Stuck on F1 to Continue

Toshiba NB205, Atom Intel, 1GB RAM, Designed for XP,

It was brought to me stuck on this screen. So far I replaced the HDD after moving all files from the old HDD to an external. With the New HDD install with no OS I used a bootable USB with Win 7 32-bit on it after changing the boot menu to USB.
1.Back to Black with chose of F1 to continue. Press F1, nothing happens.
2. Have taken out battery and held down power button for 30 seconds. Put battery back in. Same results. Back to Black Screen.
3. Press F2 Changed boot order in BIOS to USB. Same results. Back to F1 to continue on Black screen.
4. Taken out HDD and RAM. Power on. Black screen.
5. Put back in RAM with no HDD and it gives error of CHECK CABLE. Dose not read a HDD.
6. Power down. Put in Bootable USB with Windows 7 32-bit. Power on and it loads files just fine. Go trough install. Needs drive to go further of course,
7. Installed New HDD, power on. Back to Black Screen with F1 to continue message.
8. Removed new HDD, power on with bootable USB still in. Loaded Windows 7 32-Bit installation files. plugged back in new HDD during the file loading. Installation can not find driver for media (HDD).
9. Removed new HDD, formatted. Installed and rebooted Toshiba NB205, Back to the F1 press to continue option seen above.
10. Ran virus scan and health scan on OLD HDD with OS system installed. Removed about 6 minor viruses and 2 worms, but HDD reads healthy. Reinstall into Toshiba NB205. Back to Black screen option Press F1 to continue.

I'm out of Ideas other then flashing the BIOS from USB which I don't see happening because the Black screen with F1 option is all I get besides entering into boot change menu F12 or BIOS F2. Dose anyone have any input suggestions or method to solve this issue so I can get a live operating system running? Thanks in advance for you help.

Hi
I will try to assist you.

The fact that there is garbage on the screen at the top would seem to be indicative of a hardware problem.

Since you have already ruled out the hard drive the next step would be to run a thorough memory test. The reason I suggest that is the memory is also used for video memory.

And of course you should also check the new hard drive, New doesn't guarantee good.

Also try a USB keyboard. Plug it in and then turn on the Netbook. Try F1 from there, a possibility exists that the F1 key is dead on the keyboard.

Roger

Thank you for your reply and help Rodger. I am going to run a Memory check now from the BIOS if possible and see the results. I have checked both the old and the NEW HDD for errors. I have found none to date.

I will post up the results of my Mem check and using a USB keyboard for F1 option. Here is what I have done so far today.
OK. Been on the phone all day with Toshiba trying to upsale me to send the Netbook in for a fee to repair. They no longer support XP, which is what was installed with this model.

I went to the Toshiba site and downloaded all the drivers for HDD amd BIOS upgrade. I have no way to access them in BIOS or in DOS being I get that Warning message as posted in the beginning of the poss.

When Windows 7 is installing I see it is registering the HDD as a removable and it can also access it. Maybe someone can guide me as to how to point the installation to the drivers?

Below is how far I get:







When it is loaded the mouse dose not work. That is what is leading me to believe it is a driver issue as well with the HDD. :redy:

OK. I plugged in a wireless keyboard and pressed F1 to continue. Same results as before. Nothing happened. Still stuck on the same black screen with the warning.

I guess what I don't understand is how you can be installing Windows 7 if you can not get past Press F1 to continue message.

8. Removed new HDD, power on with bootable USB still in. Loaded Windows 7 32-Bit installation files. plugged back in new HDD during the file loading. Installation can not find driver for media (HDD).

Not a driver issue. You need to have the bios detect the hdd then windows will see it.

The Windows install will load the necessary generic drivers to use the hard drive and touchpad if they are hooked up when the computer is powered on.

That PXE message is what you will get if the bios can not detect any other bootable devices, CDRom, HDD or USB. That is coming from the Ethernet port which should be the last thing listed in the boot order.

Roger

I would replace...the CMOS battery, the message re PXE often results from a weakening CMOS battery...which also can produce unexpected configuration/hardware issues that may not truly exist.

Louis

Thank you both for your reply. I believe hamluis is correct in his assumption. All apart and every cable is connected. I would take the COM battery out but of course it's welded to the board.

Just measure the voltage, most common voltage is around 3.2 volts.
It is quite common to see the battery soldered to the motherboard on Laptops.

Roger