Computer Hope
Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: haus_kat on September 06, 2011, 09:47:32 AM
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I have an old laptop that I haven't used in a while, the reason being that one day it just stopped working. I was using it and the screen went off so I think the computer just totally stopped working but I don't recall. I didn't have the $$ for costly repairs so I just went on using my desktop until I eventually bought a new laptop. However, I still have this old laptop and now also have a extra old hard drive so I put it into the computer to test it out. It powers up and all the lights come on on the front (it's a Satellite Pro 460 CDX) but it still won't turn on. The screen doesn't switch on. I wonder if maybe it was the screen was broken all along? Or maybe some other part. Would a laptop even power up if it's mother board was non-functional?
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If the drive came from a different PC laptop or not it doesn't have the laptops proper drivers and most likely will not bootup properly.
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wouldn't it at least turn on and go to a bios screen or something? The computers little power lights all come on across the front but the screen doesn't switch on. I tried an extrnal monitor but still couldn't get anything to come up on the screen, it just remained black as if it were off.
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That model is about 15 years old (166MHz Intel Pentium w/MMX). It's dead, send it to the recycler. It has about as much value as a 15 year old cell phone, i.e. $0. Sorry.
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I'm not sure if it's similar, but my Satellite Pro 440CDX has a rather weird "feature".
When I first got it, I flipped the power "switch" countless times, and nothing happened.
It wasn't until after I realized I wasn't actually flipping a power switch:
(http://bc-programming.com/images/toshiba440CDX.png)
The Power switch was in fact the button to the left, while I was merely pushing the sliding "cover" for the button back and forth, which of course did absolutely nothing. Once I discovered this everything powered up just fine.
Now given you already used this laptop and so would probably know this, but maybe this silly design choice on their part was forgotten, I don't know.
That model is about 15 years old (166MHz Intel Pentium w/MMX). It's dead, send it to the recycler. It has about as much value as a 15 year old cell phone, i.e. $0. Sorry.
It lists, and commonly sells, for ~200 dollars on ebay. Never really understood why threads where people trying to get older computers working would always end up with some person claiming it's not worth anything, as if that is even relevant to begin with. Not to mention it's often wrong.
EDIT:
also, the Motorola Startac, a cellphone released in 1996 (~15 years old) goes for around 50 dollars or so there. If it's still in it's original packaging, there are people who will buy it for nearly 300 dollars, as well.
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It lists, and commonly sells, for ~200 dollars on ebay. Never really understood why threads where people trying to get older computers working would always end up with some person claiming it's not worth anything, as if that is even relevant to begin with. Not to mention it's often wrong.
Couldn't agree more...
And yes we see alot of that...
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Who would pay $200 for a 15 year old computer?
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Who would pay $200 for a 15 year old computer?
Who are you asking? I have no idea. I was just looking at closed (finished) listings. Presumably those successful exchanges involved people. However who those people are exactly is irrelevant, the point is, they exist. Just because you cannot see any value in the object doesn't mean you can make hand-wavey assumptions about it's worth. And more to the point, whether it's worth anything at all is completely irrelevant to their issue.
They clearly came to this forum for advice on getting it working, not advice on the best way to get rid of it. It might be beyond user-servicable but I'm pretty sure they came here for advice on what would be required, not a completely dismissive response. Whether they want to get rid of it afterwards is up to them and their own evaluation of it's worth, nobody else.
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I just thought maybe I could get it working again if possible. I never understood why it stopped working to begin with but would be nice to have a working laptop rather than expensive paperweight :P
btw...just because original specs were low does not mean this laptop still has only the original parts. i forget the specs but it was upgraded from original. I bought it in 2005 or so.
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I just thought maybe I could get it working again if possible. I never understood why it stopped working to begin with but would be nice to have a working laptop rather than expensive paperweight :P
btw...just because original specs were low does not mean this laptop still has only the original parts. i forget the specs but it was upgraded from original. I bought it in 2005 or so.
It's possible, if you have the inclination & the time. Could be CMOS battery, but they used all types in that era. Could be rechargeable NiMH cluster, 1-Farad battery/cap or something else. I used to have one with the same CPU as yours. Hard drive would actually stick & not turn on. To remove it required disassembly of the laptop. It was too much trouble, gave it away.
My 1995 era laptop (486SLC-50) only keeps working if AC adapter is plugged in all the time. It has CMOS-type RAM which will hold state for weeks. If adapter is removed for a while, then laptop won't boot. Have to remove RAM to let it completely self-discharge. NiCAD battery will run it for a short time. Talk about expensive paperweight, original laptop price was $6000. Case is magnesium sheathed in rubber. They had the early WiFi (radio link), removed. I bought is used about 10 years ago for $40. Utility company (PG&E) sold off their entire fleet of laptops when they upgraded their vehicles.
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I was just trying to find why the thing won't boot because really I have free time to explore this and thought it would be nice to get it running. No clue why it won't boot since the battery takes a charge, I have the AC adapter for it too and it powers on. I don't know much about the internal hardware so wasn't sure what had originally caused it to stop working.
At the time, I'd sold off personal belongings to buy the laptop on eBay and felt I'd gotten a good deal, the seller had good rating etc. I used the machine for three days before it mysteriously stopped working, just abruptly shut off as if the ac cord had come unplugged and screen went right off (no stop errors or anything like that). I was very disappointed to lose all the money (paid $450.00) at the time, which was a lot for me) and end up with nothing. I found the thing in my closet the other day, had forgotten about it, and currently have a spare hard drive from when I had upgraded a different laptop so just thought I'd try it out and put that drive in it. I'd really expected that the problem had been a bad hard drive but now I'm not so sure since it still won't boot up, screen won't come on. The guy I bought the computer from had been a sort of computer repair person so I'd wondered if he'd intentionally ripped me off my cobbling together some old parts just to get a computer that functioned long enough to sell it. I've been an eBayer for nearly fifteen years and that was one of the few times I ever got a bad deal. Since money is tight these days, it would be nice to recoup some of my loss if I could get it working and resell it. Or at least be able to have an idea what's wrong with it if I'd sell it as a "parts" machine. Thanks :)
To the poster who mentioned about the power button: thank you :) Yes, I had forgotten about that sliding cover and had initially spend a few minutes trying to find the power button - lol
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Some kind of Service Manual would be nice. Getting it apart is the 1st challenge.
Even with no hard, the screen would display something, so don't focus on the HDD.
From Toshiba Support: http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/support/jsp/outFrm.jsp?ofId=AskIris&searchString=Satellite+Pro+460CDX&x=5&y=10
Here's the spec sheet, might be useful later: http://cdgenp01.csd.toshiba.com/content/product/pdf_files/detailed_specs/satellite_pro_460cdx.pdf
Links seem to be missing:
http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2006/03/05/repair-service-manual-old-toshiba-laptop/