Unexpected brick on LINK

[robisaacnz]

I ran firmware-util.sh to update a Google Chromebook Pixel (2013) from an earlier 2024 revision of the firmware. The script reported, downloaded, and flashed a UEFI update dated 2025. No errors were reported and the flash seemed successful, but then following a reboot from the script the machine did not restart even after being left idle for 15+ minutes.

It still responds to a forced power-off by holding the power key, but on power up the fans run at 100%, the keyboard backlight turns on, but the screen remains blank. The typical Chromebook hardware reset keys have no obvious effect, and obviously none of the stock firmware recovery or developer modes are available. This machine has previously run and updated several earlier revisions of the UEFI firmware successfully for many years, so I'm guessing the failure was in my flash rather than a problem with the firmware itself.

I'm happy to help debug it but I'm not 100% sure if the LINK hardware requires a clip-on programmer or the magic cable.