Toshiba Satellite s55-c5274

[HFultzjr]

Hello everyone,
Got this in yesterday. Customer said it was hanging with spinning circle.
I go to there place and sure enough it hangs when I try it.
Could not get into BIOS using the various Toshiba Methods.
Fan was spinning and powered up
I even got to the Toshiba Splash logo once.
Then it died on me.
Fan would only come a few seconds then stop
Ok, back to the shop and same thing, fan spins about 3-5 seconds then stops
After trying the following I'm thinking bad motherboard.
You're thoughts please.

Satellite s55-c5274

Will not Post or go into BIOS
Tried Different Power Adapters
Power appears to go to the board as power light stays on
Fan will spin for about 5 seconds then shut off
CPU or Heatsink does not get hot, not even what I would call warm
Removed Ram and DVD
Removed and re-installed Fan and CPU with new paste
No beeps or sounds with ram removed
Replaced CMOS battery after leaving it out for 15 minutes
Hard Drive is out and bad. I'm recovering her data via dd_rescue

Anything I've Missed

Thank you.

 

[Porthos]

Anything I've Missed

Quoting the client a replacement laptop for when/if you get the data.
At least this happened with them watching

I go to there place and sure enough it hangs when I try it.
Could not get into BIOS using the various Toshiba Methods.
Fan was spinning and powered up
I even got to the Toshiba Splash logo once.
Then it died on me.
Fan would only come a few seconds then stop

 

[HFultzjr]

Thanks Jerry,
I've just given them a quote for a refurbished Dell Latitude.
Also, looking into a replacement motherboard.
Unless I'm wrong, this looks like the easiest motherboard replacement I've ever seen.
Data rescue is going good, I have most of it already.
I keep hearing "But it's only a couple years old and cost $800.00"
I suspect the way and where she uses it she had the vents blocked.
She said it got pretty hot sometimes.

 

[britechguy]

And this is definitely a teachable moment about using laptops and ventilation. It's fine to use them on your lap provided the air intake and exhaust is not blocked. And whether this is the case is directly dependent on the case design.

Using a lap desk is preferable since that keeps the thing from "sinking in to fabric," potentially blocking your intake or exhaust.

As a complete aside, where in Central PA? I was born and raised in Johnstown.

 

[Porthos]

Also, looking into a replacement motherboard.

Just think how many motherboard replacements on here take 2 or 3 different ones and nothing works. Time and money sink.

 

[SlickMinnow]

You mentioned that you remove the CMOS battery for 15 minutes. Have you done the same with the main battery? Like overnight. And at the same time as the CMOS batt. Long shot, but I've seen it work... I make it clear that this particular exorcism may or may not stick, but for me, when it has worked... it has stuck (don't know why or how)

 

[HFultzjr]

You mentioned that you remove the CMOS battery for 15 minutes. Have you done the same with the main battery? Like overnight. And at the same time as the CMOS batt. Long shot, but I've seen it work... I make it clear that this particular exorcism may or may not stick, but for me, when it has worked... it has stuck (don't know why or how)

Yes,
I've removed everything that could be removed/attached.
It's dead.
Customer is insisting on a repair, (expensive), because she really likes her laptop....lol
Customer asked if it will last longer after I fix it.........................lol
Explained to her that I could not answer that, but I have a 90 day HARDWARE warranty.
It's all spelled out in her paperwork.
More money than brains......excuse me, I shouldn't have said that!

 

[britechguy]

More money than brains......excuse me, I shouldn't have said that!

To her, perhaps, but elsewhere, in private, why not? Plenty of these people exist.

 

[Larry Sabo]

She could buy a new one for $470USD and you could transfer her drive so it works the same as now.

 

[britechguy]

She could buy a new one for $470USD and you could transfer her drive so it works the same as now.

And that would probably be cheaper, given that labor will be extensive.

It would also be interesting to know whether Microsoft would class this as "a motherboard change" and allow a full, existing Windows 10 installation to be restored to it. In effect, that's why it would actually be being done.

From my archives -
If you intend to change out the motherboard in your computer, follow the instructions here:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/windows-build-1607-and-activation.2786960/

The stuff from the 1607 era was still accurate when I last looked at it not all that long ago.

 

[HFultzjr]

She could buy a new one for $470USD and you could transfer her drive so it works the same as now.

Wow Larry,
That's a great idea.
Wish I would have found that earlier.
I did a quick search for that model, but found nothing in that price range.
Lucky for me this looks like a very easy motherboard swap.

 

[britechguy]

Wow Larry,
That's a great idea.
. . .
Lucky for me this looks like a very easy motherboard swap.

But the idea wasn't a motherboard swap from a brand new machine, but a drive transplant from the existing machine to the brand new hardware twin. It would be insane to tear down a brand new computer of the exact make and model to extract a motherboard for swapping rather than just setting up the new machine as a "perfect twin" of the old one via drive transplant and doing what's necessary to reactivate Windows 10.

 

[HFultzjr]

But the idea wasn't a motherboard swap from a brand new machine, but a drive transplant from the existing machine to the brand new hardware twin. It would be insane to tear down a brand new computer of the exact make and model to extract a motherboard for swapping rather than just setting up the new machine as a "perfect twin" of the old one via drive transplant and doing what's necessary to reactivate Windows 10.

Yes, I'm aware it would have been a "machine" swap, however I saw the deal after I ordered the motherboard. Too far into it to change now.

 

[britechguy]

Yes, I'm aware it would have been a "machine" swap, however I saw the deal after I ordered the motherboard. Too far into it to change now.

Well, that's information that wasn't previously noted. I agree that if you've already purchased the motherboard, and if there's no option to return it, you've crossed the Rubicon.