Toshiba Laptop Won't Boot with any New Battery

Discussion:

(too old to reply)

Rick

2016-03-27 00:59:30 UTC

I have a Toshiba laptop model S70-BBT2N23 which I purchased last April. The
laptop works fine with no problems.

I decided to buy an extra battery to use as a backup. When I installed the
battery, the computer would not boot up, even with the AC plugged in. If I
remove the battery or put the original battery back in, all works fine. I
initially thought this was a battery problem, so I exchanged the battery for
a replacement and got the same result. These were aftermarket batteries, so
I then bought a Toshiba branded battery which appeared to be exactly the
same as the original battery - and I again got the same result. In every
case, the laptop will not boot up with the replacement battery and just
flashes the power light, even with the AC plugged in. Put the original
battery in (with or without AC) or just run on AC and all works fine.

Any ideas?

VanguardLH

2016-03-27 01:38:36 UTC

Permalink

Post by Rick
I have a Toshiba laptop model S70-BBT2N23 which I purchased last April. The
laptop works fine with no problems.
I decided to buy an extra battery to use as a backup. When I installed the
battery, the computer would not boot up, even with the AC plugged in. If I
remove the battery or put the original battery back in, all works fine. I
initially thought this was a battery problem, so I exchanged the battery for
a replacement and got the same result. These were aftermarket batteries, so
I then bought a Toshiba branded battery which appeared to be exactly the
same as the original battery - and I again got the same result. In every
case, the laptop will not boot up with the replacement battery and just
flashes the power light, even with the AC plugged in. Put the original
battery in (with or without AC) or just run on AC and all works fine.
Any ideas?

No experience with this brand and model but I'm wondering if the new
batteries have more cells hence a higher mAH rating. More cells means
either more current to charge them up (the built-in charger might not be
able to handle that high a load) or take longer to charge but result in
a too-low charging load (so the charger thinks the battery is dead and
will not attempt to charge for safety reasons). New battery packs often
come delivered uncharged. If the built-in charger cannot or won't
charge those new batteries then they come dead and stay dead. Some
laptops will not boot if the battery pack is dead or removed even when
the A/C cord is connected.

According to what online specs that I could find on this brand and
model, it comes with a 6-cell battery pack. Do the new battery packs
have 6 cells and are rated around 4400 mAH? Or do they have more cells
and a higher mAH rating? The built-in charger may not be able to handle
a 9-cell battery pack rated for 7800 mAH.

Doesn't look like anyone knew in the Toshiba forums where you asked at
http://www.forums.toshiba.com/t5/Batteries-and-Power/S70-B-Won-t-Power-up-with-Replacement-Battery/td-p/684795.
Did you try asking Toshiba support (http://support.toshiba.com/contact)?

Rick

2016-03-27 01:55:51 UTC

Permalink

Post by VanguardLH

No experience with this brand and model but I'm wondering if the new
batteries have more cells hence a higher mAH rating. More cells means
either more current to charge them up (the built-in charger might not be
able to handle that high a load) or take longer to charge but result in
a too-low charging load (so the charger thinks the battery is dead and
will not attempt to charge for safety reasons). New battery packs often
come delivered uncharged. If the built-in charger cannot or won't
charge those new batteries then they come dead and stay dead. Some
laptops will not boot if the battery pack is dead or removed even when
the A/C cord is connected.
According to what online specs that I could find on this brand and
model, it comes with a 6-cell battery pack. Do the new battery packs
have 6 cells and are rated around 4400 mAH? Or do they have more cells
and a higher mAH rating? The built-in charger may not be able to handle
a 9-cell battery pack rated for 7800 mAH.
Doesn't look like anyone knew in the Toshiba forums where you asked at
http://www.forums.toshiba.com/t5/Batteries-and-Power/S70-B-Won-t-Power-up-with-Replacement-Battery/td-p/684795.
Did you try asking Toshiba support (http://support.toshiba.com/contact)?

The replacement battery is a 6-cell like the original and has the same power
specs - in this case, 4200 mAh. I contacted an authorized Toshiba service
center today via email, and they too were stumped, but guessed it could be a
weird motherboard problem. I will probably have to take it in this week
since the one-year warranty runs out in about three weeks, but I was hoping
to avoid that since they will probably tie the PC up for several days
(especially if they end up replacing the motherboard) and I might end up
having to reload all my data.

--

VanguardLH

2016-03-27 02:35:47 UTC

Permalink

Post by Rick

Post by VanguardLH

No experience with this brand and model but I'm wondering if the new
batteries have more cells hence a higher mAH rating. More cells means
either more current to charge them up (the built-in charger might not be
able to handle that high a load) or take longer to charge but result in
a too-low charging load (so the charger thinks the battery is dead and
will not attempt to charge for safety reasons). New battery packs often
come delivered uncharged. If the built-in charger cannot or won't
charge those new batteries then they come dead and stay dead. Some
laptops will not boot if the battery pack is dead or removed even when
the A/C cord is connected.
According to what online specs that I could find on this brand and
model, it comes with a 6-cell battery pack. Do the new battery packs
have 6 cells and are rated around 4400 mAH? Or do they have more cells
and a higher mAH rating? The built-in charger may not be able to handle
a 9-cell battery pack rated for 7800 mAH.
Doesn't look like anyone knew in the Toshiba forums where you asked at
http://www.forums.toshiba.com/t5/Batteries-and-Power/S70-B-Won-t-Power-up-with-Replacement-Battery/td-p/684795.
Did you try asking Toshiba support (http://support.toshiba.com/contact)?

Days? You might not get it back for 6-8 weeks if you have to ship it to
a regional service center. Or does "take it in" mean you go back to the
store and have some geek squad poke around?

You are going to save an image backup, right, before "taking it in"?

Rick

2016-03-27 03:06:34 UTC

Post by Rick
I have a Toshiba laptop model S70-BBT2N23 which I purchased last April. The
laptop works fine with no problems.
I decided to buy an extra battery to use as a backup. When I installed the
battery, the computer would not boot up, even with the AC plugged in.
If
I
remove the battery or put the original battery back in, all works fine. I
initially thought this was a battery problem, so I exchanged the
battery
for
a replacement and got the same result. These were aftermarket
batteries,
so
I then bought a Toshiba branded battery which appeared to be exactly the
same as the original battery - and I again got the same result. In every
case, the laptop will not boot up with the replacement battery and just
flashes the power light, even with the AC plugged in. Put the original
battery in (with or without AC) or just run on AC and all works fine.
Any ideas?

No experience with this brand and model but I'm wondering if the new
batteries have more cells hence a higher mAH rating. More cells means
either more current to charge them up (the built-in charger might not be
able to handle that high a load) or take longer to charge but result in
a too-low charging load (so the charger thinks the battery is dead and
will not attempt to charge for safety reasons). New battery packs often
come delivered uncharged. If the built-in charger cannot or won't
charge those new batteries then they come dead and stay dead. Some
laptops will not boot if the battery pack is dead or removed even when
the A/C cord is connected.
According to what online specs that I could find on this brand and
model, it comes with a 6-cell battery pack. Do the new battery packs
have 6 cells and are rated around 4400 mAH? Or do they have more cells
and a higher mAH rating? The built-in charger may not be able to handle
a 9-cell battery pack rated for 7800 mAH.
Doesn't look like anyone knew in the Toshiba forums where you asked at
http://www.forums.toshiba.com/t5/Batteries-and-Power/S70-B-Won-t-Power-up-with-Replacement-Battery/td-p/684795.
Did you try asking Toshiba support (http://support.toshiba.com/contact)?

Days? You might not get it back for 6-8 weeks if you have to ship it to
a regional service center. Or does "take it in" mean you go back to the
store and have some geek squad poke around?
You are going to save an image backup, right, before "taking it in"?

No, I would take it in to an authorized Toshiba service center here in town.
I've used them before for warranty repair on a Toshiba laptop, and they are
fairly good. And yes, I would do an image backup, but it's still a pain to
have to do.

--

mike

2016-03-27 04:00:31 UTC

Permalink

Post by Rick
I have a Toshiba laptop model S70-BBT2N23 which I purchased last April.
The laptop works fine with no problems.
I decided to buy an extra battery to use as a backup. When I installed
the battery, the computer would not boot up, even with the AC plugged
in. If I remove the battery or put the original battery back in, all
works fine. I initially thought this was a battery problem, so I
exchanged the battery for a replacement and got the same result. These
were aftermarket batteries, so I then bought a Toshiba branded battery
which appeared to be exactly the same as the original battery - and I
again got the same result. In every case, the laptop will not boot up
with the replacement battery and just flashes the power light, even with
the AC plugged in. Put the original battery in (with or without AC) or
just run on AC and all works fine.
Any ideas?

I'd bet it's a battery problem.
How old are those batteries?
I'm not asking when you bought them.
I'm asking when they were manufactured.
A battery that has been sitting for five years in a shipping container
sitting in the sun in Arizona is not a new battery.
They self-discharge and the battery protection disconnects them.
If the cells are imbalanced, simply discharging it till it quits
can take it out of service permanently.

Battery protection circuits and results vary considerably.
sometimes, you can fix the battery, sometimes you can make it work,
but the battery gauge doesn't work, sometimes can't do anything to
make the protection chip recover and let you use the battery.

I had a very similar problem with a Toshiba battery.

My battery was dead. Nothing, no charge, no run, no nothing.
I opened it up and recharged the cells individually.
The computer booted from the battery, but the gauge didn't work.
Always said zero charge and ran till it suddenly quit.
And it wouldn't charge. It always ran from the battery when
the AC was connected.

I could run the thing was off the battery with AC disconnected.
I could run the thing off AC with the battery REMOVED.
Only way it would recharge was OFF with the battery inserted
and AC connected.

Clever strategy to FORCE you to buy a new battery, but still let
you run the machine.

That's the only machine I've ever seen with that draconian battery
strategy.

So, that's my story, believe it or not.
YMMV

2016-03-28 01:06:54 UTC

Permalink

If the battery isn't too dead, you may have success if you install it and leave the laptop plugged in to AC but turned off, for 24 hours. That's Toshiba and Sony's instruction when you buy a new laptop from them, and I'm sure it would apply to a new battery and for the same reasons, as well. It ensures that the new battery is fully charged to maximum capacity so that charging and wear-measuring are accurate down the road.