Unbootable laptop

[clarus]

I posted this at another forum but couldn't get a response yet. So, this is in regards to a Toshiba satellite t1910 laptop i got at a garage sale..

First of all, the computer only seems to respond to the power button when the AC adapter is plugged in. (no battery functionality?)

When the power is on, the power, number lock and caps lock lights turn on. The C: Disc-in-use light flashes. But other than that, nothing happens. The monitor is inactive.

The monitor doesn't seem to be the problem, because pressing caps lock doesn't take off the caps lock light, etc.

I thought the problem was that no OS was installed. So I made a DOS 5.0 boot disc and started the machine with it, but it didn't behave any differently. (The A: Disc-in-use light didn't flash at startup..)

I'm not sure if the problem is hardware or not? Should I try a different boot disc, or do something else? Given how old it is and how much I paid for it, for it not to work would be a disappointment but really not a surprise. though even still, if anyone could offer suggestions or advice it would be GREATLY appreciated..

[merlin_2]

Does it have a hard drive??on the left side of the laptop...is a plastic slider.....<power button> if you pull it down it  will show if you have an hard drive.

[Raptor]

Check to see if all the components are in place, as Merlin suggested. Remove as much as you can and inspect it for damage or broken cables.

[clarus]

well.. i looked at it but nothing really stood out as damaged. although i couldn't find where to check for a hard drive? i made diagrams







so... yeah...

[merlin_2]

on some tosh models you have to remove the lion battery......the last pic bottom.....right ....shine a light up it........
or check the case symbols.......look like a stack of cdrom disks....witha padlock on top.....

[clarus]

i couldn't find that icon anywhere, but this is what the inside of that panel looks like..





...?

[merlin_2]

next to battery pack>http://www.laptopsolutions.plc.uk/toshiba_t1910_laptops_spares_and_schematics.htm

but re-reading your post you say the c: drive came on......try tapping the bottom of the case on boot up...sometimes old hard drive stick......download a boot floppy.....from bootdisks.com

[Computer_Commando]

That is the PCMCIA slot (PC card slot).  Megahertz PC card is either a modem or network card.  It appears to have only 1 slot.  There should be a release button for it, but I can't see it, for sure.  It could be below the screw on the left.  One push releases it into the activate position, 2nd hard push should release the Megahertz card.

Battery is probably dead, don't worry about it.  Since screen is dead, you have a more serious problem.

BTW, I have worked on many different laptops.  Found a link with a picture and specs:
http://www.geocities.com/dueze/toshiba-t1910.html
SPECIFICATIONS:
CPU: 486 sx 33
RAM: 8 Mb
HD: 124 Mb
I estimate it was made in 1994, and it was:

http://www.michaelminn.com/?linux/notebooks/toshiba1910.html

BTW, I still have an old 486 myself (not Toshiba) with both Win3.1 and Win95.  Hope you didn't pay too much for the Toshiba?

[clarus]

well.. i mentioned i tried a DOS 5.0 bootdisc, but no result.. Could you maybe recommend to me another one i should try? (i'm scared to just try random ones and see if they work) The two guides from the last post both seem to deal with installing Linux on the t1910, but to accomplish that i would seem to have to replace the notebook's memory and hardrive just to make a system capable enough. really i would be happy with just a DOS OS.. i don't really need anything visual necessarily. if i could just get it to *start*...
should i try to take out the network card? (i dont think that would get me anywhere..) what kind of hardware problem do you think this could be, if it is one? (i'm prepared to replace parts, within reason...)

Edit: Not really. $20 =)

[merlin_2]

http://www.freeos.com/download.php?PHPSESSID=4351b51e2e95e5cb6218b21f083d5979

or look around for someone flogging win.31   local ads

[Computer_Commando]

...
should i try to take out the network card? (i dont think that would get me anywhere..) what kind of hardware problem do you think this could be, if it is one? (i'm prepared to replace parts, within reason...)
Edit: Not really. $20 =)

I was only trying to see if it does come out, no it won't get you anywhere.  Parts for a notebook that old are not available.  Even if they were, it would not be within reason ($100's).

If nothing shows at all on the screen...the video card is dead or the screen is dead.  Bootdisk makes no difference.  Sell it at your next garge sale.

[merlin_2]

You could hook the laptop up to a pc monitor to test cc theory.......or maybe the liitle wheel on the side of the lcd screen has been turned down......

[Raptor]

This thread is rather exciting to follow. Please do add more pictures, they add to the atmosphere of the story.  

[clarus]

i tried playing with the wheel on the side of the screen. no luck =(

So i disconnected my PC monitor from my computer and tried plugging it into the laptop.
Back of notebook:



BUT sadly my monitor behaved as if there were no signal (white screen). I think maybe one of two things may have happened-
1. The monitor is too new for the computer? my monitor is a Viewsonic A70. though i would think it wouldn't matter?

2. There's a problem with the video card.. which would be bad. but once source told me that it's capable of supporting 256k video ram, which i can buy here --> http://www.futurlec.com/ICRAM.shtml although i would look for it locally first. the only slightly hard part would be installing it

unless the problem is something else entirely... lol

so tomorrow i am going to try hooking up my computer to the laptop monitor and see of that at least works... so that way i can confirm that the screen is indeed not the problem before i go out and buy anything.

[Raptor]

Perhaps the people once dropped the laptop and broke the mainboard or damaged the processor beyond repair. Can you not break it open to see what is wrong?