Bricked Toshiba C55T-A5123 after BIOS downgrade

[parkerlreed]

I originally posted over in the unlocking section but realized that might not be the best place. Post is as follows. Since I posted that I have tried a few other combinations (FN+ESC, FN+F) to no avail.

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I received this laptop with BIOS version 1.10. I initially tried flashing 1.50 directly but it failed with a vague error and not much else. So I then decided to go in increments. Flashed 1.30 (worked), then 1.40 (worked), then tried 1.50 again. No dice.

Looking through the options for isflashx64.efi I noticed a -MC option to bypass checks. This let is flash successfully. The weird thing is the BIOS model was the same except there was an A appended to the end. Other than that the BIOS worked perfectly and the computer booted fine. All of these BIOS downloads had my exact product number listed next to them.

This was working but I was getting a ton of ACPI errors in Linux (That I didn't remember seeing on previous BIOS versions) and me not willing to leave well enough alone decided to try and reflash 1.40. I still had the CD I burned with the BIOS on it. Loaded it up, dropped to the EFI shell, and ran

Code:

isflashx64.efi DM10S140.FD -ALL -MC

I ran with -ALL to flash everything and -MC because the BIOS model was changing back (to the version without an A)

It ran through and flashed successfully but now will not boot back up at all. The power will flash for 1 second, waits about 10 seconds, then goes steady for about 5 seconds (HDD spins up on the second flash but screen does not initialize)

I have tried formatting a USB drive as FAT16 and put the 1.50 BIOS on it as BIOS.FD and then pressing Win + B as I plug it in and turn it on (as per the Insyde recovery directions) but nothing ever happens.

So what I'm wondering is: Is there any way to recover this short of taking the laptop apart and trying to flash the chip directly? (If that is even possible)

Here's the link where I got the BIOS downloads. My laptop part number is PSCJEU-01G00Q. http://support.toshiba.com/support/model...=zd247208q

(You have to click "Drivers and updates" and then "BIOS" manually. Can't link directly to it)

[DeathBringer]

Try again with Fn+Ecs
1. Remove all external accessories from the laptop (battery, power cord, mouse etc)
2. Insert the USB drive with BIOS into the laptop.
3. Press and hold Fn+Ecs.
4. While holding Fn+Ecs, insert the power cord. Wait for 10 seconds.
5. Still holding the Fn+Ecs keys, power on the laptop.
6. Wait 2 seconds and release the Fn+Ecs keys.

[parkerlreed]

Try again with Fn+Ecs
1. Remove all external accessories from the laptop (battery, power cord, mouse etc)
2. Insert the USB drive with BIOS into the laptop.
3. Press and hold Fn+Ecs.
4. While holding Fn+Ecs, insert the power cord. Wait for 10 seconds.
5. Still holding the Fn+Ecs keys, power on the laptop.
6. Wait 2 seconds and release the Fn+Ecs keys.

No dice. Even when doing the key combo the light flashes the same way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2AzgeNKqpI

[DeathBringer]

Try to remove HDD.
Try USB ports from other (right) side of laptop.
Try also Fn+F, Fn+B, Win+F, Win+B, Ctrl+Home, Ctrl+Esc
P.S. Usb stick must be small! Size must not exceed 2 gb.

[parkerlreed]

Try to remove HDD.
Try USB ports from other (right) side of laptop.
Try also Fn+F, Fn+B, Win+F, Win+B, Ctrl+Home, Ctrl+Esc
P.S. Usb stick must be small! Size must not exceed 2 gb.

It's a 4GB drive formatted as FAT16. I thought it was anything under 4GB worked. Hmm. Will try the HDD too, thanks.

[parkerlreed]

Interesting note: Fn+F keeps the second flash from happening but doesn't seem to trigger the recovery.

[DeathBringer]

Good news. Combo is Fn+F.
Now you need small usb stick.

[parkerlreed]

Good news. Combo is Fn+F.
Now you need small usb stick.

Both Fn+F and Win+F keep the second long flash from happening. The flash drive and main power button LED flash in short bursts. So if this is really just a matter of finding a smaller drive it might be a little bit. I tried a 4GB Sandisk with an LED and made a 1.7GB partition formatted as FAT16 with BIOS.FD on it (1.40)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPi09PXW1w0

[DeathBringer]

Try format 4gb usb stick in FAT32.

[parkerlreed]

Try format 4gb usb stick in FAT32.

No luck. I still get that same short flash while holding Fn+F.

EDIT: Still nothing after 4 hours. I have tried different BIOS names, every key combo I can find, nothing. I've tried names I can find on this site but the recommend way of running Phoenix tool never spits out a name. It only analyzes the ROM and offers to create the SLIC. I'm at wit's end trying to figure this out.