Toshiba laptop fresh install Win 10, no bios, almost no life from laptop

[GarytheGary]

My partner has a Laptop (Toshiba L50-B PTSKNA 02RO16). MB numbers are dablidmb8e0 rev e, no markings about who makes it that I can see.

It came with Win8.1, which at some point she got tired of the nag screen and allowed it to update to Win 10. It ran fine for ages (long long time) until recently the machine was running a little slow and had dropped its AMD graphics driver. I decided to do to a factory reset for her. However in all avenues of repair/restore etc when it offered an OS option, the only option was Win 10, there was no option to factory reset the machine to how it came from the factory (8.1). And when i went to use the inbuilt recovery partitions it said there was an error with the partition. So I could do nothing.

I had Win 10 ISO from MS already burnt to disc, and went about a fresh install of Win 10. It seemed to start doing a fresh install fine, I walked off to let it do its thing and came back maybe 1/2 an hour later to a black screen and no lights. I tapped the space bar, a couple of keys, waited to see if it was just doping something else but nothing changed. I assumed it finished and shut down. But no.

When I hit the power button I get its usual white light around it, and a few green lights on the kb, they all flash 5 times then all is dead. And even when the lights are flashing there are no sounds at all (no hdd, fan, disc drive etc). Every now and then I have to pull the battery to get it to even do that, as the power button does nothing. Refit battery and its back to 5 flashes of lights then dead.

AM I right in assuming the bios is not starting? If it is the BIOS failing to start, how do I go about flashing BIOS data? I read some MoBos no longer use CMOS batteries, instead storing the data somewhere, Im not sure how that works I thought BIOS was the basics before more complex stuff was loaded. Ive had the back off, and lifted the MB but I cant locate a CMOS battery, or a BIOS chip for that matter.

I think it has Insyde BIOS, at least the DL from Toshiba when I run it in some software designed to ID BIOS, one result says Insyde, and the other test progs for AMI Pheonix etc say its not theirs.

 

[Sedivy]

It should still have cmos battery but it may be well hidden, and you might need specs first in order to find it.
When you're starting, try holding down the Del button to see if you can get into bios. If not, then yes you may need to flash it but I would suggest first trying to reset it by finding the cmos battery.

If you can get in though, it could be just that the boot records on your hard drive is corrupted and needs fixing.
Here's how to do that:
https://www.pcworld.com/article/3113585/windows/how-to-repair-windows-master-boot-record-and-fix-your-bricked-pc.html
Since you mention you have it burnt to disc, basically you'll put that in and start up, boot from the cd first, after in bios you make sure it checks for the cd first when booting and then follow the instructions outlined in the link.

So, try first to get into bios and let us know if you can.

Also, this is the support page for this laptop:
http://www.mytoshiba.com.au/support/computers/satellite/l50/psktna-02r016/download?os=32
It has a manual included but I wouldn't open it because it's (retardedly) in an exe format. Still, it might hold some info on the position of the cmos battery.

 

[scout_03]

this is your post on this forum https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=47053&highlight=DABLIDMB8E0

 

[GarytheGary]

It should still have cmos battery but it may be well hidden, and you might need specs first in order to find it.
When you're starting, try holding down the Del button to see if you can get into bios. If not, then yes you may need to flash it but I would suggest first trying to reset it by finding the cmos battery.

If you can get in though, it could be just that the boot records on your hard drive is corrupted and needs fixing.
Here's how to do that:
https://www.pcworld.com/article/3113585/windows/how-to-repair-windows-master-boot-record-and-fix-your-bricked-pc.html
Since you mention you have it burnt to disc, basically you'll put that in and start up, boot from the cd first, after in bios you make sure it checks for the cd first when booting and then follow the instructions outlined in the link.

So, try first to get into bios and let us know if you can.

Also, this is the support page for this laptop:
http://www.mytoshiba.com.au/support/computers/satellite/l50/psktna-02r016/download?os=32
It has a manual included but I wouldn't open it because it's (retardedly) in an exe format. Still, it might hold some info on the position of the cmos battery.

I have that Toshiba page open on my PC. DLed all the drivers from there before I tried the Win 10 disc just in case. If youre referring to the user guide on the Toshiba page, it runs on the Laptop and needs to see the hardware etc, on my PC it says no files for this particular system.
Will keep looking for the CMOS battery.

I can not get in to boot from optical drive or anything at all, I cant see BIOS screens, or a boot up screen. Nothing at all. It doesn't post I think its called. No beeps, nadda except 5 flashes of the lights and then dead. Im assuming its got an issue with BIOS, then turns off. The Win 10 disc was still in the laptop, I had to release it with a pin and the eject hole.

Yeah its my post Scout_03 but got no responses there. Already two here.

Cheers.

 

[Sedivy]

If you can't get into bios then your options are limited. Meaning either resetting current bios in hope that'll help (meaning taking out the cmos battery and putting it back in), or flashing the bios from the toshiba site. They should be providing the tools for flashing really, you shouldn't need a third party app for that. Have you tried talking to toshiba directly? I know this may or may not be under warranty but you're allowed to just ask their tech support what the flashing means on startup and how you can get your system going.

 

[GarytheGary]

If you can't get into bios then your options are limited. Meaning either resetting current bios in hope that'll help (meaning taking out the cmos battery and putting it back in), or flashing the bios from the toshiba site. They should be providing the tools for flashing really, you shouldn't need a third party app for that. Have you tried talking to toshiba directly? I know this may or may not be under warranty but you're allowed to just ask their tech support what the flashing means on startup and how you can get your system going.

Thanks, but Ive had the MB out again, theres no battery I can see on it anyway. Not even a capacitor that could be it instead. Ive read in a number of posts that Toshiba in the same era as this laptop started putting the CMOS battery as part of the main battery. The main battery is held in with 2 screws to limit removal.

My view is I will need to usb reflash the BIOS. But I need to be sure of the BIOS ID, and the process to make the DOS I guess sub 2gig Fat16 USB drive to start without the BIOS. It seems each BIOS brand has its own version of software that will run without BIOS and then the BIOS can be flashed from that.

Have not tried Toshiba directly, I will give that a crack. Was hoping maybe some guru here would know.

 

[scout_03]

did you check under if you could not remove the battery if htere is a little hole that on some laptop is the cmos reset option without ac plug in since i could not find info on it could you post a link of it or a picture of the bottom .

 

[GarytheGary]

did you check under if you could not remove the battery if htere is a little hole that on some laptop is the cmos reset option without ac plug in since i could not find info on it could you post a link of it or a picture of the bottom .

Yeah mate theres no hole underneath, and I took it into the sun so I could see it if there was. The battery comes out, two screws and its done. Been out several times so if thats the CMOS battery, its been out. I couldnt find anything remotely like CMOS printed on the MB either.

 

[scout_03]

some models have the little battery solderd on the board could be under was unable to find any info about this laptop for servicing it .