Member Avatar for Matt1127

I recently acquired a Toshiba Satellite M45-S355. It was actually given to my wife so I have taken on the project of trying to get it running. It also came with an external hard drive. When I originally tried to boot up the computer all I got was the Toshiba logo screen and I would occasionally get an error message that said PXE-E61 Media Test Failure Check Cable. After asking a few questions of a friend I checked the hard drive. Turns out there was no hard drive at all. I took the external drive that my wife had been given with the computer and opened it up. It was the exact same model of hard drive that had originally came with the M45-S355. I installed the hard drive into the lap top and it worked perfectly except for one flaw. I still get the same error message mentioned above and then the computer loads up properly. Once you try to shut down or restart the computer it will not reboot for approximately one hour. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Matt

  • 2 Contributors
  • 5 Replies
  • 264 Views
  • 5 Days Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by BlackFetus

Dani AI

Generated

Two separate problems are likely happening here: the PXE/network-boot message (BIOS trying the network because it can't find a bootable disk) and a hardware/power problem that prevents immediate power-on after shutdown. has already done useful checks and pointed at controllers/jumpers — note that the usual "master/slave" jumper advice is rarely relevant for modern 2.5" laptop drives and an external enclosure can hide the real interface (USB bridge vs native SATA/PATA).

Try these targeted, non-destructive checks first:

  1. BIOS/boot order: disable Network/PXE boot or move the internal disk to the top of the boot order so the BIOS does not attempt PXE. Confirm the BIOS actually detects the internal drive (model and size shown). If the drive was used in a USB enclosure, remove it from the enclosure and install it directly in the bay for a true test.
  2. Disk health: boot from a USB live Linux or manufacturer diagnostic utility and check SMART/bootability. If a known-good drive behaves the same, the laptop is not the disk’s fault.
  3. Power-path isolation: determine whether the laptop is truly off or stuck. Do these with AC adapter and battery removed as needed:
    • Try AC-only and battery-only boots (swap/inspect adapter).
    • Drain residual charge (remove battery/AC, hold power 30s), then try AC-only.
    • Inspect the DC jack, nearby solder joints and electrolytic capacitors for bulging/leakage.

If the machine will not power on immediately but does after ~1 hour even with no HDD, that strongly points to the power delivery / motherboard (DC jack, protection fuse, caps or MOSFETs) rather than the OS or CMOS battery. Replacing the CMOS cell is cheap but unlikely to fix a delayed-power symptom. Prioritize the BIOS/boot-order change and AC-adapter/DC-jack checks; leave soldered-battery or board-level work to a shop if not comfortable with laptop electronics.

Recommended Answers

All 5 Replies

Member Avatar for BlackFetus

..hi there!..did you check the hard disk if it is in master pinning and did you try to change/replace the IDE controller of your hard disk?..if the issue still continues then try to clean your memory for better performance..nor, just try to reset the BIOS or CMOS battery of your laptop..^_^..i hope it helps!..^_^..

Edited by BlackFetus because: n/a
Member Avatar for Matt1127

Thanks so much for your reply. You will have to forgive me I am somewhat of amateur at this. I will do my best to check into these issues.

Member Avatar for Matt1127

As I dig into this I am afraid I am coming up with more questions than answers. I was talking to a friend and he suggested that what I had thought was a new external hard drive was actually the original hard drive just dropped into a case and set up like an external drive temporarily. In other words do you think it is possible that I am still dealing with a bad hard drive? Also if the computer clock is losing time is that sign that this BIOS or CMOS battery you mentioned above could be bad? Thanks so much.

Matt

Member Avatar for Matt1127

Ok here is an update on my situation. I took the Toshiba M45 apart intending to change the cmos battery. Turns out it is spot welded into a little case and the case is soldered to the motherboard. I checked the battery with a multimeter and it showed the right voltage. After I reassembled the Toshiba M45 I checked the bios settings. The boot order was wrong so I reset it to the default. Unfortunately after all this I am still having the same problem I had to begin with. BlackFetus could you explain what you meant about the HD master pinning. As I said earlier I am kind of new at this. Thanks so much for your help. Any other ideas would be great. Thanks,

Matt

Member Avatar for BlackFetus

..hi there!..try to use your external hard drive for your hard disk, boot it first in the BIOS settings..i think your IDE controller of your laptop is damage..just try it!..give me an update!..^_^..

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.