Laptop problem: Toshiba Satellite M35X-S149 has no video. The customer complained that the laptop LCD video just disappeared without any reason. When he starts the laptop the screen lights but there in no data on it.
Laptop diagnostics: I started the laptop normally and LED showed normal activity. The hard drive started spinning. The LCD screen lighted but it was solid white color without any data on it.
Laptop repair process: when I get a laptop for repair with video problem, I always start with checking an external video. I connected the laptop to the external CRT monitor and started the laptop. The external video was fine and the laptop booted to Windows without any problem. Usually, if the external video is fine, the system board is good and the problem is in the LCD itself, in the video cable or in a bad connection between the LCD and the system board. On the next step, I removed the keyboard and reseated the display video cable on the system board, but it didn’t fix the problem. The laptop still booted without any data on the screen. Finally, I opened up the LCD display and found that the video cable connector on the back of the LCD screen was half way out. I reseated the connector and restarted the laptop. This time the laptop started normally and I got internal video. So, if your laptop starts with solid white screen without any data on it, try to reseat the video cable connector on the back of the LCD screen.
The following guides could be helpful for you:
Complete Toshiba Satellite M35X disassembly guide with instructions
Removing LCD, inverter board, video cable
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April 20th, 2006 at 11:06 pm
Barb,
You can backup all important data from the laptop and run a restore DVD. It will load the original factory software and take your laptop back to factory defaults. The hard drive will be reformatted and any data will be erased, so do not forget to backup your stuff. That is the first thing we recommend to our customers when they complain about slow laptop. If restoring OS doesn’t help to speed up the laptop, the next step would be to test the hard drive. By default this laptop is pretty fast and it shouldn’t take a lot of time to start applications.
April 20th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
Just wanted to tell you that overall, I did have success with my husband’s laptop. The screen settings appear to have changed a bit, though, and I can’t seem to restore them to what they had been, but no one’s complaining! One more question, though, if you don’t mind. Is the Satellite M35X-S149 inherently slow? It seems to take forever to load things. Is there anything I might be able to do to speed it up? (The hard drive is roughly 83% free, so I don’t think having a lot of stuff on it is the problem–unless my daugter’s i-tunes count.)
Thanks again.
Barb
April 11th, 2006 at 12:12 pm
Thank you. I’ll see what I can do.
April 5th, 2006 at 10:43 pm
Hi Ernie,
There is a know issue with improperly grounded top cover assembly for Toshiba Satellite M35X, A70 and A75 laptops. Your laptop will lock up, freeze up or reboot when you touch the speakers. You should be able to replace the top cover at no charge for you in any Toshiba service center.
Beside the top cover assembly it could be anything: failing hard drive, corrupted software, bad memory modules, overheating. It’s hard to troubleshoot without the laptop.
I would try to backup all important data (if you can the laptop running long enough) and after that reload the original factory software from a restore DVD provided by Toshiba. I guess that’s the only thing you can do without replacing the hardware.
April 5th, 2006 at 10:26 pm
Hey Barb,
Here is Toshiba Satellite M35X laptop disassembly guide. You can see the video cable connected to the system board on the step 7, close to the right hinge. Disconnect the cable and connect it back.
The second step is reseating the video cable on the back of the LCD screen. Here is Toshiba Satellite M35X display disassembly guide. On the step 7 you can see the video cable connected to the LCD screen. Remove the connector and put it back.
If reseating the cable doesn’t help, I would try to replace the video cable next.
There are 2 video cables listed for Toshiba Satellite M35X-S149 for WXGA and WXGAHCSV dispalys. Toshiba part number for the first one is: K000015960, the second one: K000034510. The second cable appears to be backward compatible with the first one. And one video cable for XGA display: K000015950.Find it on ebay on via google.
It is also possible that the LCD screen or the system board is causing the problem, but they are much more expensive then the LCD screen video cable.
NOTE: do it on your own risk, if you are not comfortable with computers do not open the laptop.
April 5th, 2006 at 7:45 pm
Hello, my son’s satellite M35X-S149 will freeze/lockup after about 2 -5 minutes after bootup of the laptop. Pressing the Ctrl/Alt/Del does nothing and the only way to get out of it is to turn off the device by pressing the on/off switch. Thank you for your help in advance.
Ernie
April 5th, 2006 at 10:37 am
Thank you for answering. The next question, then, is how do I reseat the video cable?
April 1st, 2006 at 9:21 pm
Barb,
If the external video is fine I would eliminate the system board as a problem. If I would have to repair your laptop I would try next:
- Reseat the video cable on the system board and on the back of the LCD screen. Last week I fixed two laptops with problem like yours just by reseating the cable.
- Replace the video cable, if reseating doesn’t help.
- Replace the LCD screen.
There is a possibility that the video connector on the system board is bad. It’s very rare but still possible. In this case you have to replace the system board.
April 1st, 2006 at 1:52 pm
I read what you wrote about the Satellite M35X-S149 with the white screen. My problem is that when the laptop is started, you can tell that the screen is on, but there’s no image on it. (Pressing on the little tab that turns off the backlight when the cover is closed makes the screen go black.) I hooked up the laptop to an external monitor, and it is workng fine. Any other ides? Thanks.
P.S. Will you email me your answer, or will I have to find this site again? (I found this site by chance.)
March 21st, 2006 at 10:12 am
Hi Hector,
I would try to test or replace the memory module. Toshiba Satellite M35X laptop gives you an easy access to the memory modules on the bottom. Try to find a test memory module or find a way test your memory . If you have 2 memory sticks installed, try to remove them one by one and see if you can get a video.