Toshiba laptop sometimes won't boot.

statamp

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Nov 17, 2017
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Hello, I have a Toshiba satellite L50-B-256 running Windows 10 and I am facing a problem when I try to start the Pc. Sometimes after I hit the start button the screen goes black although the HDD seems to be still working (I can hear the sound and the lights are on). If this happens I have to force shutdown the Pc then start it again until it boots.

My first thought was that there was some software malfunction or some virus, so I reinstalled Windows but the problem persists. I read about removing the battery and press the power button for 1 min but it didn't work.

Do you think its a hardware problem? Shouldn't it be consistent if that's the case?

UPDATE: I also noticed that if I restart the Pc it never boots but if I shut it down then power it up again it sometimes boots.
 
Solution
No it would not. If a cable to the display was loose that would not effect the booting process. Only the display.

I would suggest testing the display issue first, before taking the time (and spending the money) on new drive.
Try this...

1. Turn the laptop off (not sleep or hibernate but off).
2. Connect an external monitor to the laptop.
3. Turn on the external monitor.
4. Turn on the laptop.

NOTE: You may have to press an "external monitor" button. Could be the f4 button or a button with two monitors on it, for the external monitor to work.

If you can see fine on the external monitor, then your attached display, or the ribbon cable that connects it, are your problem.

If you can't see on the external monitor at all, or the problem occurs on the external monitor as well, then it is probably the graphics card/GPU that is the problem, which may require the motherboard be replaced.
 

statamp

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Nov 17, 2017
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510


If it is the cable then why is it fixed when i force shutdown and the power it up again? When the laptop succeeds to boot there is no problem at all. If it was a cable case then wouldn't the display malfunction permanently? Thanks for your reply :wahoo:
 
The info is going with the idea that the device is actually turning on, just not the display. If there are lights, internal sounds, etc., then it is on.

Yes a loose connection can cause it to work only some of the time. Jostling the computer could make it connect and disconnect. The display and the GPU going can also work intermittently before they completely go.
 

statamp

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Nov 17, 2017
3
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510


Yes but if it boots the pc never fails. A loose cable could fail after boot, couldn't it? Some of my friends suggested that there is an HDD problem. I will try replacing it.