Toshiba 2800 Problems

Hi,

I was wondering if someone could tell me why my laptop won't boot. I have a Toshiba 2800 Satelitte.

When I boot I am prompted to hit F2 to goto the boot device menu. Here I am presented with a menu showing CD-ROM, Network, FDD, Built-in HDD and Default SYSTEM SETUP device. I've tried selecting the HDD and Default SYSTEM SETUP device, and I get the following error:

Intel Boot Agent Verion 3.0.03
PXE-E61: Media test failuer, check cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting Intel PXE Rom
Insert System disk in drive
Press any key when ready...


Anyone know what is wrong???

 

This means that the system can't find the HDD or find an OS in the HDD. This is either a hardware or software problem.

1. Your systemboard or HDD could be defective and needs replacing. You cal also try pulling your HDD out and plug it back in. Re-seating the HDD may fix it as it might have been loose. If re-seating doesn't fix it, you need to sent the unit for repair.

2. The OS installed is the cause. Your OS may have been corrupted by a virus or from some software you recently installed or deleted. If you have an XP CD (not a recovery CD), try booting off of this and see if you can repair the OS. This will just re-install all the files right over the old corrupt files and you should be on your way (that's if it's just a corrupt OS). If the only discs you have are Recovery CD's (Toshiba usually use an Image Restore method), this will wipe all the data off your drive. This means that you will loose any data on your drive that you don't have a backup of. If you have another HDD, you can pop it into the unit and instal the OS on that one to see if the system will operate, if not, then it's a hardware problem.

You can also connect your 2800 drive onto an external USB drive enclosure and connect to another system to see if it sees the OS. If so, copy all the data out that you need and then try an OS repair/restore.

Good Luck!

-Vb-

 

Thanks for your advice.

I've narrowed it down to the fact that the system can't see the hard drive. In the bios it doesn't show a hard drive as being connected.

I took the hard drive out and reseated it, which did nothing.

So.. since the unit is like 5 years old, I won't be sending it anywhere for repairs. What if I bought a new hard drive off ebay? Do you think that it could be the hard drive itself that's toast, and not the connection between it at the lattop?

 

I don't rememeber the Toshiba BIOS's, or most notebooks bios's for that matter, listing the HDD as a connected device. If you can get the device listed in the Boot Device Menu, then it may actually be finding the HDD. Before you go an buy yourself a new drive, you may want to see if you can connect it to a friends notebook and see if it works. You can also go out and buy an external USB drive enclosure for a notebook drive (approx $20) and connect your drive to it. Plug it into another computer to see if there's any data on it or if the system even recognizes the drive. If it doesn't recognize a drive, you know it's the HDD. If it finds the drive, it's possible the OS is just corrupt or gone. At this point you can just re-install the OS and you should be fine.

-Vb-