Cant Access SeaBIOS after Powerloss

[Israel Lopez]

Hello,

I have the HP ChromeBook 14 model "FALCO" and I've noticed something very odd. I used the developer mode to enable USB and Legacy boot on the machine.  I then installed an alternative OS (Edubuntu) and everything was happy/fine. However, I left the laptop out overnight on low battery power, and now this morning I cannot get into the Edubutu OS, nor access SeaBIOS to re-install.

I still receive the "Chrome OS is missing or damaged" message.  Since ChromeOS has been wiped, I cant continue or recover the machine.  I later recovered the machine by burning the ChromeOS image onto a USB drive per the public instructions; however, I'd like to avoid having to re-install everything after the system loses power.  I've been able to replicate the process twice now, with another user (across the world) experiencing the same issue.

What causes this? 

-Israel

[Nick]

Quoth Israel Lopez:

The issue is described here:
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/chromebook-central/zl9UZd4QvJ0/zER63daiHrIJ
In short, the "developer mode allowed" switch is battery backed, so
if the battery runs out it is reset to the default of "nope".

Sucks, but so it goes. I created a little "low battery shutdown"
script to ensure my laptop turns off rather than runs out of
battery, if you're interested:
https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/ChromebookPixel#Ensuring_the_battery_doesn.27t_run_right_down

The fix would be flashing a different coreboot payload which ignores
the "developer mode allowed" setting. Which has been too scary for
me to do so far.

Nick

[Israel Lopez]

I'll definitely add that script to my deployment image, but I'll also will have to try the coreboot update.  

I have 32 chromebooks that will be "in service" at a computer lab in the middle of Africa.  I cant have these units fail because the battery ran out. I'd love it if this process was easier. I cant have the local school teacher restore ChromeOS, and Edubuntu after each total power loss event.

Thank you for pointing me in the right direction. I really appreciate it.

-Israel

[Benson Leung]

Hi Israel,

Sorry you've run into this situation. Please see this guide on how you
can recover from this.
http://dev.chromium.org/chromium-os/developer-information-for-chrome-os-devices/workaround-for-battery-discharge-in-dev-mode

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Benson Leung
Software Engineer, Chrom* OS
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[Mike Frysinger]

don't take this the wrong way, but dev-mode isn't the standard intended operating mode for CrOS devices.  so if the dev mode has rough edges, then you're going to have to work harder w/already released devices like deploying custom firmware (coreboot) updates.

-mike

[Israel Lopez]

Hi Mike,

I understand.  It was a cost-benefit decision based on the needs of the school, and this is certainly something I will have to overcome. Thank you everyone for the support, I think know what I need to do now.

-Israel