# changing BIOS settings with Toshiba L505D-S5006 (AMD Athlon II Dual-Core M300)



## haoleflip719 (Dec 9, 2010)

Hello! I am trying to access my BIOS to change some settings in it, but when I get into the BIOS Setup I can't change anything in there (everything is greyed out) and the options are minimal. Currently, my BIOS version is 1.0.0. I tried downloading the necessary update for it, but when I install and try to run it, it tells me "Failed to retrieve system BIOS information. BCPSYS block signature was not found. Error Code: -100." 

I am downloading from this page here: Update Page
Product Type: Notebook
Family: Satellite
Product Series: Satellite L Series
Model: Satellite L505D
Short Model: (For some reason the only option here is PSLT9E, but my reads PSLV6U on the bottom of the notebook. Does this have anything to do with not updating the correct version i wonder?)

So I am forced to skip the last step and Update pops up so I downloaded it and installed and that's where the problems start. 

In short, is there any other easier way to get into a BIOS where I can change the settings? Or do I have to find a different BIOS update? I am trying to overclock my processor, is there an easier way to overclock i.e. another program or something?

Thanks in advance for the help!


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

laptop are meant to be business machines

they are not built for o/c unless you are looking at how fast you can fry it


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## LMiller7 (Jun 21, 2010)

A laptop is a poor candidate for overclocking. It can often be done but it isn't easy, the results are not very satisfactory, and the risks are high.

Due to restricted airflow laptops have limited cooling capabilities which often results in overheating and premature component failure. Many laptops run hot even at stock speeds.

Most laptop manufacturers lock the BIOS to prevent overclocking. This protects you from failures and them from the resulting warranty claims.

Updating the BIOS is inherently risky, particularly on a laptop. The only recovery from a failed update is often a motherboard replacement which may cost more than a new computer.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Bios updates should only be done if the update addresses the particular problem(s) you are experiencing. A bad Bios update can render the Mobo useless. Most OEM Bios' are locked to prevent user adjustment and prevent damage to the generally lower quality hardware.
Laptops are designed for portability and convenience.


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## haoleflip719 (Dec 9, 2010)

Well, I've had this laptop for almost a year now. And after about two weeks after buying it, a friend overclocked my video card and it's been fine ever since. Only thing it did was make my fan speed about 5-10% faster, which is understandable because more power is being pushed from the card, which makes it heat up just a tiny bit more. I understand the risks involved with overclocking anything in a computer, especially in a laptop, but I also know that if it's done properly with the right cooling etc. that it is totally safe and a great way to save money rather than going out and buying a brand new card. A great example would be my video card. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars, I clocked my card to run faster and perform better and I haven't had any problems for almost a year now.

Now with that said, I am looking for an answer from someone who ISN'T an overclock nazi. From someone who has lots of experience overclocking and knows how I can get into my BIOS settings and *be able to change the settings in there.* Right now, I am unable to change anything in there and it's annoying. I don't have a warranty that Toshiba needs to worry about and it's my laptop so i should be able to go into the BIOS and do whatever I want with it.....


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## LMiller7 (Jun 21, 2010)

I believe this forum to be one of the best of it's kind. One reason for that is I believe because it provides responsible advice. I would hate to see that change.


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## Jimmy Rapid (Dec 5, 2010)

Hay you be nice. This is the best forum on the planet, otherwise I'd be there and not here. It's NOT really an overclocking forum, however. And it's not these people that are extreme it's the overclockers that are a tad nuts, and you might be one so keep in mind who is normal and who is a bit on the kooky side.

This is a FIXING forum. The general mindset here is to make broken things work, and turn dangerous situations into safe ones. Overclockers want to do the exact opposite. You mght not get world class experts on risking your system here, but they'll be glad to help you fix it once it's broken, lol.

That being said, laptops are closer to the edge of their performance than are desktops. The manufacturer restricts options in the BIOS with specific intent on things like overclocking, increasing voltages, etc... It doesn't make any sense to OC a laptop anyways. You get greater the risk, and almost no performance increase. It's my opinion that even with a desktop that is good for OCing, you are wasting your time OCing it. Better you should spend that same time earning more money and simply BUY a higher performing machine.

There is a sub-set of OCers that mess with laptops. You aren't alone, but you are also a small minority withing a small minority of OCers vs. everyone else. And if you are determined to OC your laptop, you are going to have to do some research into the specific hardware that laptop is built from and hope that someone has modified the BIOS so as to increase the number of overclocking options. Or learn how to make your own BIOS, lol...

I did OCing for almost an entire year. I learned a lot, but if I had put those hours into earning money, I could have purchased a system that performed 75% faster than the one that I was overclocking, vs. the 20% increase I got. Not a "mistake", but not something I'd do over again. Unless you intend to work on computers professionally, you are better off buying your performance with money instead of your time.


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## haoleflip719 (Dec 9, 2010)

Thanks Jimmy for that explanation, I appreciate it. You're right, maybe I _am_ in the wrong forums! I didn't mean to come off like I'm an ******* and being mean. I'm just tired of posting on forums and not getting the answer I am looking for and being criticized at the same time. Although, I haven't tried this question on any other forums, I googled and this site came up and I saw that there was an area for "Overclocking," so I posted on this one. I know alot of you are computer gurus as much as I am, or even more! I am just trying to state that I understand the risk and I am completely prepared for it. In fact, this laptop was given to me for free by the same friend who clocked my video card. He got a new computer and gave me this one and it's fine. I have a regular desktop computer that I use often for work and gaming. This is just a "let's see what I can do with a crappy piece of equipment and make it better than it is without spending money" kind of project. Now, I also did not state that I have a full cooling system mounted underneath on a big pad. My friend told me that Toshiba health monitor does not read that it is too hot (currently fluctuating at 56%-59%), but his hands get sweaty while playing sometimes. So he bought the cooling system for it, which constantly keeps my laptop at a cool operating temp of 55°F. I am very prepared for what might and what might not happen to this machine.

Now, with that said.....Anyone have any ideas to help me? Thanks ray:


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## MonsterMiata (Jan 5, 2010)

You can not overclock an OEM bios. Thats all there is too it. No bios update can fix that because of warranty purposes.

Your just going to overheat and destroy your laptop by overclocking components in such a confined space. I find 55 degrees Fahrenheit an unlikely temperature because that would suggest your house will be cooler than this as its not possible for the machine to be cooler than the ambient air surrounding it.

An OCed GPU also returns very minimal gains, 10fps might be all you squeeze out of a good GPU. Take my 4770, its an excellent OCer but at 930 core speed and 1000mhz memory the return was only 9fps for an extra 10 degrees Celsius in temps.

Thats a bit more than 20% from stock which most GPU's are not capable of. Take it for what you will. You have your answer as well as your warnings.


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## haoleflip719 (Dec 9, 2010)

Ok, found a better forum for my topic. Maybe you guys should take the "Overclocking" section out of your forums cuz I didn't get much help on this topic. 

@MonsterMiata: Actually, it blows cool air out of the fan vent. And my house sits at 65°-70°s. If you read correctly, I have a built-in cooling system. Wait, sorry, it's at 57°F right now, I lied.

Thanks, but not the right forum!


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## MonsterMiata (Jan 5, 2010)

haoleflip719 said:


> Ok, found a better forum for my topic. Maybe you guys should take the "Overclocking" section out of your forums cuz I didn't get much help on this topic.
> 
> @MonsterMiata: Actually, it blows cool air out of the fan vent. And my house sits at 65°-70°s. If you read correctly, I have a built-in cooling system. Wait, sorry, it's at 57°F right now, I lied.
> 
> Thanks, but not the right forum!


You will only get the same answers as we are providing. Im sorry but no "Built in cooling system" can cool past Ambient air temperatures. You can not defy the laws of thermodynamics and physics as a whole. Im not sure what program is giving you your temps but it is well past wrong if your room temp is between 65-70 degrees.

Its not that we do not support OCing, its more along the lines that there are no gains to be had by OCing a laptop. You will destroy it before the gains are noticeable, thats just a fact and does not make us overclocking "Nazi's".


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## haoleflip719 (Dec 9, 2010)

Actually, I found my answer there! Someone actually helped! Just wanted to clear somethings up....

@MonsterMiata: You need to really do your research on cooling devices. Here's a screenshot of my laptop's temp readings to prove you wrong. And no, this program isn't "bugged" or "not working properly." It is fine. So no excuses for your uneducated answers. Also, there are a few kinds of devices that cool past ambient air temperatures, the most popular is the Swamp Cooler. Same concept as this smaller laptop cooling version. It has nothing to do with physics and thermodynamics. Swamp Coolers cool the surrounding air through the evaporation of water. Do those deny the laws of physics too?


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Hello haoleflip719,

Could you provide links and specifications to this cooling device?
I would really like our team to review it and possibly procure one for testing!
We do have many complaints of hot running laptops here at TSF, and if we could recommend a product that actually worked as well as you say, we would make a lot of people happy, and that is what we are here for!!!

So please, give us some links and some more information so we can look this over!

-GZ


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## haoleflip719 (Dec 9, 2010)

Here is an example! 

Water Cooler for a laptop

This one looks like he built it on his own. Not sure if my friend bought this one that I have or if he or someone he knew made it, but mine looks like a black box about 3.5" tall and covers the whole bottom of my notebook. Pretty sure all of the components are on the inside and there is a place where I have to fill with water every now and then. I know, it sounds crazy (like overclocking), mixing water and electronics, but I've had this almost a year now and it's a healthy laptop and the cooling method works. It IS a lil noisy, as it makes a small hum, but it works that's all that matters.


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

That is definitely a neat looking piece of work there. Very ingenious. It doesn't seem very efficient to use the heatpipe as a water channel though. It wouldn't have cost much more for a proper water block.

I get the impression yours isn't watercooled though, at least not in that sense. Can you easily remove your laptop from the cooling pad???

Hey, we have an attachment function. Maybe you could upload a couple of pictures (in .png or .jpg format only please) for us to check out?

I am also curious as to how the GPU overclock was achieved... What GPU does your laptop have???


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## MonsterMiata (Jan 5, 2010)

..........


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## grimx133 (Jan 15, 2008)

Wouldn't make a difference if it was water cooled, water does not go sub-ambient. It's that pesky physics bug again.


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## Jimmy Rapid (Dec 5, 2010)

grimx133 said:


> Wouldn't make a difference if it was water cooled, water does not go sub-ambient. It's that pesky physics bug again.


I thought the same thing, but didn't have the time to post it as I was late for my goose-stepping lessons.


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## LMiller7 (Jun 21, 2010)

I am no expert on cooling but I am skeptical about those temperatures which appear to be impossibly low. I think we must consider the possibility that the reported temperatures are wrong.


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

gavinzach said:


> That is definitely a neat looking piece of work there. Very ingenious. It doesn't seem very efficient to use the heatpipe as a water channel though. It wouldn't have cost much more for a proper water block.
> 
> I get the impression yours isn't watercooled though, at least not in that sense. Can you easily remove your laptop from the cooling pad???
> 
> ...


Waiting.................................................


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Same as above ^


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## haoleflip719 (Dec 9, 2010)

Look guys, I found my answer on another forum. I'm not going to continue here, as it has just turned into a game of who doesn't believe who. I've given you an example of someone else's cooling device and there are ALOT more like it if you take the time to research it further. You will also find that alot of these people are recording the same temperature (if not lower) that I am recording also. My programs aren't bugged or anything. I've read the same temperature readings off of 3 different programs. That information isn't false and I'm not going to sit here and take numerous pictures of my cooling device and take it apart and disconnect some of it's components from my laptop, just so I can prove some of you wrong again. It's a waste of my time. Either believe me or don't, it doesn't matter to me. But thanks for the skepticism and the ZOMG IT'S IMPOSSIBLE! comments. They made me smile. 

P.S. To all of you who think that it's "going beyond the laws of physics and thermodynamics blah blah that's not possible to cool a space of air when the average ambient temperature around this small space is blah blah too hot blah blah......go do research on the average home's portable swamp cooler. This new invention denies physics! hahaha bye.


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