Acer Chromebook C740 Troubleshooting

The screen stays dark and the fans do not spin when the power button is pressed.

The laptop may be too hot to power on and will shut down instantly on startup. If the device is on a heat-trapping surface such as a bed or soft furniture, place it on a table and allow it to cool down. If the device still doesn’t turn on, carefully clean its fans and air vents with compressed air.

Ensure the power adapter is properly plugged into the outlet and the laptop. If the device does not power on while plugged in then the power adapter may be defective. Consider purchasing a new charger.

If the laptop is running only on battery power, connect the power adapter to ensure a dead battery is not the problem. If the device powers on only when plugged in, then the battery is defective. Replace the battery with this guide.

The Chromebook's motherboard contains components such as the RAM module and CPU that could be thought of as the backbone of a computer. Replacing the motherboard is a costly and lengthy process so ensure the other potential causes listed above have been explored before doing so. If the issue persists after the fixes above have been attempted, a faulty CPU or RAM module may be the cause. Regardless of which component is preventing the laptop from powering on, the motherboard will need to be replaced since both components are soldered to it. Replace the motherboard with this guide.

Keys are “sticky”, missing or broken.

Keys stick when there is a buildup of debris such as food crumbs underneath them. If a key feels difficult to press down because there is something under it, cleaning underneath it with compressed air may solve the issue. This YouTube guide shows how to remove a key for a thorough cleaning.

If any keys are missing, consider replacing the key. It is not necessary to replace the entire keyboard.

Single keys can be replaced, so if any are broken, consider replacing them.

If the underside of the keys are free of clutter but still do not respond, a loose connection between the keyboard and motherboard may be the cause of the issue. This YouTube guide shows how to access the keyboard connector and check for a loose connection.

If the problem persists after ensuring a loose connection or stuck keys are not the cause of the issue, then a faulty keyboard may be the culprit. Check the other potential causes before replacing the keyboard, which is a costly and more difficult procedure. This YouTube guide shows how to replace the laptop's keyboard.

The trackpad is slow or does not respond.

A trackpad is a sensitive component but cannot always detect finger strokes. If the trackpad is greasy or wet, wipe it down with a microfiber cloth. Additionally, avoid wearing gloves or mittens while using the touchpad as finger strokes are not easily detected when doing so.

If the trackpad is completely unresponsive, the connector between the motherboard and it may have come loose. Check for a loose connection using this guide.

If the trackpad is unresponsive after the other potential causes have been checked, it may be defective and will need to be replaced. This guide shows how to replace the trackpad.

Third-party power adaptors often do not have a ground pin. Under these circumstances the grounding level can fluctuate wildly, and this confuses the synaptic trackpad. If the trackpad works on battery-power, but becomes unresponsive when plugged in, then this is the issue. Discard the power adaptor and get one with a grounding pin, or don't use the laptop while it is charging.

The sound is not playing or is distorted.

Check that the device is not muted. To do so, press the mute button located on the top row of the keyboard or navigate to the audio settings in the bottom right of the screen. If the device is not muted but sound still does not play, the speakers may need to be replaced.

Unlike other laptops, there are no audio drivers (downloadable updates) available for the Acer Chromebook C740. Thus, distorted audio is solely caused by a hardware rather than a software issue. So replacement of the speakers may be needed.

The camera is not detected or cannot capture video/audio.

The Chrome OS does not have a “disable” feature for the camera so if the component isn’t working, it may be physically disconnected or faulty. To check for a loose connection, remove the LCD screen and the frame surrounding it.

If the camera is physically connected but cannot capture video or audio, it is defective and will need to be replaced.

The entire screen or individual pixels are dark.

Press the power button to turn on the computer. If the screen remains dark, hold down the power button for five seconds to force it to shut down. Wait 5-10 seconds before pressing the power button again. If the issue persists, a probable cause is a dead battery.

The laptop may be out of juice and simply needs a refill. Plug in the power adapter before turning on the device to check if a dead battery is the culprit. The laptop may need 5-10 minutes of charging time before powering on if it has not been used in a while.

The laptop may in fact be powered on but have a dimmed screen, which causes the device to seem "dead". Ensure the display’s brightness has not been turned down. To increase the screen's brightness, repeatedly press the fifth key from the right located on the topmost layer of keys.

The Acer Chromebook C740 offers a feature to display or mirror the laptop's screen onto other monitors. If the laptop's screen is dark and the device is on, it may be displaying onto another monitor. To change the display mode, press the display button located above the “6” and “7” keys to cycle through available options.

Discolored or dark pixels on portions of the screen are good indicators of dead pixels, which typically occur in long streaks. A good way to confirm the device has dead pixels is to access a website with a multicolored color scheme; discolorations indicate malfunctioning pixels while completely dark spots suggest dead pixels. Either case is a strong sign that the device has a faulty LCD screen. Consider replacing the LCD screen with this guide.