I've installed Linux Mint on several Chromebooks, but this HP Chromebook 14 G5 (HWID "Snappy") is giving me trouble. The firmware instructions indicate that the battery should be disconnected and the machine powered from an external charger before changing the write-protect state. However, after disconnecting the battery and connecting a new 65W USB-C charger, the Chromebook briefly displays the "OS verification is disabled" screen, shuts off, and repeatedly tries to start again. It seems unable to remain powered by the charger alone. Is there a reason a 65W charger may not be sufficient, and is there a safer way to disable write protection and install replacement firmware?
2 Answers
If the battery is connected, the firmware utility can often handle the write-protect process and guide you through the required reboot. Avoid manually forcing write protection off with flashrom unless you are certain the procedure applies to this exact model; using the wrong sequence can leave the Chromebook unable to boot. Make a recovery plan before flashing anything.
One reported workaround is to reconnect the battery, open a virtual console, check the write-protect status, and then use the model’s firmware utility to install UEFI firmware. However, this should be treated as model-specific advice and followed only after verifying the instructions for the exact HWID. The safer general approach is to let the utility perform the checks and prompts rather than issuing low-level flash commands manually.
Related Questions
Lenovo Thinkpad Stuck In Update Loop Install FilterDriverU2_Reload