Dell 69