Toshiba Satellite x205 Laptop - Need Advice on a Replacment Motherboard

rmcfee · #1 25th Feb 2009, 21:25

Hello all and thanks in advance for any help

I believe the motherboard in my toshiba satellite x205 sli1 has failed. I get 19.4V at the connector to the motherboard, but nothing works. No power indicators, lights, fans or anything.

It has socket PGA478MN, and the PM965 express chipset

Problem is that I can't find a motherboard that supports this, or they are very rare and expensive. Checked e-bay and found nothing, in fact doing a search for this reveals very little.

Am I going to have to go to a different motherboard and CPU to get this system going again, and if so will I have to replace the other components also?

**Carbon** · #2 25th Feb 2009, 23:25

Laptops are not cost-effective to repair. Junk it.

**Hybr!d** · #3 26th Feb 2009, 06:29

Agreed, the time and cost to replace a Laptop motherboard is not economical.

rmcfee · #4 26th Feb 2009, 12:49

I would agree with you if the system was antiquated, but this system is fairly new. So I disagree. Those who are willing to replace motherboards, especially in laptops, are truly people who enjoy such work. How can it be more cost effective to go out and pay another $1500-$2000 for another system rather than $100-$300 for a new motherboard?

I enjoy tinkering with things, and if I can fix them for less than the cost of replacing it, then why not.

I was looking for advice on the hardware and compatibility of such, and not the fundamentals of laptop economics.

**Hybr!d** · #5 26th Feb 2009, 13:11

Easy tiger, no need to be like that, likewise I own an IT company so know this stuff inside out.

You will need the exact same motherboard for that model for everything to fit. You will need a service manual. You will need special tools. You will break other parts fitting it and it will take a lot of time. Then at the end, it may not even work. You stand to waste a lot of time and money.

Heard of throwing good money after bad? Success rate is low, even lower for someone never done it before.

People in the trade avoid this stuff like the plague. Replacing a mobo in a laptop is a major headache.

You cannot find one yet they go for $100-$300..?

Call Toshiba and see what they charge, I'd hazard a guess it will be uneconomical.

**Carbon** · #6 26th Feb 2009, 14:14

To be quite honest you'd be hard pressed to meet anyone who enjoys replacing motherboards in laptops. I think once you get into it your enthusiasm will fade pretty fast.

rmcfee · #7 9th Mar 2009, 21:55

I did replace the motherboard, not that much fun, but not that difficult either (it was $300). I still don't get any power to anything.

My PSU gives me 19.4V, I also get the same at the connector to the motherboard, so the motherboard is getting power.

What other components could prevent the power from getting any further. I don't even get indicator lights on the front.

I considered replacing the DC power board that the cord plugs into, but if power is getting through that, like my multimeter says, how could it be bad?

Please give me some ideas and direction as to what I can do to fix this

gunnisurf · #8 25th Apr 2009, 22:59

Hello, curious if you were able to find a solution to your problem, I have had the same problem....Did you get the laptop working again? ( Basically my question is, does the video card overheat in these things, or what else would it be?...thats got to be it.)!

P.S. - It really isn't that hard to replace a mobo in one of these things, honestly its just the cheap plastic you have to worry about......

Most tech people don't know shi&%, and if you *own* or *work for a tech company its more likely that you don't know sh&%