How to take apart and repair Toshiba laptops yourself

The following laptop step-by-step disassembly manuals I have created myself. You can use them if you have a Toshiba laptop and want to repair or upgrade it yourself. You shouldn’t disassemble your laptop if you have no experience with computers because you can easily damage it. Also, you shouldn’t open it if the laptop is still under warranty. I’m still developing new laptop teardown guides and my goal is to add new guides every week. If you do not see a manual for your model, most likely I will add it later. Stay tuned.

Toshiba Satellite disassembly guides and manuals:

Toshiba Tecra series disassembly guides and manuals:

Toshiba Portege series disassembly guides and manuals:

Toshiba Qosmio disassembly guides:

I’m still working on creating new disassembly guides. For more information please visit my Toshiba laptop disassembly site.

 

Entry Filed under: Laptop Service Manual

291 Responses to “How to take apart and repair Toshiba laptops yourself”

  1. 1
    Billy Kelly Says:
    February 10th, 2006 at 5:05 pm

    How about a Satellite 1905-301. Is there one in your list that is very similar to this one.

  2. 2
    cj2600 Says:
    February 10th, 2006 at 5:58 pm

    I do not remember 1905 model off the top of my head. Check out Toshiba Satellite 5105, isn’t it similar?

  3. 3
    1805 User Says:
    February 16th, 2006 at 6:31 pm

    Fantastic Toshiba User Guides…thanks!!

    Looks like I finally solved my Toshiba Satellite 1805-s274 CPU overheating problem. I opened up the machine using your instructions and cleaned off the heatsink and CPU fan. I expected to see dust bunnies in the case but it was actually very clean in there. I think the thermal transfer compound must have broken down over time causing the shutdowns. I cleaned off the old thermal grease with isopropyl alcohol and reapplied with no more thermal shutdowns for now.

    Question…on my Satellite 1805…what is the screw type on the wireless card door? It looks like a tamper-proof Torx. I have tried a few different drivers and still can’t get it out and don’t want to chew up the screws. When I open it, will there be an antenna cable since this model didn’t come with a wireless card?

    Thanks.

    P.S. It would be helpful to make a list of the Toshiba screw symbols with their screw sizes since all screws are marked on the case.

  4. 4
    cj2600 Says:
    February 16th, 2006 at 10:00 pm

    Some Toshiba laptops come prepared for wireless networking with wireless antennas already installed. I guess you can check it if you remove the keyboard securing strip and the keyboard. I would remove the wireless card cover first, but you mentioned that you cannot remove the screws. Wireless antennas are located under the LCD screen and wires go to the wireless card connector through the laptop hinges. Under the keyboard you should see white and brown wires coming from the screen. These two wires are wireless card antennas. If you do not see these wires, most likely they are not installed on your laptop.
    The wireless card cover is secured by two M2×4 special Torx screws. You can remove them if you use a special Wi-Fi Torx screwdriver (with a hole drilled in the middle). You can also try to remove them with a small flat-head screwdriver or with pliers.

  5. 5
    Keith Thompson Says:
    February 23rd, 2006 at 6:45 pm

    Is there an easy way to tighten the hinge movement on a Toshiba 1415. Mine has become loose enough that when partially closed, it will continue down to about 2 inches open.

    Thanks

  6. 6
    cj2600 Says:
    February 23rd, 2006 at 8:20 pm

    To replace or tighten the hinge you have to disassemble the laptop. I think one of the hinges in your laptop is broken.

  7. 7
    Erik Says:
    March 1st, 2006 at 1:08 pm

    Hi,

    I was just wondering now that my waranty has run out, if it is possible to put a better processor into my Toshiba A-60 (2.8 Celeron D). Also I was wondering if there was any way of upgrading the ATI 9100 chip to something better?

    Thanks in advance.

  8. 8
    cj2600 Says:
    March 1st, 2006 at 7:39 pm

    Hi Erik,
    You definitely cannot upgrade the video chip because it is integrated into the system board.
    Also there is no official information about upgrading the CPU. Toshiba has 10 different system boards and 11 different CPUs listed for Toshiba Satellite A60 laptop. The following CPUs are listed: Celeron 2.70GHz - 2.93GHz and Pentium 3.06GHz – 3.33GHz. I guess it would be possible to upgrade to Celeron 2.93GHz, but do you really want to spend extra money to gain 103MHz? There is a possibility that BIOS will not recognize new CPU correctly and you can face a heat dissipation problem. If it would be possible to use many different CPUs with the same system board, Toshiba wouldn’t spend tons of money on creating a different system board for each model. All listed system boards are not interchangeable and can be used only in the model they were designed for. I have never done this kind of upgrade myself.

  9. 9
    Laptop Repair Guy » Laptop repair service manuals for old Toshiba laptops. Says:
    March 5th, 2006 at 10:01 am

    […] Toshiba Laptop repair service manuals for old models […]

  10. 10
    Steve Says:
    March 5th, 2006 at 5:36 pm

    I am trying to find out how to get 1gig of Ram memory into a Toshiba 1905-S301 it came with 256 in side it some were, and a few years ago I added 256 into the single expantion slot under the bottom cover. Do you know how to change the internal slot to 512? do I need to split the case to get to the internal ram?

  11. 11
    cj2600 Says:
    March 5th, 2006 at 6:27 pm

    Toshiba Satellite 1905-S301 has 2 memory slots. One memory slot you can access if you remove a memory cover on the bottom of your laptop. The second memory stick is located under the top cover. To access the second memory slot you have to split the case and remove the entire top cover assembly.

  12. 12
    john Says:
    March 6th, 2006 at 1:28 pm

    i have a p30 sattelite and the securing strip that holds the key board in has a screw in that is not accessable.the screw is under the screen .I I need to repair the dc power jack and was hoping i could do it from the top through that without ripping the whole coputer apart.

  13. 13
    Paul Says:
    March 10th, 2006 at 1:20 am

    I think that you have a great site and I like it alot. I have a Toshiba sattelite 1135-s155 that needs a new system board and wondered if you had a repair guide or any information on that particular laptop or if you had amodel similar

  14. 14
    Tiger Says:
    March 13th, 2006 at 12:05 pm

    I have a Toshiba Satellite P35-S629. The screen has gone dim…almost blank. I have found several sites that address this issue by saying to reseat the inverter.

    I found a site that shows me what the inverter looks like. What I cannot find is WHERE the inverter in this model is located.

    I have taken the thing apart several times, including the display section once…I still haven’t got a clue where the inverter is.

    Can anyone provide a photograph or at least some information on where to find the inverter in this model? I was told up near the top of the keyboard, where it hinges the display on, but there is only one board inside the bottom…the main board.

    Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

  15. 15
    cj2600 Says:
    March 13th, 2006 at 12:12 pm

    Hey Tiger,
    This link will take you to Toshiba Satellite P25 display disassembly. http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/ToshibaP25/satP25_LCD.htm
    Check out the Step 8. It pictures the FL inverter board.

  16. 16
    Tiger Says:
    March 14th, 2006 at 8:36 am

    Ah, wonderful. Thanks CJ!

    I will give this a try tonight. :-)

  17. 17
    Pavel Leonov Says:
    March 20th, 2006 at 2:40 pm

    Hi, I have dismantled my A15-s128’s display panle. I keep all screws and part. I need to assemble it now. Unfortunatelly I do not keep the algorythm. Could you please help me?

  18. 18
    sqara Says:
    March 23rd, 2006 at 9:04 am

    I need to remove the CDROM from my A50 Satellite notebook.
    Why isn’t the tutorial in your range?
    I am skeptical of my laptop, does it actually exist??

  19. 19
    cj2600 Says:
    March 23rd, 2006 at 9:26 am

    Hi there,
    The tutorial for Satellite A50 is not in my range because I haven’t worked on this particular model yet and it is not a very common model. I create new guides when I get new laptops for repair.
    It shouldn’t be very difficult to remove the CD-ROM drive from Satellite A50. You have to remove one screw on the bottom of the laptop. The screw is located close to the edge, between the Toshiba label and the CD-ROM drive. Try to slide the drive from the laptop. If you still cannot remove it, there would be one or two more screws under the keyboard. I do not remember if the CD-ROM drive is secured by a screw under the keyboard. You can use tutorial for Toshiba Satellite A55 keyboard removal to get under the keyboard if needed.

  20. 20
    cj2600 Says:
    March 23rd, 2006 at 9:36 am

    A short update on Toshiba Satellite A55. I just had to replace the keyboard and checked how the DVD drive is connected. You have to remove one screw on the bottom of the laptop and one screw under the keyboard. I guess you have to do the same for Satellite A50.

  21. 21
    Steve Says:
    March 27th, 2006 at 12:50 pm

    I have a replacement jack for my Satellite A65. I’m just wondering if it’s worth the trouble to replace the poorly designed original jack, or if it might be better to replace it with a surfact-mounted jack that wouldn’t be so succeptible to leverage when the computer is moved around or used in bed. Do you know of anyone who had actually relocate the jack to a place away from the motherboard?

  22. 22
    cj2600 Says:
    March 27th, 2006 at 1:06 pm

    Hey Steve,
    If you want to relocate the jack you still have to open the laptop case and go inside. I think if you solder it properly, it will last for a long time hopefully. :) Unfortunately, I do not know anyone who relocated the DC jack, you’ll be first.

  23. 23
    Dean Says:
    April 1st, 2006 at 2:21 am

    I have a tecra 9100 and the wifi doesnt work it says…Wireless communication is disabled. Please turn on the Wireless Communication Switch… The switch is on and i do not no wat is wrong please help me …. dean.zouroudis@gmail.com

  24. 24
    cj2600 Says:
    April 1st, 2006 at 8:55 pm

    Hi Dean,
    Are you sure that the wireless card is installed in your laptop? When you turn on the switch does the Wi-FI LED lights? May be your wireless connection is just disabled. You can check it if you open the network connection properties. Go to Start-Control Panel-Network Connections. See if the wireless network connection icon is grayed out. Right click on it and enable.
    Check is the device manager if you can see the wireless network adapter. If you see a yellow exclamation mark close to it, try to reload the wireless card driver.

  25. 25
    Dean Says:
    April 1st, 2006 at 9:13 pm

    it is enabled but it doesnt work it has a X on the icon and i checked it says its working properly so i dont know… bluetooth doesnt work either so ye..

  26. 26
    Dean Says:
    April 1st, 2006 at 9:27 pm

    is it that the switch maybe is not connected to the device or something like that

  27. 27
    Dean Says:
    April 1st, 2006 at 11:19 pm

    oo and the LED light does not turn on when the switch is on

  28. 28
    cj2600 Says:
    April 1st, 2006 at 11:50 pm

    It looks like the wireless card is installed and detected (X on the icon), but doesn’t work properly. If the LED light doesn’t turn on it indicates a hardware problem. It is possible that the wireless card is bad. It is also possible that the I/O board is bad. Is it possible that the wireless card antennas are not connected to the card? Try to reseat the card.

  29. 29
    Dean Says:
    April 2nd, 2006 at 12:59 am

    How do i reset the card???
    Do u need to remove the dvd rom. And will that fix the switch problem?

  30. 30
    cj2600 Says:
    April 2nd, 2006 at 9:31 am

    Toshiba Tecra 9100 disassembly guide. Steps 1-9. It is not necessary to remove the memory modules.

  31. 31
    praveen Says:
    April 3rd, 2006 at 8:31 am

    Erik,
    I have a toshiba satellite A35. I cleaned its heat sink following your explanation in the disassembly manual. The problem I faced is that the CPU was stuck to the heatsink, and it came off when I was trying to remove the heat sink. I replaced the CPU back, but I think I messed its orientation or something, as I am unable to power on my laptop now. Did I completely screw up my laptop, or do you think there is a way out. Please help.

  32. 32
    cj2600 Says:
    April 3rd, 2006 at 9:48 pm

    Hey Praveen,
    When you remove the heatsink from Toshiba Satellite A30 / A35 laptop it usually comes out with the CPU on it. You have to carefully separate the CPU from the heatsink and clean it up from the old thermal grease (be careful not to bend CPU pins). Then you have to open the CPU lock (screw on the CPU socket), insert the CPU (do not use any pressure) into the socket and lock it. After the CPU is in place, you can apply new grease on it and install the heatsink.
    You can also read this thread; the guy explains how he fixed the same problem with his Toshiba Satellite A35 laptop.

  33. 33
    Kam Says:
    April 5th, 2006 at 10:07 am

    The left hinge of my M35 is popping up. The hinge cover is broken. And I think a small semi-circle piece attached to the case (right under the cable) is also broken. I am wondering if I can just replace the hinge cover, and everything will be good to go? Or is the hinge is broken too?

    Specifically, I can see that there is this round pin, attached to the top hinge, that fits into a hole on the bottom case. However when I open or close the lid, the pin will pop out from the hole. Will a new hinge cover able to hold it and everything back to normal?

    Thanks in advance.

  34. 34
    cj2600 Says:
    April 5th, 2006 at 10:57 pm

    Kam, I’m pretty sure that the hinge is broken itself and just replacing the plastic will not fix the problem. The hinges are pretty expensive. If you take the laptop to a Toshiba service center, they will ask about $90-$100 just for the hinge. Plus labor.

  35. 35
    Kam Says:
    April 6th, 2006 at 1:03 am

    cj,

    That’s what I am afraid of.

    From your “take apart” instructions, the hinges are both on the LCD side (top) and on the System unit side (bottom). When I buy a new hinge, does it come with both top and bottom pieces?

    Thanks for your help.

  36. 36
    cj2600 Says:
    April 6th, 2006 at 11:18 am

    Yes, it is one piece. To replace the hinge, you have to follow steps 1-16 to remove the top cover and display assemblies. After that you have to remove the screen and replace the hinge. It takes a lot of time. I think that replacing a broken hinge is the most time consuming repair.

  37. 37
    Matt Says:
    April 8th, 2006 at 11:09 pm

    I have an P30 and after removing the lcd there is a tamperproof (I believe) sticker on the one screw there (its visible on your disassembly page). Its still under warrenty but from my last experience they keep the laptop for over a week and I can’t lose it for that long. Is there some way to remove that screw/sticker without damaging it or voiding the warrenty? Maybe buying a new sticker or some special way of removing them?

    Thanks in advance

  38. 38
    cj2600 Says:
    April 9th, 2006 at 7:51 pm

    Hey Matt,
    First off all, I wouldn’t recommend to open the laptop case if it is still under warranty because it will void the warranty.
    I have never seen a tamperproof sticker on laptops sold in the USA. I saw it only one time when I disassembled Toshiba Portege A100 notebook . Toshiba Portege A100 is not sold in the USA.

  39. 39
    Tom Says:
    April 16th, 2006 at 6:42 am

    Ive been lookin for ages to find a place that can supply me with replacement hinges for my Toshiba Satellite 2450-201 and have finally done so.. but wasn’t overly confident in going about replacing the things due to the sheer quantity of tiny cables everywhere. I saw the tutorial for the Toshiba Satellite A20 and noticed the body is identical to the 2450!!! Awesome..

    Just need to know whether or not the hinges would be cross compatible if i were to get ones for the A20?. Both machines use the exact same body/casing so one presumes they would be the same

    Thanks

  40. 40
    cj2600 Says:
    April 16th, 2006 at 9:04 am

    Hi Tom,
    I checked the part listing for both models Toshiba Satellite 2450/2455 and Toshiba Satellite A20/A25. Here is what I found.
    The left hinge for both models has the same part number: P000368300
    The right hinge has different part number: P000368310 for Satellite 2450/2455 and P0000378510 for Satellite A20/A25. But on the diagram they look very similar. I tried to compare the pictures side by side and I didn’t notice any difference. You have very good chances that the right hinge is the same for both models. Not sure 100% though.

  41. 41
    Kam Says:
    April 16th, 2006 at 6:14 pm

    Hello cj,

    I want to thank you for making the disassemble instructions for the m35 very clear and esay to follow. And thank you for answering my question last week. I was able to follow the instructions (up to step 16) and then figure out a few more things on my own. And I did it. I replaced the broken hinge, and it is now good as new!

    Thank you.

    Kam

  42. 42
    Chris Says:
    April 18th, 2006 at 8:29 am

    I have a Toshiba 1805-s203. Recently the hard drive died so I bought a new one and installed it. Everything was fine for a couple of days until I suddenly had problems turning the laptop on. There seems to be no appaernt patern in this, sometimes it switches on and boots fine, other times the power light comes on but nothing boots, no hard drive light or anything else. I have since replaced the cmos battery and done a bois update but this seems to have had no efffect. Sometimes its fine, sometimes it just doesnt want to turn on. Any help would be great as this is really getting to me

  43. 43
    Shayn Says:
    April 18th, 2006 at 7:41 pm

    I have two bad hinges on a Satellite 1415. Does anyone know where I can purchase these parts for a fair price. Thank you for a great site and a great resource.

  44. 44
    cj2600 Says:
    April 18th, 2006 at 8:18 pm

    Hi Shayn,
    Laptop hinges are pretty expensive. You can try to find it on ebay or just google for the part number.
    Part number for Toshiba Satellite 1415 hinges.
    P000347850 right hinge
    P000347860 left hinge

    I just searched by the part number on Google and found one of the hinges for $79 here. I think that’s a pretty good price.

  45. 45
    Mike, Plymouth Says:
    April 24th, 2006 at 2:33 am

    Hi.
    First of all a big thumbs up on the site, excellent resource & extremely helpful.

    I have a problem with my Toshiba P30-141 laptop, when turning it on the fans all kick in, but nothing else happens. I have taken the laptop apart, and the problem appears to be with the 3.5v Power Rail. It only appears to be outputting approx 1 volt instead of the required 3.5 volts, and hence is not distributing enough power. Do you have a circuit diagram or schematic for the power rail so I am able to locate where the problem lies? Or do you have any idea what the problem might be? I am unsure where to go now I have located the problem!

    Many thanks in advance.

  46. 46
    cj2600 Says:
    April 24th, 2006 at 9:21 pm

    Hello Mike,
    Sorry I will not be able to help you. We do not work with system boards on a component lever. If we determine that the main board is bad we replace it and send it for repair to Toshiba.

  47. 47
    Francisco.plencovich Says:
    May 2nd, 2006 at 2:05 pm

    Hi there.
    Here’s my question.
    I have a satellite a60 and i want to change my hard drive ¿there’s any possibility to do that without making the complete disassembly, just taking the HDD out?

    thanks in advance..

  48. 48
    cj2600 Says:
    May 2nd, 2006 at 6:40 pm

    Francisco,
    It is not necessary to disassemble the laptop if you want to replace the hard drive. Here is Toshiba Satellite A60 disassembly guide. On the step 1 you remove the hard drive cover, on the step 2 you pull the hard drive out of the laptop.

  49. 49
    Paul Says:
    May 3rd, 2006 at 5:32 pm

    Hi.. just found your site while searching for help on my notebooks. I have two, and both seem to have the same problem, and unfortunately, my 2 models are not listed on your site.

    The first is an old Tecra 8100 and the second is a newer Satellite M30. Both units have play in the LCD covers.. The Tecra 8100 is really bad - the cover flops around about 2 inches. Is there a way of tightening this up so it is not loose like this? Is this just an adjustment, or do I need to buy parts to replace?

    I have a similar problem with the M30, but the play is only about half an inch.. for now. I hope it will not get worse! But, again, I ask is there a simple procedure to tighten the cover or do I need replacement parts?

    Are these cover hinges similar on all models? if so, is there a link on your site to some detailed photos for me to work from?

    Many thanks!!

    pl

  50. 50
    Nida Says:
    May 3rd, 2006 at 8:07 pm

    The left cover of the hinge of my Sattalite P25 has popped up and the screen cannot close. I can get the replacement part from ebay, but is it difficult to replace myself?

    Thanks!

  51. 51
    cj2600 Says:
    May 3rd, 2006 at 11:02 pm

    Paul,
    Sometimes you can fix loose hinges by tightening screws, but most likely hinges are broken. To check the hinges, you have to remove the keyboard securing strip- the part located above the keyboard.
    Here is a link for Toshiba Tecra 8000 FRU documentation.
    I do not have a guide for Satellite M30 but have for Toshiba Satellite M35. These models are identical, so use it. Hinges for all laptop are different and they are pretty expensive. Be ready to spent at least $70 for one hinge.

  52. 52
    cj2600 Says:
    May 3rd, 2006 at 11:08 pm

    Nida,
    Here are 2 guides:
    Toshiba Satellite P25 laptop disassembly
    And
    Toshiba Satellite P25 display disassembly .
    For some people it is very difficult, for some piece of cake. :)

  53. 53
    James Says:
    May 4th, 2006 at 5:21 am

    I have a Toshiba 1905-S301 Laptop. I have installed an Intel 2200BG wireless card. I have downloaded and installed the latest driver. It is shown in the device manager as working properly and the hardware switch is on. The LED for the wireless does not light up and the wireless card contiues to show that it is turned off. Any ideas of how to get the card to work or is this card incompatible. Toshiba says it is compatible. Thanks.

  54. 54
    Paul Says:
    May 4th, 2006 at 7:00 pm

    “Hinges for all laptop are different and they are pretty expensive. Be ready to spent at least $70 for one hinge.”

    Cough!! Cough!! Wow! $140 US for a pair of hinges.. that is more than the laptop is worth!! Surely, they can be repaired (welded, or whatever?) or acquired used?

    Thanks for the links - I will take a look, and “maybe” give it a shot.

    pl

  55. 55
    SAT A30 Says:
    May 5th, 2006 at 7:40 am

    My daughters A30 has a power socket problem, looks like it needs either replacing or resoldering. No problem with that, except not taken apart a Tosh before, and its not in your list. Is it the same as the A35. Quite prepared to write an article on it and supply piccies if I can get into it in the first place.
    Regards Cliff

  56. 56
    cj2600 Says:
    May 5th, 2006 at 10:40 pm

    Cliff,
    Toshiba Satellite A30 and A35 have identical base and would share the same disassembly stets. Unfortunately I have not created a complete disassembly guide for this model. The only guide I have will show you how to remove and clean the heatsink. It looks like the power jack is a part of the system board, so you will have to replace or re-solder the power jack. I can read through the other guides to get an idea how to take it apart. It might be a challenge if you’ve never done it before. :) Good luck.

  57. 57
    Roy Says:
    May 6th, 2006 at 6:37 pm

    I was wondering if someone could tell me how to go about fixing this: on my m200 laptop, the LEDs for the power/hard drive/battery/etc. all went out. Do I just have to replace a bulb, or is it more complicated than that?
    Please advise.

  58. 58
    cj2600 Says:
    May 6th, 2006 at 6:42 pm

    Hi Roy,
    First of all I would check the AC adapter. Does your laptop is still working of the battery or it is completely dead?

  59. 59
    Roy Says:
    May 7th, 2006 at 5:51 am

    The laptop works off both battery and A/C power. Everything works great, except for those LED indicators which are out.

  60. 60
    cj2600 Says:
    May 7th, 2006 at 9:59 pm

    Roy,
    On Toshiba Satellite M200 and M205 the LED indicators are located on a separate board. The LED board is connected to the system board through a flat cable. If the LED indicators do not work, there could be 3 problems: the LED board itself is bad, the flat cable is bad or the connection on either end of the cable is loose.
    Here is a Toshiba Satellite M205 disassembly guide. First, try to reseat the LED board cable on the system board. The cable is pictured on the step 8, on the top. To reseat the LED board cable you have to lift up the keyboard first, it’s not necessary to remove all screws on the bottom of the laptop. Follow steps 4-8. If it doesn’t help, the next step would be replacing the LED board with the cable. To access the LED board you have to take apart the laptop completely and remove the system board.

  61. 61
    Cliff Lindsay Says:
    May 9th, 2006 at 4:53 am

    Have just stripped down the Satellite A30 PSA30E-1896C-EN
    using the guides on the net which I have in PDF format.
    I have ordered the DC Power Jack from www.laptopjacks.com from your website (good contact) and have removed the DC power jack from the motherboard.
    This is not easy, and I am sure your members would benefit from my experience (ex electronics tech/radio ham) so the tips I have would be invaluable. Can write it up for you if you wish.
    If so where would you like me to send it to.
    Regards Cliff (UK)

  62. 62
    cj2600 Says:
    May 9th, 2006 at 7:55 am

    Hey Cliff,
    Thank you very much for your offer to write up your experience with replacing the DC jack. That’s would be GREAT! I will publish it as a standalone post, so more people can see and benefit from it.
    You can email me: cj2600ATgmail.com (replace AT with @). :)

  63. 63
    Samo Says:
    May 14th, 2006 at 2:22 pm

    Great site!!!
    I have a bit off-topic question. I’ve got a Satellite M60 and the keyboard is horrible, it eats letters as I type. I have to use an external USB keyboard to get by. I’ve had the keyboard replaced at our local Toshiba service (revision 01) but it didn’t help, at least not much (perhaps I’m spoilt by the keyboard of my old Satellite 3000). Any clues?

  64. 64
    jason Says:
    May 16th, 2006 at 1:21 am

    Hi there!

    I purchased a toshiba satelite 1900 about 4 years ago, the computer itself had been working fine until a few months ago when it, without any warning shut off!
    This has gradually gotten worse!
    I have looked through your site for help but have not seen the 1900 series listed, i have since found out that this series has been discontinued! I would be extremly grateful If u could provide a solution and if possible a step by step disassemling and cleaning guide for me as Toshiba when asked for help, only seem hell bent on collecting the computer for servicing for a large premium as my warranty has expired!

  65. 65
    cj2600 Says:
    May 16th, 2006 at 7:43 pm

    Jason,
    I haven’t seen Satellite 1900 for a while now. These days laptops are cheap and most people just buy a new laptop when the old one is broken. I haven’t created a disassembly guide for Satellite 1900 yet and I’ll do it as soon as I get if for repair. To get an access to the fan on this model you have to remove the top cover assembly. You can try to clean the heatsink with a can of compressed air. It’s not the best way but better then nothing.

  66. 66
    pyl85 Says:
    May 17th, 2006 at 1:33 pm

    Hi,
    I have a Toshiba Satellite 2455-S305, which is very similar to the A25/A20. I followed your excellent instructions and replaced my loose hinges. But now, the computer won’t turn on. I press the power button, the power light comes on, but no display, no beeps, and the hard drive doesn’t spin up. The laptop isn’t completely reassembled, but I thought I’d try it to make sure everything is okay before finishing up. For this particular laptop (or laptops in general) do you have to completely put it back together to get it to work? Are there sensors that prevent the computer from turning on (other than the lid sensor) if things aren’t quite the way they should be? Any help is appreciated

  67. 67
    cj2600 Says:
    May 17th, 2006 at 1:47 pm

    Pyl85,
    You do not have to completely assemble the laptop to make it work and there are no sensors. To boot the laptop you need the system board, the CPU(with the cooling module) and the memory module installed. After that you connect an external monitor and turn on the laptop. If everything is fine you should get a video output on the monitor. If you still have nothing, check if the memory is seated properly and most important check if the CPU is seated properly. Before you install the CPU in the socket on the motherboard, you have to unlock the socket. Usually there is a screw-lock on the side of the socket with marks Locked and Open. When you install the CPU do not push on it. There is only one way to put the CPU inside the socket, both are marked. After the CPU is in the socket, do not forget to lock it.
    I usually try to turn on the system after each part installed to see if I can get an external video. It takes more time to assemble the laptop, but helps you to avoid mistakes.

  68. 68
    jules Says:
    May 23rd, 2006 at 7:06 am

    I have a Toshiba 1905-S301 Laptop. I have installed an Intel 2200BG wireless card. I have downloaded and installed the latest driver. It is shown in the device manager as working properly and the hardware switch is on. The LED for the wireless does not light up and the wireless card contiues to show that it is turned off. Any ideas of how to get the card to work or is this card incompatible. Toshiba says it is compatible. Thanks.

  69. 69
    cj2600 Says:
    May 23rd, 2006 at 8:52 pm

    Hi Jules,
    I just checked a detailed accessories specification list for Toshiba Satellite 1905-S301 and I didn’t find any miniPCI wireless card listed (internal wireless card). The only wireless card listed is Orinoco wireless LAN PC card (external card). May be I’m wrong but that’s what I found.
    Anyways, it looks like you were able to install the card inside the laptop. What about wireless card antennas? There should be two thin cables (black and white) with small round connectors in the wireless card bay. These cables are necessary for the wireless card to operate properly. Did you find these cables, did you connect them to the wireless card?

  70. 70
    Alex Chambers Says:
    June 7th, 2006 at 5:29 pm

    I need information and pictures on disassembly of Toshiba
    Satellite 1135-S155.

  71. 71
    cj2600 Says:
    June 7th, 2006 at 11:10 pm

    Hey Alex,
    I haven’t created a guide for this model yet.

  72. 72
    Ryan Says:
    July 11th, 2006 at 3:34 pm

    Hey Gents,

    I’m reseating (perhaps replacing) the inverter on a Toshiba M30 in the office…any bits of advice I should know before I start peeling this thing open?

  73. 73
    cj2600 Says:
    July 11th, 2006 at 3:37 pm

    Do not hurry. :P Check out other disassembly guides to get an idea what to expect, they all kinda similar.

  74. 74
    Ben Says:
    July 14th, 2006 at 12:49 am

    Hey guys. The keyboard on my Satellite M60 will not work due to liquid inside the keyboard… Any ideas of how to fix this problem? Also, when I boot, it wont let me go past the BIOS, and it makes short continuous beeping sounds. What’s the problem and how must I go about fixing this?

  75. 75
    cj2600 Says:
    July 14th, 2006 at 8:04 am

    Hey Ben,
    Your laptop might have more problems then just a bad keyboard. Liquid spills are unpredictable and if the liquid went down to the system board, it’s possible that the system board is damaged too.
    I would definitely try to remove the keyboard from the laptop and start the laptop without the keyboard. If it boot fine, then a new keyboard might fix the problem.

  76. 76
    Ken Says:
    August 1st, 2006 at 6:56 am

    Any one know how to remove the CPU on a Satellite M30??
    Please!!

    Ken

  77. 77
    cj2600 Says:
    August 2nd, 2006 at 11:08 pm

    Ken,
    Is Toshiba Satellite M30 much different then Satellite M35? You’ll find instructions for Satellite M35 in the links above. The CPU is pictured on the step 28.

  78. 78
    Kenneth Wimer Says:
    August 10th, 2006 at 11:49 am

    My Toshiba Satalite P15-S479 operating system crashed, and I need to remove it from the computer to reformat.

    Problem, I can’t find the hard drive. Is it hidden under something, such as the CD drive?

    K. Wimer

  79. 79
    cj2600 Says:
    August 10th, 2006 at 11:57 am

    Yep, it’s under the optical drive. Remove one screw securing the DVD drive and slide it out. You’ll find the hard drive there.

  80. 80
    Kenneth Wimer Says:
    August 10th, 2006 at 12:20 pm

    Thanks for the input… I have opened the door to the DVD drive, turned the machine upside down, removed the battery, and I have taken out the screw that can be seen when the door is opened, but alas, nothing moves, and I hate forcing.

    Do I need to do something else.

    K. Wimer

  81. 81
    cj2600 Says:
    August 10th, 2006 at 12:33 pm

    You don’t have to open the DVD drive door and remove any screw inside. The screw that secures the drive could be accessed without opening the drive. It’s just above the optical drive assembly, close to the center. Remove this screw and slide the entire assembly out. I believe that under the drive you’ll find a metal plate and have to remove it too (4 screws) before you can access the hard drive.

  82. 82
    Kenneth Wimer Says:
    August 10th, 2006 at 1:09 pm

    Thanks…. Got it out .

    K. Wimer

  83. 83
    Sonny Chau Says:
    August 24th, 2006 at 9:18 am

    Hello cj2600,

    First of all, congratulation for your great job (I like your website, it’s
    really help)!
    I fixed a couple of problems of my Toshiba laptop Satellite A35-2009 for
    overhead problem.

    I just would like to change my hard drive but, I do not know where the hard
    drive located inside my Satellite A35-S2009.

    Is it under keyboard cover or under the laptop (Turn the unit upside down ).
    Please could you tell me where is the hard drive located for that model
    A35-S209!

    Thank in advance!

  84. 84
    cj2600 Says:
    August 24th, 2006 at 9:23 am

    Here’s my new guide: Toshiba Satellite P10 and P15. How to access and remove laptop hard drive.
    The hard drive in Satellite A35 is located in the same spot – under the DVD drive.

  85. 85
    iam Says:
    October 1st, 2006 at 11:02 pm

    Sorry for my english !!

    I have Toshiba Satelite M30 and i have no the CD driver, could u tell me where i can get it. so i can fix my laptop. i reinstall it but have no driver, thanks plese give me the best solution. and free download that the first i need now. thank u so much all who read this, bye…

  86. 86
    cj2600 Says:
    October 1st, 2006 at 11:17 pm

    Iam,
    Toshiba website doesn’t have drivers for CD drives. If your CD/DVD drive is in a good working condition, Windows should detect it and install a proper driver automatically. If you have a yellow exclamation mark in front of CD drive in the device manager, right click and uninstall the driver. After that reboot the laptop and see if your problem is fixed.
    If you cannot see your CD/DVD drive in My Computer, check out this post.

  87. 87
    Noah Says:
    October 29th, 2006 at 2:15 pm

    I have an LCD on my laptop that is too dark to see and is worthless. It would be to expensive to replace the LCD and i have another moniter for it, so i want to take the whole screen and frame (the whole thing that is on the hinges, i dont exactly know what to call it) to get it out of the way. How would i do this?

  88. 88
    joe callahan Says:
    October 30th, 2006 at 8:23 am

    i have an older toshiba laptop i am trying to referbish. i need a service repair manual for a T2000 series model PA8000U but cant seem to find one. can you help me.
    Thks joe callahan

  89. 89
    cj2600 Says:
    October 30th, 2006 at 9:19 pm

    Noah,
    When you have no backlight, it could be just a bad FL inverter board and it’s not necessary to replace the entire screen. Take a look at this post: troubleshooting laptop video problems.
    It’s possible to replace the entire display assembly but I cannot give you instructions because I don’t know the model of your laptop. If it’s Toshiba, you can find some help if you follow the links above. If it’s Dell, HP or IBM, you can find instructions on their websites.

  90. 90
    cj2600 Says:
    October 30th, 2006 at 9:42 pm

    Sorry Joe,
    T2000 is too old and I have no way to find a repair manual for this model.

  91. 91
    Progressive Systems Says:
    December 8th, 2006 at 12:57 pm

    I have a Laptop It has a pentium 3 but it came with XPhome.It has the same problem as described the screen has a Black faint image.The laptop is a Toshiba Satellite 5006-5604.
    The P/N:=P5500U-00Y0LX
    I can not find any disassembly instructions that refrence this model.
    Can you assist me?

  92. 92
    Don Lawson Says:
    December 12th, 2006 at 12:12 pm

    Thanks for the Toshiba M35x info. I just soldered a new power connector into one of these and your site was quite helpful, better than most service manuals I have seen.
    I would add that this model was very easy to disassemble and has about half the screws that other brands or models do.
    I thought I was the only one to use a guitar pick on a laptop!
    Thanks

  93. 93
    mike Says:
    December 18th, 2006 at 7:21 am

    Toshiba m45

    CRASH CRASH CRASH
    3 TIMES WITHIN 6 MONTHS SENT BACK TO TOSHIBA FOR REPAIRS, REQUESTED REPLACEMENT! SENDING IT BACK IN AGAIN. SAVE MONEY AND TIME, BUY ANOTHER BRAND.

  94. 94
    B Says:
    December 29th, 2006 at 10:15 am

    I have a toshiba satellite 2450 and the screen is quite faint. Very actually. I have replaced the FL inverter no problem with a brand new one, however the problem still persists. I believe that it is just the backlight gone dim.

    Do you have any instructions on replacing the backlight on a 2450?

  95. 95
    milingo Says:
    January 1st, 2007 at 3:37 pm

    replacing the backlight on a 2450, download this file http://www.sharebigfile.com/file/48988/lamp.doc.html

  96. 96
    Stephanie Says:
    January 1st, 2007 at 8:12 pm

    I have a Toshiba Satellite A45-S120 with completely broken hinges on both sides. It used to be my mother’s but she upgraded after my daughter sat on it and broke the hinges. Any ideas on where I can find a pair of hinges SUPER cheap? I am out of work for medical reasons which makes the laptop very handy but the $70-$150 per hinge price tag is crazy for an old laptop. My mom only paid $500 for her brand new one. Which I guess having neither $500 or $140 makes the point moot huh? Anyway, any ideas of where to look for them?

  97. 97
    Stephanie Says:
    January 2nd, 2007 at 5:52 pm

    Also, I am coming up with 4 part numbers but no reference to top and bottom parts. The part that is really broken is attached to the bottom hinge on both sides. I have a Satellite A45-S120 PSA40U-06FV3V. I even managed to find the 4 parts for $50 US each on a Canadian site but I do not see a “C” or “S” inside my battery compartment.

  98. 98
    cj2600 Says:
    January 3rd, 2007 at 7:52 pm

    Stephanie,
    That’s a really good price for hinges. If you cannot find “C” or “S” in the battery compartment, search for this letter on the bottom of the laptop. I noticed that the letter is not always located in the battery bay. It’s not on a sticker, the letter is located on the plastic case itself.

  99. 99
    John Says:
    January 5th, 2007 at 7:22 am

    CJ: I have a Satellite 1805-S253… the accuPOINT is no longer accuRATE (the pointer floats at will !!) Is it possible to replace the button assembly with a touchpad assembly from a “newer” model of an 1805? THANKS !!

    MY 1805
    NEWER 1805

  100. 100
    Larry Says:
    January 9th, 2007 at 10:28 am

    Looking for dissembly instructions for Toshiba 2100CDT

  101. 101
    cj2600 Says:
    January 14th, 2007 at 3:07 pm

    John,

    I have a Satellite 1805-S253… the accuPOINT is no longer accuRATE (the pointer floats at will !!) Is it possible to replace the button assembly with a touchpad assembly from a “newer” model of an 1805? THANKS !!

    It’s not possible. The only option you have is replacing the keyboard.

  102. 102
    cj2600 Says:
    January 14th, 2007 at 7:27 pm

    Larry,

    Looking for disassembly instructions for Toshiba 2100CDT

    Check out chapter 4-1 here, it might help you to disassemble the laptop.

  103. 103
    Todd Says:
    January 26th, 2007 at 3:11 pm

    my wife unpluged my laptop (2435) from the back and when I plug it back in it just ticks and the front led light just blink. any answers?

  104. 104
    Mark Says:
    January 31st, 2007 at 11:05 am

    hi! i have a satellite p100 and i want to replace the keyboard; now, i have the keyboard ordered it from toshiba, is there anyone of these manuals that will help me? i don’t see a p100 up there.. THANKS.

  105. 105
    michael p Says:
    February 1st, 2007 at 5:26 am

    my Toshiba satelite 3000 series model 301’s AC adapter cable had a cut on the edge very close to the adapter that casue the supply to be disrupted. can someone enlighten me on how to repair this or replace the cable DIY. thank you

  106. 106
    Gail Says:
    February 1st, 2007 at 10:51 am

    Greetings,

    Wow! Great resource here, thank you so much for the good job of getting this info out.

    Now for my question . . . . I have a Toshiba Satellite L15-S104 that won’t boot up after it was dropped from a height of about 2 feet (of off a bed) onto a carpeted floor. No display, not even external video. Sounds like it’s booting up though.

    I would love to disassemble this laptop to see what’s up and if there’s anything I can repair or replace but I can’t find a service manual anywhere online (so far).

    Is anything listed here close enough to a L15 that I can use?

    Thanks for any and all replies and assistance!

    Peace,
    Gail

  107. 107
    Gideon Says:
    February 2nd, 2007 at 9:32 am

    Hi Gail, the first thing I would do would be to check the HD. I bought a case/usb connection on ebay for $12.00 then you can plug it in to any usb supporting computer and check the HD functions and retrieve any important data. It’s a really simple process but very reassuring!
    Then I’d take out the RAM and put it back in and then move on to the screen….

  108. 108
    Gail Says:
    February 2nd, 2007 at 10:02 am

    Hi Gideon,

    I did all of those things, I have an external USB HD case and the data was fine on it and there’s no apparent damage to the disc. I also did the same with the RAM, removed it and used a memory utility to check it for errors/damage and they passed with flying colors.

    The thing is I can hear it, it sounds like it’s booting up but no image on the monitor. Also, as I said, the external video doesn’t work either so it leads me to suspect that either the graphics card knocked loose (assuming that it’s not onboard) or it’s damaged and hopefully can be replaced. I can’t tell unless I can get inside the case and see what’s going on.

    I did find a list of “generic steps can help you to dismantle your laptop” at the bottom of this page: http://irisvista.com/tech/. I’ll try it today and see if it’s enough to assist the process.

    Thanks for the reply!

    Peace,
    Gail

  109. 109
    bed Says:
    February 4th, 2007 at 10:55 am

    I have a Portege 2000 where is the fan defect.
    Which Portege description comes near to this?
    I can’t remove the bac, ther are too many little clambs and things like that.
    Maybe I should try from the upper side by removing the keyboard?

  110. 110
    cj2600 Says:
    February 5th, 2007 at 12:06 am

    Mark,
    I haven’t created a guide for taking apart Satellite P100 yet, I just took some pictures last week. Replacing the keyboard on Satellite P100 will not be much different then replacing the keyboard on Satellite M105, just follow steps 9-12.
    Some differences:
    - on your notebook the keyboard is secured by six screws
    - the keyboard cable connector on the motherboard is a little bit different

  111. 111
    cj2600 Says:
    February 5th, 2007 at 11:47 pm

    bed,
    Toshiba Portege 2000 is a little bit different then other models, because in this model you actually have to remove the notebook base in order to access the motherboard. On other models you have to remove the top cover. Here’s some disassembly tips for you:
    - Remove all screws from the bottom, remove all devices (battery, hdd, memory)
    - Turn over the notebook. Remove the keyboard strip and then remove the keyboard
    -Disconnect all cables you can find under the keyboard. Remove 4 or 5 silver screws under the keyboard
    -Turn the laptop upside down again and carefully lift up the bottom cover
    Now you have access to the motherboard. Not sure if you can find a spare fan for this model, it comes with the motherboard.

  112. 112
    bed Says:
    February 6th, 2007 at 2:18 am

    Whow, your answer is more than I even had hope !:)
    Luckily I managed the fan to work again without disassembling the whole thing. So I have time to search for a new one and do the job then.
    Thank you very much for your answer!

  113. 113
    Chantae Says:
    March 1st, 2007 at 3:38 am

    Toshiba Tecra. Why is there no guide for dissasembling a Toshiba A4? There is A3 and A5, but no A4.

    Thanks!
    Chantae

  114. 114
    cj2600 Says:
    March 3rd, 2007 at 11:22 am

    Chantae,

    Toshiba Tecra. Why is there no guide for disassembling a Toshiba A4? There is A3 and A5, but no A4.

    They do not break! :P Just kidding. For some reason I haven’t seen any Tecra A4 yet. I’ll create a guide for Tecra A4 as soon as I get it for repair.

  115. 115
    bahadir Says:
    March 9th, 2007 at 10:31 am

    :( need toshiba tecra a4 disassambling no a4

  116. 116
    Triple Says:
    March 10th, 2007 at 11:16 pm

    I’m repairing an M35-S456 motherboard for a friend of mine (the graphics chip is fried - major vertical lines & garbage thru both lcd & external monitor)… and the price of the specific motherboard is insane.
    Is it possible to replace the M35-S456 (P000406480) motherboard with another M35 motherboard which isn’t listed as “compatible” for the same series? The other board i’m looking at is specifically the P000386640 (for M35-S320.M35-S359,etc).
    Please let me know if you think this would work in place of it.

    Thanks

  117. 117
    Gary Marshall Says:
    March 15th, 2007 at 6:11 am

    I did not see where I can remove and install a motherboard for a toshiba. Is this somewhere on your site?

    Thanks,
    Gary

  118. 118
    Michiel Says:
    March 20th, 2007 at 10:11 am

    Hi, thanks very much for the disassembling instructions for the a60.
    exactly how it was, exactly what I had to do. Brilliant.
    INSIDE the fan-heatsink I found a thick layer of dust and hair
    and now I hardly can hear my laptop anymore. What a relief.
    Thanks very much.

  119. 119
    Gitte Says:
    March 24th, 2007 at 4:18 pm

    I want to upgrade my Satellite 1800 from 800MHz to 1,1GHz but I guess I then need another DC-brushless for cooling. Do you know which is compatible and fits within the mainboard?
    Thanks for your advice.

  120. 120
    Dave Says:
    March 25th, 2007 at 5:55 am

    I have a Toshiba P15-S479 and I need to replace the DC connector at the rear of the laptop. As I move the adapter plug as it enters the laptop, the charge light goes in and out. I got 3/4 of the laptop disassembled but can’t find how to access the system board connector.

  121. 121
    Gitte Says:
    March 25th, 2007 at 10:07 pm

    Don’t bother, I found the compatible fan for the new cpu :-)

  122. 122
    Jatin Says:
    April 5th, 2007 at 6:57 pm

    Hi There,
    I want a free manual on how to use my old laptop which is Toshiba Satellite Pro 360 CDT. can you please help me. I want an online free manual. Cheers
    Jatin

  123. 123
    Nikki Says:
    April 6th, 2007 at 6:35 pm

    Just wondering if you had a manual for the Toshiba Satellite M40X-RH4 model.

  124. 124
    cj2600 Says:
    April 6th, 2007 at 6:50 pm

    Nikki,
    Isn’t Satellite M40X is similar to Satellite M35X? I have instructions for Satellite M35X, check it out.

  125. 125
    Vinodh Says: