I am considering the purchase of a used Chromebook from a friend and am wondering if there are any tests or diagnostics I can run to ensure it’s all working properly?
There are a lot of reasons to consider buying a used computer, not the least of which is that from an eco-perspective, it keeps them out of the recycler or landfill. But for most users, the latest iteration of super-fast processors and ultra-high-def displays are vast overkill too; do you need an $1800 Windows laptop to keep up on your favorite social media sites? Or a $3000 MacBook Pro with tons of RAM and SSD storage to do your homework? Most components of modern computers are solid state too, so the odds of them failing are pretty darn low. An SSD, for example, is storage without any moving parts (compared to a traditional HDD or hard drive) so the chance of it failing is far lower.
Nonetheless, a wise buyer tests things out rather than just trust the seller, and this is doubly so if you’re finding them through Craigslist, NextDoor, Facebook Marketplace, or similar. Even something as simple as the exact configuration with storage, memory, CPU, etc, should be verified to ensure you’re buying what you think you’re buying. Fortunately, ChromeOS has just such a tool, and it’s surprisingly easy to access…
FIND CHROMEOS DIAGNOSTICS IN SETTINGS
Fire up the Chromebook in question, make sure it’s running the very latest version of ChromeOS, then launch Settings and choose About ChromeOS from the list on the left side:
In most cases, it’ll automatically check for an update as soon as you open this section, but if not, they’ll be a “Check for Updates” button you can click. If the system can’t be updated, don’t buy it; it’s not going to get better, it’ll just become more and more obsolete as time passes. Notice above that my Asus Chromebook is running ChromeOS 125 and is checking for updates…
What we seek, however, is a bit lower down on this list. Find and click on “Diagnostics“.
There’s lots to glean from this utility!
IDENTIFY HARDWARE CONFIGURATION
First off, note that Diagnostics is broken into three categories: System, Connectivity, and Keyboard. Each has further sections, and all list exact hardware configuration info. For this system, I have a 6624mAh battery and it’s powered by an AMD Ryzen 3 3250C 15W CPU with Radeon Graphics (4 threads, 2.60Ghz).
Each section offers a simple test too. For example, the battery:
This is a new, healthy Chromebook with only 26 cycles on the battery and a pleasant 96% battery health. The battery discharge test (started by clicking on “Run Discharge Test” in the earlier view) reports that things are good and the battery has PASSED this particular test. Good.
The CPU shows how much strain on the system is being caused by the current apps and utilities, and below it you can see the memory configuration:
The processor is another one that’s interesting to test – and this particular test takes 4-5 minutes – again launched by clicking on the “Run CPU test” button…
It’s mid-test but you can see that the Stress test and Cache test have both PASSED. So far, so good.
WIFI AND KEYBOARD TESTS
While we’re in this section, it’s worth checking out both the Connectivity and Keyboard areas. Connectivity will have quite a lot of options and can reveal as much about the local Wi-Fi network as the computer:
No problems reported. How about that Keyboard?
You can run a test here if you want – and you can “Save test details”, particularly if any issues arise – but generally speaking, Chromebooks are built to last and you should be good to go. Where the Diagnostics comes in really handy is to verify the exact hardware configuration and the battery health. Hope that helps you out!
Pro Tip: I’ve been writing about ChromeOS since it was introduced and have accumulated a LOT of helpful tutorials. Please check out my ChromeOS Help Area while you’re visiting. Thanks!