Chromebook: An Unexpected Error Has Occurred

If your Chromebook is not working properly, and the troubleshooting solutions you’ve tried so far failed to fix the issue, you might want to recover the OS. By the way, if you see the “Chrome OS is missing or damaged” error, you’ve got no option left but to recover ChromeOS. The only problem is that the OS recovery process may sometimes fail to complete. If an unexpected error occurs while recovering ChromeOS, follow the troubleshooting steps below to fix it.

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1 What to Do When Chromebook Says That an Unexpected Error Occurred

What to Do When Chromebook Says That an Unexpected Error Occurred

Wipe Recovery Media

Try removing the recovery media before writing the image.

Launch Chrome, and click on Extensions.
Select the Chromebook Recovery Utility extension.
Then go to Settings.
Use the drop-down menu, and select the USB drive or SD card you want to erase.
Then click on Erase recovery media, and hit Continue.
Double-check to make sure your recovery device is on the list.
Hit the Erase now button to wipe your USB drive or SD card.

In this manner, there will be no hidden partitions interfering with the recovery process.

Use a Different USB Drive or SD Card

If the issue persists, your USB flash drive or SD card could be the culprit. Certain USB flash drives and SD cards have trouble handling recovery scripts. Check if you’re experiencing the same error when using a different USB drive or SD card.

Download an Older Recovery Image

If the recovery image you got from Google is broken, the recovery process will get stuck at some given point. Download an older recovery image from cros-updates-serving.appspot.com. Use the “Brand name” column to find the right recovery image for your device.

Some users also suggested that you can force the recovery process by restarting the recovery routine even if your laptop is already showing the recovery screen. With the USB drive or SD card connected to your laptop, press the Esc, Refresh, and Power keys. Your machine should restart the recovery routine.

Contact Your Chromebook Manufacturer

If you still can’t recover ChromeOS, contact your Chromebook manufacturer for further help. Describe the problem in detail to help them get a clear picture of the issue you’re experiencing.

Conclusion

If an unexpected error is preventing you from recovering ChromeOS, first erase recovery media to make sure there are no hidden partitions interfering with the recovery process. Additionally, use a different USB drive or SD card, and download an older recovery image. If the issue persists, contact your Chromebook manufacturer for further help. Did these solutions help you fix the problem? Which one worked for you? Comment down below.