Assistance Needed – Chromebook Showing “Chrome OS is Missing or Damaged” Error

[Akenegbe]

I am experiencing a serious issue with my HP Chromebook. Each time I power it on, it displays an error message that says:

> “Chrome OS is missing or damaged. Please remove all connected devices and start recovery.”

I have tried following the recovery instructions at https://google.com/chromeos/recovery, but it still doesn’t work.

Here are my device details:

Model: HP Chromebook x360

Please advise on what steps I can take to repair or reinstall the system

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @Akenegbe,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

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

The error “Chrome OS is missing or damaged” means your Chromebook’s operating system is corrupted and needs to be reinstalled. Since you already tried recovery via google.com/chromeos/recovery without success, here’s a complete recovery process with extra checks:

Step 1: Confirm Recovery Media Creation

• On another computer, go to ChromeOS Recovery Tool.
• Install the extension in Chrome.
• Launch it and select your Chromebook model (HP Chromebook x360).
• Insert a USB drive (8GB+) or SD card and create the recovery media.

Step 2: Boot Chromebook into Recovery Mode

1. Turn off your Chromebook.
2. Press and hold Esc + Refresh, then press Power.
3. Release Power but keep holding Esc + Refresh until you see the recovery screen.

Step 3: Insert Recovery Media

• Plug in the USB/SD card you created.
• Follow on-screen instructions to reinstall Chrome OS.

If Recovery Still Fails

• Try a different USB drive (some drives cause errors).
• Check for hardware issues: 
  • Press Esc + Refresh + Power again and see if the recovery screen appears.
  • If it doesn’t, the storage or motherboard may be failing.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have an amazing day!
 

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Regards,

VikramTheGreat