A friend of mine asked me to put his Toshiba Satellite M35X S-109 back together for him after someone had it in pieces and tried to put it back together. I think it may be f*#ked. I have gotten it put back together, but cannot power it up! When I plug it into the AC adapter and try to power it on, I have a green light for the plug, no light in the middle and a flashing red/orange light for the battery. It really does want to power up (fan kicks on for a second) but just wont. The plug I have is NOT Toshiba. Is that my issue? Also it will not power on at all without the battery? Is that normal? HELP! I am so close to being done with this project and am getting frustrated.

1.I would like you to go to this website, and review the disassembly of the Toshiba M35X laptop. It has written instructions and photos. You can enlarge any photo by clicking on it. I suggest you click on the blue underlined link, "A few things to know before you start taking your laptop apart", at the start of this, first.
http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/ToshibaM35X/satM35X_1.htm
(At the bottom of the page you will see ->
Page 1:: Page 2:: Page 3:: <- ,
You are on Page 1. Just click on 2 and 3)

Things to know from a tech, in case you may not be aware. The hardware components inside a computer, (Laptop or desktop), are VERY sensitive to Static electricity. Your body carries Static.
Static, will burn out the delicate hardware computer components, in a New York minute! You won't see it or feel it!

You may have observed the correct procedure, of donning an ESD wrist strap, and connecting it to a good ground before you started. (ElectroStatic Discharge) (I connect to an empty desktop computer case. I connect the alligator clip right to the metal frame. You can buy an inexpensive ESD wrist strap for about $7 from Radio Shack, and computer stores)

DID the other person?

The processor, is the most suceptibile computer hardware component, to static shock. POOF, and it's Gone!
Let's say the laptop starts up. Did you clean the top of the processor off, and the bottom of the heatsink, and apply new fresh thermal paste? If it uses a thermal pad, these are junk. Without applying new thermal paste, the processor could burn up in no time!

I'm willing to bet you did an excellent job, but if the laptop was mishandled by the other person?

2.The AC adapter (Charger) has an output of 19 volts. 3.42 Amps
It puts out 65 watts. The AC adapter plug, must fit securely in the DC Power Jack on the laptop.
The middle pin for any laptop is the Positive connection. The outer metal shell is the Negative connection. Both of those connections have to be connected, with no looseness.

What was the issue in the first place? Was it the DC Power Jack? Was there an intermittent connection?

It is for this reason, that computer techs and mechanics, do not like to take over where someone left off.
My advice would be to hand this laptop back, and state that the laptop was beyond repair, before you got it. You have no idea of how the laptop was treated, before working on it.

All is not a loss however! Look at the knowledge you gained! Most people would not even attempt, what you have done. You are to be commended!