Acer C738T Model N15Q8 device goes to shell prompt directly

trvman
trvman Member Posts: 6 New User
edited May 23 in Chromebooks

Got a acer N15QB at an auction. Just goes to Shell prompt. Anyone have any idea what to do?

[Edited the thread to add issue detail]

Answers

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,246 Trailblazer

    It would help to know what computer you actually have, the N15QB 'model number' doesn't actually tell us, they seem to reuse those for different model lines. Your full model number is usually on the same sticker as your serial number, it should look something like xxxxx-xxx-xxxx. All I can assume is that the one you have is a Chromebook, since this is the Chromebook section. :)

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • trvman
    trvman Member Posts: 6 New User

    Acer C738T Model N15Q8

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,246 Trailblazer

    OK, there were at least ten different C738T models in the US, but they are likely close enough to each other to work with. It sounds like you might be in the interactive UEFI shell, which would point to a bad drive. Unfortunately the drive is either a 32GB or 64GB eMMC drive and it's soldered to the motherboard. The machine is from 2015 and eMMC drives have a relatively short lifetime because their design only allows a certain number of writes before failure. They are a lot cheaper than other SSD options though, which is why they are used on the cheaper designs. Try this:

    This is a method that sometimes works on devices that won't turn on:

    • Connect the charger to the Chrome OS device.
    • Hold the power button + Refresh key and remove the power adapter as they keep holding on to those buttons.
    • Wait for 1 minute.
    • Press the power button to test the device.
    • Note: The power LED should not blink and the device should not turn on.
    • Connect the power adapter and monitor the LED color. The device should try to turn on and the LED should blink or have a solid color.

    You can also try to reload the OS, if that fails then likely the drive is toast, which might explain why it was for sale. :(

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  • trvman
    trvman Member Posts: 6 New User

    I paid 12 bucks for it at auction. I think it needs a operating system. Tried to do that to a USB but no luck doing that. Could not get system to a USB. it says it's secure boot and booting from eMMC failed. So my guess is no system.

    Thanks for the help anyway.

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,246 Trailblazer

    If you created an OS install flash drive from Chrome on a different computer, and used Google's image for the C738T, and it doesn't install then likely the eMMC drive is bad. :( Since there's no support on the MB for any other drive type you are pretty much stuck. You might be able to cobble something together for running off the USB 3.0 port or find someone with decent surface mount soldering skills and drop a new eMMC drive in.

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • trvman
    trvman Member Posts: 6 New User

    I tried to do the flash drive thru Google following instructions on 3 computers could not get it to even download. Thanks for all the help. it's not a big deal. Not like it's some expensive crome book that doesn't work :)

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