Fix: Chrome error “failed to load extension” He’s dead, Jim!

The error, “Failed to load extension from: C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\42.0.2311.90\resources\gaia_auth. Manifest file is missing or unreadable,” followed by “He’s dead, Jim!” would appear when Chrome has become severely corrupted.

No matter what you do – reinstall, uninstall, or reset – the issue won’t go away.

Well, that is why I decided to write this guide. In this guide, I will list down the steps you can take to fix this issue.

Let’s get started! 🙂

If you have bookmarks and you would like to save them, follow this procedure first before proceeding to the steps.

1. Reboot your computer and repeatedly press F8.

2. When you see the advanced boot menu, choose “Safe Mode”.

3. After you have logged into Windows in Safe Mode, open Google Chrome.

4. Press and hold CTRL + SHIFT + O to open the Bookmarks Manager.

5. Click “Organize” and choose “Export bookmarks to an HTML file.

organize

6. Save them on your desktop, and then reboot the PC back into Normal mode.

Now since we’ve copied/saved the bookmarks, we can uninstall Chrome completely and re-install to make it work.

1. Go to www.revouninstaller.com.

2. Download the trial version of Revo Uninstaller and install it.

3. Open Revo Uninstaller, select “Google Chrome,” and click Uninstall.

4. Wait for it to finish uninstalling, then click the Advanced Uninstall option and type ‘Chrome‘.

5. It will automatically pull up stored logs, and there may be more than one. If there is more than one, repeat from step 4 until you find none when you type ‘Chrome’ in the Advanced Uninstall Option on RevoUninstaller.

6. Next, choose the log and uninstall it completely; remove anything that it finds.

7. Then, hold the Windows key and press R.

 8. Type ‘%LOCALAPPDATA%\‘.

localappdata

9. Locate the Google folder and rename it to Google1.

10. Exit out and reboot your PC.

11. Now, reinstall Google Chrome.

12. After it has been installed, reopen it, then hold CTRL + SHIFT + O to open the Bookmarks Manager.

13. Click “Organize” and-import the “Bookmarks” file.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kevin Arrows


Kevin Arrows is a highly experienced and knowledgeable technology specialist with over a decade of industry experience. He holds a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certification and has a deep passion for staying up-to-date on the latest tech developments. Kevin has written extensively on a wide range of tech-related topics, showcasing his expertise and knowledge in areas such as software development, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. His contributions to the tech field have been widely recognized and respected by his peers, and he is highly regarded for his ability to explain complex technical concepts in a clear and concise manner.