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Question

Why would laptop have start up trouble with adapter?

Mar 5, 2012 5:53AM PST

My Toshiba laptop has been having a variety of issues all involving the adapter. Replacement adapters have been tried as well as replacement batteries. Still resulting in same issue. I've gone as far as doing a system restore and resetting it to the factory settings.

When the laptop is turned on unplugged it has no issues. Once the laptop is on the adapter can then only be plugged in as long as some kind of video or game is running in the background. If not the screen will go black with multicolor stripes going through it that very much remind me of the matrix. Sometimes plugging it in will make it shut off entirely. I've even purchased a cooling pad and used canned air to clean the vents.

Is this issue in any way related to my display driver or video graphics? And is this something that I can fix on my own?

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Check areas
Mar 5, 2012 6:11AM PST

Only an inspection of the plug-in area should be done. if possible remove the bottom cover and check the innards for any damage at that area. Excluding any s/w glitch, many times the physical plug-in connection is broken or about to be, as in loose. If the past battery was used too long it caused the charging ckt. to become "over-stressed" and it causing issues. Understand, on some newer batteries have a "smart ckt" to maintain battery readiness as for a charge and tells the adapter and mtrbd. to allow this action, this all depends on the design. Typically besides starting a charge it ALSO! tells it to stop charging. Overcharging or anything related to that can cause a battery failure or simply added heat to the laptop. All this isn't good for the long haul and falters in some way. Since a video port(int. video) can be stressed by added heat this in turn starts to falter, etc.. It maybe too late the damage is already done unless s/w related. All too often the mtrbd. has to exchanged or if small adapter plug-in, replaced if broken. Is that adapter plug-in loose?

For now, I exclude s/w issues. But, checking at the Toshiba support forum(website) see if similar issues aren't cropping up. You provided no Toshiba model#. It always helps to provide full details.

tada -----Willy Happy

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System:
Mar 5, 2012 9:36AM PST

Toshiba
Satellite A305
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T5800 @ 2.00GHz
32-bit Operating System

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Answer
Assuming
Mar 5, 2012 6:26AM PST

Assuming we're talking AC adapter here, based on the context, then it sounds like your unit needs to go in for repair.

I can't remember the specifics, but I do recall there being some kind of issue with a defective DC-in jack on a limited number of netbook models. I want to say T series, but don't quote me on that. Never ran into an affected model, but did see some kind of bulletin from Toshiba on it.

In any case, I would say that if multiple AC adapters have been tested and haven't resolved the issue, it's likely the DC-in jack that's next up. On some Toshiba models, that's hard soldered directly to the motherboard, so you replace one to replace the other. You didn't give any kind of specifics, not that it would have mattered much in my case, but I would say the next stop for this laptop should be the repair shop. What you're describing definitely sounds like some kind of short, and those can be dangerous. Like laptop catching on fire dangerous. So, you really don't want to let this one persist, unless the idea of melted plastic in your lap is appealing... And if it does, I'm sure there are safer ways to experience that sort of thing. One where you don't also have the risk of a battery exploding and dumping hot battery acid into your lap and surrounding area.

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System
Mar 5, 2012 9:40AM PST

Toshiba
Satellite A305
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T5800 @ 2.00GHz
32-bit Operating System

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Answer
What Tosh is this?
Mar 5, 2012 6:29AM PST

I looked and can't find the model so I can't check if it's one of the known chipset issues such as 8400m or 8600m that resulted in a lot of problems.

Beyond the canned air we proceed to replacing heat sink compound but most folk are best off taking it to the shop for that step.
Bob

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System
Mar 5, 2012 9:40AM PST

Toshiba-
Satellite A305
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T5800 @ 2.00GHz
32-bit Operating System

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I looked for the a305 and found 5 models.
Mar 5, 2012 10:29AM PST

There are likely many more. Also this machine looks to be over 4 maybe 5 years old so it's likely in need of repairs.
Bob