How to Create a Chromebook Recovery USB

This guide explains how to restore the Chrome Operating System (OS) on a Chromebook that displays a "Chrome OS is missing or damaged" error message.

You have two options when facing this issue:

1. Submit a Incident IQ Ticket: Send the device in for repair, and the technicians will recover the OS.

2. Fix It Yourself: If you have a USB flash drive and access to a working Chromebook, you can restore the device immediately using the steps below.

Step 1: Preparation

Before starting, locate the Model Number displayed at the bottom of the screen on the damaged Chromebook. You will need to type this into the recovery tool later.

Step 2: Create the Recovery Media

Perform these steps on a working Chromebook.

1. Open the Web Store

1. Log in to your SSO on a working Chromebook.

2. Select the Launcher (small circle) in the bottom left corner of the screen.

3. Select Chrome Web Store.

2. Launch the Recovery Utility

1. In the search bar, type: Chromebook Recovery Utility.

2. Select the utility from the list.

3. Check the status:

   • If it says Installed, launch the app.

   • If not, select Add to Chrome to install it.

3. Configure the Drive

1. Enter Model Number: Type in the exact model number you found on the screen of the damaged Chromebook.

2. Select Continue.

4. Insert USB

1. When prompted, insert your USB flash drive into the working Chromebook.

2. Select your USB drive from the drop-down menu.

3. Select Continue.

5. Create the Image

1. Select Create New to begin writing the OS to the USB.

2. Wait: This process will take some time.

3. When the screen says "Success! Your recovery media is ready," select Done.

4. Remove the USB drive.

Step 3: Recover the Damaged Chromebook

1. Insert the USB Recovery Tool you just created into the Chromebook with the damaged OS.

2. The device should detect the USB automatically. Follow the on-screen prompts to recover the OS.

3. Once the recovery is complete, remove the USB.

4. Required: You must now Enroll the Chromebook to reconnect it to the district system. Here are the instructions on how to do so: How to Set Up a Chromebook