How do I recover ChromeOS on C710-2847 when the files have been removed?

[Michael R. Hauck]

I bought this C710 chromebook second-hand.  The previous owner had wiped out the ChromeOS and was running Gentoo Linux.  He wiped the machine clean before giving it to me.  I have tried restoring a ChromeOS without success.

Following instructions from Google, I installed the recovery tool in Chrome on my windows machine, specified the manufacturer (Acer) but there is no C710 to choose from. So I tried C7, C700 and C720. All failed.

Then I discovered the chromeosimagecreatorV2 utility and further learned that the product's model number is PARROT + something, like PARROT TITMICE A-C 0924, or PARROT WREN D-C 1022. I tried several  possibilities based on model names I saw in postings, no successes. Since there are literally hundreds of options, trial and error is fruitless. I have no idea how to relate any of the data I have on the machine (SNID, S/N, model, mfg date, etc) to the model naming of the ChromeOS image.

So...how do I find out what the real model number is of this machine?  All he instructions I can find point to booting the machine in recovery mode, but the ChromeOS files are wiped clean, so recovery mode is now in Ubuntu (which I was able to install to at least boot the machine and be sure it essentially functions).

HELP!

hardware Model: C710-2847

SNID: 24801662116

google p/n: 86001954-01

mfg date: 2012/11/26

S/N: NUSH7AA004248040ED1601

[Chirantan Ekbote]

The software that does recovery is stored on read-only flash memory that can only be erased if someone opens the back of the device and takes out the write-protect screw.  Assuming neither you nor the previous owner have done this, you can enter recovery mode by pressing Esc+Refresh+Power buttons and then follow the instructions to re-install chrome os.

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[Sonny Rao]

On Tue, Aug 25, 2015 at 11:32 AM, Michael R. Hauck <gush...@gmail.com> wrote:

When you say recovery mode is Ubuntu, what do you mean by that?
You should be able to get to the recovery screen by turning the
machine off and then using pressing ESC + refresh(F3) + power and that
should bring up a recovery screen that will tell you the model.

>
> HELP!
> hardware Model: C710-2847
> SNID: 24801662116
> google p/n: 86001954-01
> mfg date: 2012/11/26
> S/N: NUSH7AA004248040ED1601
>

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[Michael R. Hauck]

Nope. Recovery mode pops up a screen with the familiar Ubuntu purple background, GNU GRUB. The options to select are:

• Ubuntu
• Advanced Options for Ubuntu
• Memory test (memtest86+)
• Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)

There's nothing about product type, model number etc.

If I wipe out Ubuntu do you think I'll get the Chromium recovery screen?  How do I wipe Ubuntu off without a replacement?

> email to chromium-os-discuss+unsub...@chromium.org.

[Sonny Rao]

On Tue, Aug 25, 2015 at 11:57 AM, Michael R. Hauck <gush...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Nope. Recovery mode pops up a screen with the familiar Ubuntu purple
> background, GNU GRUB. The options to select are:
>
> Ubuntu
> Advanced Options for Ubuntu
> Memory test (memtest86+)
> Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)
>
> There's nothing about product type, model number etc.

That indicates that the previous owner has modified the read-only firmware.

>
> If I wipe out Ubuntu do you think I'll get the Chromium recovery screen?
> How do I wipe Ubuntu off without a replacement?

I wouldn't wipe off Ubuntu, because it's not clear what firmware is
running on the system now. Can you ask the previous owner what was
done to it?
Assuming the write-protect screw has been removed it might be possible
to flash the original firmware back on, but it is very possible to
brick the machine if the firmware isn't properly flash on so there's
some risk in doing that.

>> > email to chromium-os-dis...@chromium.org.

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[Mike Frysinger]

if the machine id / serial # are still in flash, it's at least still somewhat sane.  but yes, you should def sync with the previous owner to find out what he did before trying to proceed further.

-mike

[DennisLfromGA]

+Michael R. Hauck,

Definitely syncing up with the previous owner would be your best option to determine what might've been done. 

But, just from reading you're post, I imagine that maybe a couple of things may have been done to it -

The first being: How to make SeaBIOS the default on your Acer C720 (also works on the Acer C710)
The second being: flash a custom coreboot firmware build by johnlewis.ie

Hopefully, neither of those have been done but it is a distinct possibility.

To reverse the changes, I think you would first need to know what was done, unfortunately.

To see what flags are currently set, you can run: `sudo /usr/share/vboot/bin/set_gbb_flags.sh`

To see info. about the current bios, you can run: `sudo dmidecode` and look under 'BIOS Information'

Hope this helps,

-DennisL