Toshiba Satellite Pro 420CDS and 420CDT
The Satellite Pro 420CDS and 420CDT are Pentium-based laptops that were released in June 1996. The 420 Series was essentially just a spec-bump of the 410 Series, with the only changes being a faster 100MHz processor.
Specifications
| Spec | Satellite Pro 420CDS | Satellite Pro 420CDT |
|---|---|---|
| Release Date | June 1996 | |
| CPU | CPU Type: Soldered TCP Intel Pentium @100MHz | |
| Chipset | Unknown | |
| RAM | Type: Proprietary Standard: 8MB Maximum: 40MB | |
| Storage | 2.5" IDE Requires Adapter: No Standard: 770MB | |
| Display Options | 11.3" Passive Matrix LCD @800x600 | 11.3" Active Matrix LCD @800x600 |
| Graphics Chipset | Chips & Technologies 65550 VRAM: 2MB | |
| Audio | ESS AudioDrive 688 - Mono Speaker - Microphone | |
| Main Battery | Lithium Ion (10.8V, 3600mAH) | |
| CMOS Battery | - 3-cell Varta NiMH CMOS Battery - 6-cell Varta NiMH Reserve Battery | |
| Power Supply | Internal, uses standard 2-prong connector | |
| Media Drives | Modular Bay supporting the following: - 3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Drive - 6X CD-ROM Drive | |
| PC Cards | 2x PCMCIA Slots (2x Type II/1x Type III) - ZoomVideo Support | |
| Networking | None | |
| Other I/O | - 1x Parallel - 1x Serial - 1x VGA Out - 1x PS/2 - 1x Dock Connector - 1x External FDD Connector - 1x Mic In - 1x Line In - 1x Line Out - Infrared | |
| BIOS | Toshiba | |
| Pointing Device | TrackPoint | |
Resources
 Service Manual |
|---|
Common Faults & Maintenance
CMOS/Hibernation Battery Leaks
The biggest issue facing the 420 series laptops is the two Varta NiMH batteries it has inside, located on the left side of the laptop, under the keyboard. One is a 3-cell battery, used for CMOS backup. The second is a much larger 6-cell battery, using double-wide cells, used to keep the laptop alive in hibernation mode when swapping the main battery pack. Both of these batteries are EXTREMELY prone to leaking, and due to the fact that they're located right next to critical components, a very large number of these laptops have been permanently destroyed by these batteries. It is critical that these batteries are removed in any 420CDS or 420CDT.
Brittle Plastic
Toshiba's plastic is now extremely brittle. Handle all parts of these laptops with care. Luckily, the hinge mounting design on these laptops is well designed, and I haven't seen a broken hinge yet. Still, be cautious.
Page last updated (MM/DD/YYYY): 04/09/2025
Update Reason: page created
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