The recent Chromecast outage has left many second-generation device owners frustrated, rendering their devices temporarily unusable. Google has acknowledged the issue and is actively working on a resolution. The tech giant has also strongly advised users against attempting a factory reset as a potential fix.
Reports of the outage surfaced last weekend, specifically impacting second-generation Chromecast devices. First and third-generation Chromecasts appear unaffected. While initially confirming their efforts to resolve the problem, Google has now provided further details through the Google Nest support forums.
“An update on the situation: the team has identified the cause of the issue impacting Chromecast (2nd gen) and Chromecast Audio devices,” the official Google Nest team stated. “We’re working to resolve this as soon as possible, and will keep you updated when there is more to share.”
While Google hasn’t disclosed the specific cause or the planned fix, they’ve explicitly cautioned against performing a factory reset, a common troubleshooting step.
“Please do not factory reset your device,” the team emphasized. “If you previously performed a factory reset during troubleshooting, you may also be experiencing an issue where you’re unable to re-setup your device. The team has identified the cause for this as well and is currently working on a fix.”
Unfortunately, a resolution might require some patience. The Register reports that affected users have received apology emails from Google. Chromecast hacker Tom Hebb has investigated the outage, suggesting the problem stems from an expired device authentication certificate authority. Addressing this issue necessitates either a substantial Chromecast update or a quicker app-side update, potentially taking a week or more.
