Chromebook Lines on Screen

Often, it is easy to forget the troubleshooting basics during times of frustration. Before attempting any significant repairs for your device, check the following.

• Restart your Chromebook. Restarting your device can sometimes fix temporary glitches or clear out any temporary files that might cause issues. You can restart your Chromebook by either clicking on the clock in the bottom-right corner of the screen and choosing the Restart option or pressing the Ctrl, Shift, and Refresh keys simultaneously.
• Adjust your Chromebook's screen position. By gently adjusting the position of your Chromebook's screen, we can see if a loose connection or misalignment causes the issue. If the lines change or disappear, it is likely an issue caused by the connection.

If the lines on the screen persist after the above steps, connect an external display to your device. If the lines are visible on the external display, this could indicate an issue with the operating system or your device's settings.

If the lines are not visible, your Chromebook's display may have been damaged.

Solution: Adjust your Settings

If your display settings have been adjusted recently, this could cause an issue with lines appearing on your screen. Adjust each of the settings below, and see if the lines on your screen change.

• Brightness: Adjust the display's brightness to see if it affects the appearance of the lines. Sometimes, extreme brightness settings might reveal or hide certain visual artifacts.
• Screen Resolution: Experiment with different screen resolutions to see if the lines are affected. Lower resolutions might result in a less detailed display, but it can help isolate potential issues.
• Color Settings: Some display issues might be related to color calibration or settings. You can try adjusting color temperature, contrast, and saturation to see if it makes any difference.
• Display Orientation: In the settings of some Chromebooks, you can change the display orientation (landscape, portrait). This might help you identify if the lines are specific to a particular orientation.
• Night Light or Blue Light Filter: If your Chromebook has a night light or blue light filter feature, try enabling or disabling it to see if it affects the appearance of the lines.

You can also Powerwash your device or use a ChromeOS Recovery USB Drive to factory reset your device.

Note: This will wipe any data stored on the Chromebook and will factory reset the device. Be sure to back up any data that you want to keep onto an external storage device, or to Google Drive.

Solution: Check for ChromeOS Updates or Recover ChromeOS

ChromeOS might be experiencing issues with the operating system, causing issues with how content appears on your screen. You should check to see if an update is available for your Chromebook. You can check what version of Chrome OS your device is running by following these steps.

1. Click on the clock in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
2. Select the gear icon to open the Settings menu.
3. Scroll down and click on About Chrome OS.
4. Click on Check for updates and let the system update if any updates are available.
5. Restart your Chromebook and check if the lines on the screen persist.

If updating your device cannot resolve the issue, you might need to power wash it. You can do this in a few ways, but the easiest way of Powerwashing your Chromebook is with the instructions below.

Note: This will factory reset your device, so be sure to back up all your data to either Google Drive or an external storage device.

Additional information on Powerwashing your device can be found here.

1. Sign out of your Chromebook by clicking on your profile picture in the bottom right corner of the screen and selecting Sign Out. (You'll need to be at the login screen.)
2. Press the following key combination on the login screen: Ctrl + Shift + Alt + R Twice.
3. A dialog box will appear, asking you to confirm that you want to Powerwash your Chromebook. Click on the Powerwash button to continue.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the Powerwash process. Your Chromebook will be factory reset.
5. After the power wash, your Chromebook will start as if it were a new device. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your Chromebook, including connecting to a WiFi network and signing in with your Google Account. Once this is done, check if you can use your USB devices.

Alternatively, you can completely restore ChromeOS using Google's ChromeOS Recovery Tool. This tool can address any potential software issues causing your device to have trouble seeing your USB devices. The instructions for creating a ChromeOS recovery disk are below, but an in-depth guide can be found here. An empty USB drive with at least 8 GB of storage is required.

1. Install the Chromebook Recovery Utility Extension: Open Google Chrome and install the Chromebook Recovery Utility Extension from the Chrome Web Store. Click on the extension and follow the on-screen instructions.
2. Prepare Chromebook for Recovery: Turn off your Chromebook and ensure it's connected to a power source. Press the Esc + Refresh (F3) keys simultaneously, then press the Power button. Release the Power button when the Chromebook starts, but continue holding Esc+ Refresh until you see a screen prompting you to insert the recovery disk.
3. Recover ChromeOS: Insert the previously created recovery disk into your Chromebook and follow the on-screen instructions to initiate the ChromeOS recovery process. This will reinstall the operating system and can resolve software-related problems that may be causing the black screen issue.
4. Follow System Setup: After completing ChromeOS recovery, follow the on-screen instructions to set up your Chromebook as you would during the initial setup. Check if you can use your USB device.

Solution: Inspect and Replace Screen

Note: To qickly isolate the issue to the motherboard or screen, connect your Chromebook to an external display. If the lines do not show on the external display, the LCD or cable is damaged.

If any of the above tricks cannot resolve the issue with your Chromebook, then there is a good likelihood that your screen or other component might be physically damaged. Try these simple steps to resolve the issue.

• Inspect your display for any physical damage, including large or tiny fractures. If the screen is damaged, the best solution is to replace it. Use the appropriate guide for your specific Chromebook.
• Perform a visual inspection of the display cable. If there is no visible damage to the screen, or if replacing the LCD panel has not resolved the issue, then conduct a thorough examination of the display cable and its connections. Check both the end of the display and the point where the display cable connects to the Motherboard. Look for any signs of damage, such as burns or indications of liquid damage.

If your Chromebook still has lines on the display, continue to the last section.

Solution: Inspect and Replace the Motherboard

If your device still shows lines on the display, there is most likely an issue with its Motherboard.

1. Reset your device's BIOS Settings. To reset your Motherboard's BIOS settings, you can try uninstalling and then reinstalling the CMOS battery. By doing so, any stored settings or configurations that may have become corrupted will be cleared, and the system will start with default settings. This helps eliminate potential conflicts or misconfigurations that could be causing the issue you're experiencing.
2. Verify that the RAM modules are installed correctly and functioning properly. If the RAM module is not properly seated, it can cause display issues. Try re-inserting the RAM module to ensure it is securely in place. Alternatively, you can consider replacing it with the same type to eliminate any potential RAM-related problems.
3. Perform a thorough visual inspection of the Motherboard for any signs of burns or damaged components. If you observe any visible damage, such as burns or components that appear to be physically damaged, the Motherboard likely needs to be replaced.

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