Portege M400 boot problem

Hi everybody!
I have had this Portege M400 for almost 2.5 years and never encountered such problem.
When I press Power button *HDD led light turns on, then WiFi and then suddenly HDD goes off* and stays that way :(. Optionally, Toshiba logo displays in the mean time. I thought that was HDD problem just to find out that after tilting my laptop 90 degrees HDD led started flashing again. Eventually, when Windows loading animation started it would be "safe" to return to normal position and Windows would start.
Sooo, I assume that the problem is somehow connected to accelerometer, is it? I don't get such freeze-ups after Windows boots. Currently I have BIOS 3.8 version and Windows 7 Pro installed ...
This thing really starts to annoy me - people watch me strangely as I tilt my laptop 90 degrees :-)
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!
Best regards,
Jovan

Hi
Maybe this has something to do with the notebooks HDD?
Maybe the HDD head cannot move properly and the vertical position helps to get the HDD head moving again
Unfortunately, I have never seen such strange notebook behavior and therefore I can provide just some personal suggestions.
In my opinion the HDD should be checked at first maybe the issue could be solved by HDD replacement
Greets

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The blue harddisk light indicates that the computer is doing something.
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The issue also seems to happend sometimes when I start it up from sleep mode.
I have Windows XP with all updates on the computer. I downgraded from Vista after experiencing slow performance.
I have updatet to the newest bios.
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For starters...
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-Jerry

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Hi Michael,
I had the same problem.
You should first make sure that your system is accepted by the machine as working properly:
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- fully update Windows.
- run a scandisk at startup.
- run a full virus and spyware/malware check.
- run a full defragmentation.
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When you are satisfied that your computer is completely idle, double click on the exe file and do not touch anything until the machine has performed a full reboot.
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My Toshiba Portege M400 takes several tries to boot. This problem is only about two weeks old and getting progressively worse with time. I frequently get the message WARNING: RESUME FAILURE, but not every time. When the computer goes into either standy or hibernation mode, it won’t wake up if about two hours have gone by, and then it's like playing the lottery to get it to turn on. I flick the power button, and if I'm lucky the hard drive light and wireless light will go on and the computer will start. When it fails to start (most of the time) I hold the power button until the power shuts down, and then I flick it again. It seems that the longer it has been asleep, the harder it is to wake it up! What can I do before my computer goes into a permanent coma?

My Toshiba Portege M400 takes several tries to boot. This problem is only about two weeks old and getting progressively worse with time. I frequently get the message WARNING: RESUME FAILURE, but not every time. When the computer goes into either standy or hibernation mode, it won’t wake up if about two hours have gone by, and then it's like playing the lottery to get it to turn on. I flick the power button, and if I'm lucky the hard drive light and wireless light will go on and the computer will start. When it fails to start (most of the time) I hold the power button until the power shuts down, and then I flick it again. It seems that the longer it has been asleep, the harder it is to wake it up! What can I do before my computer goes into a permanent coma?

Portege M400 - No sound on Windows 7

I installed windows 7 Ultimate version on my Portege M400. all works except the sound.
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Thanks
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Hi
I have founded a similar thread regarding this no sound problem and the unknown device TOS620A. Check this:
http://forums.computers.toshiba-europe.com/forums/thread.jspa?messageID=182958
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Can someone please help me?
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Hi there,
I have the same laptop. Bought it from a friend also! That was a year ago. It was working perfectly till 6 months ago when I had it going 100% like yours. Screen freezes, fan speeds up and hangs up once it is moved. Recently, even if it doesnt move it hangs up also. I have tried many things like reinstalling drivers and Windows.....etc.
I dont think it is Windows problem or drivers problem, because if you run BIOS and try to move the laptop, it also hangs up!!
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I hope that this is helpful for you to avoid you wasting your time like me.
Please if you would come into any progress, let me know. Likewise, I would be happy to update you.

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I dont think that Toshiba has something to do with INTEL graphic card drivers.
On the Toshiba page you can download the Intel graphic driver. Therefore if you want to send any requests so I think you have to send it to Intel.
But in my opinion I dont think that somebody from Intel or anywhere will create a driver especially for you. But I wish you good luck.
I think we have to use the available common resolutions.

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Hi
My landlord recently upgraded our WLan by introducing an Orange Livebox. I have tried everything possible to connect wirelessly to the router but to no avail.
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I have a Portege M400 with an Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG built in adapter.
Any suggestions anyone?
Many thanks
David

Hi
In such cases its not easy to say why it happens.
One of my notebooks is not able to connect the WLan router because the router supports Wlan 802.11 BG mode and my Wlan card support A and B mode.
But you should firstly check if the Windows firewall was disabled. Then disable the encryption on the router and try to connect the notebook without the encryption.
Sometimes the MAC address filtering was set on the WLan routers. In such cases only the registered WLan cards can connect to the WLan router.
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Portege M400 - How to delete fingerprint data of Protector Suite

Dear all,
1) Protector Suite 5.4 sometimes generated a WinXP crash on my Portege M400.
2) I followed the suggestion by WinXP and upgraded it to the 5.8 release. Unfortunately in this way I lost the functionalities of automatic access to passworded websites (the 5.8 online help says that this module is optional, but I didn't find how to install it).
3) So I uninstalled the 5.8 and put on again the 5.4.
4) Disaster.
5) It's clear that the fingerprint data, updated to the 5.8 format, are still somewhere in the system. The uninstall of Protector Suite doesn't destroy them. For this reason the original 5.4 doesn't allow to do anything, because in its opinion user data are corrupt. First of all, I cannot delete/modify user data from inside the program.
So, PLEASE, let me know where these damned fingerprint data are, so I'll be able to delete them and start Protector Suite from scratch.
Thanks in advance.
-P

(Non)-problem solved!
It was really simple (but if you're headless... you're headless! :-))
During the uninstallation of the 5.8, I didn't take care about the question asking "Do you want to remove all the data..." or something like. And the default value is "No".
This time I chose "Yes" and this allowed me to downgrade to the 5.4 release and to setup it from scratch.
Unfortunately the error message given by Protector Suite when attempting to delete existing data doesn't help. It tells about an "internal error" and nothing more. So, in the case... take care about it!
-P
Message was edited by: phillo67

Portege M400 - CPU cooling issue

One year ago, when I had been using my Portege M400 for 2 years, it started deadlocking occasionally. Sometimes [I couldn't even start it up|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjNa8-c2Aro]. Using cut and try method I located the problem. The metal spring which clasps the heatsink to CPU was doing it with not enough strength:
http://zorko.ru/assets/files/531/531/170720102581.jpg
http://zorko.ru/assets/files/534/534/170720102589.jpg
The problem has been solvable by benting the clutches so the spring starts apply more force clasping the heatsink to CPU:
http://zorko.ru/assets/files/535/535/170720102591.jpg
Applying a new layer of thermal grease has been helpful as well:
http://zorko.ru/assets/files/533/533/170720102585.jpg
However, the solution works for several weeks only. And then (particularly if it is hot outside) the story starts all over again.
Any suggestions how to solve the problem once and for all? Thanks.

Hi Greendrake,
Its really great that you are interested in your Portege M400 and you can disassmble it. Its really not easy and so this can only be done from people with a lot of experience.
Anyway, as you know here its user forum only. That means you can talk with normal people like you and me. So I would recommend contacting an authorized service provider in your country. Maybe the guys know about this problem or something else or you need a special thermal grease because not all thermal greases compatible to all cooling assemblies.
By the way: On the Toshiba website you can find a list of all service providers.
I hope it helps. :)

Picking and moving Portege M400 causes crash and lockup

I have a new problem with Portege M400 that started a few days ago.
If I pick it up or move it then it will crash or lock up. I'm wondering if anyone has any clue as to what may be causing this and what can be done?
My only guess is to replace the hard drive?
Thanks,
Greg

It is a short that happens when the lappie is moved due to the hinge no longer being tightly held to the case.
Took the lappie apart this weekend. Had to do both base and screen as the hinge (obviously) goes into both bits.
1 of 2 things solved the problem for me (maybe both):
1 - Taking it apart and putting it back together again - screws all retightened etc so the hinge moves a lot less now.
2- putting some tape around the wires that are rubbed up against when the hinge moves.
There are 5 wires (3 small, round, 2 large and flat) that go through the hinge.
This guide gets you most of the way in:
http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/Toshiba-Portege-M400/take-apart-tablet-pc-1.htm
and
http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/Toshiba-Portege-M400/remove-lcd-screen-digitizer-1.htm
After following the guides there is a little more to do to get into the hinge, but not too much.
All in all took about 4 hours.
Make sure you record which screws came from where - there are quite a few that look very similar but only fit certain holes.
Enjoy and good luck.

Portege M400 boot problem

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