The most annoying problem with laptops is when they lock up, it can be very frustrating.
There are several reasons for this, but it usually boils down to poor internet connections, insufficient storage space on the computer’s storage system, or outdated software.
This post will highlight some ways to avoid having this issue happen on your Chromebook machine and how to solve it if you find yourself locked out by your Chromebook.
If you use a Chromebook, you may have experienced the aggravating problem of your device locking up and becoming unresponsive.
These can happen for a variety of reasons, some more serious than others.
We’ll look at a few different approaches your Chromebook can lock up and how to fix it in this article.
How To Fix a Locked Chromebook
The first needed approach is to determine the sort of lockup your device is displaying by following these steps:
Step 1: Unplug all peripherals except the keyboard, mouse, and monitor.
Step 2: Power cycle the machine (turn off the power button or pull the battery if possible).
Step 3: Once the machine is completely off, tap and hold the power button down for 20-30 seconds.
Step 4: Turn your Chromebook on again.
If the issue persists, repeat steps 1-4 (if it doesn’t, then it is likely a hardware problem of some sort)
It may be problematic to investigate whether your Chromebook locks up due to software or hardware issues.
Several different symptoms can indicate an operating system or hardware problem.
In case you experience these symptoms on your device, then to identify what is causing the lockup you will need to:
- Power cycle the device or remove and reinsert the SIM card (if applicable).
- Use Chrome’s built-in debugger to identify the problem. If your device is older, you will need to enable Developer Mode on your device.
After you’ve pinpointed the issue, go ahead and use the fix mentioned in this article for your issue or search for other available guides, as there is no general solution for most lockups that are caused by hardware problems other than getting a new machine.
If you don’t know what to search for, make sure to educate yourself about the Chrome OS hardware issues before you do any troubleshooting.
Why Do You Have a Locked Chromebook
Hardware or Software Error
If you’re curious why your Chromebook won’t turn on after an automatic restart, or a system update failure, this is known as the “kernel panic” error.
It doesn’t like it when your firmware has a failure. It also means that Chrome OS crashed its kernel and cannot boot up again.
If you’re having trouble restarting your Chromebook, simply turn it off and on again, or plug it into an AC outlet until it boots up normally.
Too Many Downloads and Processes
Avoid the lock-up problem by not downloading too many documents or large files onto your laptop at one time.
These files can be very large and may take up a lot of space, which will cause your laptop to lock up.
Larger files can be stored on an external storage system or an SD card, which can then be stored in the laptop when you need the documents.
If you are in this situation, you will have to learn how to restart your Chromebook.
Some instructions for doing this vary based on the brand/computer’s configuration, but they generally involve holding down a specific key combination while simultaneously pressing the power button.
Find out if this is possible before using it; some Chromebooks don’t allow for this type of restarting.
Websites
Some websites can freeze your computer if there isn’t enough memory on the machine to utilize both the internet site and your applications.
If you are running a Chromebook, you may have too many applications open at once.
Try closing some of them down before attempting to use the internet site.
Unfortunately, some sites also use Java or other intensive programs that require a lot of memory, which can cause lockups.
Suppose this becomes an issue, try restarting the computer or closing out those sites and using less heavy-memory applications for your Chromebook to work correctly.
What Should I Do If My Chromebook Is Frozen On The White Or Blue Screen?
If your Chromebook freezes on the white or blue screen one of the first things to try is to restart the device by pressing Alt + Ctrl + Shift + R on your keyboard.
If that doesn’t work, you will want to restore to default your Chromebook by using the following steps.
Press Ctrl + Shift + O (or wait 30 seconds without touching anything).
Hold down the power button for 12 seconds Restart your Chromebook and see if it works now.
Conclusion
Fixing a locked Chromebook can be strenuous in some cases, especially when it passes an ordinary glitch.
But not all cases are serious, so before you begin panicking, you should try to employ our recommended effective solutions to get your Chromebook back online.
In cases where these techniques don’t work, if you don’t have the technical know-how, you should get your system to the manufacturer or a computer repairer when you can.