IT guys, boot up problems. HELP NEEDED!

[kcndizzle]

Hey guys, had a weird problem start tonight. All of these problems are occuring on my Toshiba Laptop with Windows vista.
First, the computer froze up, and would not allow any action. So, after removing the battery and disconnecting the AC power source, I tried to boot it back up.
It will boot to the initial Toshiba screen with the option of F2 for SETUP options and F12 for BOOT DEVICE opitions. However, both options or no action takes you to the same screen where there is a blue box that asks you to enter a password. Which I have never had before. Entering in the wrong password twice automatically shuts off the computer.
Those are the details I have, any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

[Helghast]

The blue screen is the BIOS screen.

Boot it again, see if it even boots the OS.

it doesn't?
Umm...S.O.L

It does?
Then boot it to safe mode and see what's the problem.

[kcndizzle]

its not an entire blue screen, its a black screen with a blue box in the middle asking for a password. Which has never been needed for boot-up before.
Thanks for the input so far

[atom]

Sounds like you enabled the BIOS password somehow. Better figure out the password or clear the CMOS, which might be a PITA on a laptop.

[kcndizzle]

Thanks for the input. Any idea how to figure out the password? Where it would be etc?

[kcndizzle]

NVM, just looked it up and I guess the only way to reset or clear the cmos on a laptop is to send it to a shop or a manufacturer as the conventional means don't relate to laptops :redxd:

[atom]

You're not gonna find it easily. Some laptops also have ways to bypass a lost password so you should check if your specific model laptop has that. Otherwise your best chance is to clear the CMOS.

[kcndizzle]

Yeah, but I guess the cmos on laptops can't be cleared by just popping that battery out or whatever. I'll dig a little deeper, but I guess the quest now is finding out how to clear the cmos.

[atom]

There are some BIOS reset/recovery programs that are out there, easy to find with google, but in my experience they don't work that great. It doesn't cost you anything though, so might as well give it a try.

[kcndizzle]

but how would I use those if I can't get the computer to boot up?
Thanks

[atom]

I was just browsing anandtech, a computer website I go to, and I searched Toshiba for the hell of it and found this. You might be SOL and have to send your laptop in.

Applicable Models: Satellite A100-ST8211, A100-SP471, A100-ST1042, A100-ST1041, A105-S4001, A105-S4002, A105-S4004, A105-S4014, A105-S4051, A105-S4094, A105-S4144, A105-S4034, A105-S4054, A105-S4102, A105-S4124, A105-S4114, A105-S4132, A105-S4134, A105-S4064, A105-S4024, A105-S4211, A105-S4201, A105-S4092, A105-S4084, A105-S4184, A105-S4194, A105-S4174, A105-S4164, A105-S4154, A105-S4342, A105-S4284, A105-S4274, A105-S4254, A105-S4244, A105-S4214, A105-S4204, A105-S4104, A105-S4074, A105-S4547, A105-S4334, A105-S4304, A105-S4294, A105-S4364, A105-S4344, A105-S4021, A105-S4031, A105-S4012, A105-S4011, A105-S4397, A105-S4374, A105-S4384, A105-S4022, A110-ST1111, A130-ST1311, A130-ST1312, A130-ST1313, A135-S2246, A135-S2256, A135-S2266, A135-S4499, A135-S4498, A135-S4488, A135-S4478, A135-S4507, A135-S4487, A135-S4477, A135-S4467, A135-S4457, A135-S2396, A135-S2386, A135-S4637, A135-S4527, A135-S2356, A135-S2346, A135-S2336, A135-S2376, A135-S2326, A135-S4517, A135-S2306, A135-S4727, A135-S4677, A135-S4666, A135-S4656, A135-S2426, A135-S4447, A135-S4437, A135-S4427, A135-S4417, A135-S4407, A135-S2296, A135-S2286, A135-S2276, A200-ST2041, A200-ST2042, A205-S4617, A205-S4639, A205-S4618, A205-S4567, A205-S4577, A205-S4587, A205-S4597, A205-S4629, A205-S7459, A205-S7458, A205-S7456, A205-S7443, A205-S7442, A205-S4797, A205-S4787, A205-S4777, A205-S4707, A205-S7468, A205-S7466, A205-S7464, A205-S4607, A205-S4578, A205-S4557, A205-S4537, A205-S4638, L35-SP1011, L35-S2194, L35-S2174, L35-S2161, L35-S2316, L35-S2366, L35-S2206, L35-S2171, L35-S1054, L35-S2151, M200-ST2001, M200-ST2002, M205-S3207, M205-S3217, P100-ST7111, P100-ST1071, P100-ST9612, P100-ST9412, P100-ST7211, P105-S921, P105-S6002, P105-S6014, P105-S6054, P105-S6034, P105-S9337, P105-S6227, P105-S6217, P105-S6207, P105-S6197, P105-S6187, P105-S6177, P105-S6167, P105-S6157, P105-S6147, P105-S6134, P105-S6124, P105-S6114, P105-S6104, P105-S6102, P105-S6062, P105-S6022, P105-S6084, P105-S6064, P105-S6024, P105-S9312, P105-S6004, P105-S6012, P200-ST2071, P205-S6297, P205-S6298, P205-S6247, P205-S6287, P205-S6257, P205-S6267, P205-S6237
Tecra A7-S712, A7-S612, A7-ST7711, A7-ST7712, A7-ST5112


Issue


The computer models listed above may display a "Password =" prompt when the computer is turned on, even though no power-on password has been set. If this happens, there is no password that will satisfy the password request. If the computer is turned off and back on again, it is very likely that the same password prompt will appear. The computer will be unusable until this problem is fixed.

If the problem has not happened yet, you can prevent it from happening in the future by upgrading the BIOS to the newest version.

The occurrence of this problem on any particular computer is unpredictable -- it may never happen, but it could happen any time that the computer is turned on. If this problem does occur, it will be necessary to send the computer to a Toshiba Authorized Service Provider, who will fix the problem at no charge to you.



Resolution


If this problem has not yet occurred on your computer, then click the following link to download and install BIOS version 1.40. This BIOS displays a power-on password prompt only when a power-on password has actually been set via the BIOS Setup program.

You may also browse for a newer version of the computer's BIOS at pcsupport.toshiba.com.

For more help, see Support Bulletin 98081213 Obtaining downloads and support docs from the Toshiba Support website.

If the problem has already occurred on your computer, then please make arrangements with a Toshiba Authorized Service Provider to have this problem fixed at no charge. To locate a Toshiba Authorized Service Provider (ASP), please visit Toshiba's Global ASP Locator at http://pcrepair.toshiba.com