Installing Vista on a Toshiba M40 YP3

[Angelic Dunce]

Hello,

This is a question for Toshiba M40 YP3 owners. I'm wondering if any one has successfully installed vista on this laptop model. I've tried 3 times and all failed, 2 times with a clean format and one with an upgrade. Everytime it got to about 75% done, then the screen turns black for about a min or so, then it reboots and it gets stuck in the loading screen. I'm thinking that it possibly maybe my DVD that may be corrupted or something, but not 100% sure, cause I used that same DVD to install vista on my desktop which was successful, however I tried my laptop install months after that and it may have gotten damaged through that time.

Any feed back would be appreciated.

[Jav96]

Troubleshooting Microsoft Vista Installation on Toshiba Satellite M40 Laptops

Keywords: Microsoft, Vista, install, installation, error, troubleshooting, Toshiba , Satellite, M40.

Problem:

Microsoft Vista looks like it installed properly. When computer reboots, the computer starts up and at windows splash screen (with the green moving progress bar). These bars move across a few times, then stops completely. All indicators/lights/activity cease shortly after. Some of you may see Vista looks like it installs properly. When it reboots, you see a blank black screen of death.

Solution:

1. Backup all your data, files, documents, favourites, settings etc.

2. Update BIOS from Toshiba website to latest version.

3. Connect your laptop to an external monitor before you start vista installation; make sure video out is enabled in your BIOS. Make a test run to confirm your external monitor works with your laptop.

4. Put the Windows Vista DVD in the drive and boot your computer from DVD and choose clean install option. It would be better to format the drive to clean it.

5. Let the windows vista install (let it restart during installation if needs to do so).

6. When your computer reboots after ?preparing windows to start for the first time?, boot from your Vista DVD. In other words this will be the stage at where windows jam or stuck (our problem point).

7. When you start from Vista DVD choose Windows Vista installation again when it asks and then select ?repair?,

8. When you reach where vista asks for scanning errors etc., let it scan or you can cancel (we have nothing to do with this scan).

9. After the scan thing you should see advanced repair options; select this option.

10. Go to command prompt option.

11. Now rename two files. At command prompt you will write

rename c:\windows\system32\drivers\pcmcia.sys pcmcia.sys_bad

Enter

(this will rename the pcmcia.sys to pcmcia.sys_bad)

rename c:\windows\system32\driverstore\filerepository\pcmcia.inf_1259a379 pcmcia.inf_1259a379_bad

Enter

(this will rename pcmcia.inf_1259a379 to pcmcia.inf_1259a379_bad; the numbers at the end vary with the release, you have to take dir (directory) of file repository folder to see the exact name. When you know the exact file name then use that name instead of above example)

12. Reboot Window, Vista should continue to finish off the install now. Now you can unplug from the video out for forever.

13. After Windows Vista installation is complete rename the above pcmcia files back to what they were. In other words remove the ?_bad? from the end which we put in step 11. You will have to change ownership of these files (or of the folder where these files are) and your privileges of accessing these files (you should have full control) otherwise vista will not allow you to rename these system files.

14. Open device manager and disable (make sure you DO NOT UNINSTALL) the Texas Instruments pci-xx21/xx11 etc

15. Reboot your computer

16. Open the device manager again and re-enable the device Texas Instruments pci-xx21/xx11 etc

17. Click start and type cmd in the search box, an icon (cmd) will appear in the start menu, right click the icon and select ?run as administrator?. At command prompt type

sc config pcmcia start= auto

Enter

There is space after = sign. This will change the start type for the pcmcia service so that it starts with windows. Hit enter. Now you will be able to use the pcmcia slot, and vista will not halt/freeze.

18. Now you can restart your computer to test. It should be working fine.

19. Now you will not be able to get better resolution from your graphics card if you have nVidia Geforce Go 6600 graphics chip. You may not be able to find vista driver for your card from Toshiba nor nVidia. Your best option at this time is to download a third party driver from ?LaptopVideo2Go? or ?guru3d? etc. websites. Install the driver your resolution will improve. To use Vista aero technology you have to check if all settings are as required by vista aero.

20. Install all the updates from Microsoft Vista website and enjoy.

I hope this will work for you. After all the vista updates are done there may be few drivers still not found (depending on your machine), try here and there you may find them. And post your experience, problems and solutions here.

Edited August 13, 2007 by ®®®
Removed Full Quotation of Previous Post

[Angelic Dunce]

Hey,

Thanks for taking the time to help out with this issue. I finally had time to try it out today, and happy to say that it worked for the most parts, i got vista up and running, I'm just having a bit of a problem with step 13 to rename the files back. I'm unable to add full control to the file or folder to change the file name, when i got to the security options and go to the place to check the boxes for the (Admin account which i'm using) is all greyed out and i can't change anything.

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks

[Jav96]

Here is the full procedure to change the ownership/permissions of a system file in Windows Vista operating system:

1. Right click computer on desktop or find it through start menu and select ?explore?

2. Double click C drive, then Windows, then System 32, and then Drivers to find pcmcia.sys_bad or whatever you named it during vista installation given above.

3. Right click on the file and select properties.

4. Click Security

5. Click Advanced

6. Click Owner

7. Click Edit

8. Continue

9. Select your name (user name with which you logged in) under the change ?owner to? and lick Apply.

10. Once you are owner you will get permissions, if not it will be easy to change permissions.

11. Do the same with other file and the folder the file is in and change the name and follow the procedure for vista installation given above.

12. It would be good idea to change the permissions back to what it was before or remove your name from owner list.

Enjoy your pcmcia, it should work. If you never use pcmcia you may not need to worry about.

Edited August 13, 2007 by ®®®
Removed Full Quotation of Previous Post

[®®®]

:) comprehensive post. Thanks for the information sharing.

[Guest AngeliDunce]

Checking in further, i was able to successfuly do everything after i figure out how to take control of files in vista and rename them, happy to report that my pcmcia slots are up and functional.

Now the only thing i need is to figure out how to get all the toshiba specific drivers up and running, specially the ones for the fn key, the media butons, and the powersaver!

Thanks alot!

[Guest James]

Great detailed instructions - I have got to the point of being able to boot up Vista. I am now trying to rename the PCMCIA files. I followed your instructions on how to change ownership / permissions of a system file, but when I go to rename the PCMCIA file through the CMD function I get the message 'Access is Denied'

Any suggestions?

Also when I got to rename the drivers is this the correct cmd line: rename c:\windows\system32\drivers\pcmcia.sys_bad pcmcia.sys

Thanks

[Jav96]

Great detailed instructions - I have got to the point of being able to boot up Vista. I am now trying to rename the PCMCIA files. I followed your instructions on how to change ownership / permissions of a system file, but when I go to rename the PCMCIA file through the CMD function I get the message 'Access is Denied'

Any suggestions?

Also when I got to rename the drivers is this the correct cmd line: rename c:\windows\system32\drivers\pcmcia.sys_bad pcmcia.sys

Thanks

I think topic of changing ownership and permissions is covered above. What I can add is you should make sure that your user name (with which you logged in) is administrative account and that user name is the owner of the files and the folders in which those files are. You may see administrators have full control but in my experience this is not enough, your username should have full control. Once you get ownership then check if you have full control/permissions. Once you have full control you should be able to change the file names in the windows explorer (right click on ?Computer? on desktop and click explore).

Answer to second question is yes. Following cmd line will be correct to rename the files back to original if you want to do it that way. But the ownership and permissions have to be changed first otherwise access will be denied.

rename c:\windows\system32\drivers\pcmcia.sys_bad pcmcia.sys

Keep in mind this can be done and do not frustrate, I know sometimes Microsoft .... can be ....

If anyone find drivers for function /multimedia keys and Mass Storage Controller please share those.

Good Luck

Edited August 22, 2007 by Jav96