[SOLVED] Toshiba Tecra 8100 Hard Drive replacement

rflitter · 03-25-2009, 08:11 PM

I have a Toshiba Tecra 8100 computer. The hard drive started acting up and I was able to copy most of my files off of it. It would then boot sometimes and then not. I bought a new hard drive and put it in and started it up and was going to load W XP home operating system. I put the cd in the disk drive and then powered it up and I could hear the hard drive start and then the CD dive came on but nothing on the screen. What's up. What should I do now? Am I missing something??

The is the first time that I have worked on a lap top so any guidance and comments would be appreciated.

Thanking you in advance.

Ron

**TriggerFinger** · 03-26-2009, 10:37 AM

Did this happen when you were still using the old hard drive? How about going into BIOS setup menu? Have you tried with an external monitor?

rflitter · 03-27-2009, 04:10 PM

There are some unusual things going on. Shortly after My original post I tried starting the computer again and it seemed to start and I got a line to use F2 to get to boot menu. I tried F2 and it seemed that keyboard was not working. I got another key board and plugged it in and nothing.

I then turned it off and tried to start it again and nothing would happen.

I then swapped back to the old hard drive and tried to boot again and sometimes it would boot and sometimes if would not. It booted once and got to the Windows screen and then stopped there.

I am wondering if it is a loose connection or is the mother board acting up.

I am not sure how to open up this unit. I would like to get some instructions before I tackle this. Checked on the Toshiba web sight and down loaded the operating manual but it doe not have any information about getting into in and seeing the guts.

Any thoughts

**TriggerFinger** · 03-27-2009, 04:36 PM

Try this page: http://repair4laptop.org/disassembly_toshiba.html

rflitter · 03-27-2009, 07:06 PM

Thanks for the link. I did find a sight that had a service manual that shows me how to get into the computer and how to change out all the components. That is something that I will look into after a little more research on the Tecra 8100.

I am still wondering why when it does come up, I get the Toshiba screen then press F2 to get the boot menu and I press it and nothing happens.

Need to find someone that can give me some direction.

Thanks

**TriggerFinger** · 03-27-2009, 07:41 PM

It may be possible you have a faulty F2 key or worse a faulty keyboard. If it can boot up via CD drive, may be you can test a live CD like BartPE or a DOS CD or Linux liveCD where you can test your keyboard.

rflitter · 03-30-2009, 08:25 PM

I have one other question on this booting problem.. Could it be caused by a low CMOS battery. I have noticed that I can ry to boot the first time after the unit has sat and it will start to boot and then it get to the screen and shows the selection screen for the F2 boot and that is when it stalls and the key board does not work.

Comments?

**TriggerFinger** · 03-30-2009, 10:57 PM

Hi Ron,

I do not think it has that effect during boot up. AFAIK it only provides power to the CMOS so not to lose the saved BIOS settings.

If it stops and wait a bit in that part of the boot as long as it does not hang, it could be a malfunctioning keyboard if it does not respond to F2. What I usually do is to simulate a stuck key at boot up. I press and hold a key (ex. F2) then power ON. I continue to press and hold on F2 until I get a stuck key error. If the system does not detect that and it continued to boot then may be I have a malfunctioning keyboard or key.

rflitter · 03-31-2009, 08:52 PM

Thanks for the replay Trigger-.

I did get an error message on boot that last time that it would boot up. I got the Tosiba screen on start then the Press F2 key for boot, I then got the error message. Bad Check Sum (CMOS). That is the first time that I got an error message Did a search an came up with possible low battery. So I guess that I will do that next.

Thanks

**TriggerFinger** · 03-31-2009, 09:05 PM

Oh ok... yep, try and replace the CMOS battery first.

rflitter · 04-09-2009, 06:59 PM

Finally got the cmos battery and have changed it out and I have booted up the computer and it seems to be working OK now. The old (questionable) hard drive has booted up with no problems but plan on continuing and changing it out.

Thanks again for your help.
Have a good one.

**TriggerFinger** · 04-09-2009, 08:53 PM

There you go... glad to know you got it booting up again. I hope it also follows that you can replace your drive now without any show stoppers.

03-25-2009, 08:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
rflitter Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: new Hampshire Posts: 16 OS: windows xp SP3	[SOLVED] Toshiba Tecra 8100 Hard Drive replacement I have a Toshiba Tecra 8100 computer. The hard drive started acting up and I was able to copy most of my files off of it. It would then boot sometimes and then not. I bought a new hard drive and put it in and started it up and was going to load W XP home operating system. I put the cd in the disk drive and then powered it up and I could hear the hard drive start and then the CD dive came on but nothing on the screen. What's up. What should I do now? Am I missing something?? The is the first time that I have worked on a lap top so any guidance and comments would be appreciated. Thanking you in advance. Ron __________________ Ron

03-26-2009, 10:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,802 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Toshiba Tecra 8100 Hard Drive replacement Did this happen when you were still using the old hard drive? How about going into BIOS setup menu? Have you tried with an external monitor? __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

03-27-2009, 04:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
rflitter Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: new Hampshire Posts: 16 OS: windows xp SP3	Re: Toshiba Tecra 8100 Hard Drive replacement There are some unusual things going on. Shortly after My original post I tried starting the computer again and it seemed to start and I got a line to use F2 to get to boot menu. I tried F2 and it seemed that keyboard was not working. I got another key board and plugged it in and nothing. I then turned it off and tried to start it again and nothing would happen. I then swapped back to the old hard drive and tried to boot again and sometimes it would boot and sometimes if would not. It booted once and got to the Windows screen and then stopped there. I am wondering if it is a loose connection or is the mother board acting up. I am not sure how to open up this unit. I would like to get some instructions before I tackle this. Checked on the Toshiba web sight and down loaded the operating manual but it doe not have any information about getting into in and seeing the guts. Any thoughts __________________ Ron

03-27-2009, 04:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,802 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Toshiba Tecra 8100 Hard Drive replacement Try this page: http://repair4laptop.org/disassembly_toshiba.html __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

03-27-2009, 07:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
rflitter Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: new Hampshire Posts: 16 OS: windows xp SP3	Re: Toshiba Tecra 8100 Hard Drive replacement Thanks for the link. I did find a sight that had a service manual that shows me how to get into the computer and how to change out all the components. That is something that I will look into after a little more research on the Tecra 8100. I am still wondering why when it does come up, I get the Toshiba screen then press F2 to get the boot menu and I press it and nothing happens. Need to find someone that can give me some direction. Thanks __________________ Ron

03-27-2009, 07:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,802 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Toshiba Tecra 8100 Hard Drive replacement It may be possible you have a faulty F2 key or worse a faulty keyboard. If it can boot up via CD drive, may be you can test a live CD like BartPE or a DOS CD or Linux liveCD where you can test your keyboard. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

03-30-2009, 08:25 PM	#7 (permalink)
rflitter Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: new Hampshire Posts: 16 OS: windows xp SP3	Re: Toshiba Tecra 8100 Hard Drive replacement I have one other question on this booting problem.. Could it be caused by a low CMOS battery. I have noticed that I can ry to boot the first time after the unit has sat and it will start to boot and then it get to the screen and shows the selection screen for the F2 boot and that is when it stalls and the key board does not work. Comments? __________________ Ron

03-30-2009, 10:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,802 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Toshiba Tecra 8100 Hard Drive replacement Hi Ron, I do not think it has that effect during boot up. AFAIK it only provides power to the CMOS so not to lose the saved BIOS settings. If it stops and wait a bit in that part of the boot as long as it does not hang, it could be a malfunctioning keyboard if it does not respond to F2. What I usually do is to simulate a stuck key at boot up. I press and hold a key (ex. F2) then power ON. I continue to press and hold on F2 until I get a stuck key error. If the system does not detect that and it continued to boot then may be I have a malfunctioning keyboard or key. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

03-31-2009, 08:52 PM	#9 (permalink)
rflitter Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: new Hampshire Posts: 16 OS: windows xp SP3	Re: Toshiba Tecra 8100 Hard Drive replacement Thanks for the replay Trigger-. I did get an error message on boot that last time that it would boot up. I got the Tosiba screen on start then the Press F2 key for boot, I then got the error message. Bad Check Sum (CMOS). That is the first time that I got an error message Did a search an came up with possible low battery. So I guess that I will do that next. Thanks __________________ Ron

03-31-2009, 09:05 PM	#10 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,802 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Toshiba Tecra 8100 Hard Drive replacement Oh ok... yep, try and replace the CMOS battery first. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

04-09-2009, 06:59 PM	#11 (permalink)
rflitter Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: new Hampshire Posts: 16 OS: windows xp SP3	Re: Toshiba Tecra 8100 Hard Drive replacement Finally got the cmos battery and have changed it out and I have booted up the computer and it seems to be working OK now. The old (questionable) hard drive has booted up with no problems but plan on continuing and changing it out. Thanks again for your help. Have a good one. __________________ Ron

04-09-2009, 08:53 PM	#12 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,802 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: [SOLVED] Toshiba Tecra 8100 Hard Drive replacement There you go... glad to know you got it booting up again. I hope it also follows that you can replace your drive now without any show stoppers. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE