Random laptop faults

Calais_S2 · 30th September 2006, 9:41 AM

Hi, I bought a "Faulty" laptop off ebay a few days ago, wasnt working, got it yesterday played around withit, i was able to boot into windows it seems that the entire computer is working. Seems to be abit of curruption on the board. Could someone please verify my explanation.

The Keyboard when pressing either U, J, or M will not input that key, pressing down hard causes the the BSOD.
After this piont I reinstalled windows XP and had random freeze's from this piont. Then again it will only boot sometimes. The Power ON light comes on but not fan power no cdrom no screen. This is random intervals.
It will either when pressing the button:
- Boot up fine
- Boot up past TOSHIBA logo and pauses
- Boot up past TOSHIBA logo onto Windows XP loading and resets
- Boots up DVDROM spools fan on but no screen
- Boots up with bios errors regarding the IDE 1 = DVD Drive
- Power on no fan no DVD spool but Cpu Heat
- power on NOTHING happens

Ive recorded these all to be random and cannot come to a resonable explanation. I have consider the folowing;
- DVD Rom drive is dodgy - connection?
- Power pack? battery holds charge too
- Keyboard? I tried booting with no keyboard attacked the first time i booted it to get it working reconecting it worked still
- Dodgy system board?

Laptop is a : Toshiba Sat 1410
Thanks guys for anyhelp.
Shu

josh81 · 30th September 2006, 11:02 AM

bummer purchase mate, was it second hand, don't know the model number.

Calais_S2 · 30th September 2006, 3:10 PM

Was a second hand one.

I have an Update:
It works, but as soon as i bump it or Mover the laptop it will crash?
What cuases this?

SSJX · 30th September 2006, 8:03 PM

lol i hope you didn't spend a lot on this

from looking at all the issues i can only think of 2 things:
1. overheating - due to no air circulation, fans not working, no thermal paste
2. metallic dust inside your system causing shorts but still allowing the system to somehow boot up

Calais_S2 · 30th September 2006, 9:17 PM

metalic dust! i havnt heard that before, thats a very pluasbile explanation, Tomorrow I'll rip the entire laptop apart and give it a clean and reasemble it.

josh81 · 30th September 2006, 11:56 PM

What are the dangers of pulling apart a laptop, can you still get an electric shock even with no power? Also can you damage the internals if you produce static electricity with your hands?

SSJX · 1st October 2006, 2:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by josh81

What are the dangers of pulling apart a laptop, can you still get an electric shock even with no power? Also can you damage the internals if you produce static electricity with your hands?

You might get a little shock if you open it up with the battery pack still attached. and yes, of course you can damage hardware with static electricity.

I suggest that you either get a proper laptop technician to open your laptop, or at least refer to a fairly detailed manual (bundled w/ lappy or find one via net).

Calais_S2 · 1st October 2006, 8:14 AM

Yea, taking apart the laptop the first time made it work! so i guess taking it apart and reasembling it and cleaning it should help.

Sonicman · 1st October 2006, 8:38 AM

It could be one of the peripherals causing it. Take the mainboard out of the machine (remove KB, touchpad, cd drive, HDD, modem, etc) and plug in external monitor and try it.

If that works, then begin a process of elimination. Plug each device in, repeat and stop when it starts displaying the fault again.

Try different RAM.

If its still doing it with nothing but the mainboard and cpu and ram, then it is probably a faulty mainboard.

Another tip with 1410's and some older toshiba laptops - If you turn it on and it just doesn't boot at all, take the KB off, heatsink and reseat the CPU. Works all the time

Calais_S2 · 1st October 2006, 11:43 AM

OK! Update.. Today i pulled it all apart, remove hsf reseated everything cleaned up some silver gook on the solder around the socket, gave it a good blast to clean it, reconected everything screwed all in tight turned it on, and it boots, it goes into XP stright away, runs fine. BUT still random curruption it, moving the screen, taping or moving it does not seem to screw it up, but if i where to disconect it or pick it up from the right hand side and move it the screen will go and then the laptop. i have to place it back down before it starts to work again.

mcps · 1st October 2006, 12:16 PM

Seems like a chip on the RHS isn't soldered well?

Try running the system without case and press every visible chip on the RHS, see which one gives you the freeze. Beware of static though.

Calais_S2 · 1st October 2006, 12:23 PM

it could be, well i have some spare time on my hands this week i should have a closer look atit.

Calais_S2 · 1st October 2006, 9:23 PM

Ok continous faults, ive deemed this laptop's system board Fualty .. time to find a replacement board.

30th September 2006, 9:41 AM	#1
Calais_S2 Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portable and SFF Forum Posts: 100	Random laptop faults Hi, I bought a "Faulty" laptop off ebay a few days ago, wasnt working, got it yesterday played around withit, i was able to boot into windows it seems that the entire computer is working. Seems to be abit of curruption on the board. Could someone please verify my explanation. The Keyboard when pressing either U, J, or M will not input that key, pressing down hard causes the the BSOD. After this piont I reinstalled windows XP and had random freeze's from this piont. Then again it will only boot sometimes. The Power ON light comes on but not fan power no cdrom no screen. This is random intervals. It will either when pressing the button: - Boot up fine - Boot up past TOSHIBA logo and pauses - Boot up past TOSHIBA logo onto Windows XP loading and resets - Boots up DVDROM spools fan on but no screen - Boots up with bios errors regarding the IDE 1 = DVD Drive - Power on no fan no DVD spool but Cpu Heat - power on NOTHING happens Ive recorded these all to be random and cannot come to a resonable explanation. I have consider the folowing; - DVD Rom drive is dodgy - connection? - Power pack? battery holds charge too - Keyboard? I tried booting with no keyboard attacked the first time i booted it to get it working reconecting it worked still - Dodgy system board? Laptop is a : Toshiba Sat 1410 Thanks guys for anyhelp. Shu Last edited by Calais_S2; 30th September 2006 at 9:45 AM.

1st October 2006, 8:38 AM	#9
Sonicman Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Toongabbie, Sydney, NSW Posts: 61	It could be one of the peripherals causing it. Take the mainboard out of the machine (remove KB, touchpad, cd drive, HDD, modem, etc) and plug in external monitor and try it. If that works, then begin a process of elimination. Plug each device in, repeat and stop when it starts displaying the fault again. Try different RAM. If its still doing it with nothing but the mainboard and cpu and ram, then it is probably a faulty mainboard. Another tip with 1410's and some older toshiba laptops - If you turn it on and it just doesn't boot at all, take the KB off, heatsink and reseat the CPU. Works all the time __________________ PD 2.8 \| TT Big Typhoon \| ABIT NI8 SLI \| 2x1GB Corsair Twin2X \| Sparkle 8800GTS 320MB \| SB Audigy \| Antec 900

1st October 2006, 12:16 PM	#11
mcps Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Adelaide/Xi'an Posts: 55	Seems like a chip on the RHS isn't soldered well? Try running the system without case and press every visible chip on the RHS, see which one gives you the freeze. Beware of static though. __________________ ruotian's current gearset: hp tc1100: pm753 1.2g/1.5g/60g/abg/bt/ir/10.4"xga ibook g4: g4 1.2g/768m/60g/apx/12"xga ipod 3gen 40g/ipod mini blue 2gen 4gb (refurb)

30th September 2006, 11:02 AM	#2
josh81 Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bellbowrie, Brisbane Posts: 2,414	bummer purchase mate, was it second hand, don't know the model number.

30th September 2006, 3:10 PM	#3
Calais_S2 Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portable and SFF Forum Posts: 100	Was a second hand one. I have an Update: It works, but as soon as i bump it or Mover the laptop it will crash? What cuases this?

30th September 2006, 8:03 PM	#4
SSJX Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Sydney Posts: 2,746	lol i hope you didn't spend a lot on this from looking at all the issues i can only think of 2 things: 1. overheating - due to no air circulation, fans not working, no thermal paste 2. metallic dust inside your system causing shorts but still allowing the system to somehow boot up

30th September 2006, 9:17 PM	#5
Calais_S2 Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portable and SFF Forum Posts: 100	metalic dust! i havnt heard that before, thats a very pluasbile explanation, Tomorrow I'll rip the entire laptop apart and give it a clean and reasemble it.

30th September 2006, 11:56 PM	#6
josh81 Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bellbowrie, Brisbane Posts: 2,414	What are the dangers of pulling apart a laptop, can you still get an electric shock even with no power? Also can you damage the internals if you produce static electricity with your hands?

1st October 2006, 8:14 AM	#8
Calais_S2 Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portable and SFF Forum Posts: 100	Yea, taking apart the laptop the first time made it work! so i guess taking it apart and reasembling it and cleaning it should help.

1st October 2006, 11:43 AM	#10
Calais_S2 Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portable and SFF Forum Posts: 100	OK! Update.. Today i pulled it all apart, remove hsf reseated everything cleaned up some silver gook on the solder around the socket, gave it a good blast to clean it, reconected everything screwed all in tight turned it on, and it boots, it goes into XP stright away, runs fine. BUT still random curruption it, moving the screen, taping or moving it does not seem to screw it up, but if i where to disconect it or pick it up from the right hand side and move it the screen will go and then the laptop. i have to place it back down before it starts to work again.

1st October 2006, 12:23 PM	#12
Calais_S2 Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portable and SFF Forum Posts: 100	it could be, well i have some spare time on my hands this week i should have a closer look atit.

1st October 2006, 9:23 PM	#13
Calais_S2 Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portable and SFF Forum Posts: 100	Ok continous faults, ive deemed this laptop's system board Fualty .. time to find a replacement board.