A few days ago I had to repair a notebook with symptoms that didn’t look like a hard drive failure at all. But the problem was fixed after I replace the hard drive.
It was Toshiba Satellite A70-S249 notebook with the following problem.
When I press on the power button, the laptop starts up as usual and a red Toshiba logo appears on the screen. After a moment the logo disappears and the screen turns black without any faint image and flashing cursor. The blue light around the power button stays on and fans continue to spin normal but nothing appears on the screen. I noticed that the hard drive LED blinks green on the startup and after that shows no activity at all. After a closer inspection I noticed that the screen is not completely black (like dead black), it didn’t have any image on it but it had a very faint backlight (I would say about 3-5% of normal brightness). I was able to see that there is some backlight after I pressed on the lid close switch and the screen turned to completely black.
Here are my troubleshooting steps that I went through to find the problem.
First of all, I replaced the memory module and didn’t get any changes. Removed the wireless card, still had the same problem.
After that I removed the hard drive and started the computer. This time I got something. The notebook successfully passed the Toshiba screen and started looking for a boot device. I got some activity on the screen. To make sure that the notebook itself works fine, I booted it from Knoppix (live Linux CD) and successfully loaded the Linux operating system to the desktop. So, that’s the hard drive problem!
I installed the hard drive back in the laptop and tried to boot it again. The same failure occurred again; I got a black screen with a very faint backlight and no hard drive activity at all. I tested the hard drive with Hitachi DFT test and failed an advanced test. The problem is detected!
Finally I installed a new hard drive, reimaged the drive with a recovery DVD and got the laptop back up and running.
By the way, even though the customer’s hard drive failed the DFT test, I still was able to access it from another computer. The customer had important personal files on the failed drive. I connected it to our recovery desktop computer using IDE adapter. The “failed” hard drive was detected without any problem and I was able to recover the data.
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June 24th, 2009 at 1:56 am
i use to have this same problems too on most of the laptops. on most of the solutions to the drive i use hirens boot disk to fix it. sometimes bad sectors cause much to the drive.
May 26th, 2009 at 9:06 am
Hello,
I noticed this quote in one of the results to a search I performed trying to figure out how to diagnose my hard drive: “You can run Hitachi’s drive fitness test yourself and find out if the hard drive can pass the test.”
My Toshiba Satellite M45’s hard drive crashed and through various resources, I have found that it appears I should run a Hitachi disk drive diagnostic on it. The above-pasted comment from your web site helps confirm this for me. (As well as Toshiba’s complete lack of any references to diagnostic DIY software on its web site. Many negative comments and complaints on the numerous forums I’ve read in the last few days.)
There are two HD diagnostic programs on Hitachi’s web site. Is the diagnostic for my machine the “Drive Fitness Test” or is it the “OGT” – I am very new to all of this, and quite unfamiliar with the innards of any computer. I have access to my make, model and serial numbers, but have not been able to find the HD’s manufacturer anywhere.
The M45 laptop is over 4 years old, but was running fine up until about four days ago. I have everything backed-up to a Maxtor external hard drive, with the exception of my Outlook emails and contacts’ information. If there is a way to access and/or extract this information from the HD (screen is totally black on the machine, though fans and panel lights do come on when I power it up) without running the diagnostic, perhaps someone would be willing to share that with me.
Any comments or other help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Kind regards,
Jeni
May 7th, 2009 at 8:24 am
hai dear
thank you for your site………
i am working as technician in saudi. i am only 1 45 days here..my country is india (kerala)/// ther i only do desktop……but here all are laptop…..so your site is very helpfull to meeeee and to all like me…………i have to ask you that….is it must study electrics as course to devolop and work as a laptop techncian. ????? i only studied with my hw course…no more course in electroics……….. one of my fiend told me that……..then ……….tell me how to devolop my ebility………..
then okkkkk
byeeeeee
May 6th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
ALL HAIL cj2600:
THANK YOU!
I’ve just spent 4 days and 35 hours searching ALL OVER THE INTERNET for an answer to the symptoms above. I have a Toshiba Satellite M45 doing the same thing.
If it means anything, you seem to have found the answer to the “Satellite Syndrome” that no one else has an explanation for.
My HD tested normal, happy and was not showing error codes or over temps.
An insidious problem solved…
Robert
April 27th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
dvu,
You can bring the hard drive to the repair shop and they will test it for you. You can run Hitachi’s drive fitness test yourself and find out if the hard drive can pass the test.
It depends. It’s possible the hard drive controller is damaged. If that’s the case, you’ll have to replace the hard drive.
April 27th, 2009 at 7:17 am
Hi,
I am looking for a help to my thoshibha m35 s355 laptop. Initially i spill milk on the keyboard. Once it dried up the laptop was abel to bootup and OS (XP) also started. But when i pressed the key i got memory dump. I opened the laptop and checked. Now i am getting the hard disk failur error.
A. Is there is any shop will check only the hard drive and see whethere hard drive is having problem?
B. If so whetehr replacing the hard drive will help? (I see some dried milk on top of the hard drive when i opened the computer)
I really need a help.. I reallyd ont want to through this computer.
February 12th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
good way to get it goin again!!!
any way you could tell me how to remove the hard drive? cause thats exatly ehat happend to my (i dont have the disk cauze it was a xmas gift
December 30th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Hello!
I have Fujitsu-Siemens notebook (Amilo-EL) and i had the same symptoms – blank screen, no thing else, but HDD spins up. I tried an usb adapter for data recovery, another computer recognised my hdd, but capacity=0. Then i bought different adapter – non-usb one, like this one:
https://www.pacificgeek.com/productimages/xl/HD-108.jpg
for connecting laptop hdd with desctop IDE cable and this solved my problem, i managed to recover all of my data.
The HDD was Toshiba MK2018GAS
Cheers!
December 26th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Harddrive problem–My laptop went dead screen.Bought another similiar make model.Put the HD from the old and when prompted to move arrow keys,screem went blank and hook-up t0 monitor nothing.Harddrive or fan running. Tested HD and found defective. Question–what damage has the harddrive done to the motherboard and is there any fuses to be found.I’m told anywhere from 10 to 20 minityre fuses exists Fujitsu laptop with a bad Toshiba GH IDE. Anyone know a good site to learn about laptop fuses. Unit is not worth sending in for a fix.
Let george know
Gada.2004@3web.net
December 26th, 2008 at 7:45 am
well my external hard drive suddenly become strange when ever i connect it to my pc i can see the two paritions i have and all the files but its too slow not the same as before and if i tried to transfere any data from to my pc it will tranfere few megabites and then freez until i disconnected.!!! any solution for that?!