I have had a Toshibs RD-XV45KB since new and it has been an excellent machine and I'm loathed to scrap it. It has recently taken to switching itself off and permanently displays a flashing 'W'. If you try to force it onto the HDD settings it then has an on screen display of 'System Error'.
Can you help?
Thanks
Michael.

Michael Ball, October 2009

In our case I think it was because the fan at the back was so clogged up with dust. Have you tried cleaning out all the dust? So far our has been working OK from yesterday afternoon whereas before, as soon as we put on the central heating it would crash. Try what I said in my last message - unplug it and then unscrew the housing around the fan - dust it and then put it all back and try plugging in the machine and see if it works. Our video was also interferring with it, but my partner forced a tape into it while he had the top off and this seems to have stopped it interferring with the system.

You do know that these machines will not be able to record once we switch over to digital, unless you have a new machine with an HDMI socket.

Compused, February 2011

We also had a SYS and flashing "W" in our machine, tried resetting it, which would work for a while and then the problem started again. Yesterday my partner unplugged the machine and unscrewed the protective casing around the fan, situated on its left (your right if you are facing it) and blew a lot of dust out and made sure the fan was running smoothly. He also unscrewed all the screws and took the casing off because he wanted to see why the video wasn't working. He wasn't able to fix the video problem, but cleaning the machine of all the dust it had has stopped it malfunctioning and it now works properly and records as normal onto the hard drive. So I would advise anyone with this problem - if resetting the machine hasn't worked, try cleaning the dust out from the fan. We think it may have been overheating when we had our central heating on and so switched off.

Compused, January 2011

did you ever find the answer ? as mine has just started with the flashing "W"

Benson, May 2010

Another thought on flashing "W"
Have you tried the reset button (L/hand side of drop down
panel on the right of unit) ...use ball point pen or similar point.

IAN, November 2009

I also have this machine, it also has just started flashing "W" shortly after inserting a tape. The tape loads correctly
and runs for a few seconds then unloads.
The answer to my problem is a faulty light emitter on the main board...(no light being transmitted via prism to the tape
run sensor.)
My problem is sourcing a replacement.

IAN, November 2009