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Toshiba T3200SX

billdeg

Technician
Joined
Nov 18, 2003
Messages
3,885
Location
Landenberg, PA USA
I have had this lying around for a while, thought I'd try to fix.

When powered on, after a spell of time I get an error about the clock and "hard disk controller failure" "need setup utility"

Anyone have experience with the T3200SX? My first question is - does "hard drisk controller failure" actually mean what it says, or is this an error with the hard drive where the controller can't get to the hard drive and fails?

Does anyone have the parts to repair this.

It would be nice to get running, it has the gas plasma display w/ 386.
 
I can't help you specifically. I have a T3100/20 and love the screen which I think is the nicest ever manufactured. :) Mine has a broken drive which appears to be Toshiba specific so I never got a replacement. I use the machine from one floppy only which is adequate with a 720. Good luck!
 
Sounds like your usual CMOS battery problem; I've got a 3200sx (as well as a 3100e); guess I could dig it out. It was working last time I tried it, but for all I know after a couple of years in the basement I'll get the same error .
 
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I can't help you specifically. I have a T3100/20 and love the screen which I think is the nicest ever manufactured. :) Mine has a broken drive which appears to be Toshiba specific so I never got a replacement. I use the machine from one floppy only which is adequate with a 720. Good luck!
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Yeah, I like the 3100 as well; I still use it because it's the only portable I had that could have three com ports, which I need for certain serial comm tests (although in the meantime I've acquired a Compaq portable that would be smaller.

I upgraded the hard disk in mine because 20MB was just too small, but mine is the 3100e and I think it uses standard IDE drives whereas the -20 used a slightly different interface. Any idea what make/model your drive is? Maybe I've still got my original one and maybe I'm out to lunch and they're the same; ya never know...
 
billdeg:
It would be nice to get running, it has the gas plasma display w/ 386.
I would have thought that the 3200 was a 286 running at 12MHz, similar to the "e" models except with a 40MB drive. Look at this old advertisement (pdf) and that's what it looks like. I find it a bit confusing because they had so many different models and the "e" series also had a 40MB option. :confused:

Edit: OK, I missed the fine print again, lol. It's the SX model which obviously denotes a 386. Also the Toshiba Europe site has some good info.
 
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I upgraded the hard disk in mine because 20MB was just too small, but mine is the 3100e and I think it uses standard IDE drives whereas the -20 used a slightly different interface. Any idea what make/model your drive is? Maybe I've still got my original one and maybe I'm out to lunch and they're the same; ya never know...

I did some research and the "e" series used Conner Periferals 20 or 40 MB HDDs with an IDE interface. The T3100 had a 10MB MFM and T3100/20 had a 20MB 2-7 RLL interface. Too bad, but if anyone has a JVC JD3824ROTO, I'd be interested. :p

BTW, here is a good T3100 spec sheet.
 
As MikeS says, it's likely a CMOS battery problem. I have one of these, and I get the same error. When I power it on, it goes through POST (a whopping 5 MB of memory!), then gives:

Time-of-day clock stopped
Invalid configuration information - please run SETUP program
Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run the setup utility

When I hit F2, I get CMOS checksum invalid, and "Strike any key"

I reset the setup screen to defaults and hit F10 to reboot, and it all works just fine.

I only found this thread by googling T3200SX. I have been thinking of getting rid of mine, thought about posting it on craigslist but haven't gotten around to it.
 
As MikeS says, it's likely a CMOS battery problem. I have one of these, and I get the same error. When I power it on, it goes through POST (a whopping 5 MB of memory!), then gives:

Time-of-day clock stopped
Invalid configuration information - please run SETUP program
Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run the setup utility

When I hit F2, I get CMOS checksum invalid, and "Strike any key"

I reset the setup screen to defaults and hit F10 to reboot, and it all works just fine.

Yes, I agree that is a problem, but I also get an error message about the hard drive controller, which is really what I am looking for more info about. My original question was about whether the controller is really the problem or whether it's the hard drive. If someone has fixed this specific problem with their system I'd like to hear what they had to do. I don't want to open a laptop without a plan.

Bill
 
Yeah,
First you need a DOS bootable disk with Test3.exe on it. You can find it on the net. It should seek the disk and boot from it. That is Toshiba's setup utility. That will get you into the setup portion. From there, you should be able to set up the proper parameters for the drive type and floppy. Yeah, either the controller is bad or more likely the Hard Disk is toast. If its an IDE drive, it will be easier to replace.
I have a 3200 and I had to find a 26-Pin Citizen floppy drive to replace the bad one (that took a while). The only issue I have now is that the Date will not go past 1999. I would need newer a newer CMOS revision.
 
Anyone still on this forum with information about Toshiba T3200SX laptops - or, better yet, with parts or a whole unit to sell? If so, please contact me at johnvin999(at)yahoo.com .

Thanks,

johnvin
 
anyone still on this forum with information about toshiba t3200sx laptops - or, better yet, with parts or a whole unit to sell? If so, please contact me at johnvin999(at)yahoo.com .

Thanks,

johnvin


still looking, as of april, 2013 ...
 
Yeah what information do you need?

I have a complete working one, but it's my precious, so can't be sold, but I've worked with it quite a bit so know a few things. Also the original brochures/adverts are available through Toshiba Europe - they kept the old models listed and there is one for the T3200SX - easy to get to via google.
 
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