Problems with the M70 laptop from FS

[basketball]

Hey,

Laptop specs - 1.73ghz, intel M, 1 gb (512*2 DDR2) memory, 100 gb hard drive & 256 mb x700 ATI video card.

I bought this laptop about 6 months back from FS and it was an open box, but they "guaranteed" that I won't have any problems with it and I also got their PSP. But after about 2 months of use, it started giving me problems.

The problem - blue screens comes up at no specific time, sometimes at bootup, shutdown, surfing etc, really no pattern. Then it also freezes when coming back up from a "hibernate" and sometimes freezes in a "power on".

So I sent it to repair (@ toshiba) but got it back saying "there's no problem!". Of course, I got the same problem again within few weeks. So I gave it back to them again recently and this time got it back saying it's something wrong with the memory. FS installed an extra 512 mb (AZenram) to make it 1gb when I bought it and the toshiba tech says that it's not compatible. Now they changed the memory to a Comstar (512 ddr2) and two days later, it still gives me the same problem.

My questions -

What do you guys think is wrong with it? Mobo? memory slot?

Is there anyway to get a replacement for the laptop? (cuz it seems like the problem is very random and hard to track)

Any other suggestions?

[goofball]

have you run memtest on it yourself?

[basketball]

I did like 3 passes and nothing, the tech did it too and they didn't find anything.

[wookie]

my next guess would be hard drive.

[basketball]

my next guess would be hard drive.

really?...They ran all kinds of tests on that, but still nothing...but ya, it could be undetectable. are mobo errors hard to find?

[goofball]

3 passes is really nothing for memtest.
normally, you'd run at least 8-12 hours for long term stability
for overclocking runs, 2 hours is what I usually do.

When you say "freezes" in a power on, do you mean a cold boot, it freezes during the POST part?

I would remove any added memory first and foremost, and see what happens out of that.

[Gee]

Remove the extra memory and see if the problem still persists. If you still have a problem, then restore the hard drive to factory and see if it is spyware etc.

[wookie]

really?...They ran all kinds of tests on that, but still nothing...but ya, it could be undetectable. are mobo errors hard to find?

some toshiba notebooks (a70) have also had issues with static build up. such an issue is much more difficult to detect and motherboard errors in general are not the easiest to diagnose. especially when the problem appears to be intermitten. the best bet is to log a day worth of work (turned unit on, open office word and received blue screen etc).... that gives them a good idea of when it happens and how to duplicate it. also just because a unit passes some tests; smart for example doesnt mean the hdd isnt bad. they usually use a program called PC Check and it will report a pass on the smart test but if you read it and it shows any previous failures then the drive has actually failed and as such should be replaced.

[basketball]

Remove the extra memory and see if the problem still persists. If you still have a problem, then restore the hard drive to factory and see if it is spyware etc.

It's not spyware cuz I've restored the hard drive three times now.

some toshiba notebooks (a70) have also had issues with static build up. such an issue is much more difficult to detect and motherboard errors in general are not the easiest to diagnose. especially when the problem appears to be intermitten. the best bet is to log a day worth of work (turned unit on, open office word and received blue screen etc).... that gives them a good idea of when it happens and how to duplicate it. also just because a unit passes some tests; smart for example doesnt mean the hdd isnt bad. they usually use a program called PC Check and it will report a pass on the smart test but if you read it and it shows any previous failures then the drive has actually failed and as such should be replaced.

Thx for the info. What the FS is telling me is that if their tech (and toshiba) can't find a problem, they can't do anything abt it...

what should I do?

[joeytomato]

you should entitle to get a new laptop because you have the PSP

[wookie]

you should entitle to get a new laptop because you have the PSP

ummmm... no.... please read / understand terms and conditions before making comments.

[wookie]

It's not spyware cuz I've restored the hard drive three times now.



Thx for the info. What the FS is telling me is that if their tech (and toshiba) can't find a problem, they can't do anything abt it...

what should I do?

where do you live? see if there is a local toshiba repair shop that could give you a second opinion. if you are in london or kitchener/waterloo then take it into mainline if not just check to see who else there is that is local for you.

[hassan123]

if i get this correct you encounter the error while windows is booting up and while u are running it and the memtest shows nothing then it is probably not ur hardware rather ur windows installation.
Try recovering your pc, hopefully you were provided with a recovery disc otherwise let me know and ill tell you how u can create one.