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The Laptop Guy? comp problems...


zeitgeist57

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My wife's 2yr old Toshiba Satellite is currently taking a major shit. It powers up, but when the screen turns on there is nothing indicating that Windows is launching. Fans blowing, LEDs are lighting, but nothing else. It was intermittent for the last month, but over the last 3 days it has been out of commission totally.

 

On Monday, I was planning to walk in to the Laptop Guy in Grandview. Is it a good place? If it is, then here's my problem...

 

I don't want to pay TLG $79 for a laptop inspection if they are just going to tell me it needs a new motherboard. If I'm going to buy a $400+ part and screw/plug it in myself to make the computer work again, I don't need someone to tell me the same thing while taking $80 from my pocket.

 

EDIT: FWIW, we luckily backed the hard drive on our external 500GB the last time it worked.

 

I know it could be just a loose chip or something, I guess I am just looking for some help and recommendations on what to do...:(

Edited by zeitgeist57
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Don't take it there. They are ripoff artists. We contracted with them to build their tracking and repair software for their nationwide repair operation and they stiffed us on the bill. They're internal policy is set up to squeeze money out of you.

 

Take it to Netwave in Hilliard, they're an authorized Toshiba repair center. My senior engineer has a brother that works there. I'll get his name on Monday.

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What happens if you plug a monitor into the port on the back? Sounds like it might be a dead backlight.

 

One of two things...either the monitor goes black also, or the monitor shows an NES-style "glitch" screen where I see the "TOSHIBA" logo but it's all pixelated and frozen.

 

I can tell the screen turns on, because it goes from black to grey (with light around the screen edges). It's still not showing anything.

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Ehh, not the backlight then. Glitching like that points to a hardware failure of some sort, possibly an overheat, but more likely some sort of silicon failure. At two years old, it's a little young for zinc whiskers, but that's also a potential cause.
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I tried this fix (below), even though it's not the same model. Once I popped up the panel between the LCD and the keyboard, I could not see the MAXIM power chip so I stopped for now.

 

I'm waiting for Chris's guy on Monday, otherwise I may try to crack it open and see if I can find the MAXIM chip.

 

http://imateski.blogspot.com/2008/08/toshiba-satellite-m35x-motherboard.html

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This Netwave? Doesn't look like a repair shop to me... :confused:

 

http://www.netwavecorp.com/

 

Yea, that's right.

 

Just asked my engineer, his brother works in the enterprise department and won't be able to "in" for you, sorry. :( I still recommend them, they've fixed a few Toshiba's for me at on old client.

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Any good source for a MOBO?

 

EDIT: I realize a "cheap" motherboard (if there is one) will be shit...but anything to get me a year or so more out of this laptop would be good. Maybe a cheaper alternative to Toshiba-supplied parts?

 

I just can't believe that a $2200 laptop dies just over two years. I've had $500-$1300 vehicles that have lasted longer than that. ('85 and '86 Chevy trucks, '89 Accord, '89 Civic HB) :mad:

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I checked them. I'll match the specific model number, but Toshiba Sat P105 mainboards look to be $155 on eBay. :thumbup:

 

I'm feeling froggy to do it myself...though someone who is 1)free, 2)done this before, and 3)good at it would be appreciated :) ...

http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/toshiba-satellite-p105/take-apart-1.htm

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