(posted in another forum before finding this one, I believe this is the more correct place for this) Hi, new here, looking for help. Bricked laptop. BIOS flash gone wrong. Need to reflash BIOS using USB stick method, and don't know how. Toshiba Satellite C850, model PSCBWC-05700J Here is the link to the original, correct, and 100% working BIOS that I need, but it's .exe file to be run inside windows. {arrgh, cannot post links without a 20 post count} It's Insyde Bios V 6.80 if that helps. I tried running an extractor to unpack the files from the .exe, and tried renaming the .FD file and loading to a USB stick, and I must be doing something wrong. PLEASE HELP, thanks.
http(colon//)support(dot)Toshiba(dot)ca/support/isg/drivers/pscbwc/C850_L850-680-WIN.exe There, best I could do ^^^^^^^
I will try this thank you. I already have unpacked the BIOS, and I'm sure those two files are in there. Do I use both of those files, or just one? If both, how can I name them the same? Is the one with the extra "8" in it just for Windows 8 or what?
the F is for windows 7 and the F8 is for windows 8 have a look at the UBIOS.BAT you will find the info there.
Got the file F680.FD renamed and onto the USB stick, formatted for FAT32 with nothing else on it. The file is at the root directory of the USB drive. LED on the USB stick blinks once when I plug in the power supply, but that's it. Holding down WIN + B while plugging it in makes no difference. Pushing the power button does nothing while holding the two keys, unless you hold it down for like 10 sec, then the POWER light goes off and it sits there. Doing nothing.
I also tried using a CD with the file, and the CD drive spins up when I plug in the power supply, and then stops after a bit. No response from the lights on the laptop at all.
tried the filename HB2X64.fd did not work tried Fn + ESC, tried WIN + B, and on and on. Local computer repair shop said (via email) that they would have to desolder and replace the BIOS chip, $150 and two days. Fuuuuuuuuuck.
called Toshiba custserv, and of course, they say send it in. they swear that NO combination of keystrokes and USB messing around will do anything useful. I asked directly. :-(
Try these recovery file names FX64.fd 10FX64.fd (I strongly believe this is the one that will save you because I found this in your BIOS): cross fingers, put only the 6MB fd file (F8680.FD) renamed to 10FX64.fd in the pen stick and try entering recovery as you were doing before, pen stick light may blink and dont panic, wait for notebook to reboot alone. I've seen some reports on toshibas, try different pen sticks, try different USB ports, some got it working with CD some other only got it working with large floppy disks (yes, believe) If none works, also try PLCSF8.fd bios.fd BIOS.fd If no go, this repair service for $180 is absurd, for this money you can change motherboard, if notebook is in warranty use it, say it suddenly stopped working and u'll get a mb replacement, also, if no, you'll spend less money buying the tools to reflash it by yourself than paying for this absurd expense service, I think $30 are enough to buy the tools
Playing Necromacer on this post, sorry Did the op come back to say if the last post worked? I flashed kids laptop with the unlocked 6.80 bios to increase the vram allocation in advance tab. It worked OK before I went into the guts of the bios but now just reboot loops with no post. I wanna try a cmos reset later bit I'm only guessing at the key combo to trigger it [fn + D + Pwr] held for 10 secs. Would Andys Tool shed any light?