Removing and replacing memory on a Toshiba Satellite A20 or A25 notebook is not as easy ad it should be. Both memory modules are located under the keyboard. A laptop keyboard has to be replaced in order to get access to the memory modules. Before you remove the keyboard do not forget to remove the laptop battery or you can damage the laptop. Be careful when you remove the keyboard securing strip; do not bend it too much. To remove the memory module from the slot on the system board, release the latches on both sides and the memory module will pop up. It will stay at a 30 degree angle to the system board. Firmly grasp the memory module and remove it from the slot.
May 28th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
I just replaced the RAM in my Satellite A20 and you do not need to wreck, or replace the keyboard. It simply folds over to provide access to the RAM slots.
May 24th, 2008 at 3:21 am
This is a great site with loads of advise for novice and experts alike. I have a satellite A20 that’s about 4 years old. The hdd crashed last year and i replaced it with a 80GB Fujitsu HDD. It started running like a new computer but it has one big flaw. The audio doesn’t work. The speakers had been working fine before I replaced the HDD though. It certainly wasn’t a software problem since all te audio setting looks normal, so I tried hooking external speakers and voila! it works. Albeit only with the external speakers. Now, I’ve been letting my 4-year to play educational games like pre-school Disney and Sesame Street and stuff. She must’ve hit the click button on the touchpad far too vigorously or forcefully while she was at it. Now it appears like the touch-pad’s left click button is jammed. I realized this while trying to reformat and run the recovery CDs. The option for language and region selection keeps rolling as if the scoll-down button is being pressed. It stops momentarily if I click elsewhere on the desktop but resumes rolling the moment I attempt to select the region or language. Of course I am not realy certain that it is the left-click button but I’m assuming it must be the culprit since my kid couldn’t have been using any other keys on the keyboard more often than the left-click button. I tried removing the bottom and look for a solution but found that I couldn’t reach the touch-pad. The computer is working fine otherwise. Can you please offer any help? Thank you very much.
February 24th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Thanks for the reply about the memory compatibility.
I am wondering if anyone might know why our laptop fan runs high quite a bit? Do you think the fan needs replacing or the CPU is getting too hot? Or could the laptop be on it’s way out or just need more memory?
Thanks!
February 18th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Forgot to mention: I lost the previous battery, so I can’t just check the model of it or anything like that…
February 18th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
One quick question,
what’s the battery called that the A25-S307 uses?
My battery is dead-lost beyond the grave and I don’t know which type to shop for. Help please?
February 7th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Patty,
No, it’s not backward compatible. DDR2 memory module will not fit into DDR memory slot.
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:51 pm
IS DDR2 PC 5700 IS BACKWARD COMPATIBLE TO the toshiba A20/A25 satellite laptop?
February 1st, 2008 at 8:44 am
Matt, I uninstalled everything imaginable. I also ran a free program called CCLeaner, which cleaned up the registry. That definitely helped the speed. You’re always going to be handcuffed by the Video though, as it is onboard and only 32MB. 512MB RAM therefore becomes only 480MB. Also, the native Hard drives for these Toshiba’s have only a 4200RPM disk. Other than the video, the specs on the machine were actually very good for 2003. My other thing now is deciding whether to spend close to $150 on the hinges and a battery (which is dead). I think I’ve got the unit working well enough to make it worth it. However, I am still very leery on the hinges and whether they just break too easily.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:54 am
Hi Greg,
I’m having the same problem. I reformatted the drive, installed XP Home, installed all the drivers as I could and it still runs very slow for a 2.4 Ghz laptop. I have the latest BIOS (v1.4). Whats going on with this computer.
January 29th, 2008 at 11:55 am
CJ, greate guide you’ve made. I was given a Toshiba A20-S207. It appears that one of the hinges or both were broken. So I opened it up, and it looks like one is clearly broken and maybe the other one too. In fact, on the right one, the thin ring joint is broken off, as well as the end of the rod which runs through the back and connects to both hinges. Is that even replaceable? Also, whenever I google this laptop, there always seems to be a problem with the hinges. Are the hinges even worth replacing, given their high cost? Sound very flimsy. I’d hate to spend over $100 on hinges and have them break 2 months later.
My other question is in regards to the large main fan on the bottom. Is it normal for the fan to come on for a couple seconds and go back off?
Last one is the speed with which the system runs. This one is XP Pro, 512MB ram, P4/2.66 of course, and it runs like a dog. My 7 year old Athlon 850mhz runs 3 times as fast. I have defragged, taken out spyware, the whole nine yards. All aside from reformatting the system (I don’t have the Toshiba recovery disc). Is this just a slow system? It takes 10 seconds to open a program, and the multi-tasking is horrible.
Thanks
January 9th, 2008 at 3:54 am
Thanks for the super quick reply.
Both the user manuals i have (from recovery disk & Toshiba Australia site) say:
“Slots - 128, 256, 512 MB or 1 GB memory modules can be installed in the two memory slots for a maximum of 2 GB system memory.”
This was under “Features” in chapter 1.
Mine is a 3.06 GHz model and i live in (was purchased in) Australia.
I had a quick look at the user manual available from the Toshiba USA web site and it is alot different to the one available from the .AU site.
I hope this helps find some answers for some of the earlier posts. If i find the $$’s to do it i’ll let you know how i go.
Thanks again, From Mark.
January 8th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Asymill8R,
Not SATA, that’s for sure. SATA has different connector type.
I believe that this laptop comes with Enhanced IDE (ATA-5) hard drive, so most likely the laptop has ATA-5 controller with data transfer rate 100Mb/sec. If you install ATA-6 hard drive (133Mb/sec) it will not run faster then 100Mb/sec because of the controller limitations. ATA-6 is backward compatible to ATA-5 but in your case there is no need to install ATA-6. Instead of that find a new hard drive with large buffer (8-16MB cache). You definitely can install 120GB hard drive, I’ve done it myself. Not sure about 160GB, never tried one.
Are you sure that your laptop will support up to 2GB? I just went through specifications for a couple of Satellite A20/A25 laptops (USA models) and they will support only 1GB max. Maybe your laptop is different, just make sure it supports 2GB. If it does, go for it.
January 8th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Hi, First of all i love your guides, Very helpfull.
I own a A20 (PSA20A-08WR8) and i am planning on upgrading the Hdd to somewhere around 100GB - 160GB.
My question is, what type of drive do i shop for in order to be compatible with the A20 ? (SATA, EIDE, IDE, ATA-6) ?
Probably looking at 2x 1GB memory modules at some stage too (manual says thats the maximum for my model).
Thanks, From Mark.
December 19th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
Rany,
Toshiba specification for a Satellite A25 laptop says that you can install up to 1GB in both slots, it means not more then 512MB in each slot.
PC2100 DDR modules are standard for this model but also you can use PC2700 modules, it’s backward compatible with PC2100.
December 19th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
do you thing i can use 2gb memory for a25
December 13th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
I have a key which does not function. I can work round this problem but would rather have it fixed. Suggestions please..