Satellite A70 Issues/Flaws

Hey, I'm new... I just got my new A70 Laptop, and its awesome. Except one thing though; it keeps on freezing spontaneously on me[} ]. Strange, no? It's almost brand new, and it is freezing on me with just a touch of a button, or even starting the computer up. It just freezes when it wants to. I tried to fix it by running a Virus check and Ad-Aware checks. No detected problems. Does anyone have a similar situation? I'd like to know.[xx(] I'm also planning to either go back to exchange another of the same laptop... or just getting a level higher. Please give me advice [|)]

Wheeeee!

 

It's possible there's something wrong with the unit. It kinda sounds like there's something shorting out since you mentioned it dies when you hit a button. There's also the possibility that the system is overheating. This will usually cause random lockups. Make sure you don't have anything blocking the vent holes on the unit (sides & bottom). Place the unit on a hard surface and not on your bed or something soft that may block the vents. If this doesn't fix it, get the unit exchanged/repaired.

-Vb-

 

It is the dreaded static monster. It affects the entire A70/A75 series (I have the A75-S209). When I got hit by it, I initially thought it was caused by my third-party video drivers but was mystified by why it seemed to happen so consistently whenever I'd move the computer and then touch it again. It's because the case is so poorly grounded that if you build up a charge and touch it (the speakers are the worst part, but the whole case is affected) it will basically zap it and cause exactly the problem you're describing.

I just took my affected machine to Best Buy today and they told me Toshiba isn't allowing them to ship machines for repair right now and so they would do an exchange. I'm currently researching Gateway and HP (not interested in replacing this with another Toshiba...) and plan to go back tomorrow and get a new computer.

 

I have just found out that this is a known problem on the Toshiba A70/75 series. It requires a replacement of the top cover. There was some metal on the underside that was causing a short. It's been resolved on Toshiba's end with a replacement with mylar pieces at the affected areas to prevent an electrical short. If Best Buy won't take care of it, try contacting Toshiba directly.

-Vb-

 

Ok people we need to fight Toshiba on this one I am basically screwed I bought a A75-s209 for my Business and now on the second one in 1 1/2 months this one needs a new hard drive from the static issue and Toshiba pretty mush says oh well too bad. I think we need to all get togehter and fight them on this I can't afford to be without my computer for 1 day yet alone weeks while they replace the hard drive. Of course nobody will give memy 1599.99 back either. Lets show this multibillion dollar company that they can't screw the little guys.

 

Thank you all for the support. Unfortuately, I've given up hope for searching for a laptop (desktop replacement), so I just went for an HP Media Centre. No problems!
I agree with becmacg, that we should somehow bring out what any multibillion dollar company says: "We value your opinions." Who's with us? I certainly am. [ ]

-Eddie THE Teddy

Wheeeee!

 

Becmacg,

I don't see why you have to send the unit in for repair. If it's just a hard drive that needs to be replaced, Tsohiba should be able to send you the drive for you to replace. The HDD is an end-user replacable part. I have had customers that needed repairs to their Toshiba notebooks and after I told them about this, they went and had Toshiba send the part to them, no hassle. I'm sure you can do the same.

The issue with the unit is not really static charge, it's the unit having a short because of exposed metal on the underside of the top-cover. This has been addressed by Toshiba and they will repair under warranty. The only inconvenience is that you have to send the unit in for repair. If you find a shop that is a Toshiba Authorized Service Centre, then you can just drop off the unit and pickup in a couple days. I could usually get a top cover replaced within an hour or so (with testing).

-Vb-

 

I have also experienced the static electricity knocking out or locking up the Toshiba Satellite A70 Laptop. It only became a problem when our Relative Humidity dropped drastically during our winter. Normally the RH is high in our area of Ontario,Canada - however when the extreme dry cold hit we had sparks jumping from our finger tips. With a very warm office that is heated by a heat pump system on the roof it is like a desert inside.

A temporary fix is to install a sheet of metal beside the computer that is grounded and before touching he laptop I ground myself to "unload the charge" that was loaded as I crossed the office. As the weather has changed to humid and cold - a high RH factor - it has become less of a problem and doesn't lock up.

A secondary fix was to put masking tapeover the speaker face - left and right at the front of the keyboard... so that my wrists would not rest of the speaker grill... no sound coming out but it works to prevent a lock up when I am working on a project. Then I re-learned type with a pecking motion only touching the plastic keys of tthe keyboard.

BTW - I am a Minister in a church and I was convinced that this Laptop was demon possessed [ ]

How can you find out where or how Toshiba will do the replacement for the cover? Our local Toshiba service center had not heard of this problem and said that it was likely a soft ware problem in which case they do not cover it under warrantee. There a service bulletin?

Murray

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Venombite

 

Yes, there was a Service Bulletin, but this info is only available to Service Centres. When a customer brings it in for repair for this specific problem, they're supposed to just replace it under warranty (if the unit's under warranty). Since your current shop told you they haven't heard of this problem, maybe they didn't check Toshiba's ASP (Authorized Service Provider) Section on their site. Only Authorized Service Centre's will have access to this info. You may want to try contacting Toshiba Canada Support directly and have them direct you to an Authorized Service Centre that will do the repairs. I'll try to dig up the FSB for this problem.

-Vb-

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Murray Lincoln

 

I've owned two of the Toshiba A70's already. Both had been locking up, or just shutting themselves down completely without warning (or chance to save work). Granted, the first one was returned at the behest of Toshiba Tech support, before the tech bulletin was issued with regards to the top cover replacement.

My second laptop just got back from having the top cover replaced, and I was assured by the Toshiba-authorized repair centre that it was left running for an hour without incident (before it would happen after about 40 minutes, but then if I tried turning it on right away it would start shutting off immediately, even before the windows desktop loaded). It wouldn't stay on long enough to backup any data, luckily I've got some backups that were a few weeks old.

Anyway, I got the laptop back from the warranty work, eager to start working on my thesis again, as well as some overdue publications, and it shut itself down after about 10 minutes in the lab! After this it couldn't even stay on long enough to finish loading WindowsXP, let alone long enough for me to backup any data that was still on it. I should also mention that I was concerned it may have been overheating with the cheap processors that were in these laptops, so I'd been running this second laptop at half-CPU capacity from the day I got it as a replacement... anyway I mentioned that it could also be an overheating issue with the laptop so the warranty place also put new thermal compound between the CPU and the heatsink while they did the top cover work.

Anyway, I've done my part with these laptops. So far Toshiba has been reluctant to entertain the notion that I get my money back through them -- and are not calling me back, despite reassurances from their tech support number that a customer relations person will contact me (because they won't take in-bound calls directly).

Unfortunately the place I purchased it from (Future Shop) only had a 30-day return policy from the original purchase date... as it happens I got the second laptop on the 30th day. So, now I'm a broke PhD student with a piece of crap laptop that I couldn't afford and had to take out a loan for in the first place, and I've got no money to get a replacement, and no satisfaction from Toshiba.

And I thought Toshiba was supposed to be a stellar brand name, especially in laptops?!? I didn't think I'd get screwed over by some faceless company who has left me out to dry.... not to mention the kicker... I'm on the verge of getting my PhD work in MadCow disease scooped by another research group overseas, and have no computer to write my papers from so that my stuff gets published first. This laptop fiasco could cost me my entire PhD proposal and thesis work from the past two years!

~J

 

I bought my A70 in December 04 and had similar freezing up issues. After reintalling windows, turning drivers off and on and deleting software I could not get to the bottom of the issue until I found various threads and forum sites that frequently pointed to the static issue. I could easily re-produce the static problem so I called Toshiba (Toronto). Although they were not aware of the problem they sent a box and pre-paid to ship to their repair depot, which I sent with a detailled description of my problem. It arrived last night with a comment on the work performed to fix the problem, it simply stated "Recall Completed. Tested OK". I have tried to re-produce the static problem (no problem in Yellowknife NT it's so dry....and cold) and the unit did not freeze up! It has been operating for 24 hours with heavy use and so far so good. I'm not sure what the Tosiba repair depot meant by "Recall" as I could not see any recall notice on their site. Must be an internal service memo. If you have a static issue my advice is to send back to Toshiba with a detailled description. If you are on warranty they pay for shipping....thank goodness, its a long and expensive dog team ride from way up north.

 

HI I AM COLIN AND I JUST BOUGHT A TOSHIBA A70 ABOUT 4 WEEKS AGO AND HAVE HAD A BLAST WITH IT BUT R SUFFERING FROM SOME MINNOR PROBS THAT R STARTING TO BUG ME. WONDERING IF ANY ONE CAN HELP?


MOST OF THE THINGS I DO R PROBLEM FREE WHEN I BOUGHT THE LAPTOP I HAD THE EXTRA RAM UPTO 512 AND R ABOUT TO GO TO 1GB AND THE WARRANTIE UPTO AND ALL THE REST BUT WHEN I PLAY A GAME 4 EXAMPLE GTA VICE CITY WITCH I GOT ALL THE SPECS 4 AND MORE I GET SHORT FREEZE WHEN I GET INTO CARS AND STUFF.

I ALSO BOUGHT UNREALL TOURMENT AND IT WAS UNPLAYABLE!!!

BUT THE WEIRD THING IS I WENT OT AND GOT SHADOW OPS RED MERCURY AND PLAYS LIKE A DREAM CAN ANYONE HELP ME PLZ.

THANKS FOR ANY RESPONSE


COLIN

 

There is a well documented issue with the a70/a75 series of laptop related to static discharge. I strongly suspect that the sound cards are the first to get damaged by the static (including mine). I brought it for repair, and was informed that Toshiba is now recognizing this problem, but there is a parts backlog of 1 to 2 months. There is also a class action suit.

 

Hello everybody. I've got the same problem. In my case, it seems that the main fan that is supposed to come on when the system starts to overheat forgets to come on. I'm 5000 miles away from where I bought the computer, so if anybody has any ideas on how the get the fan not to forget, I'd appreciate it. My machine doesn't lock up. It just quits with no warning.

Best regards

 

Lbrouhard,

If your fan is just not powering on, you may want to check the BIOS to see if there's an option to have the fan always on. You can use this for the moment, but I'd recommend sending your unit in for service as this could be a problem with the systemboard. You may want to update the BIOS first to see if it'll help.

-Vb-

 

http://www.zlk.com/toshibastatic.html

 

Thanks for the link. I have contacted the attorney.

I was dumb enough to purchase 2 of these computers. One is now in for it's 4th repair. I had purchased it from Best Buy with an extended warranty, they have a lemon policy and I am awaiting word whether it will be replaced even though the first "3" repairs were done by Toshiba. When I requested a replacement by Toshiba I was laughed at...not our policy they said!! I will NOT let Best Buy replace it with another Toshiba...what a lousy company!!

My other has been sent to Toshiba 2 times; however, I do not have an extended plan with this one...I guess I am screwed!!

 

Originally Posted by frlvne
http://www.zlk.com/toshibastatic.html

Thanks for the link frlvne.

I have filled out the form and encourage all of us to go there and DO It!