About 3 weeks ago I received a comment from a user who described his experience with Toshiba Satellite M35X. Today I got one more for Toshiba Satellite A75. Even though these are completely different models, they have very similar problems: laptop heatsink gets clogged and the laptop overheats, improperly grounded top cover causes the laptop to freeze up and reboot, badly designed DC jack causes the power failure. May be your experience is more positive?
I got the laptop as a Xmas present from my boyfriend in Dec 2004. Shortly after I got it, I got the blue screen of death. Then it began freezing up on me. Toshiba told me this was a problem with a grounding wire in the motherboard. I took it to a service center and they fixed the problem. Within about another 2 months, it started doing hard shut-downs when any load was present – was unable to burn DVDs, view DVDs, play music or even view basic graphics on the internet, as well as shutting down during use of Windows Media Player. The fan was loud! Then, the AC adapter problem. To this day, I have no green light showing at all on the front of my computer. It was fine at first, then started flickering (when I pressed down on silver plate that was replaced at the service center due to the grounding wire problem), the green light would come back on for a short time and then disappear again.
The laptop is getting power while plugged into the wall and the battery is recharging…..but, what’s up with the green light disappearing?
I have a cooling pad underneath my Toshiba that has an external power source – overheating is NOT the problem with this computer. From what I can surmise, the issue is in the CPU. The motherboard probably needs to be replaced and God only knows what’s causing the problem with the LED indicator.
At this point, my computer is now out of warranty, however, because I brought these problems to their attention during the warranty period, they have essentially issued a blank check for me to have “any hardware problems fixed” as an exception to the warranty. They were too quick to authorize this, so my feeling is that these problems are systemic with this model and Toshiba is well aware of them, though why they have never issued a recall is beyond me and does not bode well for Toshiba’s PR department.
It is going in for repairs tomorrow (had to back everything up in case the motherboard has to be replaced) and I will advise what the findings are when I get it back – estimated time for repairs is 2 weeks.
If this computer were not being fixed on Toshiba’s dime, I wouldn’t bother paying to have it fixed – I’d just buy another laptop. I am very upset that I’m unable to use this laptop for any of the features they advertise. I also strongly suspect that Toshiba knew of these problems beforehand and sold the things anyway, looking for Xmas windfall revenue – this computer was introduced in Dec. 2004, if memory serves correctly.
What a sad indictment of corporate greed – this laptop was $1,500 – we’re not talking about a pack of gum, here.
Is your experience with this model any different?
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September 4th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
hay when i turn on my computer its all black the only thing there is asking for some password.if its asking for the password i dont now it i forgot it.
July 22nd, 2009 at 10:24 pm
That letter is rather hilarious. “overheating is NOT the problem with this computer.” Oh yeah? Wanna bet? cause you loose. See, there is a thermal diode built into the core of your processor. It, as its name would suggest, is to monitor the temperature of whatever its mounted on, in this case, the CPU core. When the thermal diode detects enough heat, it tells the CPU to turn the fans on to compensate for the heat being produced. When the core gets hot enough, it usually triggers a thermal shutdown, which halts all execution in the core, and shuts down the processor. That’s what causes the random shutdowns. the core of the CPU is overheating, and shutting its self down so it doesn’t scald people, or blow the core to kingdom come. If you want to see what would happen if your processor didn’t shut down when it got too hot, Google exploding Pentium 4. That’s also why they come with heat syncs and fans and thermal paste on the CPU core.
July 5th, 2009 at 11:47 am
my toshiba satellite was so annoying. the noise it made from the fan was so loud that if i was on the phone and in the same room with the laptop people would ask what that strange noise was. It kind of sounded like i was in an airplan and the jet engines were roaring at full speed. It was always so slow to start up, my programs were slow, it would randomly turn off, it would lock up or freeze ALL THE TIME, now i turn it on and it shuts down after 5 seconds, i can’t even keep it on long enough to start windows. it’s going to the computer recycling plant next week, completely unsellable. OH, AND I BOUGHT AN IMAC last year and it’s PERFECT!!! Going laptop shopping today and i definitely won’t be getting a toshiba.
May 26th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I have a Satellite A70. It will not turn off, instead it restarts?? What could be the problem??
April 21st, 2009 at 6:36 am
Can I say something? Here’s the thing- My Toshiba A75 yes I said it! has a Pen IV and 3.2 Ghz! I had a Sony Viao- also a Pen 4, well 2 of them, 1 stolen from me, and then a cheap version. I have used dell,s Hp’s and the compaq (which is what I’m using while I repair or should I say re-build? my toshiba. Other than The Acer- yea an Acer, This 2004 old beat up (was refurbished all ready when I got it) laptop works very hard for me and until I read all the comments, thought it was a good little trooper! I believe 2 things- the keyboard and the speed are what make using one fun! (then the graphic’s) Keyboard being 1st because your fingers, wrist, & elbows notice, and if it takes more than 30 seconds to change pages- then I’m off to another thin-g- I told myself I would save the toshiba no matter what! Here is the run down- I have changed the DC/AC 3 times- it shuts its self off whenever it wants to, it has 2 white dots on the center of the sceen,but I hide them with one of the Icons, ok maybe 3. And because those little screws get striped I have had to dill 3 out! (I have had the thing apart so many times I can put it back together in my sleep- Oh and the part on the motherboad that the DVD slips into- slipped off! But I got a brand new battey when toshiba did the recall only my Toshiba won’t charge it.(well it really tells me its not even there) It’s got the blue cover! but has 4 or 5 dents. So with my thoughts said- I can’t save it can I? It’s sitting under the stool my cat uses to go out the window, and many a day I have sent group text’s, saying I threw it out the window again. So tell me this- and quick please because I am looking at getting her a new motherboard! but can’t find a hannStar J MV-49u – Where or what MB can I put the pen 4 in, and have it fit in what ? L30-134 case? or not? 3.2 ghz is the only thing I know- Oh and did I mention I’m broke now too? Can’t live with them can’t live without- Ms Donna
March 20th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
i have a Toshiba a75. It turns on but when the operating system start i showed me blue screen and then right after blue screen i t shut down.
i tried to troubleshot with every thing that i can. i test the hard drive, cd rom, rams, wireless card, screen… every thing seems to be fine but i don’t really know what the problem is…
if any one helps …. i really appreciate that…
thanks,
Saad
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:43 pm
I have a A75-S226 laptop. Can someone tell me how to change the video ram from 64mb to 128mb and vice versa. I’ve tried looking at the bios but couldn’t find anything.
February 18th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
I’ve had an A75 for 5 years now and it has caused me enough heartache to fill this web page. Overheating is the worst, I have to prop the piece of crap up to allow air to circulate underneath the machine, which only works half the time. There is no more embarrassing feeling than explaining the prop trick to a customer only to have the machine overheat and shot down in the middle of a presentation.
To top it off my ac jack has come loose. Now the damn thing won’t even start. At least the overheating gave me a window of opportunity to get some work done.
So I cracked the case to fix the jack, but soon lost ambition. What will all of my effort be for? The computer is torn apart but as useful as it was put together.
Thanks for the thread. It has helped me cope.
December 26th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Regarding: My toshiba M70 laptop, and the woman who complains about the Toshiba A75 Laptop.
My Toshiba, laptop screen broke the second month, I bought it after dropping only one foot from my bed. It only slipped down the soft blanket, but easily broke. In contrast, my MacBook Pro servived, a horrendous, drop in a motorcycle crash.
I found the form and function of my laptop very good, compared to my expensive Apple Macbook pro which cost 3 times as much as my $1,000 Toshiba. My Apple Macbook Pro has 2 big advantages over the Toshiba M70. One, is the software, is Unix and thus difficult to virus, by the British military in Canada. Two, the display is not easy to break.
I found the Toshiba telephone service very helpfull when I want to reinstall the operating system on my notebook which was frequently virus while on the internet. I want to replace this disk which was stolen in Thailand by a Thai terrorist, who stole most of my Mac, and Toshiba disks. I hope that Toshiba, will sell my a new disk so I can clean out the virus on my computer which has disabled the USB ports, and display drivers.
My only complaint with Toshiba software, is its Microsoft, and therefore, easy to virus. In my option, no laptop, except British, should have Microsoft software. It should all be Unix based, like free open source Linux or Mac OS.
I recommend to Toshiba, to include a Linux distro, in there new Laptops, so we can safely use their computers on the internet, as well, as warnings, how fragile, their screens are to shock.
Last, the woman who says that the problems of the notebook, are a problem of the Toshiba design, I think, she is wrong. Thailand has one of the most hot and humid climates in the world. The air is full of dust, dirt and corrosive natural chemicals. I can see, the screws, and metal corroding on the furniture, and yet my Toshiba notebook, still survives.
It is unfortunate, you cannot get software easily for the MacBook Pro, or else, I would highly recommend this computer over the Toshiba laptops. If I get Linux up and running on my Toshiba, then, I expect, this notebook, will be a very valuable tool in my assenal to deal with British terrorists in Thailand. Good luck Toshiba, on improving your laptop computers.
November 13th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
TOSHIBA SUCKS..I BOUGHT TOSHIBA A75 S206 BEFORE WITH THE SAME PRICE OF $1500 PLUS THE PROTECTION PLAN THAT COST ME ALMOST $2000 AFTER 1 MONTH AND HALF OF USING IT I GOT THE SAME PROBLEMS..