Toshiba Satellite A20 and A25. How to remove keyboard and upgrade memory modules.
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.
April 24th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Looks like cj2600 is on vacation
Anyway, it seems my second memory module slot is corrupted, I ran memtest with ram chip 1 in the first slot and it passed, with chip 2 in the first slot and it passed, but if i put them both in at the same time it always fails at 516mb or above, and in windows i get the lovely 0x0000008E error. I’ve blown out the area heavily with canned air but no luck…
SO I’m wondering if 1GB can be put into one slot.. I have the S306, but given Eric’s success I think I’ll try it!
April 23rd, 2007 at 8:05 am
FYI All that wish to upgrade,
I have a Tosh A25-S307. I have 2gig of RAM, a Dual Layer DVD+/-RW drive, with an 802.11 a/b/g. The machine also has 120gig of drive space and a 3.0ghz P4 processor. The only thing I found is the video memory cannot be upgraded.
April 9th, 2007 at 7:30 am
Hello. I upgraded my A20-S207 to Windows Vista, but only a generic video driver was installed, which is unusable (veeeery slow) for videos. Is there a compatible Vista video driver for this model?? Thanks!
March 27th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
where is the ram slots for a satellite A55?
thanks for any info, it’s appreciated!
March 16th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
Hi,
Has anyone had any problems with their A20 regarding the software modem (cant open Port) and the SD card slot (blue screen of death when a SD card is inserted)
Excellent explanation on how to disassemble a Toshiba A20
Cheers
Welly
March 9th, 2007 at 10:01 am
i have a satellite A20-S103D, Im wondering if the motherboard would be able to connect a 2nd internal hard drive. Thanks
February 7th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
My RJ-45 Ethernet connector has a bent #1 pin. Anyone replaced that connector before. A computer techician told me that this may include the entire assembly of the USB and RJ-45. The only problem I see is that the factory RJ-45 has the green and orange LED’s for transmit and receive indication.
I guess what my question is… where can I get the replacement RJ-45 with LED’s or the module to fit my computer. Wireless networking is a drag in this building.
Scotty Allen
January 18th, 2007 at 7:45 am
Can I upgrade this laptop to a mobile Prescott 1MB L2 533fsb? Or do I have to stick with 512KB L2 CPU’s like what it has now?
January 11th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Hi, besides the laptop specification sent to Nancy, there was this specification:
Expansion memory: 128MB/256MB/512/1024MB PC2100 DDR,
SODIMM, 2.5V
What this mean? A25 could be upgraded to 2Gb of RAM? or you can choose what kind of memory you add? i have an A25-S207 model with 512 as the specification above said.
Can I add an “expansion memory” without removing actual memory?
I do not understand.
Thanks!!
January 1st, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Nancy,
I’ve checked the laptop specification and it says:
According to the description this model comes with two memory sticks installed (256MB+256MB). If you want to upgrade to 1GB, you’ll have to buy two 512MB modules.
I would recommend looking under the keyboard before you order new RAM, just to make sure that both slots are occupied. Just in case.
December 27th, 2006 at 6:07 am
I apologize if this has already been asked; I have the A25-S279 and want to upgrade RAM. I want to order the upgrade before taking it apart (which I’m VERY nervous about). Do I need to order (2) 512MB modules to fill the 2 slots, or is there a possibility that (1) 512MB is already in one with the other being empty (and I would just have to get 1 additional)? I’m not sure if anything is standard in the way these are put together.
Thanks!
December 25th, 2006 at 10:51 pm
My A25-S3072 laptop has green pixels where black pixels should be, so in other words when the Windows XP splash screen comes up during bootup the screen is completely green except for the logo of course. Every “true black” pixel is green colored and the problem is there when Windows is running too. I can see they are not dead pixels because all the pixels do it when a black pixel should be there. I had a friend who is a Toshiba certified technician take a look at it and he said it looks like coffee was spilled on it but the LCD is fine so it seems to be something with the onboard video. I am great with making and repairing desktops, but not laptops, though I could if I needed to. Can anyone suggest anything besides getting a new laptop or a new motherboard. The MB sounds better than a whole new laptop.
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December 18th, 2006 at 5:56 pm
Yesterday I poured about 4oz of fine California Chardonnay into the upper right hand corner of my Toshiba A20 Satellite. It made a pooofff and went dead at once. I removed the battery and turned the machine upside down for ~12 hours. When I re-inserted the battery it was just as dead but it now flashed a a three segment code with the green battery symbol and the yellow wall-plug symbol: short, short, long, -pause- short, short, long, -pause- short, short. Then it repeats itself. Another 12 hours later the machine now responds to the start button,and seems to go through some kind of boot cycle, though the screen is dead. I am very much interested in resurrecting this machine, she has been flawless for 3+ years. Is this enough information for a resurrection proposal?
Tx Chris.
P.s. I am kinda handy and would be willing to pay for instructions for repair if your experience would indicate that the repair procedure is a rather ‘simple’ act…
December 14th, 2006 at 12:41 pm
Need to replace the HD on a Toshiba A25-S207. Can I use an an ATA-6 HD or do I have to stick with an ATA-5 (factory) one. I’m not sure what the Motherboard can support. I’d like to move from the 4,200rpm to a 7,200 rpm drive if possible.
Any input would be appreciated.
December 11th, 2006 at 9:36 am
Great work- thanks for the help here!
I’ve seen several references to the A25 series supporting 2GB of RAM but haven’t been able to confirm this. The manual states 1GB maximum (which I have installed) but it would be great if in fact the system could take advantage of more.
Thanks again,
Willie
December 7th, 2006 at 9:43 am
I have a Toshiba P15-S470 laptop. My CD-R/DVD-R combo drive is in the fritz. Can I replace it with any CD-R/DVD+/-R/RW combo drive higher than 8x? If so, with which one? Do you have any instructions on removing the CD-R/DVD combo drive on the this laptop?
Thank you.
November 17th, 2006 at 8:23 am
Thank you so much!!, CJ2600. I found the DMI update from the Toshiba site. Now I’m burning the boot disc to retore my DMI. You’re a genius, my hero!! Thanks again!
November 16th, 2006 at 11:15 pm
Giang,
Do you get a “Wrong Machine” message when you try using the recovery DVD? If yes, then you laptop has an incorrect DMI string. The DMI string has a name of your laptop model (for example: Satellite A25) and if this name is entered incorrectly or it’s missing, you’ll get a “Wrong Machine” message when you try to run a restore. The name of the laptop model on the recovery DVD must match the name entered in the DMI string.
I believe you can download the DMI update utility from Toshiba website. Read instructions before you use it. After you correct the DMI string, you’ll be able to run the recovery DVD.
November 16th, 2006 at 11:06 pm
SM,
Here’s a guide for removing and replacing broken hinges in a Satellite A20 laptop. You can use the guide, it should be the same as for Satellite A25.
November 16th, 2006 at 7:54 pm
I have a Satellite A25 S3072 computer. A few months ago, I installed the WindowsX theme 4.0 (Vista package), then when I inserted the Recovery DVD, the DVD told me that I was using it on the wrong computer, it’s not A25 computer!! I tried many ways but it still said that this computer is not A25, so I can’t use the DVD. I think replacing the COMS battery is efficient method but I dont know how to do. Please tell me is it a good way to get my A25 back to normal? If so, please help me to remove the CMOS battery.
Thanks for any help.
November 12th, 2006 at 9:59 pm
The laptop LCD screen hinge has got loose. It looks like some screw that tightens the hinge has come loose. Is there anyway I can open my A25 S3072 Satellite and fix the problem? Need help with manual.
Thanks for any help.
SM
October 23rd, 2006 at 10:33 pm
Fred,
I don’t think that you can upgrade speakers.
Non knowing the full model name and part number for your laptop I just checked if there is a DVD burner listed for Satellite A25-S207 and I found two of them. Most likely they will work for all Satellite A25 flavours.
Here are part numbers for these DVD burners: P000366780 and P000369850
You can find them if you search on Google by the part number. Before you buy the drive call to the seller and confirm that it will work with your laptop.
October 23rd, 2006 at 3:26 pm
Thank you CJ,
It worked! I replaced both modules and now it has 1GB (and I have 512MB useless
). Now I have another question, is it possible to replace the speakers in this model? What about the CDROM driver? I would like to replace it with a DVD RW combo.
Thank’s again, this site is a oasis.
October 6th, 2006 at 3:30 pm
Fred,
If both slots are used, then you already have two 256MB memory modules installed. To extend the memory size to 1GB, you’ll have to remove both 256MB modules and install two 512MB memory modules instead. That’s the only way to extend it to 1GB.
October 4th, 2006 at 4:22 am
Hi,
My A25 has 512MB RAM. I want to upgrade it to 1GB. Do I have to put another 512MB card? It seems that it already has the 2 slots used. How can I proceed?
Thank’s
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:03 pm
Stomp,
Satellite A25 comes from Toshiba with 30, 40, 60 or 80 GB hard drive. Some hard drives are 4200RPM some are 5400RPM. So, I would say that you can install 100 or 120GB hard drive, 5400RPM or even 7200RPM, you shouldn’t have any heat related issues.
October 1st, 2006 at 6:10 am
cj2600@9/30/2006@2:33PM (comcment # 16)
thank you thank you thank you.
You see my reading module was obviously in need of re-binding…I saw the fan in the picture and said – oh fan removal….
ok this addresses my issue precisely.
Follow up – would you knoe the max hd that can be put into this system? GB size, RPM, Bus?
September 30th, 2006 at 2:33 pm
Stopm,
The hard drive could be replaced on any laptop. Toshiba Satellite A20 and A25 hard drive location is pictured on this disassembly guide, look at the step 3.
September 29th, 2006 at 6:45 pm
can the HD be replaced on this model? Thanks,! great site
September 22nd, 2006 at 8:39 pm
Ahsan,
Take a look at this disassembly guide, it should guide you. Step 4 shows how remove the heatsink and the fan. After you remove the cover, you can clean the heatsink with compressed air and it’s not necessary to remove the heatsink unless you want to replace the thermal grease on the CPU.