Toshiba Support Forums: M100 - Flashing power light (not ac or ...

This thread is locked - replies are not allowed.

This question is not answered.

Search in this Forum

Back to Thread List

	Replies: 11 - Pages: 1 - Last Post: 26-Mar-2006 12:46 Last Post By: toshm100

beefmo

Posts: 5
Registered: 29/01/06

M100 - Flashing power light (not ac or battery).
Posted: 29-Jan-2006 16:35

Hi,
I just bought a M100 laptop a few weeks back and it's been fine. The other day I was fiddling with the Toshiba Password Utility which I ran from within XP. I set a password on it for what I think was the power on function. I then restarted the machine and lo and behold it no longer boots.

When I turn it on, the power light (2nd from the left, between the AC-in and battery) turns on green as normal for a split second, then flashes orange in a steady on off pattern. There is no display, no hard disk activity, and it won't power off unless I hold the button for 10 seconds. The fan also seems to blow on high speed straight away, which doesn't normally happen.

I've tried it with and without battery, without hard drive, without RAM and without cmos battery. Same problem every time! I can't even get to the TOSHIBA boot splash screen.

Someone pleeease help me. I'm at a loss as to what else it could be. Also, no-one on the net seems to have reported this problem before.

Thanks in advance to anyone that can help.

More details: The capslock button light doesn't respond but the FN key light does. Pressing any button on the keyboard results in a slightly delayed beep.

Markus77

Posts: 2,141
Registered: 22/08/05

Re: M100 - Flashing power light (not ac or battery).
Posted: 30-Jan-2006 08:05

in response to: beefmo

Hi

Well, first of all the Toshiba Password Utility allows you to set the two levels of password security – user password and supervisor password. This feature prevents unauthorized access to your computer.
Which password did you set?
As far as I know there are two ways to start the computer:
Insert a password token before you turn on the computer. The computer will start normally, without displaying a password prompt or enter the password manually.

Furthermore the second light from the left side is a power indicator. It glows green when the computer is on. If you turn off the computer in resume mode, this indicator blinks orange (one second on, two second off) while the computer shuts down.

Well, I don’t know why you can’t boot the unit, but please check also the password settings in the BIOS. There you can try to delete this password.

beefmo

Posts: 5
Registered: 29/01/06

Re: M100 - Flashing power light (not ac or battery).
Posted: 30-Jan-2006 10:46

in response to: Markus77

Hi there, first off - thanks a lot for trying to help me out here.
Right, I'll get to it:

Well, first of all the Toshiba Password Utility
allows you to set the two levels of password security
– user password and supervisor password. This feature
prevents unauthorized access to your computer.
Which password did you set?

I set the user password. I wanted to see if it would prompt for password on starting windows or at the bios stage. I can't even get to the bios.

As far as I know there are two ways to start the
computer:
Insert a password token before you turn on the
computer. The computer will start normally, without
displaying a password prompt or enter the password
manually.

I read about this, although it wasn't mentioned when I created the password. It did ask me to save a file - which i believe was to be used in case the password was forgotten. I saved it onto the desktop though so I'm unable to retrieve it.

Furthermore the second light from the left side is a
power indicator. It glows green when the computer is
on. If you turn off the computer in resume mode, this
indicator blinks orange (one second on, two second
off) while the computer shuts down.

It flashes Orange alright, but not in any pattern. Just one second on, one second off, rinse, cycle, repeat.

Well, I don’t know why you can’t boot the unit, but
please check also the password settings in the BIOS.
There you can try to delete this password.

I can't even get to the BIOS stage. When I power it on, I get nothing on the display at all and no hard disk activity etc. It's the same if I disconnect the hard disk and cmos battery too. However, removing RAM stops the light flashing.

Thanks again!

Markus77

Posts: 2,141
Registered: 22/08/05

Re: M100 - Flashing power light (not ac or battery).
Posted: 30-Jan-2006 11:13

in response to: beefmo

Hi

I have found out that after setting the ‘User Password’ the info windows should appears with the following content:

“User Password is registered correctly.
You can create a text file which includes the password you have registered.
It is strongly recommended to save the file on a removable media….
Click ‘Cancel’ if you don’t need to create the file”

Well, I assume you have clicked ok and you have saved it on the desktop and not on the removal medium.
If you have used a token (and you have used it because you have saved it on the desktop)
You should use this procedure to delete or to change the password.

Insert a password token before you turn on the computer. The computer will start normally, without >>displaying a password prompt

Unfortunately I don't see any other possibility

Mannerhagen Tom

Posts: 415
Registered: 22/09/04

Re: M100 - Flashing power light (not ac or battery).
Posted: 30-Jan-2006 15:05

in response to: beefmo

Hi

what you describe in your post sounds a lot like a problem with the internal power supply.
The fact that you set a password just before this happened only confuses the situation. Put that fact aside this action could never stop the device from turning on.
It will stop you from booting up any OS, but it will not interfere until after the POST test.

Also the flashing LED tells us that there is an internal powersupply problem. The code that the LED is blinking tells a serviceguy something about the specifics of the problem. But believe me, it will not do us any good.

So my suggestion to you, remove the selectable bay device, remove any EXTRA RAM that you might have installed (not the factory mounted), remove any PC Card or external device you might have connected to the machine. Check also that the AC Adaptor is the right one for your machine (especially the Ampere must be even or higher than what the machine requies - this is written on both the machine and AC Adaptor). Now don't mix up Amperes and Volts. The voltage must be EXACTLY the same! 15 Volts for your machine. No more, no less.

Still having problems?
Then I think you should contact a service provider to get your machine looked over.

Good luck!

Tom

beefmo

Posts: 5
Registered: 29/01/06

Re: M100 - Flashing power light (not ac or battery).
Posted: 31-Jan-2006 09:24

in response to: Mannerhagen Tom

Thanks for the tips guys, I agree with you Tom - I think the password issue has confused things. I've already tried removing absolutely everything non-essential but it still doesn't boot (I only have the factory ram in it).

It is possible that the power supply I got with it isn't 100% the correct one. Pretty unlikely though - I'll check it when I get back and see what I can find.

Failing that I'll probably chuck it on Ebay. I'll prob get less than half money for it - but laptop repairs are pricey and doubt it'll be worth it.

Thanks again guys.

beefmo

Posts: 5
Registered: 29/01/06

Re: M100 - Flashing power light (not ac or battery).
Posted: 31-Jan-2006 17:11

in response to: beefmo

Right, I checked the volt and ampage on the power supply and compared it to the bottom of the laptop. They are both 15v, but the laptop says 3.00A and the powerpack says 5.00A - will this have made a difference?
Thanks once more...

Eldorado

Posts: 2,723
Registered: 19/09/05

Re: M100 - Flashing power light (not ac or battery).
Posted: 01-Feb-2006 08:45

in response to: beefmo

Hi

As far as I know the volt value is very important but I’m not sure about the ampere.
But nevertheless you should always use the AC adapter which is recommended by Toshiba and especially designed for this unit.

Mannerhagen Tom

Posts: 415
Registered: 22/09/04

Re: M100 - Flashing power light (not ac or battery).
Posted: 01-Feb-2006 09:02

in response to: beefmo

Hi

In regards of current - Ampere's; As long as the AC Adaptor is capable of delivering the requested amount of ampere's that the PC need then you're safe.
If your PC need 3 Ampere's the AC adaptor need to be able to deliver AT LEAST 3 Ampere's. If it is capable of delivering 5 Ampere's then all is well.

Please also check that it is a Toshiba-adaptor.
It should have a PA-number on it. Example (just so you can see the look of the partnumber) PA3453U-1ACA or something like that.

BR

Tom

beefmo

Posts: 5
Registered: 29/01/06

Re: M100 - Flashing power light (not ac or battery).
Posted: 01-Feb-2006 14:28

in response to: Mannerhagen Tom

Damn it. I am soo gutted. It was working like a dream, just got all the software I wanted on it, set that password, rebooted and now I have to sell it as faulty. Thats a couple of hundred quid out the window.

Anyone got any recommendations or suggestions on another course of action other than cutting my losses and selling it as faulty on Ebay?

adnanrana

Posts: 1
Registered: 10/03/06

Re: M100 - Flashing power light (not ac or battery).
Posted: 10-Mar-2006 00:58

in response to: beefmo

I have got exactly the same problem on my Portege M100. The Power light flashes orange (one second on one second off), and the CD ROM light (second from right) stays on green. Can't eject the CD either.

I was installing Windows XP on it and switched it off before selecting partition to install it on. I have not managed to switch it on since.

I have tried removing CD Drive, Memory, Battery, CMOS battery, & keyboard. I have also tried connecting an external monitor. Tried many key combinations, but still not working.

toshm100

Posts: 1
Registered: 26/03/06

Re: M100 - Flashing power light (not ac or battery).
Posted: 26-Mar-2006 12:46

in response to: adnanrana

I have had a similar problem with the flashing power led. I also had the wireless light (last led on the right) coming on quite dim in red at the same time. It didn't always happen but quite often the laptop would just shut down while I was using it. Because it was usually happening when I moved the angle of the screen I guessed it was probably a loose cable. In the end I managed to find the problem on the led board itself.

If you take the cover off you will see a small pcb with the leds and underneath a metal plate that it sits on. Part of the plate should be touching the board making I guess a ground connection. Mine was looking a bit loose and the spot where the connection should be made seemed a bit corroded. I cleaned it all up and re-connected everything.

Since then I've had no problems at all. I don't know if its related to anyone else's problem but thought Id mention it in case.

Pages: 1

Back to Thread List

Legend
	Master: 700 + pts
	Scholar: 300 - 699 pts
	Aficionado: 150 - 299 pts
	Enthusiast: 50 - 149 pts
	Beginner: 0 - 49 pts
	Helpful Answer (5 pts)
	Correct Answer (10 pts)

TOP SUPPORT SITES