One of the biggest issues with buying a Google Chromebook, is discovering that your relatively new computer is about to go end of life. Going end of life, is where a Chromebook is no longer supported by Google, so will no longer be able to receive updates to ChromeOS that include security patches and bug fixes.
Basically, Google’s support for a new Chromebook will begin at the moment the first Chromebook of a particular model leaves the factory. At which point depending on hardware specifications, Google will provide support for roughly 5 to 7 years.
So if you happen to purchase a Chromebook at the end of its life cycle. You might find that you only get one or two years of support before your computer goes end of life. So in this video, we demonstrate how you find out when a Chromebook will go end of life, to avoid overpaying for a computer, or to help with planning for a replacement.
Note: As an end of life Chromebook will still work, you could continue to use it. However because it will no longer receive updates, your data and Google account could be at risk. So if you can’t afford to replace your existing Chromebook, we recommend that you try installing ChromeOS Flex (ChromeOS Flex may not provide all the features that you have in ChromeOS) or one of the many variations of Linux.
Quick reference notes:
- From the ChromeOS desktop locate and select Settings.
- Now from the sidebar choose About ChromeOS.
- In the main panel select Additional Details .
- Under Update Schedule you will see when ChromeOS goes end of line.
Reference materials:
- Google support article – Check when your Chromebook
- Google support article – About ChromeOS device management
- mydoodads article – How to reinstall ChromeOS from bootable recovery media
- mydoodads article – How to create the bootable recovery media for your Chromebook
Add comment