Sounds like some dead component.
Only thing is to take it apart and inspect the motherboard. It's deadly time consuming.

Maybe try some deox on the video card.

Does it have additional RAM installed? My Satellite (other model) didn't do anything until I removed and reinstalled the module.

HanSolo wrote on 2023-01-10, 15:08:

Does it have additional RAM installed? My Satellite (other model) didn't do anything until I removed and reinstalled the module.

Frankly, I don't know. How do I check that? How does it look like?

Aside from this hypothesis, I found this issue alert : https://www.minuszerodegrees.net/manuals/Tosh … e%20systems.pdf

Might be my case aswell. I may need to find a RTC battery replacement to reset the CMOS to its default configuration.

The memory is a board accessible from the underside of the laptop, there's a panel you can remove and the expansion RAM is fitted there. That's a good suggestion, I've come across more than one system that wouldn't boot up with extra RAM fitted, but there's usually RAM built into the laptop's mainboard.

You need to have a look at this thread: Warning: Leaking BIOS/CMOS/Resume Batteries Damaging Laptops Make sure the batteries for the standby and RTC are removed.
The laptop will boot with no RTC, you just have to press F1 then End each time you boot up, but the battery's electrolyte won't be able to damage components anymore.
Since you've already removed them, see if removing expansion RAM helps, otherwise take the laptop apart and look around the mainboard for corrosion, usually green coloured on things like VIAs but on solder it'll discolor it and possibly damage components. I was able to salvage a 400CDT recently by replacing a standard little buffer chip by the keyboard controller that got leaked on by the standby battery.

Also, welcome to the forum 😀

Unfortunately, there's no expansion RAM module underside behind the small panel.
It seems to be a proprietary connector.

What is the right cleaning process for the motherboard?

@Nexxen spoke about "deox". I don't think there's such product in France. What is it?

Thermalwrong wrote on 2023-01-11, 00:15:

Also, welcome to the forum 😀

Thank you 😀

pjturpeau wrote on 2023-01-11, 07:37:

Unfortunately, there's no expansion RAM module underside behind the small panel. It seems to be a proprietary connector. […]
Show full quote

Unfortunately, there's no expansion RAM module underside behind the small panel.
It seems to be a proprietary connector.

What is the right cleaning process for the motherboard?

@Nexxen spoke about "deox". I don't think there's such product in France. What is it?

Thermalwrong wrote on 2023-01-11, 00:15:

Also, welcome to the forum 😀

Thank you 😀

any product to remove oxide from contacts 😀

Ok, I 'll look at that.

Just another question: does anyone have experience on reading POST diagnostic code through the parallel port?
How do we know if the laptop may provide such data?

Thanks.

pjturpeau wrote on 2023-01-12, 08:49:

Ok, I 'll look at that. […]
Show full quote

Ok, I 'll look at that.

Just another question: does anyone have experience on reading POST diagnostic code through the parallel port?
How do we know if the laptop may provide such data?

Thanks.

It probably depends on the BIOS. At least one ebay-auction for such a card states "Compliant to the PHOENIX BIOS4.01~6.01 laptop and desktop, Compliant to the AMIBIOS 6.24, AWARD BIOS 4.51 laptop and desktop."

I have and do recommend trying that out. You can either get a parallel port post code reader or stick some LEDs onto the data pins of the parallel port like I have here: Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?

It'll run through different LED combinations which I think is a binary coded decimal - the maintenance manual sort of lists what those numbers are.

Ah yes, very interesting link !

However, I choosed the easy way and I ordered a diagnostic card through the bay. Hope It'll be compatible... more to come in February now...

pjturpeau wrote on 2023-01-13, 13:06:

Ah yes, very interesting link !

However, I choosed the easy way and I ordered a diagnostic card through the bay. Hope It'll be compatible... more to come in February now...

Any news?
Can you post pics?

Hi,

Nothing good.
I received the LPT port diagnostic card.

The one similar to https://www.minuszerodegrees.net/images4/Para … OST%20board.jpg

I don't know really if it works.

When I power it on, it shows "-- FF"
Then if I plug it to the PC which is OFF, it shows different things, never the same.

When I first plug it to the PC which is OFF, and then power ON the card sometime it shows "-- 00" or "FF 00".
Then I power-on the PC, it shows "A0 00" and nothing change.

Then, I press NEXT several time, it ends up onto "01 00" or "01 FF".
It depends...

It was delivered without a usage manual, so I don't know how to interpret this. It seems the right display show the last received byte which is the important one (current boot stage)

According to several maintenance manuals, 00 has no meaning, whereas FF is Boot/Load which means "replace the system board".