Toshiba A60 Won't Boot

Brki · 07-02-2009, 01:30 PM

Hello, everybody!

I have the same problem with my Toshiba satellite a60. When I try to boot from hard drive, I only get the "_" sign blinking in upper left corner. I can normally access BIOS and boot from CD/DVD. Installation of Windows XP goes normally till the first rebooting (all checks, formating hard drive, copying files to HDD), but when it comes to booting from HDD, again I only get the "_".

Toshiba satellite a60/65 is known for its overheating issue. I thought that maybe problem is CPU overheating, so I changed a thermal paste on CPU, but that didn't solve my problem...

**TriggerFinger** · 07-02-2009, 02:33 PM

If you wait long enough does it show anything else on the screen other than the _?

Brki · 07-03-2009, 01:14 AM

I left it for over an hour and got nothing but the "_"...

**TriggerFinger** · 07-03-2009, 09:01 PM

Have you tried installing other operating systems other than XP (ex. Ubuntu)?

Brki · 07-08-2009, 05:08 PM

No, I didn't try because I don't have any other OS installation CD/DVD. I only have Vista and W7, but this laptop don't meet their hardware requirements...

I'll try to get Ubuntu or some older Windows in a few days...

Sheepykins · 07-08-2009, 06:16 PM

i've had this problem before, it copies the setup files to the drive then when it comes to installing the OS you just get a blinking cursor, pissed me right off.

more than likely theres a problem with something the drive has called a master boot record or MBR for short.

what you should do is zero fill the drive, effectivly creating a new master boot record.

you can do this with only a few manufacturers hard-drive tools, do you know what the hard-drive manufacturer is?

well even if you dont, something like http://www.dban.org will do the trick or kill disk

**TriggerFinger** · 07-08-2009, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brki

No, I didn't try because I don't have any other OS installation CD/DVD. I only have Vista and W7, but this laptop don't meet their hardware requirements...

I'll try to get Ubuntu or some older Windows in a few days...

You are trying to install XP correct? Is the install CD original/genuine MS?

Sheepykins · 07-08-2009, 06:31 PM

if the MBR is broken which i think it is, even trying a linux distro wont install, zero filling is the way forward. keep me posted BRKI

JupiterAce · 08-25-2009, 09:43 PM

I have the same problem with my A60, did this ever get resolved?

Sheepykins · 08-26-2009, 02:26 AM

jupiter,
http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/483/x...overy_console/
try this

Brki · 08-28-2009, 07:19 PM

Managed to repair it!

Changed IDE type in BIOS from "enhanced" to "standard", and managed to boot from HDD. After that, I installed Windows XP normally.

Problem with graphic card drivers that showed after installation solved by upgrading BIOS from version 1,70 to 1,90 and original ATI drivers from german Toshiba support page (only place where I found BIOS upgrade and since I don't speak german, I didn't want to "experiment" with other programs and drivers from that page).

JupiterAce · 08-29-2009, 12:07 AM

the bios thing worked, thankyou so much, go figure, it was the one thing I never bothered to try.

07-02-2009, 01:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
Brki Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Croatia, Europe Posts: 4 OS: XP SP3, Vista, 7 64bit	Toshiba A60 Won't Boot Hello, everybody! I have the same problem with my Toshiba satellite a60. When I try to boot from hard drive, I only get the "_" sign blinking in upper left corner. I can normally access BIOS and boot from CD/DVD. Installation of Windows XP goes normally till the first rebooting (all checks, formating hard drive, copying files to HDD), but when it comes to booting from HDD, again I only get the "_". Toshiba satellite a60/65 is known for its overheating issue. I thought that maybe problem is CPU overheating, so I changed a thermal paste on CPU, but that didn't solve my problem...

07-02-2009, 02:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,791 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Toshiba A60 Won't Boot If you wait long enough does it show anything else on the screen other than the _? __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

07-03-2009, 01:14 AM	#3 (permalink)
Brki Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Croatia, Europe Posts: 4 OS: XP SP3, Vista, 7 64bit	Re: Toshiba A60 Won't Boot I left it for over an hour and got nothing but the "_"...

07-03-2009, 09:01 PM	#4 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,791 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Toshiba A60 Won't Boot Have you tried installing other operating systems other than XP (ex. Ubuntu)? __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

07-08-2009, 05:08 PM	#5 (permalink)
Brki Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Croatia, Europe Posts: 4 OS: XP SP3, Vista, 7 64bit	Re: Toshiba A60 Won't Boot No, I didn't try because I don't have any other OS installation CD/DVD. I only have Vista and W7, but this laptop don't meet their hardware requirements... I'll try to get Ubuntu or some older Windows in a few days...

07-08-2009, 06:16 PM	#6 (permalink)
Sheepykins Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: England Posts: 21 OS: Windows XP Pro My System	Re: Toshiba A60 Won't Boot i've had this problem before, it copies the setup files to the drive then when it comes to installing the OS you just get a blinking cursor, pissed me right off. more than likely theres a problem with something the drive has called a master boot record or MBR for short. what you should do is zero fill the drive, effectivly creating a new master boot record. you can do this with only a few manufacturers hard-drive tools, do you know what the hard-drive manufacturer is? well even if you dont, something like http://www.dban.org will do the trick or kill disk

07-08-2009, 06:31 PM	#8 (permalink)
Sheepykins Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: England Posts: 21 OS: Windows XP Pro My System	Re: Toshiba A60 Won't Boot if the MBR is broken which i think it is, even trying a linux distro wont install, zero filling is the way forward. keep me posted BRKI

08-25-2009, 09:43 PM	#9 (permalink)
JupiterAce Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 2 OS: XP	Re: Toshiba A60 Won't Boot I have the same problem with my A60, did this ever get resolved?

08-26-2009, 02:26 AM	#10 (permalink)
Sheepykins Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: England Posts: 21 OS: Windows XP Pro My System	Re: Toshiba A60 Won't Boot jupiter, http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/483/x...overy_console/ try this

08-28-2009, 07:19 PM	#11 (permalink)
Brki Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Croatia, Europe Posts: 4 OS: XP SP3, Vista, 7 64bit	Re: Toshiba A60 Won't Boot Managed to repair it! Changed IDE type in BIOS from "enhanced" to "standard", and managed to boot from HDD. After that, I installed Windows XP normally. Problem with graphic card drivers that showed after installation solved by upgrading BIOS from version 1,70 to 1,90 and original ATI drivers from german Toshiba support page (only place where I found BIOS upgrade and since I don't speak german, I didn't want to "experiment" with other programs and drivers from that page).

08-29-2009, 12:07 AM	#12 (permalink)
JupiterAce Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 2 OS: XP	Re: Toshiba A60 Won't Boot the bios thing worked, thankyou so much, go figure, it was the one thing I never bothered to try.