Toshiba L350 Manual

							
161If Something Goes Wrong
Resolving a hardware conflict
You press the disc eject button, but the drive tray does not 
slide out.
Make sure the computer is connect ed to a power source and turned 
on. The optical drive eject mechanism requires power to operate.
Make sure a program is not accessi ng the drive and preventing it 
from ejecting.
If you need to remove a disc and  cannot turn on the computer (for 
example, if the battery is completely discharged), use a narrow 
object, such as a straightened pape r clip, to press the manual eject 
button. This button is in the small hole next to the optical drive eject 
button on the face of the optical drive tray.
Never use a pencil to press the manual eject button. Pencil lead can 
break off inside the computer and damage it.
Some discs run correctly but others do not.
Check that the type of disc you are using is compatible with your 
optical drive. For more information regarding supported optical 
media formats, refer to the complete detail specifications for your 
computer at  pcsupport.toshiba.com . 
If the problem is with an optical data disc, refer to the software’s 
documentation and check that the hardware configuration meets the 
program’s needs.
The disc will not come out of the drive when you click the 
eject button on the screen.
Press the button on the optical  drive itself. For additional 
information see  “You press the disc eject button, but the drive tray 
does not slide out.” on page 161 .
Sound system problems 
No sound is coming from the computer’s speakers.
Adjust the volume control.
Try pressing 
Fn + Esc to see if volume mute is disabled.
Check that the volume control  on the computer is turned up.
If you are using external headphones or speakers, check that they 
are securely connected to your computer. 
						

							
162If Something Goes Wrong
Resolving a hardware conflict
The computer emits a loud , high-pitched noise.
This is feedback between the mi crophone and the speakers. It 
occurs in any sound system when input from a microphone is fed to 
the speakers and the speaker volume  is too loud. Adjust the volume 
control.
ExpressCard® problems 
ExpressCards® include many types of devices, such as a removable 
hard disk, additional memory, or a pager. 
Most ExpressCard problems occur during installation and setup of 
new cards. If you are having trouble getting one or more of these 
devices to work together, several s ections in this chapter may apply.
Resource conflicts can cause probl ems when using ExpressCards. 
See  “Resolving a hardware conflict” on page 152 .
If your system does not have buil t-in drivers for your ExpressCard 
and the card did not come with an operating system driver, it may 
not work under the operating system. Contact the manufacturer of 
the ExpressCard for information about using the card under the 
operating system.
ExpressCard® checklist
❖ Make sure the card is insert ed properly into the slot.
❖ Make sure all cables are securely connected.
❖ Occasionally a defective ExpressCard
®slips through quality 
control. If another computer  with an ExpressCard slot is 
available, try the card in that  machine. If the card malfunctions 
again, it may be defective.
Resolving ExpressCard® problems
Here are some common problems and their solutions:
The slot appears to be dead. ExpressCards® that used to work 
no longer work.
Check the ExpressCard® status:
1 Click  Start, Control  Panel , System and Maintenance , and 
then  Device  Manager . 
						

							
163If Something Goes Wrong
Resolving a hardware conflict
2Double-click the appropriate ExpressCard, which will be listed 
under one of the categories shown, for example: Disk drives, 
Network adapters, Other, etc.
The operating system displays  your ExpressCard’s Properties 
dialog box, which contains information about your 
ExpressCard configuration and status.
The computer stops working (hangs) when you insert an 
ExpressCard®.
The problem may be caused by an I/O (input/output) conflict 
between the socket and another  device in the system. Use Device 
Manager to make sure each device has its own I/O base address. 
See  “Fixing a problem with Device Manager” on page 153  for more 
information.
Since all ExpressCards
® share the same socket, each card is not 
required to have its own address.
Hot swapping (removing one ExpressCard® and inserting 
another without turning  the computer off) fails.
Follow this procedure before you remove an ExpressCard®:
1 Click the  Safely Remove Hardware  icon in the Notification 
Area.
The Safely Remove Hardware screen appears.
2 Click  Safely remove  for the device you want to swap.
3 Select the item you wish to remove and click  OK.
4 Remove the device when told it is safe to do so.
Never swap modules when the computer is in Hibernation or Sleep 
mode. This is known as “warm swapping” and is not supported. For 
more information on Hibernation and Sleep modes see  “Hibernation 
mode” on page 63 and “Sleep mode” on page 64 .
The system does not recognize your ExpressCard®.
Refer to the ExpressCard® documentation.
Removing a malfunctioning card and reinstalling it can correct 
many problems.  
						

							
164If Something Goes Wrong
Resolving a hardware conflict
An ExpressCard
® error occurs.
Reinsert the card to make sure  it is properly connected.
If the card is attached to an  external device, check that the 
connection is secure.
Refer to the card’s documentation, which should contain a 
troubleshooting section.
Printer problems 
This section lists some of the most common printer problems.
The printer will not print.
Check that the printer is connected to a working power outlet, 
turned on and ready (on line).
Check that the printer has plenty of paper. Some printers will not 
start printing when there are just tw o or three sheets of paper left in 
the tray.
Make sure the printer cable is firm ly attached to the computer and 
the printer.
Run the printer’s self-test to check for any problem with the printer 
itself.
Make sure you installed the proper printer drivers as shown in 
“Setting up a printer” on page 61  or in the instructions that came 
with the printer.
You may have connected the printer while the computer is on. 
Disable Sleep mode, turn off the computer, and turn off the printer. 
Turn the printer back on, make sure it is online, and then turn the 
computer back on.
Try printing another file. For exam ple, you could create and attempt 
to print a short test file using No tepad. If a Notepad file prints 
correctly, the problem may be in your original file.
If you cannot resolve the problem, contact the printer’s 
manufacturer.
The printer will not print wh at you see on the screen.
Many programs display information on the screen differently from 
the way they print it. See if your  program has a print preview mode. 
This mode lets you see your work exactly as it will print. Contact 
the software manufacturer  for more information. 
						

							
165If Something Goes Wrong
Resolving a hardware conflict
Modem problems 
(Available on certain models)
This section lists common modem problems.
The modem will not receive or transmit properly.
Make sure the cable from the modem to the telephone line is firmly 
connected to the computer’s modem port and the telephone line 
jack.
Check the communications parameters (baud rate, parity, data 
length and stop bits) specified in the communications program. It 
should be set up to transmit at 300, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 14400, 
28800, 33600 bps (bits per second) or higher. Refer to the 
program’s documentation and the modem manual for information 
on how to change these settings.
The modem is on, set up properly but still does not transmit 
or receive data.
Make sure the line has a dial tone. Connect a telephone handset to 
the line to check this.
The other system may be busy or off line. Try making a test 
transmission to someone else.
For more information regarding your system’s V.92 modem, visit 
the Toshiba Web site at  pcsupport.toshiba.com.
Wireless networking problems
This section provides general troubleshooting tips for networking 
problems, specifically wireless (Wi-Fi®) networking.
The terms and concepts used assume a basic understanding of 
networks, and may be for more advanced users. If you need 
assistance or if you are not familia r with the terminology, please see 
Windows® Help and Support or contact your computer technician.
❖ If your computer is equippe d with an internal Wi-Fi
® adapter, 
verify that the Wireless antenna ON/OFF switch is ON (the 
wireless indicator light   will be lit).
❖ Verify that your computer can det ect access points or routers. If 
it can detect a Wi-Fi
® access point or router then it may be a 
configuration issue.
NOTE 
						

							
166If Something Goes Wrong
Resolving a hardware conflict
To determine if your computer has an internal Wi-Fi® adapter, check 
the device list in Device Manager (part of the Windows® Control 
Panel, Hardware and Sound). Some Toshiba models may have a 
Wireless antenna ON/OFF switch even though they do not have an 
internal Wi-Fi® adapter.
❖ Verify that signal strength is good using the utility provided 
with the Wi-Fi
® adapter.
❖ If another computer is on the same network, verify that it has 
network access, and can connect  to the Internet. If, for 
example, the other computer cannot browse to a public Web 
site, the ISP’s (Internet Serv ice Provider) service may be 
disrupted.
❖ Verify that the Service Set Iden tifier (SSID), or network name, 
is correct—i.e., that it matche s the SSID assigned to the access 
point you are attempting to co nnect through. SSIDs are case-
sensitive. Toshiba provides a Client Manager utility for setting 
and managing SSIDs.
❖ Check the Control Panel’s Hardware and Sound Device 
Manager to verify that the Wi-Fi
® adapter is recognized by the 
Windows® operating system, and that  the driver is loaded. 
Carefully note any error messages—these will be very helpful 
if you should confer with a support technician at a later time.
❖ Verify that the network connection is configured to obtain its 
Internet Protocol (IP) address dynamically:
1Click  Start, and then  Network.
2 Click  View Status .
3 Click  Details .
4 Verify that the  DHCP Enabled  setting is set to Ye s.
5 Click  Close.
❖ Use IPCONFIG to verify that  the computer has a useful IP 
address—one other than  the private address of 
169.254.xxx.xxx assigned by Windows
®.
1 Click  Start to open the Start menu.
2 Type 
Cmd in the search field.
3 At the top-left of  the Start menu, click 
cmd.exe to open the 
command prompt.
NOTE 
						

							
167If Something Goes Wrong
Resolving a hardware conflict
4Enter IPCONFIG /ALL and press Enter.
The IP address for each active network adapter will be 
displayed.
❖ Connect your computer directly to your router or broadband 
modem, by plugging a standard CAT5 Ethernet patch cable 
(sold separately) into your computers RJ45 Ethernet port. If 
your connection problem disappears, the problem lies in the 
Wi-Fi
® part of your network.
❖ Use the PING command to verify  a connection to the gateway 
at 192.168.1.1 (a default gateway for most wireless routers).
1 Click  Start to open the Start menu.
2 Type 
Cmd in the search field.
3 At the top-left of the Start menu, click 
cmd.exe.
4 Enter 
PING 192.168.1.1 at the command  prompt, and press 
Enter.
5 If “Request Timed Out” or another error message appears 
in response, then the problem is probably Wi-Fi
®-related.
❖ If you have enabled any security provisions (closed system, 
MAC address filtering, Wired Equi valent Privacy [WEP], etc.), 
check the access point vendors Web site for recent firmware 
upgrades. Problems with WEP keys, in particular, are 
frequently addressed in new firmware releases.
Special considerations for the Windows® operating system
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption is not enabled 
on the wireless access point.
When you install a wireless  access point device, the Windows® 
operating system checks whether WE P encryption is enabled on the 
device. If it is not enabled, the Windows
® operating system adds the 
device to its list of available wireless networks, but does not create a 
wireless connection using the device, since the connection would 
not be secure. You can still, howeve r, use the access point. To use an 
access point without WEP encr yption, follow these steps:
1 Double-click the  Wireless Network  icon in the Notification 
Area (far-right portion of the Windows
® Taskbar).
2 Click  Connect to a network .
3 Select the desired network from the list and click  Connect.
A message informs you that the se lected network is not secure. 
4 Click  Connect Anyway . 
						

							
168If Something Goes Wrong
DVD operating problems
5The Windows® operating system will now try to establish a 
wireless connection.
The Windows® operating system wireless management 
facility does not work.
If you are using an  external Wi-Fi® adapter (an ExpressCard, USB 
adapter, or other variety), check  if the adapter comes with its own 
management utility. If it does, the utility may be disabling the 
Windows
® operating system wireless management facility, in which 
case you must use the adapters management utility. If the 
documentation that accompanies the adapter does not provide 
enough information to determine if this is the case, contact that 
vendors support group for further advice.
DVD operating problems
If you experience a problem playing DVDs, you may be able to fix 
the problem yourself. 
For general problems playing a DVD title, try the following steps:
1 Verify that the disc is in a  format that the drive supports.
2 Ensure that the disc is proper ly inserted in the drive tray.
3 Use the DVD Player software that  came with your computer to view 
DVD movies.
4 Clean the disc and try again.
A dirty drive can also cause audio problems. If you have tried 
several discs and all fail, consider sending your drive to an 
authorized service provid er to get it cleaned.
5 Verify that your computer recognizes your optical drive by 
clicking  Start, and then  Computer . The optical drive should 
appear in the list.
6 See “Checking device properties” on page 153  for instructions 
on using Device Manager to view the optical drive properties. 
7 Check the Toshiba Web site for new information on optical 
drives and their operation.
A blank screen appears while watching a DVD-ROM movie 
or title.
Change the setting for when to turn off the display using the 
following steps:
1Click  Start, Control Panel , System and Maintenance , and 
then  Power Options . 
2 Click  Choose when to turn off the display . 
						

							
169If Something Goes Wrong
Develop good computing habits
3Select  Never on When to turn off the display.
4 Click  Save changes .
The screen saver runs while you are watching a movie or title.
If the screen saver is enabled, it runs on top of any movie or title 
you are watching. To disable the screen saver:
1Right-click on the desktop and click  Personalize in the menu.
2 Select  None for the screen saver.
3 Click  OK.
Develop good computing habits
Save your work frequently.
You can never predict when your co mputer will lock, forcing you to 
close a program and lose unsaved changes. Many software 
programs build in an automatic backup, but you should not rely 
solely on this feature.  Save your work! See  “Computing tips” on 
page 75  for instructions.
On a regular basis, back up the information stored on your 
hard disk.
Use Windows® to back up files, or the en tire computer, to an optical 
disc, or external hard disk. Here are some ways you can do this:
❖ Use the Windows
® operating system to back up files or your 
entire computer to an optical  disc, or external hard disk.
❖ Copy files to a rewritable external storage device.
❖ Connect a writable optical disc or hard drive to the system and 
use specialized software to copy  everything on the hard disk to 
an optical disc or hard drive.
❖ Connect your computer to the o ffice network and copy files to 
your network partition.
Some people use a combination of these methods, backing up all 
files to tape weekly and copying cr itical files to diskette on a daily 
basis.
If you have installed your own programs, you should back up these 
programs as well as your data files. If something goes wrong that 
requires you to reformat your hard disk and start again, reloading 
all your programs and data files from a backup source will save 
time. 
						

							
170If Something Goes Wrong
Develop good computing habits
Read the user’s guides.
It is very difficult to provide a fail-safe set of steps you can follow 
every time you experience a problem with the computer. Your 
ability to solve problems will improve as you learn about how the 
computer and its software work together.
Get familiar with all the user’s gu ides provided with your computer, 
as well as the manuals that come  with the programs and devices you 
purchase.
Your local computer store or book store sells a variety of self-help 
books you can use to supplement the information in the manuals.
Data and system configuration backup in the Windows® operating 
system
The Windows® operating system offers some easy-to-use features 
for backing up your Windows® settings and your data—documents 
and other important files. Take advantage of these features to 
protect yourself from much more difficult and time-consuming 
restoration procedures, and to safeguard your valuable data from 
loss.
Saving system configuration with Restore Points
The System Restore feature of the Windows® operating system 
quickly creates Restore Points —‘snapshots’ of your Windows® 
operating system configuration—and  saves them for later recall. If 
you experience problems after installing some new hardware or 
software, you can easily select a previously established Control 
Point to ‘turn back the clock,’ restoring the Windows
® operating 
system to the state it was in just prior to the installation. This is 
much easier and more effective th an uninstalling the hardware or 
software, which often leaves behind unwanted files and settings. It 
is also easy to undo a Restore Point selection, if you change your 
mind.
Follow these steps to create a  Restore Point using the System 
Restore utility:
1 Click  Start, All Programs , Accessories , System Tools , and 
then  System Restore .
2 Click  open System Protection .
The System Protection tab of th e System Properties window 
appears.
3 Click  Create .