Toshiba Satellite A105. Removing laptop motherboard.
Yesterday I had my first experience with Toshiba Satellite A105 notebook series. I had to replace the laptop motherboard because it was completely dead. The disassembly was easy and fast. I like the way this model was designed. Laptop disassembly instructions.
What I like in this model: The hard drive has a very nice rubber protector. Both memory slots can be accessed from the bottom of the laptop. There are no screws under the keyboard and it saves some time during disassembly. The power jack connected to the motherboard via cables and if it fails you do not have to replace the entire motherboard. There are very few cables connected to the motherboard. The laptop disassembly process is very easy and logical.
What I didn’t like in this model: There is no hatch for accessing the CPU fan and the heatsink without taking apart the laptop. It took me some time to remove the top cover assembly because of some hidden plastic latches. It is not very easy to disconnect the video cable from the motherboard. The touchpad has 2 cables connected to the system board. The second touchpad connector is hidden under the flat cable and can be easily overlooked during disassembly and the cable can be damaged.
Here’s another guide for this model. Removing laptop LCD screen.
April 11th, 2009 at 2:00 am
My A105 S4384 went “blank”. The external monitor connected to it and the rest of the computer works great.
I disconnected and then re-connected the external monitor to make it default to a primary monitor and am able to continue using the laptop.
Obviously I am thinking, I got a buggered video card however, after reading one of your replies, you indicated there is no separate “video card” in this laptop. Is that correct? Having some experience in computers, I want to do my own repairs. Can you help me?
Thank you
April 6th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
ali,
Check out:
Toshiba Satellite A105 laptop sets BIOS password by itself
April 6th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
i have a labtop toshiba satellite a105-s2081
but unfortunally i forget its bios password
somebody tell me that there is a eprom chip in every labtop, which store the password.
can somebody help me to find this chip in the above model
thanks
March 30th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
I went to replace my keyboard on my A105 and broke the little plastic clamp that holds the ribbon to the motherboard. I went into a repair shop and they top me I had to replace the whole motherboard!! For a 5 cent plastic clasp!??!!! Does anyone know where I can get a replacement clasp/clamp that holds the keyboard ribbon onto the motherboard?
March 16th, 2009 at 12:23 am
Hi,
i have problems with my DC jack – so i have to replace it. Can you send me pls more detailed Pictures from this Part? Have i to disassemble the whole Laptop?
Thank you for that guide – it will help me so much
Nice greetings from Germany
March 13th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Joshua
I have a Toshiba A105-s2101 and I was hoping someone could tell me what the biggest hard drive I can upgrade to would be… I can’t seem to find anything online or on the toshiba website…
This is what your system came with:
Hard Disk Drive
• 60GB (5400 RPM) Serial-ATA (SATA) hard disk drive; 9.5mm height
As long as you meet the interface and physical size then the sky’s the limit cause laptops now don’t have the limitations that those on windows 98 had, Newegg is my Fav.
March 13th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Hi,
I have a Toshiba A105-s2101 and I was hoping someone could tell me what the biggest hard drive I can upgrade to would be… I can’t seem to find anything online or on the toshiba website…
Thanks in advance!
February 27th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Well Tim unfortunately we are all minimalist and life is a b,but if you had looked at the guide you would have seen that the plug does not come out till step 21, so you are fortunate that it’s the last step before the motherboard comes out. Read the guide please that’s what it’s there for, or else give your laptop to a tech so that it’ll cost you less in the long run, Good Luck.
February 27th, 2009 at 5:18 am
In reply 128, you indicate one can replace the power jack. My question is how much of the disassembly process must I complete to get to replace the jack? Is it possible to do Step 1 (pull the battery) and then proceed to Step 9 (lifting the keyboard strip) and skip pulling the screen. I guess I’m a minimalist and don’t want to pull the whole laptap apart if I don’t have to.
Thank You.
February 21st, 2009 at 4:50 am
Me and my wife were arrguing and i slammed my fist down on the lcd and it cracked. I hooked the Toshiba up to my monitor and it would get half way threw windows and then just restart. Did the same for safe mode. Now it wont get past the first initial setup. Is there some wierd connection to the lcd that makes this happen. Nothing was hit on the side of the motherboard, cpu, hard drive ect..?
February 8th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
174
jocy Says:
February 8th, 2009 at 12:00 am
My A105 S4014 bios is not working when i tried to fix by myself it creates another problem. my keyboard connector clip is broke, wont hold the ribbon of my keyboard. do i need to change the mother board,If not where i could buy clips to connect my keyboard. and pls tell me where, and i still have problem about my bio password. i cannot turn on my computer w/out asking a password which i dont have.
# 1 I don’t know how many times it’s been stressed
if your not mechanically inclined don’t touch the damm laptop.
Now listen up and read well, your going to buy a five minute epoxy that’s for plastic and plastic only, then your going to put the ribbon in and press the clip back in the slot on top of the ribbon in the slot. Go mix the epoxy and with a toothpick and toothpick only take a drop only a drop and put one on each side where it broke, not on the ribbon hold for ten minutes and then it should stay firm and place the keyboard back carefully.
If you broke the holder off the solder then you should commit suicide for not reading previous post on a job that you that knew you couldn’t do cause it’s been said time after time ” Your not going to erase the Bios, so get a new Hard drive”
February 8th, 2009 at 9:30 am
jocy,
If the keyboard clip is broke you’ll have to replace the motherboard.
By the way, some Satellite A105 laptops can set the BIOS password on its own.
More info here: My Toshiba laptop displays Password= prompt on startup
February 8th, 2009 at 12:00 am
My A105 S4014 bios is not working when i tried to fix by myself it creates another problem. my keyboard connector clip is broke, wont hold the ribbon of my keyboard. do i need to change the mother board,If not where i could buy clips to connect my keyboard. and pls tell me where, and i still have problem about my bio password. i cannot turn on my computer w/out asking a password which i dont have.
thank you so much
January 31st, 2009 at 8:28 pm
here is what i found:
Support News
BIOS update for Satellite A100/A105, Satellite M110/M115, and Tecra A7
Posted on: 04/10/2007
Updated on: 04/10/2007 15:51:53
In very rare cases, the battery pack of your PC may stop accepting a charge, i.e., the battery stops working and no longer supplies power to the computer. To minimize the risk of ever experiencing this problem, we strongly recommend that you download and install the latest BIOS by clicking the ‘Downloads’ link that will appear when you are finished reading Support News.
January 31st, 2009 at 8:16 pm
I want to replace it to troubleshoot why it doesn’t start up. I left the laptop unplugged for over a year and I read on Toshiba’s site that it was possible that with A105 2061 there is a chance that the CMOS battery died. Also, what size of battery should I get?
January 31st, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Chris,
Why do you want to replace the CMOS battery? What is your reason?
If the BIOS password, it’s not going to help.
January 31st, 2009 at 5:27 pm
OK… I figured out the CMOS part of my question so nevermind. There are two brackets of thin metal clamping the CMOS into it… I don’t know what tool I should use to get that off, or if I should just break the metal and resolder it back on? HELP!
January 31st, 2009 at 12:21 am
I have an A105 S2061 laptop. I am trying to figure out where the CMOS battery is once you have taken it apart? Does anybody have a picture of this? Or can they do a photoshop circle on the spot for me of the dissasembly photo?
any help would be appreciated! thank you.
January 26th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
tyler,
I linked to the disassembly guide in the post. You’ll find the wireless card under the keyboard. The keyboard removal instructions will be the same for all flavors of Satellite A105.
January 26th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
hey…i have a toshiba satellite a105-s4384…and my wifi card isnt next to the memory as it is in yours…could you possibly do a disassembly on that model?
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Toshiba Laptop Satellite A105
Please help. I separated the top (lcd screen) from the mainboard to replace the wifi card. It was working before I separated the two parts. Now nothing will come up on the screen, when I start it up. It just stays black. I am sure something is not plugged in and was separated when I separated the two. I just don’t know what to look for. Please tell me what I should be checking to make sure it is plugged in. Thank you soooo much
January 19th, 2009 at 9:09 am
I was wondering if you knew which part to replace. I spilled, some tea on my laptop because I was an idiot, and now, even after cleaning, my caps lock key, left shift key, and ‘a’ key, does not work.
Toshiba Satellite a105-s4284. Thanks!
January 18th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Minor problem here…
The screen committed suicide on my A105-S4184. I had some success in using an external display when I needed data from the laptop. However, I put it into storage and have pulled it out only to discover that the keyboard was damaged. So I disassembled the lsptop based on my work with previous machines, without the great guide here. However when I finally did figure out that I didn’t need to take the entire machine apart, I reassembled it. Now, the external display receives no signal. I don’t really know what to do. Like a fool I forgot to note which side of the ribbon cables went in which direction. I assume the power button one is correct since the power turns on. Do they all fit the same way (blue plastic edge towards the retaining clip)?
Would the damaged keyboard cause boot issues?
January 13th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Hi Hi have a Toshiba Satellite A100 number model is PSAANC-03605-C the motherboard if faild could you plase tel me the corect parts number for a new motherboard
thanks
January 9th, 2009 at 2:16 am
This Toshiba is a dog. It overheats too easily. I have removed dust from it a couple of times, but the only ways I’ve found to make sure this machine doesn’t crash on a regular basis are:
1. Raise the bottom of the unit slightly (I use a cardboard template) to improve air circulation.
2. Use an OS that doesn’t keep the CPU so busy (I tried a clocked XP but have settled on an unclocked Ubuntu).
January 8th, 2009 at 10:08 am
I own a Toshiba A105-S1712, purchased new January 2006. It shuts down intermittently and abruptly, without any notice or regularity. Rarely do we use power from battery – it remains constantly plugged into a receptacle. The fan seems has been noisier for the past several months. Toshiba confirmed it is not a battery issue. Any thoughts?
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Mauricio,
You don’t have to replace the top cover. The power button is located on a 6-button switch board. You’ll have to replace the switch board. Here’s Toshiba part number for this board: V000060490
Google the part number.
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Hi there.
before my question. hey man thanks .. what a useful page.
Now.. i own a toshiba satellite A 105 s4384. the power button stopped working. i have to use the web button to turn it on. keeping it pressed does not work either (it doesn’t turn on or off the computer at all). as i saw in the pictures above, the power button belongs (or is attached) to the upper plastic cover. but unfortunately i couldn’t see it in detail. is there a way to repair the button? do i have to replace the entire upper case? don’t have much budget to repair it. to be honest don’t want to waste any money repairing it. i rather save it for a new one. that’s because the battery went dead and i also have a dead pixel. :S if i can repair it myself so i can use it a couple months more i will. thanks in advance. sorry for my bad English its not my mother language. bye
December 18th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
I just wanted to say thanks! My wife has an A105 series, and I just upgraded her HDD to a 250. Your site, especially the pictures, made it a snap! I’ve bookmarked you, and suggested your site to some of my IT people for working on the tricker aspects of our office Toshibas.
Thanks again!
-Jammer29
December 18th, 2008 at 10:23 am
I have an A105-S4134. Dose the dc jack on this model also plug into the motherboard? If so, have any idea of the part number? Thanks!!