My laptop unexpectedly restarted while upgrading BIOS and now will not boot
Per a problem I was having with my Toshiba A65-s1067 laptop overheating and causing problems with windows I decided to upgrade the BIOS. According to Toshiba the BIOS upgrade changed some settings that would help with the overheating issue. So, I downloaded the updater version 1.9 from Toshiba directly and followed all the precautions because I know how easily the computer can be messed up during a BIOS flash. I ran the Windows based FLASH executer provided by Toshiba – my first mistake – and about 10 seconds into the update Windows came up with an information box saying that services.exe unexpectedly terminated and the computer would be restarted. I tried everything to keep it from rebooting, but to my dismay after 45 seconds the laptop restarted without being completely done with the BIOS FLASH. Of course, now I have a brick that just beeps an error code at me (Long-Short-Long-Short) and turns back off. I took the laptop apart by your instructions to check and see if it had a fixed or removable BIOS in hopes that I could get it reprogrammed or just simply replace it. Of course it has fixed BIOS (INSYDE BIOS-M 7363 39VF040 – I think this is the MobilePro BIOS advertised by INSYDE) and so that hope went out the window. I researched further and found that there is supposed to be a BIOS Key Installation that works with Toshiba laptops that allows it to read new BIOS from a floppy drive and write it into the BIOS, however, I don’t have a floppy drive and it doesn’t appear that there is an internal floppy made for my model. There is a USB model, but I don’t know if that is the floppy they are referring to (Not sure if it would work and I don’t want to buy it and find out it won’t). Also, there was some information I found about holding down the C key and allowing the BIOS to be read from a CD, but this did not work. So, I have researched and found no way that I can fix this without actually taking it to a Toshiba dealer, which I would prefer not to do as the laptop is not under warranty. This matter is also further complicated by the fact that I am currently living in Italy and there is not a Dealer nearby!!! This is very frustrating and I really would like to be able to fix the problem on my own. Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.
Your laptop restarted while upgrading the BIOS and I think the BIOS got corrupted. Unfortunately you will not be able to fix it yourself and even if you take the laptop to an authorized Toshiba service center, they will offer to replace the whole motherboard.
If the laptop is not bootable and you cannot start it from the DVD drive, you will not be able to start it from an external floppy drive either, so there is no sense to buy it.
PRECAUTION: you have to be very careful if you decide to upgrade or reflash the BIOS. Make sure the laptop is connected to the AC adapter, do not run the upgrade on the battery power. If the laptop shuts down during the BIOS update, the BIOS might get corrupted and the laptop will not start again. If the BIOS gets corrupted it would be necessary to replace the motherboard and it’s very expensive. Always read user’s manual before the upgrade.
November 11th, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Hey,
I have a Sony VIAO PCG-V505EX. I started to get the BSOD, after several attempts to fix it I decided to just start from scratch (there is nothing great on this old laptop but I would like it for my young son). I had an old Windows XP disc laying around but when I tried to run it I was told that the version I am trying to install is older than the version currently on my machine (who cares), so it told me to re-start and boot from the disc and follow the instructions. So I went into my BIOS to try and get my machine set up to boot from the CD, well I had some problems there and I believe I de-activated/disabled my hard drive and the CD I have either can’t or won’t boot, now I get the PXE-E61 error and I can’t get back into my BIOS (or anything else for that matter) to change anything? Any help???
August 31st, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Hi,
I have a Sony Vaio laptop (VGN-FW200). I recently upgraded my BIOS using a sony maintenance software. The system restarted and did not boot up after that. Now everytime I start the system I just hear a sound(which is kind of accessing the cd-rom) after that nothing happens. No video or nothing comes in the monitor and the system keeps restarting every time.. Please do help me regarding this…
Thanks,
Ragu
June 14th, 2010 at 1:57 am
My satellite laptop won’t restart from the recocery cd. the message “invalid partition table” appears. I am almost sure the BIOS setting are wrong, but don’t know which to change. please help. thankyou.
June 13th, 2010 at 1:42 am
i need a Bios update for my Amilo Pi 1505 notebook. i cant get it from the manufacturers site, they are out of business.. and i desperately need it, cuz my Bios is corrupted and winXP wont boot anymore…
May 25th, 2010 at 11:30 pm
i update my asus k40ij bios, it says that it has been successfully updated, then a notice show that power will turn off in 2 sec, then i went off., then i restarted it again, but i cant stat it on, it shows a weird message then it show start windows normally or start up repair, i choose those two, but nothing still happened.., please help me.,
please
please
please
April 15th, 2010 at 12:45 pm
My advent laptop won’t boot up? It come on then a message appears “rs482m- test bios br#13207a” what does this mean?? i’m pretty illeterate when it comes to computers so any help would be much apprieciated! Cheryl
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:50 am
i fixed the 3com issue with a small program:
nicset.exe wich enables the lancontroller in the c610 bios..
problem solved!!!
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:39 am
my c610 has no lan controller in the bios….how come?
hi,
my c610 (i have 2) doesn’t have a 3com lan controller in the bios..my other one does have it though..
he doesn’t give any error and works 100% , but no lan controller..the chip on the board is there though..
i bought this one with a password, i got rid of it with the
paperclip methode ..does it have anything to do with it?
i downgraded the bios three times and I gave it the original
service tag back with the assettag.com utility but still no
lan in the bios..
i search on the net for other owners with this problem but
i think ia am the only one on this earth???
thanx!
September 27th, 2009 at 2:12 am
I have a Toshiba Qosmio F45 which is two years old (out of warranty) and now it doesn’t boot showing a blinking cursor. I am not able to go to BIOS also as it does not show any F1 or F2 option (its like it is recovering from a hibernation). Will draining the CMOS battery will help? I have the disassembly guide but do not know how to reset the BIOS.
September 26th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
I have Toshiba A512 Satellite, I was updating the BIOS from Toshiba website, and through the update the laptop shut down and did not started yet. I tried boot from bootable Bios CD but it would not. I talked with the Toshiba service but they did not help me and asked me to take it to bestbuy. I did it but they said you need to reset the cmos.
I opened the laptop and found the battery is solid to the motherboard.
inspite that this problem is Toshiba problem becuase the put a correpted bios and the did not help to fix this issue.
I am asking please any one know how to reset the CMOS battery that solid to the mother board. I open it but I do not know how my laptop is Toshiba Satellite A512