Help needed from any Laptop Gurus

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

01/07/2005 10:36:07 PM · #1

My Toshiba Laptop just died. The battery has been not charging for quite some time, but it's always worked fine when plugged in. Now, it appears to have power (the green lights light up), but it does absolutely nothing else...no sounds, no monitor, nothing. It's a Satellite 1005-S157 model.

Would the battery have anything to do with this ya think? I've had the laptop for 3 years and it's been a workhorse. I'm a Realtor, so I use it for that and it also got shipped over to Europe and hauled around in a backpack over there when my daughter studied in Lux for a semester.

The batteries are not cheap, so I don't want to replace it and then find out that's not the issue. I'll probably take it in for service but thought I'd pick your brains first!

smoon273

Sony DSC-F828

01/07/2005 10:38:11 PM · #2

My laptop always responds well when I hit it really hard!
But, I dont suggest it! :)

Arcanist

Nikon D810

01/07/2005 10:38:25 PM · #3

If I leave my Toshiba plugged in, and remove the battery, it boots fine, so it is most likely not the battery that is the root cause of your issue.

Does the laptop even try to get to the Toshiba Boot Screen when you power it on?

01/07/2005 10:59:09 PM · #4

Originally posted by Arcanist:

No. I get the green power light on, but absolutely nothing else. All keys dead, no sounds, fans, anything.

01/07/2005 11:00:23 PM · #5

Are you sure it's not just "Crashed". My older Toshiba does that. It looks dead (to my daughter, who has it) for all intents and purposes. But if you hold in the power button forcing it to really turn "off", it will start again.

In other words, try a reset.
Or remove the battery, unplug it, wait 10 minutes, and try again.

01/07/2005 11:05:28 PM · #6

Originally posted by nshapiro:

Yep, tried that as well. Still nothing.

01/07/2005 11:09:42 PM · #7

Test: Let it run a while. Does the fan eventually kick in? Is it getting hot?

Hook up an external monitor--see if the LCD is just dead or disconnected and maybe it's in the bios test trying to tell you something.

Brute Force: Try removing anything removable, then reinsert them one by one if the computer can at least power on without it. Something could have been jarred loose and is making poor contact or even holding down the system. Or something could have died and be bringing the system down.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

01/07/2005 11:13:45 PM · #8

Originally posted by nshapiro:

The fan does not come on. I had it plugged in overnight. It feels warm, but not hot. I've taken out, as you suggested, all the removable parts and even tried to start it up without the battery pack in. Still nothing. ~sigh~ My husband had been using it in the family room and he sat it down next to the sofa on the floor. No one was around it all the next day, because no one was home. It was unplugged, so couldn't have been a surge. It basically was just sitting there undisturbed for about 18 hours. Next night when he went to turn it on, nothing.

maxj

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

01/07/2005 11:19:28 PM · #9

i have a really really old Toshiba that almost never boots up.

I have found that randomly unplugging the baattery while also fooling around with the AC connector, which occasioanlly get it to work.

but if its like mine, its basically shot, it wont stay on for too long either.

good luck

Canon EOS-20D

01/07/2005 11:24:17 PM · #10

It sounds like it's something else but maybe check this article out.

You can also usually take batteries and power cables to a local computer shop (even somewhere like Best Buy) and they can test the power for you.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

01/07/2005 11:28:57 PM · #11

Originally posted by mk:

Yes, that has some good points--like check the little button or whatever it is that detects that the laptop is open! If it's a microswitch, it could be stuck.

Arcanist

Nikon D810

01/07/2005 11:39:07 PM · #12

Here's a trick that works on my son's old laptop.

Do you have an internet key at the top of the laptop keyboard? (looks like a globe) Press it and wait. If it powers on, that's what you'll need to use from now on. The contact in the power button has been worn out per say, but the internet button still forces it to come on and stay on.

01/08/2005 12:24:47 AM · #13

Thanks everyone for your help. None of those seemed to work. ~sigh~

01/08/2005 12:29:04 AM · #14

When all else fails, you can fix it with your mastercard.

Just go to //www.toshiba.com, or //www.dell.com, ...

Sorry we couldn't get it going...

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

01/08/2005 12:54:14 AM · #15

I really can't complain too loudly, because it truly has been abused and I'm surprised it has lasted this long. I always take it along on vacations to download photos from my memory sticks, and as I said early, daughter carried it all around Europe in a backpack. Thanks again.

wewillexplore

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

01/08/2005 12:56:49 AM · #16

Try this:

1) Remove battery
2) Hold down power until it is definitely off.
3) Unplug
4) Hold power button for 30 seconds.
5) Plug in
6) Try to boot.

I have a Toshiba Satellite Pro and that's what Toshiba told me to do. If that doesn't fix it, there's major problemos.

M

loz1

Canon EOS-450D Rebel XSi

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

01/08/2005 01:03:52 AM · #17

It could be a problem with your power supply or mother board. Thats how my Satelite died, although it was much older than yours.

Its probably something simple though. All computers (including desktops) have these exact same issues once in a while.

aronya1

Nikon D70

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

01/08/2005 01:44:16 AM · #18

If you have any added memory, remove it & try to boot. I know that sounds unrelated, but I used to do tech support for Toshiba. Added memory, especially certain brands, will do funny things.

jimmythefish

Canon EOS-10D

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

01/08/2005 01:59:10 AM · #19

I's agree that it sounds like a power supply issue. Relatively simple fix on a desktop but not sure if the power supply is integrated with the motherboard on a laptop. I'd take it to a shop.

colda

Nikon D800