Toshiba Laptop won't start up- blinking cursor on black screen

crazynlazyguy · Jan 20, 2013

Today I tried to boot up my laptop but I am stuck at a blinking cursor on a black screen.

To make matters work my keyboard doesn't work either so I can't use F2 or F12 before it boots to the black screen.

Any idea what the problem could be? I'm stumped and thinking the laptop may just be trash now.

gregrocker · Jan 20, 2013

Most often failure to boot disk is a user failure, not hardware. Keep trying, more vigorously. Sometimes what helps is to reset the CMOS which can also be done by pulling the battery if you can access it easily enough on your lappy.

You need to work through these steps for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start.

There are some Boot disks/flash sticks provided in the steps that will boot themselves without user input so I'd boot Hiren’s BootCD 15.1 or Hiren's BootCD From USB Flash Drive to run an A/V test, test your HD and RAM, Check File System and Active partition with Partition Wizard on Hirens.

But if you can't get the Win7 installer or Repair CD to boot you may need to rescue your files using Rescue disk in Step 9, then wipe the HD using Partition Wizard on Hirens, which will force the installer to start to Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

You can also try getting the inferior Toshiba HDD Recovery Utility if you can get the Fkey to boot it.

crazynlazyguy · Jan 20, 2013

I get the Toshiba screen and then BOOM black screen with cursor. At the Toshiba screen it gives me two options. Push F2 or F12 but I can't push either because the keyboard doesn't work at all. No caps lock light or anything.

This is not user error...

gregrocker · Jan 20, 2013

Then boot the Hirens disk which will autostart on its own to see if you can run the tests which it can do that I enumerated above - it can accomplish them all. You'll then know if you're infected and if an A/V scan can clean it up, copy out your data with XP explorer, test the HD with the maker's diagnostics or Seatools.

If not then boot the Partition Wizard CD which will always boot itself. From it you can test the HD surface, File System on each partition, confirm the Active flag is intact on the Win7 or its boot partition, then maybe even jump-start it using Partition Wizard Rebuild MBR - Video Help.

If none of that works to start it and you still can't boot the Win7 DVD or Repair CD to run Startup Repair then use the Hirens disk or Paragon Rescue Kit Free Edition 11.0 Free CD which boots itself to rescue your data, then Partition Wizard CD again to Quick Wipe the HD which will force the installer to boot itself to Clean Reinstall.

crazynlazyguy · Jan 21, 2013

Tried that too. It won't boot from a cd rom either.

Guessing this looks like it's just junk eh?

gregrocker · Jan 21, 2013

I specifically gave you some disks that boot themselves, not normal CD's which require user input to boot. I am now having to repeat this a third time since you can't seem to get it or are too lazy to do the work.

What was the result booting the PW CD which is designed to boot itself? If it fails boot Seagate Seatools or DBAN which also self-boot to wipe the HD. Darik's Boot And Nuke | Hard Drive Disk Wipe and Data Clearing

If you need to rescue data Paragon Rescue Kit Free Edition 11.0 Free which also self boots.

I'd never give up if the mobo is functioning. But you'll need to decide if you want to do the work or be lazy.

Crazy is fine, lazy won't get there.

You can research how to find the CMOS battery to pull it out to reset BIOS. I'd also unplug it, remove battery, hold power button to drain power, then plug back in only A/C adapter to try it again.

You can also move the HD to another laptop to wipe it which forces the installer to boot. Once it installs if you've still lost ability to boot disks you can reflash the latest BIOS from Windows, or you can see if there's a way to reflash it from boot now.

crazynlazyguy · Jan 21, 2013

That's the thing. I don't think the main board is functioning fully.

Been trying the disks you gave me and it won't boot those either and just repeats the same stuff I mentioned earlier.

I have a feeling the main board is fried. Talked to another geek friend of mine and he thinks it's done for too.

Guess I'll bring it to him before I part it out.

gregrocker · Jan 21, 2013

Pull the RAM sticks out to see if board beeps in response. That means it's alive.

Next put the RAM sticks back in, checking slots to blow out any debris, reseating sticks carefully.

Then pull the HD cable to see if it generates black screen error. Board is working that much.

While HD cable is removed try booting a disk.

If HD is blocking disk to boot it is often solved by wiping the HD installed along with it's HD to another PC with Diskpart Clean Command. This clears the boot sector of code that can block booting.

crazynlazyguy · Jan 21, 2013

So far I have tried to boot with ram removed (no beeps) & removed hard drive to run chkdsk on it in my hard drive dock.

Tried to boot with no hard drive, ram and did same black screen with line.

Btw the line isn't blinking like I thought it was.

gregrocker · Jan 21, 2013

So you have no signal whatsoever to the monitor? Do you have fans and any LED's?

If so then google video how to reinstall your laptop model's monitor, as sometimes the cables come unplugged. If no video for your model or line look at a similar model "reinstall Toshiba laptop monitor" video search.

Have you drained all power this way?

crazynlazyguy · Jan 21, 2013

Hard drive check came back good on chkdsk. All files on hd work and I can at least pull data off it.

May try putting hd in different laptop & see if it boots

crazynlazyguy · Jan 21, 2013

Monitor works. That's only thing that seems to still function.

Starts up with Toshiba screen and after goes to black screen with a solid small line (not blinking).

Does this regardless of what I put in Rom, push on keyboard (keyboard still not working), tried usb keyboard no luck.

gregrocker · Jan 21, 2013

It's not common for Win7 to boot when moved to different hardware without adaptive restore. This is a good one you can install to the extant OS, then run it on the moved HD if it won't start WIn7: Paragon Virtualization Manager (formerly Paragon Adaptive Restore) CD

This out-of-print freeware is the same thing on bootable CD: https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=365ea77f74a302f6&id=365EA77F74A302F6!21223

crazynlazyguy · Jan 21, 2013

Thanks for the great info about how to get it to boot up in a different machine.

Thinking my beloved laptop is done though unless you or my friend has any other ideas.

Maybe I can get $80 out of the monitor to put towards a new laptop.

gregrocker · Jan 21, 2013

If you hear the fans running and see any LED's outside or inside then I wouldn't give up on it until I'd disassembled it and checked all connections, reassembled it to see if anything changes.

I learned a lot taking apart a Compaq into 100 parts last summer to clean out its heatsink and repaste the processor, and its working fine for its owner now. But it's probably prohibitive except for an experiment or learning experience.

Consider it an autopsy if it fails.

crazynlazyguy · Jan 21, 2013

Ok thanks. I'll take it apart today, look over the main board and put back together & see if anything changes.

gregrocker · Jan 21, 2013

If you're lucky and deft with Google there will be a video or tutorial on how to disassemble the model or line.

Unplug A/C, battery and discharge power first.

Save screws in some order so you know which ones go where.

Do everything in slow motion to assure you don't snap a simple plastic clip that holds something important in place as is easy to do (OK, I did it

).

crazynlazyguy · Jan 21, 2013

I went back over and retried these other steps before I was about to take it apart.

The method to discharge power from the laptop in the video is what got it working again.

Thank you so much for your help and sorry if I was a bit impossible to deal with but I honestly was trying everything u mentioned! Some of it I tried before u mentioned it.

Again the Laptop is WORKING again now.

gregrocker · Jan 21, 2013

Seems like you caught up with an earlier step I'd given.

This happens because when you report back without specficity on steps tried I give new ones and can overload you with steps.

Glad you got caught up and it helped.

You can mark thread Solved at top.

Toshiba Laptop won't start up- blinking cursor on black screen

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