So you have SPI programmed my BIOS.ROM and it didn't work? Just to get this right... Can you read it back from the chip and upload it to compare if the data remained uncorrupted? EDIT: Answered already...need to think about...
The BIOS update you have provided at your first link, was it the same revision that worked before? You could try the same procedure with a previous revision. And you are sure the BIOS is made for your particular model? We know: The BIOS has been programmed without corruption and has the right size and I am sure it contains the BIOS data because it is readable by Phoenix BIOS editor, so IMHO it should work, except it isn't the right one. And you can exclude hardware issues. To remove all batteries to reset CMOS doesn't work? I haven't a better explanation atm...
Just to mention, i already measured the pins 3,7,8 from the spi chip when i plug the power cord, all of them has 3,3volt. The only thing that i found strange is that the cmos battery gives me 0,450 volt. But this battery is rechargeable and soldered on the motherboard and because the laptop was discharged for over 7 months(never powered on at this period), perhaps the value of the cmos battery is normal. I also believe that the bios i flashed from the beginning with the spi programmer was correct, because i read a lot this forum and i followed your instructions. Also after flashing the chip,the power led starts to light on for 3 seconds and after turns off, so this is something. When you mean to reset the cmos? To hold the power button for 30 seconds with no power and battery at all? I did that ... To short the 2 pins under the rams, i think i did that also ... Could be the cmos battery???
Usually when the CMOS battery cannot hold the data the BIOS simply 'forgets' the BIOS settings, but you are able to enter setup. I had that issue at old PCs so I simply had to replace the battery. If it has stored wrong settings it might cause that the PC / notebook cannot boot, hence it needs to be cleared, but the fans are usually spinning, though. It can be achieved by different ways, some boards have a jumper to be set to clear CMOS. Hmm... maybe the CMOS battery needs more time to get charged and hasn't its full capacity? But....it ran the first time you have switched it on after the long unused period? Right? I know from my experiences that when you dump a phoenix BIOS from the chip it exactly has the data found at the updates except the appended platform data...so I guess it's here the same.
The model is here : hxxp://eu.computers.toshiba-europe.com/innovation/jsp/SUPPORTSECTION/discontinuedProductPage.do?service=EU&com.broadvision.session.new=Yes&PRODUCT_ID=1075951 I pressed the link with drivers and i choose the bios .... i couldnt find any old revisions. Well to the question if the laptop switched on after the long period the answer is no. You see the laptop was bad flashed before that long period. I just let it to my lab, because then i had many things to do. Now i have more free time so i decided to fix it. But with no luck ... Personally i dont think is the cmos because now the bios is reflashed with correct bios. Does the settings remain after this flash? If so i have to do some tests ...
sometimes bad ram can cause bad flashes= dead board. reflash after replacing ram.. test 1 at a time. is this an nvidia/amd motherboard ? i need the model number under it L500-S#####= L500-1EK ? short model number PSL#####
In the period you haven't used the notebook, the CMOS battery could have become fully discharged. Anyway you should be able to enter setup discharged or not, only the original settings could have been lost. The notebook beeps then and jumps into setup automatically. But yours doesn't boot at all....when SPI flashed the original state of CMOS remains unchanged I guess. At BIOS updates some software updater have a switch (script / command) to reset the CMOS. The OEMs do that if major changes had been programmed and the CMOS memory has changed its structure. The main battery is in a good condition? I assume you also can't boot without it?
I will now solder a NEW non rechargeable 3v battery. After that i will short the 2 pins found under the rams. I will wait for few seconds and after i will unshort the 2 pins. I hope that wakes the bios... i will inform you soon with the results RESULTS: Nothing... same behaviour ... the power led, lights for 3 seconds , after that turns off... Only the standby led remains lit. I really can't figure out what on earth is going on...
usually on toshiba u have to do the reset with power and short applied before power on for about 12 seconds or less and 1 ram in upper slot not lower so it lets access.. not all are like this.. this is the password/cmos reset trick for most toshibas that have the proper contact pads (not all pads are create equal.. double check yours with image searches online) im still curious if u got the model numbeer under it PSLJ#### .. mybe edit post name with more than just L500 .. many models made L500-S?????
Mate, the part number is under the model number on the link i gave already ... Satellite L500-1EK Part Number : PSLS0E-02P01LG3
OK. I hope the provided BIOS update is a good / the right one. We still don't know what has caused the brick at all... I'll watch this thread and try to help with some input (if I can), it seems to be a very special issue that makes it hard to resolve. Try to enter setup by pressing the key(s) after you have switched it on. Be careful with the power cord (leave it unplugged) when have attached a non rechargeable battery...It might cause harm when circuits try to charge. What is the purpose to short those 2 pins?
The laptop never entered the bios screen, i just have black screen,no fans , no beep sound nothing. Just the power led lights for 3 seconds and after turns off... Is it possible the vga cpu to have bad solder points and need reflow? And for that reason after the correct flash, the power led reacts strange??? Yes, they are pads and from what i know they used only when you want to clear bios passwords.
ATM I am lost, also... don't know what else could be wrong. And before you have tried to update the BIOS it worked without any issue? I wonder if you could get somewhere the previous revision... Well...it's late here, will recheck this thread tomorrow, I am sorry that it didn't work for now.
sounds like other motherboard issues.. why would the original issue resort to flashing bios?.. cause it overheated and desoldered or shorted solders which made it act as strange bios bug. reballing (special soldering under chip kit), or reflow with some liquid flux forced (blown) under chip then reflow.. or change motherboard will fix it.. if it is that issue. take all ram out and power it on. does it act different ? beeps ? led lights flash different ?
Today i tried to enter crisis recover mode and it seems to work. I want to tell me from your experience if it is so. I hold Fn+B without battery on, i plug the power cable and after i press power button. Then i let the Fn+B. When i do that the standby led and power led remain lit. So i guess the crisis mode now works. That means that the bios chip is recovered seccusfully. Right? But after i leave crisis mode the laptop doesn't boot up at all. No fan sound, no beeps, no hard drive activity, no cdrom and also a black screen. By the way i can't leave crisis mode with power button pressed. I have to remove the power cable so the laptop to turn off. The only thing that happens is that after i press the power button, the power led remains lit for 3 seconds and after turns off. I really can't figure out what is wrong. Personally, i give up... EDIT: I found a new bios for all the l500 series satellite laptops it is here : hxxp://support1.toshiba-tro.de/tedd-files2/0/bios-20110530145718.zip Yen could you please take a look and tell me what is the flashable region of the rom file, for spi programming? The rom is almost over 4mb in this file.
L500 makes different models.. likely not the right bios. (it should restart when crisis recovery is done) your issue is likely the nvidia reflow needed. have u tried a vga cable to laptop and monitor ?