This is why a huge majority of computer users settle for just buying a new computer!?  😉  Very difficult ‘n time consuming. Even difficult to write about for a Newbie ‘n Novice like me.

The new 11.6″ HP Chromebook – 11a-nb0013dx is slow at most everything that doesn’t involve just Chrome OS ‘n Google. It is not in the same league with the HP 14” ‘n Samsung 12.2” Chromebooks. Well built, oversized, temperamental, and slow.

It has difficulty with either the SD Card Reader or the SanDisk microSD card. I have some Samsung microSD cards coming, so hopefully it will work better with those. They are 64 GB’s which will help differentiate it from the Chrome OS 32GB eMMC disk, for installing purposes.

Using a USB has worked better than the SanDisk microSD, but I like to use the microSD cards in a laptop, since USB ports can be limited.

Here was the best Script Functions Explained ‘n “Supported Devices” I found to this point:

Not guaranteed, but pretty accurate when compared to all my tests so far .. basically 1 out of 3 Chromebook successes.  😉  Hey, I’m a Newbie ‘n Novice at this!

  • No Script worked with the $209.99 on HP 14” Chromebook…a great price for a great laptop with an Auto Update Expiration (AUE) date of June 2026. 5 years left on this baby! Not much bigger than the new HP 11.6” Chromebook, tho a lot bigger brighter ‘n clearer display.
  • *EVERYTHING* worked with the Laptop/Tablet/Sketchbook multi functioning $314.57 Samsung 12.2” Chromebook! Smaller than the HP 11.6” Chromebook, but with a bigger brighter ‘n clearer display. I have forgotten what the Auto Update Expiration (AUE) date was, but believe it was sometimes in 2024. The AUE shows a June 2024 date on a “Chromebook Plus (V2)”, but can’t double-check because I have already installed CloudReady OS in the old Chrome OS’s eMMC storage spot. A full Linux Laptop with dual-boot of two Linux Distros, i.e. CloudReady OS ‘n Fedora 34 Cinnamon Spin!

 

11.6” HP Chromebook – 11a-nb0013dx:

 

The $153.43 HP 11.6” .. MODEL: SNAPPY E25-B5C-52K-A3Y-E5F-A3K .. the Chromebook Recovery Utility didn’t have any model number close to what is actually on the Chromebook, i.e. HP Chromebook – 11a-nb0013dx. However, the “Chrome OS is missing” bootup window showed a model number: SNAPPY E25-B5C-52K-A3Y-E5F-A3K, which saved me:

(Note: That’s a ‘borrowed’ pic so its showing a different model number.)

On the HP Chromebook – 11a-nb0013dx tests ‘n experimenting ‘Stuff’ has worked, and then suddenly stopped working. Other tests ‘n experimenting ‘Stuff’ simply never worked. Just when I thought everything was working, then took a nap ‘n woke up, and found nothing was working other than the “Chrome OS is missing” bootup window.

The Chromebook Recovery Utility worked with the SNAPPY E25-B5C-52K-A3Y-E5F-A3K model number, so Chrome OS was restored.

The HP Chromebook – 11a-nb0013dx will some get more hard testing after the Samsung microSD cards arrive, tho I’m doubtful much of anything is going to work with it. Still, sometimes one brand works better than other at times. Have seen that with USB’s ‘n Linux especially.

I tried the CR50 WP Method with it, and it needed both a screw removed ‘n battery disconnected. Fact is, HP and/or Google may have another Write Protection safety method installed, because I couldn’t get the “Install/Update UEFI (Full ROM) Firmware” to show up in the ChromeOS Firmware Utility Script:

“Install/Update UEFI (Full ROM) Firmware” is the #2 greyed out choice.

 

12.2” Samsung Chromebook:

 

The Samsung 12.2” Chromebook is the only one that offered that “Install/Update UEFI (Full ROM) Firmware,” which allows you to turn the Chromebook into ‘a “regular” PC / laptop.’ ‘Sam’ has this:

…and that offers some handy Boot Options if you select “ESC” before the splash screen boots into an OS:

I ‘borrowed’ those pics also.

Installing CloudReady OS into the former Chrome OS 32GB eMMC  spot was a little tricky, but not difficult. I created a bootable ‘Live’ CloudReady USB with balenaEtcher, using – cloudready-free-89.4.44-64bit.bin – which was in the cloudready-free-89.4.44-64bit zipped file downloaded from the CloudReady site.

Plug the ‘Live’ CloudReady USB in, and it looks about the same as the Chrome OS original startup and/or the recovery process. Fill in all the info, Google email (any works, but Google works best wid Google) ‘n password, which will bring you to your desktop – which remembers all your previous setting ‘n such for that Google email addy ‘n favorites ‘n desktop:

However, remember that this was a ‘Live’ Linux USB, so the desktop is just the ‘Live’ one. Settings are opened from the righthand lower corner…here’s the closeup:

Inside the highlighted red square is the Install OS icon. Click on that ‘n the actual CloudReady OS installer starts up, and it will soon ask where you want to install it. If you’re not sure, because you have other USB’s and/or microSD’s and/or etc. hooked up, then pull them and start over. Mine was the only 32GB device showing, i.e. the former Chrome OS spot.

Installed Fedora 34 Cinnamon Spin on a 128GB Samsung microSD card, so I have a dual-boot setup where Fedora boots automatically into the desktop, unless I hit “ESC” at the splash screen.

I have a Samsung 12.2″ Chromebook Plus V2 4GB 32GB XE521QAB-K01 New Sealed Stylus Pen, Laptop/Tablet/Sketchbook, Intel® HD Graphics 615, 12.2″ FHD WUXGA LED Display (1920 x 1200) with Touch Screen Panel, and much more for the total cost of $314.57. Oh, had to Strikethrough the “Chromebook Plus V2” part since this is now a Linux Laptop. No expiring AUE date to worry about!

 

Summation:

 

MrChromebox.tech is a main key in this entire process.

Could’ve been easier if I hadn’t jumped into the process ‘wid both foots’ whilst trying it on three different Chromebooks, but I had to start some place.  😉

I have all kinds of pics, but this isn’t something that I can tell you what to do, its more complicated than that…since you have to have the right Chromebook to install CloudReady OS into the expiring Chrome OS’s eMMC storage space.

Complicated for me to express ‘n even keep up with!?  😉  Heck, Laptops in general can apparently be “Write Protected” by the OEM’s … both Chromebooks ‘n Windows Laptops!

My Acer laptop wouldn’t allow me to install a Windows 10 Pro into it!? Maybe it would’ve allowed the upgrade from Home to Pro, but I wasn’t going to pay that kind of money. I had a $20 plus or minus OEM Windows 10 Pro license from URcdkey, and Acer wouldn’t let me install it on a new SSD. Acer let me install a fresh Windows 10 Home onto that same new SSD, but not the Windows 10 Pro.  I can run most any Linux Distro on the Acer, but not a new full Windows 10 Pro.

Complicated…yes, this is more complicated to explain than it is to do!  😉  Heck, I’ve destroyed Chrome OS in two different Chromebooks, but managed to restore them back to normal. Destroying Chrome OS is extremely difficult, IMHO, but I’ve managed to do it twice, and plan on at least one more attempt at total Chrome OS destruction of the HP Chromebook – 11a-nb0013dx.  😉  That’s for another post though … Hint: I wanna get CloudReady into that 32GB eMMC storage space that the Chrome OS occupies. — 6/30/2021 Update: Gave 11.6″ HP Chromebook – 11a-nb0013dx away – see 6/30 Log on *Karmi’s Daily Blog Log* page.

I believe Google ‘n Chromebook OEM’s may be open to a Class-Action Lawsuit if they don’t get this mess cleared up soon. Mess wid all the new customers who purchased Chromebooks last year ‘n this year, and many of those set to expire in 1-3 years. Mess since I haven’t seen any notifications on the Chromebook boxes that mention an Auto Update Expiration (AUE) date. Mess since even the lists provided in the Auto Update Expiration (AUE) notification policy are missing products and/or impossible to find amongst such a messy presentation. Mess etc.  😉

Maybe CloudReady OS is going to be their solution…we’ll see.

Will add this post to the Chromebooks page…

LINUX IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES – you never know what you’re gonna get!

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