I love my Toshiba laptop, Portege M300, which I have carried with me around France for two years or so. The battery has been clearly going down for some time, but as I almost always can use it with its mains connection plugged in, I have not changed it yet. It will still run without mains connection for 15 mins or so, which is usually enough to collect emails quickly if necessary.
The other day I had just collected emails (not plugged into mains), when there was almost a sort of "ping" and the screen went black. No amount of button-pressing, attempts to reboot etc would get it going again, even with its mains lead plugged in.But, whether plugged in or not, there was a flashing orange light on the front; it seems to be a sequence of 8 flashes of varying duration; then a pause, then the sequence starts again.
I had to be away for a week, so left it at home, unplugged (but orange light still flashing). I have now returned; orange light no longer flashing.Plugged it into mains hopefully to recharge overnight, orange light sequence flashing again. No other lights illuminated.
Does this sound as if it has died permanently? Or is there hope of a resurrection if I invest in a new battery?
It's a UK-bought machine, and is running XP.
Angela
From what you describe I would be looking at the battery. Some laptops will run without the battery installed but not, as far as I am aware, Toshiba. The mains power on those models runs through the battery not direct.
I'm no expert but that is certainly a place to start.
If you bought it from PC World their Tech. Department (I use the term loosely ) will be able to put a good battery in to check for you.
Hope this helps.
Gary.
Angela, Have you tried removing the battery (after unplugging from the mains, of course!) and then switching on with just the mains lead attached. Bugbear might be right that it needs the battery in to function but it is worth a go. If that still does not work try this before you take it anywhere http://www.w00tw00t.co.uk/support/viewtopic.php?p=7813
you never know. It might help.
Danny
Thanks for that flurry of suggestions, folks!
LyndaandRichard, I don't think I am computer-savvy *enough* for that little gadget! As soon as I saw it was a thing with spiky little legs that looked as if it belonged out of sight *inside* my computer, I panicked! Also I recognise the word "motherboard", but have no idea what it actually is. Not the same thing as the hard drive, I presume. (There. Now you know just how computer-savvy I am - not.)
Danny, those are a couple of things it might be in my capacity to try...
Yes, Bugbear, it did come from PC World originally, so I guess I should just take it over there and get them to have a look at it.
Many thanks to all
YESSSS!!!
Up and running again, thanks to you - especially Danny.
I located the position of the battery, but could not find out how to remove it in order to try that first suggestion about plugging it into the mains *without* the battery. (Where was the manual? On the computer - which would not open of course! Reminds me of that song "There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza...").
So I trekked along to PC World and queued up for the Techguys. Got to the front, explained that I wanted to try it on mains *without* the battery, and they did it for me. Worked right away! They didn't even charge (though I slipped them a little something). So I stuill have the old battery in, as they don't stock the one I need. And I am home, and writing to you on it now.
Many thanks to all.
Cathy
Hi
Google search for Toshiba battery model No. xxxxxx and there will be quite a few places selling it at half the price the likes of PC world charge.
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