Toshiba Satellite A215-S4747 Crashes

[heart2heal]

ok...i hope i am even using the correct terminology here. i purchased this computer 36 days ago. 6 days passed the return policy, otherwise bestbuy would be eating this thing hard and fast through their teeth!

first. i noticed when i was looking at the screen that tells you what the MB and GB that there was a slight discrepency...and i know so little about computers there may be a perfectly reasonible explanation. anyway. the laptop says i have 182 GB, but i should have 200. is this a non-issue?

but the real problem is this. i will be emailing/searching/watching a video that i have downloaded/playing a game....you get the point....and one of two things will happen.

#1--the screen just goes blank. the blue lights on the keyboard indicate the computer remains plugged into outlet, the on light is lit, but the ?processing? light is on...but nothing is happening. it is as if the computer is off. the fan will shut off, and no amount of button pushing changes things. the only way to get anything going again is to shut the computer off manually and then turn it back on. things act normal from there on for quite a while.

#2--this one is a little strange. all of the above takes place only i don't have a blank screen. i get a black screen with vertical grey stripes. it's very dizzying!



the whole thing is a bit on the perplexing side and like i said before....if only i had found the reciept prior to now and if only i had listened to my gut and taken it back the first time it happened. but....i was told it was simply the mcphee security.....that it was doing too many updates or something and eating up ?space? or something and i needed to delete it off my laptop and purchase something more laptop specific.

all i have to say is........HELP!!!!!!

 

[raybay]

I am familiar with your computer. Based on what we see in our shop, I suspect the problem may be inadequate memory capacity.
I am sure you didn't mean to report the memory as 182 GB vs 200 GB as that would be an enormous amount.
I suggest you download and run the free Belarc Advisor or Everest Home. Either program will inventory your computer and tell you what working memory it finds.
Tell us what the inventory says.
If you have less than 512 MB, you simply do not have enough memory for that machine. If you have more than 1 GB, then memory is OK, and we must look elsewhere.
Even though your return privilege is up, you still have warranty rights.

But whatever the cause, I would use download AVG Free Antivirus and free antispyware. Then remove the free 90 day version of McAfee Security, using Add and Remove Software in the Control Panel. Once McAfee is removed, install the AVG software. It is free, and very good, and will not abuse resources the way your McAfee does.

 

[heart2heal]

Is this the info you wanted? the belarc assessment gave a lot of info....the memory seems ok. let me know if there something esle you need from the report they sent.

894 Megabytes Installed Memory

Slot 'S1' has 512 MB
Slot 'S2' has 512 MB

 

[raybay]

Yes, thank you. That proves the memory was not the problem. But we still have the problem that the existing memory is incorrectly listed.

I would appreciate it if you would once more download Belarc Advisor, or Everest Home, and get a new inventory of the hardware including the memory.

Your system should show either 1 GB or 1024 MB. If the memory is not being detected normally, then that may be your problem. If the repeat shows the memory accurately, we need to look elsewhere.

 

[heart2heal]

so here is the info i got this time around. make sense to you?

Operating System System Model
Windows Vista Home Premium (build 6000) TOSHIBA Satellite A215 PSAEGU-00W00U
System Serial Number: *********
Enclosure Type: Notebook
Processor a Main Circuit Board b
1.80 gigahertz AMD Turion 64 X2
64 kilobyte primary memory cache
1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache Board: TOSHIBA IALAA 1.00
Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
BIOS: TOSHIBA V1.40 07/02/2007
Drives Memory Modules c,d
198.48 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
127.09 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-T20N ATA Device [CD-ROM drive]

TOSHIBA MK2035GSS [Hard drive] (200.05 GB) -- drive 0, s/n 67TUF9TMS, rev DK020M, SMART Status: Healthy 894 Megabytes Installed Memory

Slot 'S1' has 512 MB
Slot 'S2' has 512 MB
Local Drive Volumes

c: (NTFS on drive 0) 198.48 GB 127.09 GB free

 

[raybay]

I do not see anything useful regarding memory. I would at least run the free MemTest86 to rule out memory as a cause. If you use it, run it for four hours or seven passes, which ever is longer.

Maximum Memory: 4096MB
USB Support: 2.x Compliant
Standard Memory: 1024MB, in two modules of 512 MB, removable
Slots: 2 (2 banks of 1)
Although the memory can be installed one module at a time, the best performance comes from using matched pairs of modules.
How much memory your Windows OS will recognize depends on which version of Windows you are running. 32-bit versions of Windows will see (and utilize) only 3GB or 3.5GB. To utilize more memory, some people install a 64-bit version of their OS.
Good luck. Stay in touch. Let us know what you finally determine is the problem.

 

[rsangion]

Possible solution for the Black Screen Problem (or blank screen),

If you are running VISTA, try going to the Power Options, advanced options, processor power management, and change the value of the minimum processor state to 100%.

I have a A215-S4807 and was facing the same problem that many people reported here. After doing this, the problem disappeared.

 

[piggylubber]

I also have this black screen problem on my Toshiba Satellite A215-S4807. It has 2 GB of memory which I read is a must with Vista. I have changed my power specs and pray this is the answer...so Best Buy gives you 30 days huh? Word to the wise...Circuit City only gives you 15..sigh..I am under the 30 day.

So far support has had me turn off sleep, wipe the pc clean and reinstall everything (FUN! ..not!) and than update the display drivers..in that order LOL I am really wishing my cheap **** splurged for the Sony...

Anyway I will give an update if it happens again. If I manage to go a week, I will post back that the fix seems to have worked for others scouring the web for a solution. **crosses fingers**

It is a week and a half later and resetting the minimum to 100% worked for me! No more nasty black screens! I also have it set to sleep when I close the lid, and it wakes back up no problem.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[drako_dhg]

I also have a problem with that notebook

I also have a Satellite A215-S4807, but my problem is kinda weird, if play any music or video, it becomes slow, i cant use te media player and the messenger at the same time kus it frezzez for a few seconds very often, why is that hapening??? Come on it has 2GB of ram, i can't undertand!!!

PLEASEE HELP!!!

 

[chrishooper]

Same here

I TOO have had the exact same problem with my Toshiba since day 1. It goes black at least once a day, sometimes twice a day. My settings however are already set to 100% on minimum processor power, so that doesn't help for me. I wish I knew if it was an incompatibilty issue with Vista versus the hardware of this model computer, or we just happen to have some lemons off of the assembly line. Cause frankly, I'm getting really sick of it.
I wonder if XP can be put on. I'd like to go back to my much preferred XP Operating System anyway. If it could go on, I wonder if I would still have the black screen problem. If so, then I'd KNOW for sure, that it's the laptop itself.
Oh yeah, By the way, I also get a Blue Screen about one to two times a week, saying something about the hardware. It shows a whole bunch of Data Strings, exception errors, and a report, and at the bottom of the screen it has a timer which counts up, and it says something about dumping the data. It all happens within about 5 seconds, then the laptop restarts with a report saying something about your computer has recovered from a serious error, issue, or something like that.
For anyone needing to know, I have 2GBs of RAM

 

[Tmagic650]

Is your Toshiba the same model? if not, you should start your own thread

 

[chrishooper]

Mine is actually the A215-S4807 like the others mentioned prior to my last statement. I just thought it worthy of mentioning being it has the same related issues as the 4747 model and the others of my own model.

 

[Tmagic650]

You really should start your own thread in this Forum and be as detailed as you can explaining your problem. Explain things like when the crashes started, any error messages seen, and how often the crashes happen and when

 

[ruphert]

You really should start your own thread in this Forum and be as detailed as you can explaining your problem. Explain things like when the crashes started, any error messages seen, and how often the crashes happen and when

This problem with BLANK SCREEN is applied to ALL laptops from Toshiba A215 series. Setting processor minimum power state to 100% is NOT SOLUTION. This is ugly workaround. After setting this processor is not economic and work all time on FULL POWER, so battery faster DIE and laptop is HOTTER.

A215 series HAS HARDWARE BUG without ANY FIX from Toshiba NOW.

 

[bdb808757]

regarding all S4747 issues,

Users should visit the link below and DLoad the drivers for DISPLAYS and TOUCHPAD devices. I recently update my drivers and have witness notable improvements. Time will only tell if the DISPLAY issues were resolved, however, the touchpad issues are resolved and may need a little tweaking by going under CONTROL PANEL, MOUSE, and then change some of the options to match your personal preference. DLoad the FLASH BIOS update as well via the link.

Link will be found after my third post......please forgive me...

regarding all S4747 issues,

Users should visit the link below and DLoad the drivers for DISPLAYS and TOUCHPAD devices. I recently update my drivers and have witness notable improvements. Time will only tell if the DISPLAY issues were resolved, however, the touchpad issues are resolved and may need a little tweaking by going under CONTROL PANEL, MOUSE, and then change some of the options to match your personal preference. DLoad the FLASH BIOS update as well via the link.

Link will be found after my third post......please forgive me...

regarding all S4747 issues,

Users should visit the link below and DLoad the drivers for DISPLAYS and TOUCHPAD devices. I recently update my drivers and have witness notable improvements. Time will only tell if the DISPLAY issues were resolved, however, the touchpad issues are resolved and may need a little tweaking by going under CONTROL PANEL, MOUSE, and then change some of the options to match your personal preference. DLoad the FLASH BIOS update as well via the link.

Link will be found after my third post......please forgive me...

regarding all S4747 issues,

Users should visit the link below and DLoad the drivers for DISPLAYS and TOUCHPAD devices. I recently update my drivers and have witness notable improvements. Time will only tell if the DISPLAY issues were resolved, however, the touchpad issues are resolved and may need a little tweaking by going under CONTROL PANEL, MOUSE, and then change some of the options to match your personal preference. DLoad the FLASH BIOS update as well via the link.

http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/...BV_EngineID=ccccadedgehhddhcgfkceghdgngdgnj.0

 

[lhislop]

What are the implications of changing the value of the minimum processor state to 100%. What about something less than 100%? I have set it at 100% on my new Toshiba because having the shutdown problem. I look forward to seeing if it works.

 

[bdb808757]

Black screen issues

Mine has been working for about a week now...After researching I found that Toshiba launched several laptops with similar issues which are all due to poor graphics card drivers. So update the ATI drivers and things should be back to normal....As far as the system's processor performance, these 2 issues are not related...

 

[Asknetguy]

cdgenp01.csd.toshiba.com/content/support/downloads/sa210v190 DOT exe

From the Posted Link on Toshiba Website:
Change History

Version 1.90 - 2008-02-29
o Corrected an intermittent black screen issue.

if someone with more posts to their name could post the link to the actual website it would be nice. I cannot do so.
www .csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_sc_dtlViewDL.jsp?soid=1995533&moid=1757697&rpn=PSAEGU&BV_SessionID=@@@@0766421797.1206284246@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccccadedjejhkffcgfkceghdgngdgnj.0&ct=DL&all_docs=false

 

[Tmagic650]

It is difficult to get the exact web link because of the "drop down" scheme of the Toshiba Support site. Can you manually post the link?

 

[Asknetguy]

I'll have to make a few more posts of course

Hopefully this post works.
http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_sc_dtlViewDL.jsp?soid=1995533&moid=1757697

I haven't had any issues since I installed the latest BIOS update.
The sites that used to cause the black screen on my laptop are no longer affecting it.
Of course if this changes, I will return to post a sad face.

I also trimmed the URL to make it easier. Hopefully this solves the problem for others as well.

 

[Tmagic650]

That should work

 

[Chinook]

Is it possible this is not a software issue at all??? I've had an A215 model for 8 months with no screen issues then the other day it goes Black. I move the screen back and fourth a little bit and it flickers then comes back to life ( not for very long ). It seems as if the connector between the base and screen may just a bit loose.

I have yet to take it apart to verify this, but I thought I would throw this out there and see what everyone thinks.

BTW: This is the second A215 I have had. The first one crashed and crashed hard 11 times in 7 days. Took it back and got a replacement.

Any thoughts?

 

[Tmagic650]

New laptops (less than 2 years old) seem to have much better/stronger LCD cables. Yes it is possible that a connector is loose, either from the motherboard or inside the LCD assembly itself... Your issue is not software related

 

[Milt1]

Toshiba A15 Laptops need a BIOS update

I've had the same experience as 'Asknetguy'. I bought a Toshiba A215-4757 last September, and every so often the screen would go black and the only indication it wasn't totally off was the blue power light on the front left panel. It seemed to be a common problem after I had put the system into a sleep mode by closing the lid. The only way out of the problem was holding the power button down for 5 seconds.

I recently downloaded the BIOS update to V1.90 from the Toshiba web site, burned the update ISO image to a CD, and booted from the CD to install the updated BIOS. The update went smoothly, and, as they say, so far so good. Toshiba says this update is supposed to fix crashes of this sort, and I'm hopeful they are right. I recommend that everyone with a Toshiba A215-series machine download and apply this update, but CAREFULLY! You can turn your whole laptop into a paperweight if you screw up the installation of a BIOS update.

 

[ytmehari]

Issue with A215-S5849

I think the issue I am experiencing is similar to the first post in this thread.

I used my laptop last night and put it away when i was done. This morning, I can hear the fan, i THINK my laptop is on, but the screen is just black. I see the battery, processor light blinking. So i tried to hook it up to an external monitor just in case it was a monitor issue, but it wasn't.

HELP!

I would love to download the drivers, update memory, etc. but it won't even allow me to get to my desktop. How do I fix this?
I have unplugged it, turned it off, and taken the battery out so it can "rest". But I am unsure of what the exact problem is.

Anything will help right now!!

Thank you