Chrome version 42.0.2311 running on Android 4.0.4 on Asus Eee PC 701 x86. Browser crashes and closes immediately.
I have already uninstalled/reinstalled it. Cleared the data, force stop, reboot. Everything I can think of.
I've also done the obligatory google search. Can't see anything, which leads me to believe I'm just stuck with the stock browser.
Is there any way to troubleshoot/fix it?
The chrome crashing you are facing is the bug in app itself. You can wait for updates, eventually it will be fixed. But unfortunately, we cant do much when it comes to a single app having problems in android. The number of android devices and their types is vast, it is entirely normal that an app wont be compatible with some version due to whatever reason.
Meantime, you can try the following alternatives so you aren't stuck with stock (referenced from xda).
Chrome Beta: As the name suggests, this is another version of chrome with additional features. This was released by google as a testing for new features before they implement them to final chrome. The UI and speed is very much in par with original chrome. So along with a high chance of having to test additional features that have not yet been implemented in chrome, it is entirely possible that this will work. Head over to play store to install it.
Dolphin: Dolphin has a very traditional interface, including a desktop format with tabs at the top by default. Having them at the top of the screen is great for navigation, as you can quickly access an extra tab – and not just quick switch, as in non-tabulated browsers – without the need for a full tab overview. The side effect of this is the its a memory hogger, both RAM and space. So if you are not that conscious about ram, head over to play store to install it. Since otherwise its a great browser with built-in flash support as well. Play Store link.
Next: Unlike other apps from GO which are ver ram intensive, next is quite minimal, and it resembles older Chrome versions in a way. Its got clean aesthetics and the animations of the UI are rather good, among the nicest in this list. The best part of the UI is that its got a very small search bar, and that you can hide the notification bar. The UI and performance are quite good too. Play Store link.
Firefox: Firefox has an interesting UI. It is very rounded and adds a gradient to your now-grey notification bar, which makes it rather aesthetically pleasing. It’s got a similar menu to chrome, that slides out displaying options in rows. Then you’ve got a tab switcher at the top which lowers the interface to reveal your tabs. This is one of best browsers in java performance as well as quite decent with speeds as well. Play Store link.
Javelin: It is one of the few browsers that have adopted Material Design, and it did a good job at that. The default color palette is a little wild at first, but it is aesthetic enough to grow on you, especially given that it changes your status bar accordingly… something Chrome is still missing. It is great in performance, both in hardware as well as speeds. Play Store link.
Opera: It features gradients that look a little dated on our more flat interfaces of today, but it is still to-the-point and simple to have charm. The top sees a tab switcher, which is conveniently spawned at the bottom for easy thumb reach. So without saying, it has quite a convenient UI. Besides UI, its very performance friendly compared to chrome and similar. Play Store link.
Any of these browsers is fairly good in speeds and performance and with UIs not too awkward to someone adjusted to chrome. So in meantime you can try one of these. Personally, I prefer chrome beta. On side note, you can also search the internet for some older version of chrome as well. Hope this helps.
