Toshiba Satellite 1410 1415 Manual

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Memory module problems 
CAUTION: Static electricity can damage the memory module. 
Before you handle the module, touch a grounded metal surface to 
discharge any static electricity you may have built up.
To avoid damaging the memory module, be careful not to touch its 
gold connector bar (on the side you insert into the computer).
Incorrectly connected or faulty memory modules may cause 
errors that seem to be device-related. It is worthwhile 
checking for these first:
1Turn off your computer according to the instructions in 
“Turn Off or Shut down command” on page 99.
2Remove the memory module, following the instructions 
in “Removing a memory module” on page 51.
3Reinstall the memory module, following the instructions 
in “Installing additional memory (optional)” on page 46, 
and making sure it is seated properly.
4Check for the error again.
5If the error recurs, remove the memory module entirely 
and check for the error again.
If removing the memory module eliminates the error, the 
memory module may be faulty. If the error recurs without 
the memory module installed, the error is not caused by 
the memory module.
TECHNICAL NOTE: You must have at least one memory module 
installed for the computer to work. 
						

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Power and the batteries 
Your computer receives its power through the AC adapter and 
power cable or from the system batteries (main battery and 
real-time clock (RTC) battery). Power problems are 
interrelated. For example, a faulty AC adapter or power cable 
will neither power the computer nor recharge the batteries.
Here are some typical problems and how to solve them:
The AC power light does not come on when you plug in 
the AC adapter and power cable.
Make sure the AC adapter and power cable are firmly 
plugged into both the wall outlet and the computer.
If the AC power light still does not come on, check that the 
wall outlet is working properly by plugging in a lamp or other 
appliance.
The AC adapter and power cable work correctly, but the 
battery will not charge.
The main battery may not be inserted correctly in the 
computer. Turn off the computer, remove the battery, clean 
the contacts with a soft dry cloth (if necessary) and replace 
the battery.
The battery may be too hot or too cold to charge properly. If 
you think this is the probable cause, let the battery reach 
room temperature and try again.
If the battery has completely discharged, it will not begin 
charging immediately. Leave the AC adapter and power cable 
connected, wait 20 minutes and see if the battery is charging.
If the battery light is glowing after 20 minutes, let the 
computer continue charging the battery for at least another 20 
minutes before you turn on the computer.
If the battery light does not glow after 20 minutes, the battery 
may have reached the end of its useful life. Try replacing it. 
						

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The battery appears not to power the computer for as 
long as it usually does.
If you frequently recharge a partially charged battery, it may 
not charge fully. Let the battery discharge completely, then 
try charging it again.
Check the power options using the Power Management 
utility. Have you added a device, such as a PC Card or 
memory module, that takes its power from the battery? Is 
your software using the hard disk more? Is the display set to 
turn off automatically? Was the battery fully charged to begin 
with? All these conditions affect how long the charge lasts.
For more information on maximizing battery power, see 
“Charging batteries” on page 121.
Keyboard problems
If, when you type, strange things happen or nothing happens, 
the problem may be related to the keyboard itself.
The keyboard produces unexpected characters.
A keypad overlay may be on. If the numeric keypad or cursor 
control light is on, press 
Fn and F10 simultaneously to turn off 
the cursor control light or press 
Fn and F11 simultaneously to 
turn off the numeric keypad light.
If the problem occurs when both the keypad overlays are off, 
make sure the software you are using is not remapping the 
keyboard. Refer to the software’s documentation and check 
that the program does not assign different meanings to any of 
the keys.
You have connected an external keyboard and the 
operating system displays one or more keyboard error 
messages.
If you have a second keyboard, try it. If it works, the first 
keyboard may be defective or incompatible with your 
computer. 
						

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Display problems 
Here are some typical display problems and their solutions:
The display is blank.
Display Auto Off may have gone into effect. Press any key to 
activate the screen.
You may have activated the instant password feature by 
pressing 
FnandF1 simultaneously. If you have registered a 
password, press the 
Enter key, type the password and press Enter. 
If no password is registered, press 
Enter. The screen reactivates 
and allows you to continue working.
The following display options are readily available on your 
system:
❖built-in display panel only
❖built-in display panel and external monitor 
simultaneously
❖external monitor only
❖external video device only (composite port)
To open the display options window, press 
Fn and F5 
simultaneously. To choose the desired option, hold down 
Fn 
and press 
F5 repeatedly until your choice is selected.
To decrease or increase screen brightness you can use the hot 
keys 
Fn + F6 or Fn + F7.
If you are using an external monitor:
❖Check that the monitor is turned on.
❖Check that the monitor’s power cable is firmly plugged 
into a working power outlet.
❖Check that the cable connecting the external monitor to 
the computer is firmly attached.
❖Try adjusting the contrast and brightness controls on the 
external monitor. 
						

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❖Make sure the display choice is not set for the built-in 
screen only.
The screen does not look right.
You can change the display settings by clicking a blank area 
of the desktop with the secondary control button, then 
clicking Properties. This displays the Display Properties 
window. The Appearance tab of this window allows you to 
choose the colors for the screen. The Settings tab allows you 
to choose the screen resolution.
The built-in screen flickers.
Some flickering is a normal result of the way the screen 
produces colors. To reduce the amount of flickering, try using 
fewer colors.
To change the number of colors displayed:
1Point at the desktop and click with the secondary button.
2Click Properties, and then the Settings tab.
3Change the Colors option and click OK.
For more information, see Windows
® Help.
A message tells you that there is a problem with your 
display settings and that the adapter type is incorrect or 
the current settings do not work with your hardware.
Reduce the size of the color palette to one that is supported by 
the computer’s internal display.
To change the display properties:
1Point at the desktop and click with the secondary button.
The Display Properties window appears.
2Click Properties, then click the Settings tab.
3Adjust the screen resolution and/or color quality.
4 Click OK. 
						

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The display mode is set to Simultaneous and the external 
display device does not work.
Make sure the external monitor is capable of displaying at 
resolutions of 800 x 600 or higher. Devices that do not 
support this resolution will only work on your computer 
display.
Disk drive problems 
Problems with the hard disk or with a diskette drive usually 
show up as an inability to access the disk or as sector errors. 
Sometimes a disk problem may cause one or more files to 
appear to have garbage in them. Typical disk problems are:
You are having trouble accessing a disk, or one or more 
files appear to be missing.
Make sure you are identifying the drive by its correct name 
(A: or C:).
Error-checking
Run Error-checking, which analyzes the directories, files and 
File Allocation Table (FAT) on the disk and repairs any 
damage it finds: 
To run Error-checking:
1Click Start, then click My Computer.
2Right-click the drive you want to check and click 
Properties.
The drive’s properties box appears.
3Click the To o l s tab.
4Click the Check now button.
The Check Disk All Apps box appears.
5You can choose one or both options:
❖Automatically fix file system errors 
						

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❖Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors
6Click Start.
Error-checking runs the test.
Your hard disk seems very slow.
If you have been using your computer for some time, your 
files may have become fragmented. Run Disk Defragmenter. 
To do this, click Start, then click All Programs, point to 
Accessories and System To o l s, and click Disk 
Defragmenter.
Your data files are damaged or corrupted.
Refer to your software documentation for file recovery 
procedures. Many software packages automatically create 
backup files.
You may also be able to recover lost data using utility 
software, which is available from your dealer.
Some programs run correctly but others do not.
This is probably a configuration problem. If a program does 
not run properly, refer to its documentation and check that the 
hardware configuration meets its needs.
A diskette will not go into the diskette drive.
You may already have a diskette in the drive. Make sure the 
drive is empty.
You may be inserting the diskette incorrectly. Hold the 
diskette with the hub side facing down, and insert it so that 
the metal head window cover goes into the drive first.
The metal cover or a loose label may be obstructing the path 
into the drive. Carefully inspect the diskette. If the metal 
cover is loose, replace the diskette. If the label is loose, 
replace the label and try inserting the diskette again. 
						

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The computer displays the Non-system disk or disk error 
message.
If you are starting the computer from a diskette, the diskette 
in the drive does not have the files necessary to start the 
computer. Replace it with a bootable diskette.
The drive cannot read a diskette.
Try another diskette. If you can access the second diskette, 
the first diskette (not the drive) is probably causing the 
problem. Run Error-checking on the faulty diskette (for 
instructions, see “Disk drive problems” on page 216).
DVD-ROM or DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive problems
You cannot access a disc in the drive.
Make sure the drive tray has closed properly. Press gently 
until it clicks into place.
Open the drive tray and remove the disc. Make sure the drive 
tray is clean. Any dirt or foreign object can interfere with the 
laser beam.
Examine the disc to see whether it is dirty. If necessary, wipe 
it with a clean damp cloth dipped in water or a neutral 
cleaner.
Replace the disc in the tray. Make sure it is lying flat, label 
side up. Press the disc down until it locks on the spindle. 
Close the drive tray carefully, making sure it has shut 
completely.
You press the disc eject button, but the drive tray does 
not slide out.
Make sure the computer is connected to a power source and 
turned on. The DVD-ROM or DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive 
eject mechanism requires power to operate.
To remove a disc without turning on the computer, use a 
narrow object, such as a straightened paper clip, to press the  
						

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manual eject button. This button is in the small hole next to 
the disc eject button on the right side of the computer.
Some discs run correctly, but others do not.
If the problem is with an application CD-ROM, refer to the 
software’s documentation and check that the hardware 
configuration meets the program’s needs.
The color of the materials used to make the disc can affect its 
reliability. Silver-colored CD-ROMs are the most reliable, 
followed by gold-colored CD-ROM. Green-colored CD-
ROMs are the least reliable.
Sound system problems 
You do not hear any sound from the computer.
Adjust the volume control.
If you are using external headphones or speakers, check that 
they are securely connected to your computer.
The computer emits a loud, high-pitched noise.
This is feedback between the microphone 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.
Changing the settings for the Record Monitor feature in the 
Recording Control Utility (default Off), or the Mute feature 
in the Mixer Utility (default Enabled), may cause feedback. 
Revert to the default settings.
PC Card problems 
PC Cards (PCMCIA-compatible) include many types of 
devices, such as a removable hard disk, additional memory, 
or a pager. 
Most PC Card problems occur during installation and setup 
of new cards. If you’re having trouble getting one or more of  
						

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these devices to work together, several sections in this chapter 
may apply.
Resource conflicts can cause problems when using PC Cards. 
See “Resolving a hardware conflict” on page 207.
Card Information Structure
When you insert a PC Card into a slot, the computer attempts 
to determine the type of card and the resources it requires by 
reading its Card Information Structure (CIS). Sometimes the 
CIS contains enough information for you to use the card 
immediately. 
Other cards must be set up before you can use them. Use the 
Windows
® XP PC Card (PCMCIA) Wizard to set up the card. 
Refer to your Microsoft® documentation for more 
information, or refer to the documentation that came with the 
PC Card.
Some card manufacturers use special software called 
enablers to support their cards. Enablers result in 
nonstandard configurations that can cause problems when 
installing the PC Card.
If your system does not have built-in drivers for your PC Card 
and the card did not come with an operating system driver, it 
may not work under the operating system. Contact the 
manufacturer of the PC Card for information about using the 
card under the operating system.
PC Card checklist
❖Make sure the card is inserted properly into the slot.
See “Using PC Cards” on page 182 for how to insert PC 
Cards.
❖Make sure all cables are securely connected.
❖Occasionally a defective PC Card slips through quality 
control. If another PCMCIA-equipped computer is