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“You’ve just spilled a drink on your laptop keyboard.”
Before all else, reduce the risk of injury by not tampering with live, wet electronics.
If it is a larger spill, remove as much excess liquid as possible by holding the laptop upside down.
If possible, use a lint free microfiber cloth to absorb the liquid, but if not, a paper towel will suffice. Dried rice can also be used to soak up liquid.
After getting as much liquid out of the components as possible, it is best to let the laptop air-dry for at least 12 hours before attempting to use it again. Laptop keyboards are designed to withstand some level of moisture, so allowing it to dry might make it functional again.
After no less than 12 hours, check for remaining wetness. If the laptop is completely dry, you can reattempt to turn on the laptop. If the keyboard fails to respond, attempt to let it dry for another 12 hours.
If the laptop is functioning but the keyboard is still not responding at this point, then you will have to replace the keyboard. See our guide above.
“When trying to play a CD, my computer makes sounds, skips or does nothing.”
Eject the CD by pressing the button on the right-hand side of your laptop. Ensure that the CD is placed logo face up/shiny side face down and firmly in the optical drive.
Check the shiny side of the CD check it in a lighted area. There should be no scratches on the CD.
Ensure that the bottom (shiny side) of the CD is clean.
To test this, put a CD that you know is functional into the drive. If this does not work, you may need a new CD drive.
“Your computer isn’t connecting to the available network.”
Ensure that the wifi is turned on and the wifi LED (the first light on the left side of the front of the laptop and to the left of the headphone jack) is illuminated. If it is not on, press the F8 key on the keyboard to turn it on.
If you are not in range of the network, then you will not be able to connect. Ensure that you are within range of the network you are trying to connect to.
Check to see if your network settings are correct. These include SSID (name of the network), password, security settings and any MAC address filtering settings. If any of these settings are incorrect, you will be unable to connect to the network. If when trying to connect to the network, you receive an error message about settings, then your network settings are incorrect.
Most common problem with internet connectivity is not the laptop itself. The problem may be coming from the router. Unplug the router, wait 30 seconds, then plug it back in. This reset may fix the problem. Check to see if other users are able to use the network.
If the connectivity issue is strictly related to wifi , re-installing the wireless drivers under the “Device Manager” heading could resolve the issue. The drivers can be found on the Toshiba site here. Follow the steps on the download to complete this step.
If none of the other troubleshooting steps have resolved the problem, then the wifi card must not be functioning. The steps to replacing the wifi card can be found in our replacement guide.
‘‘Sound is not coming from my laptop, even when I am playing a video or song."
Try to adjust the volume slider on the front of your laptop.
Check by clicking on the speaker icon in the lower right-hand side of your taskbar.
“Nothing is showing on my laptop screen.”
Check to see if the battery is dead or inserted incorrectly. This is usually the most common issue. If the battery is dead, reconnect the laptop to its AC adapter on its right edge.
If the laptop is on, but the monitor is blank perhaps it has gone asleep due to inactivity. Either move the mouse or press a key to reactivate the screen.
Accidentally pressing Fn and F1 simultaneously on the keyboard will start the password feature on the laptop which will automatically lock the screen. If the computer is password protected, insert the password when prompted. If not, just press a key.
If available, attempt to connect to an external monitor using a VGA cable. If picture appears on the external monitor, then your laptop’s LCD screen needs to be replaced. Consult the guide to replacing your laptop’s screen for more information.
“You just finish your essay and BOOM! It shuts down.”
The battery may have simply run out of charge. Plug your laptop into a power source and check to see if the issue continues. If the battery doesn’t hold charge while the laptop is unplugged, you may have to replace it.
A virus may cause your laptop to shut off randomly. Download anti-virus software to check your system and eliminate the malicious program.
The computer is designed to shut down when the internal temperature gets too high. Check the fan to see if it is blocked with dust or dirt. If it is, unplug the laptop and remove the battery. Get a damp cloth with all excess moisture removed, then wipe down the fan to remove the debris. Spray the fan with compressed air and wipe it down again.
If you need to remove the fan for a deeper cleaning, see our guide here.
If you’ve tried everything else here, the motherboard may have failed. Short circuits and electrostatic discharge can occur, causing motherboard damage. To replace the motherboard, see our guide above.
“The AC adapter is not charging the laptop when it is connected.”
If the adapter does not function or only works when you are holding it in certain positions, the cable is having connection faults with its jack. Plug the laptop in and determine whether or not the laptop is receiving the power by checking the battery symbol in the lower right hand corner of the screen. It should show a power plug when it is charging. If it is plugged in and doesn’t show this symbol, the AC cable is not functioning properly. Make sure the power source is active and that everything is plugged in correctly. If the problem persists, the AC cord must be replaced.
If the computer has been running with the same battery for some time, especially if it is almost always connected to its adapter when fully charged, it may just no longer have the capability of holding a charge and will have to be replaced with a new battery. To test this problem, plug the laptop into a power source and let it charge until it is at %100. Then unplug the AC cable. If the laptop shuts down, the battery needs to be replaced.
If the problem still persists after replacing the cable and the dead battery, then your charging port is likely damaged. Consult the guide to replacing your laptop’s charging port for more information.
