Opening a Toshiba Satellite P205 laptop and removing the motherboard

Toshiba Satellite P205These instructions explain how to open a Toshiba Satellite P205 laptop case and remove the motherboard.
Removing the speaker cover could be tricky. In order to separate the speaker cover from the top cover you’ll have to use a guitar pick (or something similar).
ATTENTION: The same heatsink covers two chips – the northbridge and the processor. You cannot use regular thermal grease for the northbridge, you have to use special thermal grease. Here’s the part number for this grease: K000051370
For the processor you can use the following grease: X-23-7762-01

73 Responses to “Opening a Toshiba Satellite P205 laptop and removing the motherboard”

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  1. 73
    hellenicboy Says:

    Hello

    I am helping a friend out with a Satellite P 205D-S8804. When you connect it to power or operate it with battery I get the fan working the hard drive spinning and the media bay working (so that means that motherboard is working?) but nothing at all appears on the screen. I connected it to a different screen but still nothing comes up. Is it a video card issue? Or what else could it be?
    Any ideas?

    Thank you

  2. 72
    mike Says:

    Thanks for doing the work to provide this useful site for the public – couldn’t have taken my p205-s6277 apart without it.

    My fan problem is it wont switch to high speed when the temp goes up. It shuts down when the cpu temp gets too hot. I dont know if its worth replacing the fan though because the problem might be the switching circuit on the motherboard. So i stopped dissassembly just before having to remove the motherboard and separate that heat sink assembly. It might be worth gambling the price of a new fan later, to see if that fixes it. But for now, i’m wary of risking introducing an intermittant problem where there wasn’t one before – like with the cable harnesses and that sink assy connection.

    I could use the computer by monitoring the chip temp using speccy (a nice little system info utility from
    http://www.piriform.com/speccy )
    and then directing air into the side vent with a small 12v blower when the temp gets high. (You know its effective when you see the temp dropping quickly). Mounting an external fan isn’t feasible and i’m not sure if hard wiring the fan to always be at full speed is worth it. So, i put this project on hold and bought a new Satellite L775, since the prices are almost worth a new fan and motherboard replacement – and its nicer. (Some day soon, it could be worth the repair effort, once the machines reach top speeds?)

    I haven’t given up on it though. For now i’ll use the new one and post a question. I’d like to ask if anyone has experience changing the fan and learning it wasn’t the problem, thus forcing a motherboard replacement? (those fans and boards aren’t cheap).

    Or, better, if anyone knows if there is a board component for the fan drive that can be checked and/or replaced to fix it, saving the price of a new board? (sucks having to change a large board for what could be one tiny component that failed – are schematics available anywhere?). Is the convention for a three wire fan full or half speeds by applying power to one or the other voltage input (w/one open and the other grounded)? – or is full speed obtained by voltage to both inputs (added)??

    Its been sitting for a few months and didn’t power on, with ac power, when i needed to retrieve some data on it. There are two small boards not connected – one is the wireless – i’m here to identify the other (and find where the heck it went??). Me thoughts it was working when used last, without those two bds connected, but memory is fleeting. I’ll check back at a later date for any possible fan replacing experience posted.
    Thanks again.

  3. 71
    akbae Says:

    toshiba satelite p205-s6347 speaker sound not good , spaker working how to solve

  4. 70
    Ben Says:

    HI,

    thnks for this great site !

    In what is this special northbridge grease different from a standard one ?? Did someone try to use a standard grease ? The price of the special grease today is higher than the CPU price !!

    Thks in advance

  5. 69
    bruno Says:

    I want to replace the installed Wireless Card b/g in my laptop Satellite P205 with a Wireless Card b/g/Draft n to increase both speed and distance coverage.But I cannot find out where the installed one is located.Can you help me?

  6. 68
    Plamen Says:

    I got toshiba sattelite P205.I have use it for about 13-14 months(warranty just expired) ,and one night just quit working.When I try to start it only the power light will stay on and the HDisk light will light up for a second and that’s all.The fan is working ,the CD is spinning if I put one but nothing on the skreen.I bought it from US and now live in Bulgaria. When I took it to a shop that fixing and selling Toshiba they said that the mother board should be replaced(they have not open it) but because cost so much is better for me if I buy a new one this time with 2 years warranty. I told them –sell your Toshibas to somebody who never bought one. I left my lap top under the table for a year and may be more. Last month I decided to open the lap top and see what inside. This guide was very helpful-I could not do it without it. Didn’t see nothing visible, checked the voltage on the cmos battery reassembled back and..ooo wonder the lap top start working. I was very happy but the lap top worked for a while and quit again. At least it starts now but will work for 10-15min. sometime 30 and will quit.My question is how I can be sure there is something wrong with the mobo or is something else.

  7. 67
    cj2600 Says:

    Basith,

    I is a very nice guide for taking apart system board.Please let me know how to change serial number,product,version,dmi on the new system board i going install.

    You can change serial number, dmi, etc… with a special utility on a bootable diskette but this utility available only for certified Toshiba technicians.e.
    For some Toshiba laptops you can download DMI change utility from the public website.

  8. 66
    Basith Says:

    I is a very nice guide for taking apart system board.Please let me know how to change serial number,product,version,dmi on the new system board i going install.
    Thanks.

  9. 65
    Gary Weis Says:

    I have a fan that will not work, I used the instructions to remove everything down to the plastic covering that covers the motherboard.

    How do I remove this plastic covering to get to the fan and motherboard?

    It does not seem to remove easily. Does the entire frame need to be removed?

    The laptop is a toshiba satellite P205.

    Thanks for the help,
    Gary

  10. 64
    n4clh Says:

    Very good information. took it all apart, cleaned the fins on the output of the fan(completely clogged). System unit now runs without slowing/shutting down after usage.

    steps are confirmed both directions !

    Thank You.

  11. 63
    cj2600 Says:

    Gustavo,

    If I need only to replace the fan, Have I to buy the special grease to change it? Or could I replace it without touching the Heatsink and the cpu?

    You can replace the fan without separating the heatsink from CPU. Just remove the old fan and replace it with a new one.

  12. 62
    Gustavo Says:

    Hi Thank you very much , your guide is very clear. I want to ask you only one thing, please.

    If I need only to replace the fan, Have I to buy the special grease to change it? Or could I replace it without touching the Heatsink and the cpu?

    Thank you veru much for your answer. as a info for other people: I ask to toshiba canada the price of the new Fan is 30 $ Can.

  13. 61
    cj2600 Says:

    Frank Wawrz,

    I posted a link to the laptop disassembly guide in the first sentence. Follow the link and read through the guide. You’ll have to go though all 30 steps, remove the motherboard and only after that replace the fan.
    Here’s the last page of the guide: http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/toshiba-satellite-p205/removing-motherboard-4.htm
    Take a look at the step 30, it shows the fan.

  14. 60
    Frank Wawrz Says:

    How to install new CPU Fan in Toshiba P-205-S6337? Thanks.

  15. 59
    ickyickyickyfatang Says:

    Great guide. Do you have any pictures for the satellite p200 rt5 indicating where the other sata connector is? (if there is one) The intel controller used is supposed to have 2 sata 1.0 connections and there is definitely space for a 2nd drive in the empty space between one of the covers and the pcmcia port. I assume this is where the 2nd drive goes in the satellite pro models and that they probably use the same motherboard but just don’t connect the wires for you and provide a housing. Is that so? If so, where is the extra sata port and how could I run a cable through to plug a 2nd drive in?

    Thanks

  16. 58
    michael Says:

    p-200 faulty fan on gpu so i replaced and put some new greese on the chip put it all back together and the screen is blank, it boots up gets into windows but still blank screen.. b 4 i replaced fan screen was working fine… tried with and without battery and both together, can anyone help me?

  17. 57
    silvernblack Says:

    Followup:
    Well, I finally went and got one of those “under the laptop” can cooling units. It’s been working fine….computer doesn’t shut down so I gather that it’s keeping it cool enough. It was a bummer when I opened up the thing and replaced the internal fan and then it didn’t work…..but this will keep me going until I decide to get something else.

  18. 56
    Spadge Says:

    Ok, thanks

  19. 55
    cj2600 Says:

    Spadge,

    Does anyone know if there is a way of getting to the fans without having to disembowel the whole thing?

    There is no way.

  20. 54
    Spadge Says:

    Does anyone know if there is a way of getting to the fans without having to disembowel the whole thing?

  21. 53
    Cris Says:

    P205-S6327:

    AC adapter and battery lights OK. Push power button lights
    the “On” indicator, but nothing on screen, only disk activity
    is the CDROM init (couple flickers). No beeps or blink codes
    on lights.

    Same on AC only or battery only.

    Press-hold power button powers off.

    Tried reseating and replacing memory.

    Does not light the Satellite logo or wireless indicator.

    I’m leaning towards disassembly to reseat CPU.
    Any other ideas/tricks?

    Thanks.

  22. 52
    James Says:

    its me again i’m back i forget to let you know what model number its a satellite a215-s4697

  23. 51
    James Says:

    well i need help with my toshiba laptop my problem when i turn on my Laptop the screen backlight stopped working. If you look very closely on the screen you will see it but not very well i change my screen nothing same problem i think is inverter still not working what i suppose to do i need some advice anyone can help me manufact when i put in external monitor scree is work properly

    Thx for you advice

  24. 50
    silvernblack Says:

    I’ve been using it with the bottom propped up and a portable fan blowing thru/by it, but you’re right that I don’t know how much air those “coolpad fans” move.

  25. 49
    cj2600 Says:

    silvernblack,

    I think I’ll go buy one of them “under the laptop” fan units. I really just use it on a desk anyway.

    I really doubt that the cooling pad will help. I don’t think that it can keep the CPU cool enough.

  26. 48
    silvernblack Says:

    Yep….I was afraid of that. Bummer. I think I’ll go buy one of them “under the laptop” fan units. I really just use it on a desk anyway.

  27. 47
    cj2600 Says:

    silvernblack,

    I had the fan fail on my p205-s6347 and I was able to use the instructions to successfully replace it. BUT the new fan doesn’t run either. Any hints?

    Apparently, the circuit which controls the cooling fan has failed.
    If you want your fan to operate properly, you’ll have to replace the motherboard. Or….if you have nothing to lose, you can do this.
    Take a look at the fan and find out how much voltage in needs. Using a voltmeter, find out where you can get this voltage on the motherboard and solder the fan directly to these spots.
    The fan will run all the time, but at least you can make it work without replacing the motherboard. Proceed on your own risk. :)

  28. 46
    silvernblack Says:

    Well, I had the fan fail on my p205-s6347 and I was able to use the instructions to successfully replace it. BUT the new fan doesn’t run either. Any hints?

  29. 45
    kat Says:

    im reformating my toshiba laptop satelite p205.i have the recovery disc and the os.i inserted the 1st cd it was sucessfully done it said finished so i inserted my vista as my os it was ok but my problem are the drivers.i inserted my 2nd cd as to recover my drivers but i dont know what to do then.should it be inserted after my 1st recovery cd?can you give me the sequencing of these cd?

  30. 44
    Mike Says:

    I just received a laptop from a friend who spilled a small amount of wine on it. P205-S8810 is the model. I recently took the entire laptop apart and cleaned anything that looked “dirty”. There is MINOR corrosion on the spot where the touchpad plugs into the motherboard, but the connection appears to still be ‘fine’. I try to power on the laptop and everything sounds like it is going fine but the video card
    fan stops after about 3 seconds and then everything sounds like it is in a an idle stage and does nothing. Nothing shows up on the monitor and nothing appears on an external screen either. Everything else appears to be functional. I’m just wondering, what would exactly cause the initial boot to stop and most likely fail post and nothing appear on the screen at all. If it is the motherboard then I am willing to spend ~$300 for a new motherboard and replace it… But if it is something else that could be fixed by replacing a chip or re-soldering a connection that would be great. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you.

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