My Satellite C50-B won't boot from HDD

Question

Machine Details:-
Model Number: PSCMLA-03F07Q
Serial Number: XE343127P
Computer won't boot from harddrive. No error messages, just Toshiba splash screen at end of self test.
A couple of times a reinstall of the operating system seemed to correct the problem but then it would go again, now the problem is consistent.
I've narrowed down possibilities to a BIOS fault, reasons-
System boots from USB without any problems. Installing of operating systems proceeds with no errors. Harddrive SMART data reports a perfectly healthy harddrive. Memcheck returns no errors.
The obvious solution is to reload the BIOS, just resetting it achieves nothing. But here's the problem.
The updated BIOS 1.4 that the Australian website offers is a Windows program and the computer can't boot Windows.
Obvious answer is to use a bootable USB stick with a "live" operating system on it but all of these systems are Linux and the BIOS update is a Windows program. So much for intelligent solutions.
Downloaded Bios version 1.7 from European site but the iso inside that rar file is empty, 25 Mb in size but nothing in it according to Linux. Tried running it's program on a Win7 64bit computer and it returns an error that it could not find the correct iso file.
I've submitted a support request by email to Toshiba but they reckon it could take 3 days to get a reply so I thought I'd ask here as well. Can anyone please point me to a working copy of the latest BIOS update disk for a Satelite C50-B laptop? Please note - this model doesn't have a CD drive so the iso must be compatable with USB boot.
Cheers,
Andrew.

Answer 1

OK, found the answer.
Bios was corrupted but not critically so, turns out that this laptop should never have been able to boot linux in the first place. It's only because of the corrupted bios that I got away with it a few times. Ended up getting a valid copy from a blog in Russia.
Toshiba used to be a byword for quality in the computer world but this is definately no longer the case due to poor (cheap) new quality control practices. Also it seems that Toshiba is no longer really concerned with making computers, they're more interested in selling Windows and GE Insurance Policies disguised as extended warrantees.
From now on I will definately be making sure that my customers understand the troubles they can have when buying Toshiba Laptops.
As for running Linux, I'm including this so that it will help other poor unfortunates who thought they were buying a computer instead of just a Windows platform.
The problem started with Microsoft, their proprietry MBR boot system was no longer valid in a modern world and they had to adopt the open source GPT partitioning system with UEFI boot, but in typical Microsoft fashion they couldn't stick to the widely accepted standard conventions for how the EFI boot partition should be laid out. And Toshiba is Microsoft's new "friend with benefits" so instead of sending Microsoft back to the drawing board they've rewritten their bios so that it looks for the Microsoft Win8.1 EFI boot partition and ignores all others.
The quick answer is to edit your boot partition after install and make it look like Microsoft's. Please note that you don't have to do this with other brands of computer, only Toshiba.
Here's a link with full instructions including pictures, it's written for Ubuntu but is easily adapted to almost any other operating system.
http://linuxontoshiba.blogspot.de/2014/05/getting-ubuntu-1404-to-boot-from.html?showComment=1410953307121
Hope that helps a few people before it gets deleted.
Cheers,
Andrew.