SRL Archive - Technology

I'm in need of some technical computing help. I'd consider myself to be very tech savvy, so this is not for the feint of heart.
I am having some issues fixing a Toshiba Laptop. The recovery disks do not work ( they lead to the same issue ) and I've tried just repartitioning the hard drive, installing a clean copy of Windows 7 and downloading drivers from Toshiba. Unfortunately, Toshiba has listed the drivers single and not as pack, also having multiple drivers listed for LAN and Wifi, I've tried installing them all, but to no avail. I cannot get Wifi or LAN to work to download the proper drivers through the windows utility.
I've also installed OS X Yosemite in the hopes that it would fair better with the computer as it is an Intel Processor ( Apple's processor of choice..) and everything works except the Wifi card as it is not compatible with OS X. I've installed the custom Kext's for the wifi card, but it will not work. This is a laptop, so LAN is not an option….
Anybody think of something different? I cannot get working drivers from Toshiba and I have a recovery disk set that does not work. Running a Linux Distro until I can find the proper drivers is my current plan. Anybody have a Distro that they like besides Ubuntu?

This is for my Mom BTW, so it needs to be user friendly for the time being.

~King

From: King
Anybody have a Distro that they like besides Ubuntu?
This is for my Mom BTW, so it needs to be user friendly for the time being.

As far as that part is concerned, I'd recommend Zorin OS. It's Ubuntu-based with the look and feel of Win7.

Mint is a nice distro. Clean and simple. It seems like the wifi is working with Ubuntu? If it is, then you'd probably have to patch the DSDT's for Yosemite to get it working on that. Not sure why your windows drivers aren't working..

linux mint all the way.

What is the name of the laptop? Toshiba …? There should be a way to fix LAN/WiFi.

To be honest, i love the xUbuntu distro. The Xfce interface always looks so clean and elegant

I once had the same problem with a dell laptop, I tried for hours on end to fix the problem - in the end I bumped the wifi switch at some point turning it off -.-

Have you tried something like driver pack solution?

I've tried driver packs, and other items, they all cannot detect the drivers needed, and Toshiba's do not work. It is a Toshiba Satellite C655.

Describe "not working". Does it show an X over the wifi icon on Windows? Does it work on Ubuntu? It if doesn't even work on Ubuntu, I can't see it working on any other system. Ubuntu usually has the most drivers of all he distro's.

If you do replace the WIFI card, I'd recommend the AR5B195 half mini pci-e card. Works good with hackintosh and windows and mint.

You could always try using the Windows Default WHQL driver and see if it works. You can choose what drivers to use in device manager.

Does it work with ubuntu's network drivers? they're pretty much the best in the gnu/linux community

"user friendly" is pretty much anything ubuntu based.. I'd do Lubuntu or Mint or Ubuntu.. depending on its actual specs

at least test it on a live usb see if the network drivers work there.

I assume 90% of her activity is internet based, a browser works the same in any OS pretty much. Give Libre office & show her where the file folders are to go to downloads etc & pretty much set…


I've setup peoples grandparents with these things and they're fine, and worst case change chromium or firefox icon to IE icon…

I'd stick to Ubuntu/ Linux Mint. If theres a windows app that you need to run on the laptop, try Wine ( winehq.org)

strange, iv a friend with the same issue, hmmm.

Just got it fixed, It would not boot from a hard drive, it would not boot from a USB or a CD. I finally managed to completely rewrite the HDD Zeros and Slave it to my laptop and install a system image of a fresh computer. Seems to be working well now! I will look into that card @Brandon!

From: King
I finally managed to completely rewrite the HDD Zeros and Slave it to my laptop and install a system image of a fresh computer.

How is this done?

From: BMWxi
How is this done?

Remote ghosting? Idk :)

From: BMWxi
How is this done?

I believe @King; zeroed out his HDD (nuked it, probably) and then used a process called a slave drive to load a new image onto it, presumably from a system with s fresh OS installed (as he said).

I have had a similar problem with dual memory HP Pavilion Laptop.

(I have a USB INTERNET - This works greats for fresh install.. as USB driver a 'generally' default on OS installs.

As for the hard drive?

1 - Buy an adapter to connect 'internal' Hard-drive to USB
2 - Use second computer to install windows images
3 - Download suitable drives either via USB modem or USB
4 - Boot new image update BIOS; Firmware, drivers
5 - Put HDD back in original laptop

I always run a small partition of UBUNTU on all HDD for recovery issues - should they occur.

From: BMWxi
How is this done?

From: KeepBotting
I believe @King; zeroed out his HDD (nuked it, probably) and then used a process called a slave drive to load a new image onto it, presumably from a system with s fresh OS installed (as he said).

From: FullPottatoHarry
I have had a similar problem with dual memory HP Pavilion Laptop.

(I have a USB INTERNET - This works greats for fresh install.. as USB driver a 'generally' default on OS installs.

As for the hard drive?

1 - Buy an adapter to connect 'internal' Hard-drive to USB
2 - Use second computer to install windows images
3 - Download suitable drives either via USB modem or USB
4 - Boot new image update BIOS; Firmware, drivers
5 - Put HDD back in original laptop

I always run a small partition of UBUNTU on all HDD for recovery issues - should they occur.

This is exactly how it was done, it is now running Linux Mint Rebecca, runs smooth and fast!

I suggest keeping an Ubuntu Partition on the HDD as well, it would have saved me a massive amount of headache and problems with my computer. Also, I've found that Bootcamp Assistant will not make a bootable windows drive for me, even though I have read several guides suggesting it for Mac users. I use Unetbootin, it works great and allows you to download a .iso of many popular Linux environments directly through the application.