# Powerwashed Chromebook. (It disappeared) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 7, 2018, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/powerwashed-chromebook-it-disappeared/806029 "2018-01-07T05:26:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davey77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@davey77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davey77)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/powerwashed-chromebook-it-disappeared/806029/1 "2018-01-07T05:26:23Z")
So, I “powerwashed” my chromebook and it will not access the Internet. Did I ruin it? ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/powerwashed-chromebook-it-disappeared/806029/2 "2018-01-07T07:45:25Z")
Have you tried turning it off and on again? The computer I mean, not the powerwasher. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/powerwashed-chromebook-it-disappeared/806029/3 "2018-01-07T14:42:09Z")
In what way is it failing to access the internet? Does it see the various connections available or is the wireless adaptor not activated at all? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/powerwashed-chromebook-it-disappeared/806029/4 "2018-01-07T14:57:37Z")
“Powerwash” is just a Chromebook term for a factory reset. It will delete all network settings, so maybe you didn’t re-enter the network settings correctly? ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/powerwashed-chromebook-it-disappeared/806029/5 "2018-01-07T16:14:24Z")
Or maybe, he took the term literally? ---
**Author:** ![TwoCarrotSnowman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twocarrotsnowman/32/15879_2.png) [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/powerwashed-chromebook-it-disappeared/806029/6 "2018-01-07T16:19:29Z")
When you powerwash a Chromebook it forgets about the networks it has been connected to. You’ll need to re-enter the WiFi details. ---
**Author:** ![davey77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@davey77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davey77)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/powerwashed-chromebook-it-disappeared/806029/7 "2018-01-07T18:07:16Z")
Thank you, everybody! Turns out, I needed to “turn it off and turn it back on” after all. The router, that is… (I’ll try not to use the boards as tech support anymore.) ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/powerwashed-chromebook-it-disappeared/806029/8 "2018-01-07T18:31:55Z")
> [@davey77](#): > > (I’ll try not to use the boards as tech support anymore.) Sorry, I’m supposed to wait for serious answers before joking around… anyway, glad you got your problem fixed. ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/powerwashed-chromebook-it-disappeared/806029/9 "2018-01-07T20:12:25Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > “Powerwash” is just a Chromebook term for a factory reset. It will delete all network settings, so maybe you didn’t re-enter the network settings correctly? D\*mnit!!! :smack: For a few seconds there, I was seriously anticipating a fascinating discussion of how an ultra-cheap portable computer survived being sprayed (intentionally, for at least a few seconds) with high-pressure water and only the WIFI transponder failed. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/powerwashed-chromebook-it-disappeared/806029/10 "2018-01-07T22:57:56Z")
> [@dstarfire](#): > > D\*mnit!!! :smack: For a few seconds there, I was seriously anticipating a fascinating discussion of how an ultra-cheap portable computer survived being sprayed (intentionally, for at least a few seconds) with high-pressure water and only the WIFI transponder failed. Me, too! I was also trying to invent scenarios where that might happen… “Hubby was powerwashing the side of the house and didn’t realize the bedroom window was open. Quilts and pillows were soaked, Chromebook was blasted against the wall with firehose pressure.” And it disappeared!?! “Wait, we just noticed a 9x12” hole in the drywall, maybe it dropped down a hidden clothes chute that’d been plastered over…"