Tecra S2 intermittent startup problem after pressing power buttton

Question

brimar 0 Newbie Poster

20 Years Ago

Hi all,
I have a Tecra S2 with the 6600go GFX card.
The machine is great but exhibits the following problem.

After the machine has been off for a while it will not start reliably.
You press the power button. Either immediately after you release the power button or a second later (changes each time) the green power LED comes on. The cooling fan runs at high speed then slows to a crawl a few seconds later (as normal) but LCD does not come on.
Also when it does not boot USB devices are not initialised (I have a product key dongle that flashes if it is not initialised - when the laptop boots correctly this dongle lights continuously - in a normal boot it is initialised before the BIOS ramtest)

I have upgraded the bios a couple of times - it is now at 2.4 (I saw that the power button timings were changed in V1.9) but this has not solved the problem.

I have tried booting on AC power with battery removed, ac battery & battery only - the result is the same.

I can make it start up eventually by holding the power button until the laptop turns off, waiting a few seconds and then trying to turn it on again.
After several of these cycles it will eventually start up. It seems recently that it is taking more attempts to start than it did before.

If I have been using the laptop for an hour or so and then turn it off it will almost always start again first time.

If I put the laptop in standby (orange slow flashing power LED) then half the time it will continue when the power button is pressed - the other half the power LED will go green but the LCD will remain off & I have to cycle the power button.

As you can imagine this is driving me nuts!

Any help or advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks in advance,
Robin

laptop troubleshoot-hardware

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Latest Post 16 Years Ago Latest Post by bietjebatje

Dani AI

Generated 6 Months Ago

Short summary and what the POST code means — ’s use of a POST card captured code DA, which in Phoenix-style BIOSes corresponds to an "extended block move" (an early BIOS memory/ROM copy step). That makes this a firmware/hardware hang during initial device initialization rather than an OS or driver problem, and helps explain the absence of USB device activity when the machine “fails to boot.” Phoenix POST code reference. (uxd.zendesk.com)

Practical, safe checks to do next (in order)

Run minimal POST: remove drives, cards and non-essential peripherals; boot with one RAM module at a time and test each slot. 2) Try an external monitor during a failed boot to see whether the system ever produces video. 3) Clear CMOS / replace the RTC coin cell and fully discharge (AC + battery out, hold power 20–30s) before retrying. 4) Inspect for bulging capacitors, loose screws, or damaged connectors around the heatsink/graphics area; reseat any removable daughterboards if present. These are standard vendor troubleshooting steps for the Tecra series. Toshiba Tecra S2 troubleshooting & removal guidance. (manua.ls)

What the symptom pattern suggests and precautions
Boots that become reliable after the machine is warm (or after multiple on/off cycles) are classic signs of thermally‑sensitive faults — cracked or oxidized BGA solder joints, failing GPU/VRAM or bad contacts on a removable video board. The GeForce Go 6600 family ran hot in some laptops, so thermal stress is a plausible root cause. Professional BGA reflow/reball or board replacement are the usual long‑term fixes; DIY oven/hot‑air attempts are risky and often only temporary. historic 6600 Go heat reports · rework/reflow overview and risks. (forums.guru3d.com)

Recommended next steps and realistic options
Because noted physical slot/contact issues and / report similar failures, try careful reseating and contact cleaning first (able to do without specialized tools). If that fails, back up data immediately and get a professional board‑level diagnostic; request scope of work and cost for reflow vs board replacement and compare to machine value. Avoid prolonged DIY reflow unless you accept the risk. If the GPU is on a removable module, a replacement board or used module may be economical — otherwise expect a motherboard‑level repair. (ifixit.com)

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brimar 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 1 · 2006-07-07T00:31:14+00:00

The plot thickens....

I have since got my hands on a mini PCI POST display card.
When the machine does not boot POST hangs on DA Hex which I believe is 'Return from extended block move" (Phoenix CMe Firstbios Notebook Pro)

Anyone know which memory areas are accessed during the extended block move.
(could this include graphics memory?)

I have also found one other post for a tecra with an identical intermittent boot problem.
That one was in warranty.
The service centre replaced his graphics card but he did not post if this had fixed his problem or not.

If I have any luck I will post the cause and fix here.

Regards,
Robin

Giz 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 2 · 2006-08-24T17:43:05+00:00

Dear Robin,
I have a Tecra with exactly the same problem. Did you get any help with a solution
Regards
Giz

Hi all,
I have a Tecra S2 with the 6600go GFX card.
The machine is great but exhibits the following problem.
After the machine has been off for a while it will not start reliably.
You press the power button. Either immediately after you release the power button or a second later (changes each time) the green power LED comes on. The cooling fan runs at high speed then slows to a crawl a few seconds later (as normal) but LCD does not come on.
Also when it does not boot USB devices are not initialised (I have a product key dongle that flashes if it is not initialised - when the laptop boots correctly this dongle lights continuously - in a normal boot it is initialised before the BIOS ramtest)
I have upgraded the bios a couple of times - it is now at 2.4 (I saw that the power button timings were changed in V1.9) but this has not solved the problem.
I have tried booting on AC power with battery removed, ac battery & battery only - the result is the same.
I can make it start up eventually by holding the power button until the laptop turns off, waiting a few seconds and then trying to turn it on again.
After several of these cycles it will eventually start up. It seems recently that it is taking more attempts to start than it did before.
If I have been using the laptop for an hour or so and then turn it off it will almost always start again first time.
If I put the laptop in standby (orange slow flashing power LED) then half the time it will continue when the power button is pressed - the other half the power LED will go green but the LCD will remain off & I have to cycle the power button.
As you can imagine this is driving me nuts!
Any help or advice would be gratefully received.
Thanks in advance,
Robin

brimar 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 3 · 2006-08-29T13:10:28+00:00

Dear Robin,
I have a Tecra with exactly the same problem. Did you get any help with a solution
Regards
Giz

Hi Giz,

No solution but a partial work-around.

Turn on as usual and wait for it not to boot.
Wait > 1 minute with it on & not working.
Hold power button to turn off.
Wait until the on led goes out.
Count 3 seconds
Turn on as usual.
On my S2 this boots up every time using this retry.
This does not help with the standby / hibernate issue though.
If you wait less than 3 seconds (say 1/2 second) and retry powering on too early it will still boot but there is a >50% chance the cooling fan will come on FULL and stay that way until you reboot.

Regards,
Robin

elmarkezdezade 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 4 · 2009-09-04T21:18:28+00:00

I Have the same problem, I've been moving up staff, and I've found that there was a cooling problem with the gpu (nVidia), the computer gets hot, and the plastic's gpu slot, produces a bad contact, (sorry if I don't express ok in english, i speak mostly spanish), so when I put it ok, the screw holes doesn't match fine, and if I put them ok, the slot keeps in bad contact, so it doesn't boot, I'll try with a hot air gun to make it match, anyone have a suggestion? Thanx

bietjebatje 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 5 · 2009-11-17T07:34:18+00:00

This evening after a while my Tecra S2 just turned off. No lights on.
Pulling out and in again 2 green lights. Power and battery. Pushing the power button lights go off.
Have taken out HD, Memory, Battery and reconnected them. No luck.
Taken out the fan, to look for dust, no problem. Removed the heatsink and there is still cooling pasta on it. So, no problems I think. Closed up the laptop. The problem persists.
Who can help me out.
Thanks.