General Technology & Troubleshooting Topics

[#1]

I just upgraded the RAM to 2 gigs, which I purchased directly through Toshiba, since nothing else would work. Now, when I hook up my external flat screen monitor (Samsung 712N 17 inch), the computer goes into a reboot cycle, for want of a better term, and the display flashes between the Toshiba black screen to Windows loading, and back, and cycles endlessly. All is well without the monitor attached. All is well with the old RAM (.5 gig) back in. Windows XP.

The set-up worked fine before I upgraded the RAM.

Could this be a BIOS issue?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[#2]

I just upgraded the RAM to 2 gigs, which I purchased directly through Toshiba, since nothing else would work. Now, when I hook up my external flat screen monitor (Samsung 712N 17 inch), the computer goes into a reboot cycle, for want of a better term, and the display flashes between the Toshiba black screen to Windows loading, and back, and cycles endlessly. All is well without the monitor attached. All is well with the old RAM (.5 gig) back in. Windows XP.

The set-up worked fine before I upgraded the RAM.

Could this be a BIOS issue?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[#3]

Possibly.  Have you checked to see if there is a bios update for your system newer than the one you have currently? 

[#4]

I looked and didn't see one specifically for this model, but I am not sure if the BIOS is model-specific, so I will look again and try to upgrade that if one is available. Also, I hadn't checked the current version, either, so I will try that.

Thanks!!!

[#5]

The latest for that specific model is 1.80

[#6]

Thank you, I will report back!! I appreciate the help

[#7]

I flashed the BIOS. However, there is still a problem. The laptop seems to run fine until I attach the monitor to the serial port. Then, I get a few reboot cycles which don't complete, then a BSOD, then more cycling. I suspect if I remove the new RAM, boot up, then power down, then re-install the RAM, and never hook up the monitor, then there won't be a problem. Could it have something to do with the serial port and the RAM, and not necessarily the monitor? Or should I try to find a driver for the monitor? The thing is that all I have to do is attach the monitor, and things start going wrong....hkcmd module has encountered a problem, then Generic Host Process for Win32 svcs, then Firefox, then CCleaner, and there is a perpetual hourglass and I can't use the start menu to shut down.

Any ideas (aside from not using the monitor)?

Thanks!

Clare

[#8]

I did some research and as a result, I went into the Device Manager, and checked the Ports. All that is listed there is the printer port, which is a parallel port, I am pretty sure. So, I don't think the serial port is showing up. The information I found advised to enable the COM port in the BIOS set up, if there are no COM ports in the Device Manager, and there aren't.

So, that is what I am off to do.

[#9]

Alas...

There is nowhere in the BIOS set-up to configure a COM port. There is a place to configure the parallel port.

I changed the setting for the display to allow for an LCD and a CRT, but this was not the fix. There is still no COM port in the Device Manager.

I know for sure that the problem only happens when the RAM upgrade is installed, and it runs fine until I plug the monitor into the serial port. I do not even attempt to change the display output. I opened Firefox, and it crashed. I opened IE, and it crashed. I opened CCleaner, went to upgrade to the newest version, and got a 1 second BSOD.

I am wondering if the serial port doesn't support Plug n Play and so the monitor should be attached when it is booting. Seems a stretch. But it is my next play.

[#10]

Sounds like memory issues rather than port errors. Does the BIOS correctly recognize the RAM? Are you sure it is compatible?

[#11]

I purchased the RAM directly through this site, at the recommendation of Toshiba. Previously, I got RAM from Crucial but it wouldn't even boot. So I went through Toshiba. I am not sure if the BIOS recognizes the RAM, actually. Windows XP does. And all is well UNTIL I connect the monitor to the serial port. That's why I think it is the serial port. There is no COM port in Device Manager, either.

But I am going to go into BIOS set up and see if the new BIOS recognizes. Thanks for the input!