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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October 1st, 2009 at 6:14 pm
no2toshiba,
You can choose any brand, but if you plan to keep the laptop for more than 2 years, I would recommend buying an extended warranty. Out-of-warranty repair is not cheap.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
I had the pre-existing Sat. A75 problem six months ago, brought it in for repair which definitely was not free, and now the same problem is starting again. They said they will fix it for free this time but what good is that? I will never buy Toshiba again ever ever ever. I am looking at ACER.
September 9th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
I have a Toshiba Satellite Pro A210/A215 and whenever I start it up It comesup with a blue box that asks for some kind of DOS password. I took it to get repaired and I got it back and it still is doing the same thing. some body help me
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.