CXI3 play store and some apps not working after Chrome OS update from 103.x to 105.

Ffej2022

Our task team.

Discovery why Chrome OS 105 (current) breaks my Chromebox CXI3-4GKM4 Intel Celeron 3867U Processor, 4GB DDR4, 32GB SSD.

The end user complains that she can no longer access the Google Play store and some of her apps now just launch and eventually time out.

My troubleshooting steps so far.

1. Powerwash unit... Nope, the same issue after the initial setup
2. Powerwash and revert. Nope onto step 3
3. Clearly, power washing is only running a script to purge all user accounts and their respective data and then running an initial Chrome OS startup script on reboot. Also, the end user can log in and use the play store and apps on her other Chromebook devices. Yes, she has an Acer Chromebooks running the same os version as the chrome box. My theory is that I now need to figure out how to do a "factory restore" and bring this box back to its original os state ... then retest. Hours and hours later I ended up finding a Sion-based motherboard version of Chrome OS 104 certified by Google. I used Refus on my Windows 11 to create a USB recovery drive.
4. I paperclip the CXI3 and upon reboot, here we finally go. It verifies the Cruzer flash drive image and 10 minutes later I pull out the flash drive and os reboots.
5. I proceed to sign in as the end user and quickly get into the advanced settings and I'm really running Chrome OS 104.xxx. I pull out the ethernet cord because I don't want the os checking for updates just yet. I jump back to the home screen and launch the play store. *****, it's working. I've solved it. The play store is working, how can that be? It's the cloud boys and girls, I completely forgot that Google syncs everything including wifi info you've connected to successfully. A quick look back at the wifi icon by the clock confirmed it. Next, I'm on the Internet, and it's now installing all of her custom apps that weren't working as well as updating other Google apps.
6. I launch one of her apps and Bingo bash works. Life is good, right? The customer is happy... and then the
7. I get a call the next day. The customer said Sorry, it's not working again. I pick up the box again and check the os version. Sure enough, its back running 105.x
8. I research if I can turn off security updates and find out nope. Only if your device is part of an Enterprise environment. But Google is working on allowing this for the general consumer but currently not available. I need Acer and Google to work together to come up with a patch or a fix for the CXI3 specifically. In the meantime, can I lock this chromebox down with something like "Deep Freeze" so I can stay at version 104 until a fix is in place. Any other suggestions. Maybe reimage with another operating system?

End user isn't happy with her Chromebox and its still getting updates from Acer/Google

Ffej2022

As an update, I turned on developer mode and upgraded to Chrome OS 107.x (latest) with the same results. Interestingly, I tried using the web version of the play store and remotely told the play store to install an application on my CXI3. It never was pushed up.

billsey

Likely Google has messed something up again. See if you can open a ticket with them and in the mean time roll back to the older OS version.

Ffej2022

Rolling back the OS works for v103 until it OS checks for updates and then proceeds to update itself. Is this an Acer issue or a Google issue?

billsey

It's a Google issue... Acer doesn't have any control over the OS.