toshiba a100 laptop 1

[nortelfan]

I have a toshiba a100 laptop that will not boot. When I press the power button the power light comes on and the battery charge light comes on ( unit does charge ). Hard drive light comes on momentarily and the goes off. Not beep, no video, no post. Hold the power button 8 seconds laptop goes off. Here is what I have tried with no success and I am out of ideas.

Checked hard drive in USB case on another computer ( works )
Removed Memory, hard drive and CD rom ( no post - no beeps )
Removed battery ( no post - no beeps )
Ordered motherboard and replaced ( no post - no beeps )
Replaced CPU with new mother board ( no post - no beeps )
Tried to boot to CD-rom ( no post - no beeps )

Absolutely crazy - it is basically a new laptop and can get even a post error. Has anyone ever seen this - never have I. I realize I could have gotten a bad CPU or Board, but I wonder what are the chances. Any ideas are GREATLY apppreciated.

 

[micker377]

Did the new mobo come with a new bios battery?

 

[G0AOZ]

Just because the battery charge light comes on, it doesn't necessarily mean the unit is charging. Since you've had the case open, try and check the voltage being presented at the power jack WITH the computer switched on, i.e. under load. Does this vary significantly from a voltage check on the mains unit with the power jack disconnected from the computer?

I doubt it'll do anything in view of what you've done so far, but have you tried the usual trick of disconnecting mains power, removing the battery, and holding down the computer's power-on button for at least 20 seconds. Then reconnect everything and try again...

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[nortelfan]

Not sure on the battery to the Mobo? I will check.

The battery was completely dead when I started and would not power on the unit - after replacing the motherboard, I left it pluged in charging even though I could not start it. The battery will not power the unit - still no post no beeps. I will check the power never the less and see what voltages I get - thanks.

 

[G0AOZ]

OK, so as the battery appears to charge up then it's unlikely that the PSU is faulty, although I would still recommend testing it under load. I have seen a laptop PSU give the correct output when not connected, but the voltage dropped when it was plugged in and the laptop switched on.

Have you tried checking the memory in another laptop, or putting in some other known good RAM? Can you check the PSU on another laptop, or use known good one from another source. Must be correct voltage of course, but can be higher power (Watts) rating.

Try disconnecting everything, clear CMOS or remove the CMOS battery for a while, then reconnect only the minimum parts to make it work, i.e. no HDD, no CD/DVD, no main battery, no other external connections to the laptop other than mains PSU. Leave disconnected the keyboard and mouse, and also any other connections, just in case something is shorting it out.

You could also try an external monitor.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[nortelfan]

Ok - Seems the bios battery is soldered, but putting out the correct voltage.

I connected an external monitor - nothing.

I have the unit apart with a CPU on the board, no keyboard, no mouse, no memory, no battery, no cd, no wi-fi card, no modem card, no speakers attached. Still no video on the external, no beeps, no indication of life with the replaced motherboard and cpu. I am compleletly out of ideas.

Thanks so much for the suggestions - please anything else?

 

[rclarke250]

put in one stick of memory, take off the LCD from the bottom unit, and than try connecting it to an external monitor, may have to try the memory in the other slot also. I have seen A bad memory socket hold down a system, also a bad lcd dc-dc board once on a gateway, but worth a try. Other than that, sounds like another bad board that was taken out by something still not identified.

 

[nortelfan]

Tried the memory in both slots - nothing.

How does the power button work on these units? Could I have a short in the ribbon from the power module to the motherboard letting the fan for the cpu and power light come on, but essentially not telling the board to come on. I have never seen it, but I am thinking out load at this point. I also disconnected the usd and fingerprint reader, so there is nothing attached to the board at this point.

 

[nortelfan]

Anyone know where to get the power ribbon cable from the power button to the mb?

 

[rclarke250]

well according to the song, everything can be found on ebay....did you check the cable with a meter?

As long as you have a way to secure the cpu heatsink, you can run just the board with nothing else attached. just add memory, and a display. If you still get nothing, than I would lean toward the new board as being bad. It's been known to happen. Any way to check either of the cpu's in another system?

 

[nortelfan]

Did check ebay - no power ribbon - may have to get straight from toshiba. I am going to check.

I have nothing but an external monitor hooked up currently - the system is open and stripped - no sound, no beeps, no video on external.

I am also contacting the company I received the board from. Hopefully they will want to make it right.

No other laptop running the AMD processor to stick the processors in - I wish I did.