Question Pc repair guide for beginners?

GreenEar

Reputable
Apr 10, 2016
10
0
4,510
Not sure if this is specifically a win 10 question.

I was using a toshiba c55-a laptop. I3 3rd gen iirc, and its blue screening on me. I cant get it to start in safe mode from the recovery. It is win 10, was originally 8. Got it free second hand. It was working when i got it, and i used about a year or more, mostly for cura. I did do the free win 10, but that was before it was mine.

The bios shows the processor, the ram, and the hdd. Still no boot. I threw a new ssd in it, and tried to install new win 10 from the usb - no go.

So i ordered parts and assembled ryzen 5 desk to replace the toshiba. But honestly it bothers me that the toshiba is dead.

So whats the next move in a case like that? Is there some sort of diagnostic software i can buy for another pc and get the run down on the toshiba? Is there a beginners book that i could get to guide me through the trouble shoot? I cant seem to get anywhere in the blue recovery suite of the machine.

I dont want to just take a shot in the dark and get a new mobo from ebay - id like to atleast have a novice idea of what im doing, or if its even worth messing with.

Any educated thoughts?

Thanks
Jon
 
https://inspirit.net.in/books/misc/Upgrading and Repairing PCs.pdf

It's an older edition, but the techniques haven't changed....isolate the problem hardware, test the problem hardware, replace it if it's defective.

[EDIT]
The most recently published edition (the 22nd Edition) dropped on 2015.07.17 and is currently a bit long in the tooth, but still useful for the beginner.
https://www.amazon.com/product/dp/0789756102

In my humble opinion, no non-technical person should open-up a computer to do diagnostics and/or repairs until after they have read at least one of his post-19th-edition books.
 
Last edited:

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Laptops are especially hard for a beginner.
There aren't a lot of parts to look at.
RAM, drive, motherboard, screen.

One good tool for a case like yours is having a Linux Live CD or USB.
Will the system boot from that?
If yes, then you may have a dead drive.
If no, then it is something worse.

You're not trying to install this or do anything weird...just to see if it will boot up.

Linux:
https://linuxmint.com/download.php
 
Well, if I'm not mistaken, the C55-A was originally sold wit Win7 on it, and Im not a Win10 expert, so I don't know if it would actually be able to run 10 and NOT throw blue screens all the time.

You might consider finding a Linux distro that is to your liking, and install that to the laptop. You already know that it'll work just fine, and you won't lose the use of the machine.
 

GreenEar

Reputable
Apr 10, 2016
10
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4,510
It ran windows 10 for atleast a year, and thats whats on its hdd. It was originlly a windows 8.

I am thinking of just running it linux - something ive been meaning to try. I hate to lose win 10 on it - so many programs for windows.

I do have other windows 10 machines though, so i guess ill just have to get over it