Toshiba NB10T-A Boot Problem: 5 Post Flashes. Doesn't boot, can't get to BIOS/UEFI.
Hi all.
I have a Toshiba NB10T-A.
It originally had Windows 10 on it.
I had installed Windows 10 freshly myself.
It worked fine this first time.
Then: I put a linux distro on it (my preference). It also worked fine. I was using this for a while.
Then (annoyingly): I had to re-install Windows 10 for reasons. Really didn't want to, but had to.
During the install of Windows 10, I THINK I might have made some error during the partitioning stage.
I seem to remember there was an "ESP" partition visible/present in the partition scheme.
I am not sure if I deleted this by accident or not. I realize this is an EFI System Partition.
However, I would not think I would be able to delete or modify the BIOS/UEFI at all through disk partitioning, or cause any boot problems this way, as BIOS/UEFI would be on a ROM, so what difference should disk partitioning make to the boot process?
It sounds nonsensical to me that I could cause any problem to the machine itself through disk partitioning, but then again, it is a strange world, and strange things happen.
However:
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After rebooting, the machine does not boot at all.
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When pressing the power button, I get 5 POST flashes from one of the little LEDs which are located on the front edge of the palmrest. The flashes are evenly-spaced.
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I cannot get to BIOS or UEFI. Nothing gets displayed on the screen. No TOSHIBA logo, nothing.
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Other than the flashing of LEDs on the edge of the palmrest, there is no other sign of life.
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I guess the 5 POST flashes shows that the CPU is trying to tell me something? Does anybody know what the CPU is trying to tell me?
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I could not find technical / maintenance documentation to help me. Does anybody know if anything like that exists for this model, or very similar model?
What I have tried.
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All I have tried is the dummy fix: Remove battery, and hold down the power button for 30 seconds to a minute. This made no difference.
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Holding various key-combos during boot, to try and reset UEFI to factory settings. I have found the key combos floating around the internets. Apparently, doing so would hopefully reset the BIOS/UEFI to factory defaults. I can't remember all the key combos I have tried.
I am really not sure what the problem is. Don't know if the problem was a mistake I made during the partitioning stage, or what else it could be.
...Help!
(0__0)
Any help much appreciated. Thank you in advance.
(Apologies if this is the wrong community
Posted Aug 3, 2026, 10:48 AM UTC