ChromeOS 113 What is causing firmware update on every boot, and how do I fix it?

I have a client with an Acer chromebook that seems to be doing a firmware update every boot before getting to user interaction. This is where I would expect the Secure Boot chain to be, and it makes both her and I very nervous that this is happening. It happens only on ChromeOS 113. She noticed the strange behavior and I walked her through powerwash-revert to 112, and it stopped. So something in 113 is doing this. For context, this is one of the main roots of trust in the trust chain I've set up for her small business. She isn't making a lot of money, but is very security conscious, which I appreciate as an IT guy.

Please help, this is basically the last place I've got to turn. Thanks for your time!

[Edited the thread to add model name]

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Puraw

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/685390/what-is-causing-firmware-update-on-every-boot-and-how-do-i-fix-it

Maybe it never completes all updates; the OS, hardware and all the Google store apps, I have a new Smartphone that updates monthly sometimes all night (all Google store apps are uninstalled) and if I don't leave it online to complete all the updates it does the same thing as you described. Also, some financials demand the latest OS for security that the BIOS no longer supports. Update the BIOS and find out if it supports Chrome OS 113.

billsey

Yes, the key, I believe, is to make sure the updates are actually completing. If they don't get done then they will retry the attempt the next login.

too_firm

Thanks a lot for the replies @Puraw and @billsey. I've been pouring over my Google trying to figure out what you've asked, and I'm posting back here because I can't make heads or tails of it. The Chromebook in question doesn't support Linux, so when I try to open the Terminal, I can't. Also, I don't know how to get into the BIOS (I didn't even know there was one on a Chromebook).

Could you help me a bit with the steps here? I've found articles explaining it but they are mostly talking about installing Windows or Linux on a Chromebook, and that's out of scope for me here.

Thanks again.

Puraw

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1203486#Comment_1203486

Power on the Chromebook and press Ctrl + L to get to the BIOS screen. Press ESC when prompted and you will see 3 drives: the USB 3.0 drive, the live Linux USB drive and the eMMC (the Chromebooks internal drive).

too_firm

Could you give more detail on how exactly I'm supposed to time it? I've tried:

+ Power on while holding CTRL + L on the integrated keyboard

+ Power on, wait, press CTRL + L several times repeatedly while praying like we did in the old days

+ Power on, press CTRL + L once

+ Power on, wait for first screen, press CTRL + L

+ Power on, wait for system to be fully ready, press CTRL + L

I think I'm having really bad luck understanding, sorry for the trouble on all of this detail.

I really appreciate your help.

too_firm

A bit more digging since it is apparently impossible to get to the BIOS on this device, and perhaps this is helpful for any replies:

In Crosh, running "battery_firmware update" fails with a message saying something to the effect of "battery firmware updating failed, plug this into a power cable, reboot, and try again"

Well I've gone and plugged it in and rebooted trying the same, but with no success, which sucks because it was a really good theory.

Maybe it has something to do with permissions while updating? When I click on "Firmware Update" directly in Settings, it says everything is up-to-date, which makes this seem even more like something is very wrong.

Help?

billsey

It would help a lot with diagnosis if you told us which Chromebook model you have. Your full model number is usually on the same sticker as your serial number, it should look something like xxxxx-xxx-xxxx.

too_firm

@billsey Thanks for the reply again. I don't have it on me and she's expressed a lot of concern about giving out any details online, and on top of that I don't think I can get in touch with her until the vacation weekend is done (it would be unprofessional right now) but I'll try to get as much data out of her as I can while still keeping my job :)

I can tell you a few things to narrow it down a lot though, I hope. For one, it's been purchased within the last year (2022) and I believe it's a 15 inch model. I had advised her on several models and I don't remember which she actually went for, but I do know that it was Acer and that it had both types of USB ports. If my memory serves here, I think updates went until 2027 (this was a major buying impetus for her, the long support cycle).

If there's any other general information I can get you, please let me know. I really, REALLY appreciate your time here, and I'm sorry to give you partial information. The only other thing is that I believe she tends to run it in guest mode (which was fortunate for me, with all of the powerwash / revert process here).

Nice lady, bit paranoid, but if they're paying, I'm happy!

Any clue at all on my X-Files problem here?

billsey

Acer doesn't typically do the equivalent of BIOS updates on Chromebook, but Google might be… I don't think I've ever seen one with any of my machines, but I only have a few Chromebooks.

too_firm

So back to the original question then, how do I fix this? I have another Chromebook not made by acer and it upgraded to 113 just fine. Since you have no problems with your other chromebooks nor do I, and we both have books at 113, this is a unique problem with this one, and I don't have any good reason to assume it's not some kind of malware. This is the EXACT symptom I would expect with some kind of infection. Since it's not Google's fault (or all device would break), it's got to be something to do with the way Acer built this.

billsey

Either the drive is in the process of failing, which blocks writes or the update isn't completing for some other reason. It's going to take some diagnosis to get any farther, and any detailed info we might be able to provide is going to depend on the hardware, hence the need for the model number.

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