Chromebook 516 GE: sleep and power issues

My Chromebook 516 GE is part number NX.KCWAA.001. I'm running Version 114.0.5735.143 (Official Build) (64-bit) in the Stable channel. I have an HDMI monitor connected, and I usually operate on mains power with the factory-issued charger plugged in to the left USB-C port.

The system will not stay asleep. The system will not stay asleep when I press Search+Shift+l. The system will not sleep when I close the lid. The system will not stay powered off if I lift the lid.

I have an HDMI monitor connected and powered on. When I close the lid on the Chromebook, it will go into the screensaver (photo slideshow) and show photos all night long on the external monitor.

If I press Search+Shift+l to sleep, the system goes to sleep. And then immediately wakes up. If I insist by pressing the keys multiple times, sometimes it may sleep for a while, but it will wake up again, even if I have closed the lid while it was asleep. I can press the keys 10 times, and it will repeatedly sleep/wake, sleep/wake, sleep…wake.

The 2.5GbE port shows carrier signal even while the system is "asleep". This surely consumes battery power. No other computer I have used leaves the Ethernet port powered on while asleep. There is no Wake-on-LAN capability here and I wouldn't want that. I want the system to conserve all possible battery power, and not be driving the HDMI signal and the Ethernet. Does it leave WiFi and Bluetooth broadcasting too?

I powered down the system yesterday to receive the system update and to clean the exterior. When I opened the lid to clean it, the system immediately powered on and booted to the login screen. Is this expected operation? Does the system not wait for me to press the Power button on the keyboard? It was risky to apply power while the screen and keyboard were still wet. Next time, I suppose I will need to completely discharge the battery. To clean the keyboard.

My power and display settings are all nominal. The system is set to "sleep when lid is closed". I have reviewed and verified all these settings. I tested by switching the primary display, because usually the HDMI monitor is primary, and the Chromebook screen is extended display. This ultimately does not make a difference.

I unplugged the HDMI cable and shut the lid, but the Ethernet carrier is still active. The Chromebook screen appears to go dark.

What color of LED should I expect? I don't see much variation in LED indicators. It's blue when charged, it's blue when powered on, it's amber if charging battery from mains.

Please do not answer this post with anything beginning "Power Wash" or "Factory Reset" or "Return under warranty". Please help me to properly diagnose the issue so that, if it is a hardware fault, the factory can do their job. Thank you.

Accepted answers

JackE

I'm running Version 114.0.5735.143

There've been reports that about every other major release since 108 has caused similar issues with Acers for as yet unexplained reasons. Maybe due to proprietary mainboards? Lenovos & HPs seem unaffected by whatever was causing it.

As I recall, most Acer users lived with it till the next major release seemed to fix the issue. Others tried betas with mixed results. A few said they'd never buy an Acer again.

Sorry I can't offer anything more. If it was mine, I'd probably live with the annoyance. Then wait for the next release or maybe try a beta. Gambling on a warranty fix is risky cuz it's likely not a hardware failure.

billsey

When sleeping the Ethernet port (and WLAN) should be active, so wake on LAN can do it's thing. That's the case on every system I know of, you have to actually shut down or disable wake on LAN to change that. Is there any chance you have an app running that is waking it from sleep modes?

Eleison23

I realized that I left this thread fallow for too long, and I wanted to report back.

The no-sleep issue was fixed by a suggestion in Google's forums. The user suggested I disable the screen saver, so after I did that, the Chromebook more or less obediently falls asleep upon lid closure. I mean, it wakes up for a bit but then it goes back to sleep.

I still don't know why it insists on powering up immediately on lid opening. I don't like it, but I can live with it.

I was also able to figure out the hard reset issue. It turns out that holding Refresh with power is the way for this machine, and the only way to tell the hard reset worked is an extra blink from the blue power LED, that's it. Don't blink or you'll miss the blink!

All comments

JackE

I powered down the system yesterday to receive the system update and to
clean the exterior. When I opened the lid to clean it, the system
immediately powered on and booted to the login screen. Is this expected
operation?

Not expected behavior on true power down. Exactly how was it powered down? Has it always acted this way?

Eleison23

I powered down via long-press on the Power key on the keyboard (upper-right side). It displays a "Shutdown|Feedback" dialog for a little while, and as I hold the key, the screen fades to white, and system shuts down, screen goes black. Ethernet port loses carrier. Indicator lamp is dark. I close the lid.

I open the lid, and indicator lamp turns blue. Within 5 seconds, Chromebook logo is displayed. Within 8 seconds, system is settled at the login screen. All ports active.

I also tested this with the "Shut down" option in the menu, at the login screen, etc. Same behavior as above.

Has it always acted this way? Truthfully, I almost never powered it down. I would close the lid and set it aside when not in use. I kept it on mains charging at that time. If there was an update, I'd restart and log back in. But I mostly tried to keep it asleep, rather than shutdown.

I've owned this Chromebook for three months, since mid-April. It was discounted at Best Buy, which is always a red flag.

Puraw

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1218154#Comment_1218154

At the bottom right, select the time. Select the Power Button sign. If you press the Keyboard Power Button longer than 3 seconds it forces the "abort system" (not recommended).
https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/3420029?hl=en

Eleison23

I also tested this with the "Shut down" option in the menu, at the login screen, etc. Same behavior as above.

I don't care if I activate "Abort system" or not. If I abort system then I double expect it to stay powered off when I lift the lid. If I abort system, then it better not come up until I'm good and ready and I deliberately press the power button.

The page you linked says nothing about "Abort system". It gives equal treatment to each method of power off. Where did you find "Abort System" (not recommended)? Is that your own coinage? I searched the web for "Chromebook Abort System" and found NASA-related space flight.

The system powers up when I lift the lid, regardless of what method I use to shut down.

JackE

I'm running Version 114.0.5735.143

There've been reports that about every other major release since 108 has caused similar issues with Acers for as yet unexplained reasons. Maybe due to proprietary mainboards? Lenovos & HPs seem unaffected by whatever was causing it.

As I recall, most Acer users lived with it till the next major release seemed to fix the issue. Others tried betas with mixed results. A few said they'd never buy an Acer again.

Sorry I can't offer anything more. If it was mine, I'd probably live with the annoyance. Then wait for the next release or maybe try a beta. Gambling on a warranty fix is risky cuz it's likely not a hardware failure.

billsey

When sleeping the Ethernet port (and WLAN) should be active, so wake on LAN can do it's thing. That's the case on every system I know of, you have to actually shut down or disable wake on LAN to change that. Is there any chance you have an app running that is waking it from sleep modes?

Eleison23

I realized that I left this thread fallow for too long, and I wanted to report back.

The no-sleep issue was fixed by a suggestion in Google's forums. The user suggested I disable the screen saver, so after I did that, the Chromebook more or less obediently falls asleep upon lid closure. I mean, it wakes up for a bit but then it goes back to sleep.

I still don't know why it insists on powering up immediately on lid opening. I don't like it, but I can live with it.

I was also able to figure out the hard reset issue. It turns out that holding Refresh with power is the way for this machine, and the only way to tell the hard reset worked is an extra blink from the blue power LED, that's it. Don't blink or you'll miss the blink!

JackE

The user suggested I disable the screen saver, so after I did that, the Chromebook more or less obediently falls asleep upon lid closure. I mean, it wakes up for a bit but then it goes back to sleep. I still don't know why it insists on powering up immediately on lid opening. I don't like it, but I can live with it.

Thanks for reporting back. But still sounds like unpredictably funky behavior to me. Let's hope the next release fixes it. Good luck.

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