Need help: Disabled sound and can't boot to disc

[indy-pc]

I have a client that called me up because the sound on her Toshiba Satellite laptop (sorry I don't have the model number at the moment) suddenly stopped working. The system is a stock Win8 system. She said that she tried to delete and reinstall the audio drivers, but that didn't work. I tried this as well with no luck.

The tip of the charger cord was damaged (bent at almost a 45-degree angle) and her "IT boyfriend" thinks that the damaged cord may have shorted something. I suppose that's possible, but I want to rule out any possible software issues before I resort to replacing hardware.

Here is what I've tried so far:

1. Pressing the mute and volume up/down function keys--no change
2. Delete the drivers in device manager and restart--device still shows yellow "!"
3. Let Windows look for driver update automatically--latest driver is currently installed
4. Donlowded and installed latest audio driver from Toshiba support--no change
5. Did a system restore to an earlier point before the issue started--no change
6. Enter BIOS boot options (F12) to try to boot from known-good Ubuntu, Win7 and XP discs--boots from HDD into Win8 instead
7. Pulled HDD out and tried booting to disc--"No boot media can be found"
8. Pulled HDD out and put in one from a working Acer Win7 system--"No boot media can be found"
9. Tried to change the boot mode from UEFI to legacy or CSM--this option cannot be changed in BIOS

Honestly, I'm at a loss on this one. My hope was to try and boot to another OS to see if the sound would work. Then I would know for sure if the issue is with the hardware or in Windows, but I can't boot to anything other than Win8 on the supplied HDD. I've never seen that before.

Here are my questions:

1. Are there any other software/OS/driver fixes you can think of to try?
2. Any ideas on how I can boot to a disc or other HDD on this system?
3. If I do need to replace the motherboard (which seems likely to me from what I'm seeing), what will that do to the Win8 license?

Believe it or not, this would be my first hardware job on a Win8 system other than replacing cracked screens. I've never had to replace a hard drive or motherboard on a Win8 system before. From what I understand of Win8 product keys, they are stored digitally on the motherboard rather than on a sticker as they were in previous versions of Windows. My fear is that swapping out the motherboard would cause the key installed on the hard drive to not be genuine or have some sort of error/conflict and I would need to buy a new Win8 license as well. Surely that isn't the case (right?), but I want to make sure before I start ordering parts.

 

[Doc+Com]

Start by doing some research on 'UEFI Bios', this will give you some background on why you can't boot from a regular boot disk unless its disabled.
Have you checked the Toshiba Website/Toshiba forums for similar issues on that specific model? That's where I'd start before you go ripping it apart.

 

[CLC]

The new bios is a pain, but there should be a setting to let you boot from a cd after turning on legacy. Did you try to install the driver manually from device manager, or just use the install program?

 

[indy-pc]

The new bios is a pain, but there should be a setting to let you boot from a cd after turning on legacy. Did you try to install the driver manually from device manager, or just use the install program?

I guess I'm not entirely sure how to turn on legacy boot. There is a setting that says something about UEFI (I don't have the system in front of me right now) in the advanced tab of the BIOS setup, but it is grayed out and I can't select/change it. Would that option be somewhere else?

I tried to let Windows update the driver automatically by searching the internet and I also ran the driver install software after it was downloaded, but I didn't point the Windows device manager to the driver install file directly when I told it to update automatically. Would that make a difference?

I'm also still very curious about knowing what would happen to the license issue if I did have to replace the motherboard. Even if I don't need to in this case, I'm sure that I will need to at some point. I'd rather be prepared when that day inevitably comes rather than just wing it or find out what problems arise the hard way.

 

[smashedbotatos]

Download and burn a live Ubuntu disk. Boot to it and test the sound.

Ubuntu has UEFI boot capabilities, but if you are having issues temporarily disable safe boot in the BIOS. If the sound works in Ubuntu then it is a software issue. If it does not then I would suggest hardware issues.

Replacing the motherboard is going to cause issues with Win 8 licensing. Since the new MB will be from the same unit it too should have a license, and it may be a non issue. You may have to reactivate, or nuke and pave.

 

[Markverhyden]

Just throwing this out since I've run into this many times. Not sure about the latest models but in the past almost all Toshiba's had a physical volume control dial in addition to the function volume control keys.

When I was at CompUSA, Toshiba ASP, every month or two one would come in with no volume.

"I spent hours on the phone with support. We even re-installed Windoze, etc, etc, etc"

"Ma'am/Sir are you aware that there is a volume control dial on the side of the machine?"

 

[Xander]

Might just be that the audio chips are dead. I've seen it, though rarely. One reason why I keep one of those USB-audio devices on my workbench for diagnostics (and for sale). These kind of things.

On a couple of occasions, I gave up the fight and sold them one of these things instead.

 

[AndyM]

I've had a similar situation before. Sound just stops working. As you don't know the model number etc, then all I can ask is:

Has the rotary volume control been turned down?

Andy

 

[AndyM]

Image:

Andy

 

[johnrobert]

The newer Toshiba models no longer has an analogue volume control wheel
This is almost certainly a software issue
Look in control panel maybe its set to HDMI or something.
If you have a win8 DVD put in another HDD see if it works with new installl

Win8 and UEFI has made our job much harder

 

[mr m]

Have you tried inserting headphones? Go to the CP and open Sounds. Scrutinize ALL tabs and options. I've fixed a couple of no sound issues this way.

As far as booting a CD or USB stick UEFI is what's burning you. Look for and turn off Secure Boot. Then enable Leagacy mode. I've also seen Legacy mode referred to as CFM. Keep poking around, you will find it.

I believe UEFI is greyed out so you can't turn it off by design on Windows RT but I've been able to disable Secure Boot on various platforms running Win 8 and 8.1 after a lot of trial and error (cursing). CLC is right. This new UEFI is a pain even though it can stop rootkits or other malicious code from running.

 

[kisk]

The newer Toshiba models no longer has an analogue volume control wheel
This is almost certainly a software issue
Look in control panel maybe its set to HDMI or something.
If you have a win8 DVD put in another HDD see if it works with new installl

Win8 and UEFI has made our job much harder

+1 on checking the default audio device in playback devices. I didn't see in your checklist that you checked that, and I know some ATI drivers will automatically set the default audio device to HDMI when updated. Maybe ALSO see if you can get sound out of the HDMI output since you'll be in the area.

Edit: List the model here as well. There have been quite a few problems with certain systems + win8. Did you check google to see if this is a common problem with this model (driver and/or hardware issue)?

 

[indy-pc]

Thank you all for the tips. Here is an update:

• The model is c855d-s5303
• There isn't an analog volume wheel, so no dice on that.
• Thanks for the details about turning off UEFI. I did some digging and found out how to boot in legacy mode. I booted to an Ubuntu disc and the sound works just fine--so it's not a hardware issue!
• In sound devices, there aren't any devices installed (HDMI or otherwise). On the Win8 setting menu, the speaker icon says "Disabled" underneath it.
• Headphones don't work, either. I forgot to mention that I checked that before.
• In device manager, there are two audio devices listed--the Realtek device and the HD audio device. Both of these have the yellow "!" icon to indicate that there is a problem. When I checked at the issue, it said something about the certificate not being signed.
• I'm in the process of trying to restore back to an even older restore point (just in case there was an issue before she realized it), so maybe I'll get lucky.

If this restore point doesn't work, any other options other than restoring back to factory?

Thanks again for all of the advice!

 

[smashedbotatos]

If this restore point doesn't work, any other options other than restoring back to factory?

Laptop Manufacturer Drivers
Sometimes they can be proprietary and windows update fouls them. This is rare, but it does happen. Remove all previous traces of the driver that is there now. Get your drivers here Toshiba Drivers for C855D-S5303

 

[CLC]

I tried to let Windows update the driver automatically by searching the internet and I also ran the driver install software after it was downloaded, but I didn't point the Windows device manager to the driver install file directly when I told it to update automatically. Would that make a difference?

I've run into this on multiple occasions, not with windows 8, where I had to download the zip format driver instead of the exe and point it to the folder from the device manager and it worked.

 

[indy-pc]

Remove all previous traces of the driver that is there now.

Other than deleting the existing driver in device manager, what else would I need to remove?

 

[CLC]

Something like this, I've never used it though.

http://www.guru3d.com/content_page/guru3d_driver_sweeper.html

 

[smashedbotatos]

Other than deleting the existing driver in device manager, what else would I need to remove?

Check Programs and Features for installed driver packages. Remove any you see for the audio chipset. When you restart install the Toshiba Driver from the support website. Once finished check audio settibg make sure internal speakers are selected and the default device.

 

[indy-pc]

I just wanted to give a final update in case someone else was having a similar issue.

I attempted to uninstall the driver, but I didn't have any luck. I've been burned by using CCleaner registry cleaner flippantly in the past, so I was leary of using a magical driver uninstaller tool if no one else had used it and could recommend it. Also, none of the restore points seemed to work either.

Ultimately, I just used the Win8 refresh to reinstall the OS while leaving the personal data and settings alone. That did the trick! I did have to reinstall updates, but it wasn't too bad.

 

[mr m]

Thanks for the follow up.