jnnelson79 wrote on 2024-06-18, 21:13:

Hi everyone! […]
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Hi everyone!

My Toshiba Libretto 50 CT was working fine and even has a working battery (at least for about 30 minutes...) I left the system plugged in for a while to recharge the battery while it was off. The battery recharged like normal, and the charge light turned green. I've done this a few times with no issues. When I went to turn the computer on, it just stayed on a black screen. The lights came on for power, but that's it. Same behavior both on AC or battery.

So, I read some threads and saw that pressing F12 enables a BIOS Flash mode. So, I tried that. Luckily, the screen did come right back on and gave me the bios update message. So, I guess I need to flash / reflash the bios.
Where the update files I should use? I bought it from a seller on eBay with a CF card already installed and working. I read something about that needing a specific version, but it was already working fine with the CF card.
Also, I guess I need to buy a floppy drive to go with it. (I know I need the specific Libretto kind).

Also, I did take the laptop apart and checked the RTC battery. It looks fine. No corrosion or leaking at all that I can see, and it was placed nicely in a plastic sleeve to protect it as well. I tried starting the laptop without the RTC battery to see if that would help, and it didn't. F12 still works, but it won't boot.

Any ideas, or where should I get the BIOS Update to put on the disk? I did some searches but didn't find it.

Try here - http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=1635&menustate=0

PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2024-06-18, 22:22:

jnnelson79 wrote on 2024-06-18, 21:13:

Hi everyone! […]
Show full quote

Hi everyone!

My Toshiba Libretto 50 CT was working fine and even has a working battery (at least for about 30 minutes...) I left the system plugged in for a while to recharge the battery while it was off. The battery recharged like normal, and the charge light turned green. I've done this a few times with no issues. When I went to turn the computer on, it just stayed on a black screen. The lights came on for power, but that's it. Same behavior both on AC or battery.

So, I read some threads and saw that pressing F12 enables a BIOS Flash mode. So, I tried that. Luckily, the screen did come right back on and gave me the bios update message. So, I guess I need to flash / reflash the bios.
Where the update files I should use? I bought it from a seller on eBay with a CF card already installed and working. I read something about that needing a specific version, but it was already working fine with the CF card.
Also, I guess I need to buy a floppy drive to go with it. (I know I need the specific Libretto kind).

Also, I did take the laptop apart and checked the RTC battery. It looks fine. No corrosion or leaking at all that I can see, and it was placed nicely in a plastic sleeve to protect it as well. I tried starting the laptop without the RTC battery to see if that would help, and it didn't. F12 still works, but it won't boot.

Any ideas, or where should I get the BIOS Update to put on the disk? I did some searches but didn't find it.

Try here - http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=1635&menustate=0

Thanks! I should have mentioned that I did find that one, but the BIOS in there is contained in an EXE file. Can the system read that, or do I need to extract it on a Win95 system? I tried to run the EXE to extract on my main PC, but it said this is not for your version of windows. I was assuming that I would need to find some type of Bios image file, but maybe the system can run that EXE.

Thanks!

jnnelson79 wrote on 2024-06-18, 22:54:

PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2024-06-18, 22:22:

jnnelson79 wrote on 2024-06-18, 21:13:

Hi everyone! […]
Show full quote

Hi everyone!

My Toshiba Libretto 50 CT was working fine and even has a working battery (at least for about 30 minutes...) I left the system plugged in for a while to recharge the battery while it was off. The battery recharged like normal, and the charge light turned green. I've done this a few times with no issues. When I went to turn the computer on, it just stayed on a black screen. The lights came on for power, but that's it. Same behavior both on AC or battery.

So, I read some threads and saw that pressing F12 enables a BIOS Flash mode. So, I tried that. Luckily, the screen did come right back on and gave me the bios update message. So, I guess I need to flash / reflash the bios.
Where the update files I should use? I bought it from a seller on eBay with a CF card already installed and working. I read something about that needing a specific version, but it was already working fine with the CF card.
Also, I guess I need to buy a floppy drive to go with it. (I know I need the specific Libretto kind).

Also, I did take the laptop apart and checked the RTC battery. It looks fine. No corrosion or leaking at all that I can see, and it was placed nicely in a plastic sleeve to protect it as well. I tried starting the laptop without the RTC battery to see if that would help, and it didn't. F12 still works, but it won't boot.

Any ideas, or where should I get the BIOS Update to put on the disk? I did some searches but didn't find it.

Try here - http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=1635&menustate=0

Thanks! I should have mentioned that I did find that one, but the BIOS in there is contained in an EXE file. Can the system read that, or do I need to extract it on a Win95 system? I tried to run the EXE to extract on my main PC, but it said this is not for your version of windows. I was assuming that I would need to find some type of Bios image file, but maybe the system can run that EXE.

Thanks!

Just copy the 3 files in this zip to a bootable DOS floppy (best to stick to low density 720 KB diskettes)...

...and select one of the three update methods from the attached readme file...

Libretto 50CT will not post without HDD, or with bad HDD, so first I would check if that CF card is ok.

sledge wrote on 2024-06-19, 06:25:

Libretto 50CT will not post without HDD, or with bad HDD, so first I would check if that CF card is ok.

Correct, reseat hdd or memory. Updating bios change nothing with this issue, obviously pressing F12 just override memory/hdd check.

Thanks everyone! I will check the CF card that’s in there. Luckily this machine is pretty easy to take apart. Do I need to find a replacement for the RTC battery, or will it boot up just fine without that?

Now I can confirm, 50CT boot up fine without RTC battery installed.

I am in the same situation. I have a 50ct which is not POSTing , no matter what hdd/CF i put in it. (i tried even with a proven to work hdd from another 50ct). So the only thing I can make it display is the bios update screen with F12. I am trying to run theupdate through a Sony FA-P1 fdd but the drive just keeps spinning . I tried with the 1.44MB format but i also tried tricking the floppy disk on 720k with covering the index hole....nothing, the drive just keeps spinning without reading when i press a key .... Any thoughts?

bdp007ro wrote on 2025-09-03, 18:11:

I am in the same situation.

Try to boot it using this Japanese HDD image, sometimes Libretto want to see hidden partition. If floppy drive keeps spinning, it is broken.