Acer Chromebook 11 (CB3-131) Internal storage not showing during OS installation

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System Details

  • Device: Acer Chromebook 11 (CB3-131) GNAWTY
  • OS: openSUSE Tumbleweed
  • Firmware Type: UEFI Full ROM
  • Firmware Version: 2603.2 05/17/2016
  • Internal storage type: eMMC

Summary of the Issue

I have entered developer mode, disabled write protect, and flashed with MrChromebox UEFI firmware successfully. However, when I attempt to install the OS, the internal eMMC drive is not appearing as an option.

When I get to the page to partition the drive, the only drive that shows up is the USB I am running the installer from. Curiously, the Internal eMMC still shows up as a boot device in the UEFI.

I have attempted using Arch, openSUSE, Pop, Xubuntu… All have the same issue with only the USB showing up.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Create a bootable Linux USB (GPT - using Rufus; attempted both iso and dd).

  2. Plug the USB Drive into the Chromebook.

  3. Turn on the Chromebook, press ESC at the POST screen (when the coreboot logo appears), and select your USB to boot from.

  4. Install OS to internal drive.

Expected Behavior

Internal eMMC shows up during OS installation.

2

Is there a way to partition the eMMC manually from the shell?

4

Manjaro installation is able to detect the eMMC.

5

FWIW, my slightly different Acer R11 (CYAN) had the very same symptom in the Lubuntu installer.

After some research, it simply amounted to the “mmc_block” kernel module not being autoloaded by the installer kernel. I modprobed it manually, and instantly the Partition Manager was able to see the MMC with its glory of existing partitions…

Maybe the same would apply to you ? Try accessing a root shell / recovery mode, and try “modprobe mmc_block”; then go back to the installer step before storage is probed.

HTH :slight_smile:

-Alex