Officeworks IT cannot reset my Chromebook back to factory - it was a display end of stock item

[Roslynjoy]

I suspect that Officeworks have changed IT personnel and no longer have the proper Admin or password to reset my Chromebook - it is stuck in Demo state and will not permit power washing or factory reset

[Rachel571]

Hi @Roslynjoy,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

If your HP Chromebook is stuck in Demo mode and you cannot perform a powerwash (factory reset) because you do not have the admin rights, you'll need to follow a different process. Typically, demo mode is used in retail environments to give customers a preview of the device, and it often requires special steps to fully reset the device. Here's what you can do:

Option 1: Esc + Refresh + Power Reset

This method attempts to reset the Chromebook hardware, and sometimes can help get out of Demo mode if the firmware hasn't been locked:

1. Turn off the Chromebook.
2. Press and hold the Esc key + Refresh key (looks like a circular arrow), then press the Power button. Keep holding the keys until the Chromebook restarts.
3. If you see a message about Chrome OS missing or damaged (don't worry, this is part of the process for a hard reset), you can release the keys.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to reinstall Chrome OS.

Option 2: Contact Officeworks or IT Support

Since the Chromebook is set up by Officeworks or associated IT personnel, it’s likely that they have set an admin console policy that needs their intervention to remove:

1. Contact Officeworks IT support: Explain the situation and ask if they can either provide the necessary credentials or reset the device for you.
2. Enterprise Enrollment Screen: If the device is enterprise-enrolled (as most demo devices are), you usually see an on-screen note during bootup mentioning management by an organization. Only the organization’s admin can unenroll the device.

Option 3: Use Recovery Mode

If the above steps don’t work, you can try putting your Chromebook in recovery mode to reinstall Chrome OS completely. Note that if the device is managed, it might still need admin credentials after recovery:

1. Create a Recovery Drive: You'll need another computer (Windows, Mac, or Chromebook) and a USB drive (at least 8GB). Go to the Chrome Web Store on the other computer, and install the Chromebook Recovery Utility.
2. Run the Recovery Utility: Follow the instructions in the utility to create a recovery drive using your Chromebook’s model number.
3. Enter Recovery Mode: With the Chromebook turned off, insert the recovery drive, press Esc + Refresh + Power. Follow on-screen instructions to reinstall Chrome OS.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

Rachel571

HP Support