New Laptop, plugged in, discharging? m30x - Page 2

Toshiba shows that the computer was repaired and they had to replace the "system board" for the second time

M30X, M35X, A70 and A75 Users

We have pending litigation against TAIS for the M30X, M35X, A70 and A75 models for shut down, lock-up and static discharge issues. If you would like additional information or would like to participate in our current investigation, you may contact sklarlaw@aol.com or go to http://www.lorisklar.com/toshad.htm

Hey all. I just posted a new thread re this exact topic.

Just like everyone else's laptop here, the battery in my M30X would start discharging even when the AC adaptor was plugged in. I took the machine to Toshiba MobileCare last week. They tested it for a few days then told me that they had to ship in a new ''board''. Now, I assume they mean motherboard?

What is the difference between a power board and a motherboard? Also, do you reckon it's worth getting it done? A temporary fix I've found for my machine at the moment (no way was I going without it for the month they said it'd take for the part to be shipped in), is to fiddle around with the AC adaptor until the "battery charging'' light comes on, then prop the plug up with a book or something.

This keeps it in place. The light has stayed on ever since I did that. Toshiba was very sketchy about giving me details. One of the zombies over there told me that ''they didn't give specific information re problems''..

BS!

Same thing here, it started with a Toshiba I bought in 2003 (Don't remember what it was, it was blue) it died (same issues I think) November of 2004 and Toshiba just sent a note back to Best Buy saying it was unrepairable (had screen hinge trouble too - Good thing I took out the HD before having BB send it in!!) so I got a M35X-S349 and even paid a little more money for it, I also spent the money on the extended warranty for it and was good to go... For a couple weeks anyways... This power problem started in December of 2004 I took it back to BB and they just swapped it out with the same model... Now, 8 months later, same thing!!

Every time I take a laptop to BB it takes two weeks for any return information, I had to pay for another warranty on this unit and this is making me mad! I wish I could had just gotten a Dell...

When I say *I spent the money* I mean my employer, I work for a manufacturing company and depend on this laptop while away from work...

BS!!

NK Archangel, sometimes the lights fool you. The amber/green light to the right (which shows you that the battery is charging ) may not be giving you a true reading. You can tell if the battery is charging by feeling the ac adaptor/converter (the rectangular box between the power cord and the computer), if it is charging the battery the adaptor will be warm. If it is room temperature then it isn't charging the battery. When the computer is booted up and you only see the two green lights on the left, this is supposed to mean that the compputer is running only on the ac adaptor, in reality it is running only on the battery. Two ways to tell this is by again feeling the ac adaptor...... if it is warm then it is running on the wall outlet but if it is room temperature then it is running only on the battery. By double clicking on the "light bulb" icon on the taskbar you get into the toshiba power management program, in there you will find the "battery status" and it will say "online discharging". The battery is being used at the same rate as if you didn't have the ac adaptor plugged in ....this is the second way to tell that the computer is running only on the battery. I have my M35X at the factory for the 5th time for this problem.

Thanks for the summary, bbboogie2. According to Toshiba, I have the same problem you and quite a few others are having. The light on the far right is not coming on because there is a problem with the AC entry-point.

Such a damn pity that Toshiba couldn't have ensured a good quality AC plug. Apart from that the M30X is a simply awesome machine...

I really like my machine too and wish they could fix it

I have encountered the same issue of a Tecra S2 Laptop, when on AC Power not charging the battery. The Battery Status is reported as Online, Discharging even though the laptop reports it is on AC Power.

The problem does not occur with the AC Adapter supplied with the laptop (Part Nbr PA3283U-2ACA) but does occur with the AC Adapter supplied with the Port Replicator (Part Nbr PA3201U-1ACA) even though they are both to the same specifications (ie 15V 5A).

According to our supplier we have identified a previously undiscovered issue with this adapter, and Toshiba have informed him the problem has been escalated to Japan.

I may well be worth checking your AC Adapters out to see if you have the same problem.

I've read also that someone was able to get the laptop working right with a different ac adaptor. My adaptor is a different model than yours. My voltage is 19V (PA3396V-1ACA). My Toshiba is an M35X-S149. I've tried to slow down the computer and lessen the brightness of the screen to maybe draw less power but this did not help.