Another first timer - CF 29

Greetings all - I just got my first TB after years of lusting after one. I found a really nice 29 on ebay. Mark 2, touch screen, DVD/CD, everything works well, battery holds a charge for about 5 hours, 80gb HD, 1.3 mhz. Don't have the other specs in front of me now. WiFi works great. Haven't tried the optical drive yet. It came with Windows XP Pro disk and an IBM branded power cord.

It's a little dirty and has a few scratches but over all is a really solid unit, or so it seems to me. The touch works I would say very well, but at the edges and in the corners it's a little balky sometimes.

My use will be general home and work laptop, internet access, some photo storage, a little music. What with the cloud services I don't feel the need to store everything.

I want a GPS, for vehicle based travel both on and off road. This is very important.

I want to get a 320 gb HD.

I have already bought the HD (a WD Scorpio, 5400 rpm IDE) and I feel pretty confident I can swap them out and use the XP disk to re-load the OS. I say this being relatively computer illiterate (certainly compared to you guys) but at least I'm not afraid to try.

I am curious about my GPS options. One I'm looking at is a Taiwanese after market with a brand name of Carmine or something similar, which if installed by the company I'm considering, would come with a 9 month warranty. (Why not a year, I'm afraid to ask.) Any input on this GPS? What would a better option be?

I'm not looking for rocket performance - I want to stay inside original design parameters and don't care if it's a little slow. I want a dependable unit that will go the distance and be repairable and long lasting.

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for any help.

 

Welcome to the Forum! Others will definately set you on a straight and narrow path soon regarding GPS, Touch, etc...
I will say this, if you do NOT have Mark 2 Specific Panasonic Recovery Discs (3) you will have an uphill battle installing XP on the new hard drive you are planning to swap out. Many have done it but the hassle factor is GREAT. You will definately want to pick these up to make your life EASY.
Regarding GPS, user on this forum named "SADLMKR" is well versed in what works best regarding GPS & Touch and am sure he will chime in from the North Left Coast of Mendocino County.
Regarding hard drive swap, make sure you watch a couple of U-Tube videos and read the CF-29 FAQ's section that has a good tutorial, and take pictures as you are taking it apart. Working slowly and carefully is the name of the game to get everything back together correctly. Since you already have a working system I would recommend "cloning" your system with a program such as "Acronis" or some other good program. This will allow you to set up your new hard drive exactly the way your working one is.
Take care & Regards,
Cleve

 

Sounds like you bought one just like the one I bought a couple of weeks ago. I'm new to this stuff as well and everyone on here has been extremely helpful so far with my newbie questions.

 

I second that...If you do not have the restore / recovery disk then clone it. Toughbooks are very picky on how you install the drivers...you could spend hours or even days getting it right but with the restore disk it's all done in about 35 minutes (XP & drivers) . The restore disk is a image of your harddrive when it left the factory.

 

Got it...that will be job one. Thanks.

 

Beg to differ. I am well versed in what works for me...but my needs are a bit different from the majority. I want topo maps 7 1/2 min. The nearest city where I would need to use a GPS is Santa Rosa , CA and I can't remember when I was there last.
For internal mods read the GPS thread. It is amazing.
For using tomorrow...look at some of Cap Dogfish' stuff and use a USB GPS.
My recommendation for a internal GPS is a CF-30 MK1..If you have a lot of time to fool around then by all means use an internal mod in your Mark2.
Here is your helper for this thread.
TEST site:forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic - Google Search
Replace TEST with your keywords for this awesome forum.
Please post your full model #. It answers a couple questions....like does your unit have a WWAN antenna.. Otherwise your GPS antenna (internal) will be under your left palm.

Welcome aboard,

Jeff UNCNDL1......... your 'mbarrassing me

 

Thanks sadlmkr. I'm starting to think that a hockey puck USB GPS might be the way to go for me. They work so stinkin' well...

 

Welcome aboard!

I use the custom toughbooks gps kit. no soldering. if you feel comfortable taking out some screws, pulling the bottom plate, and plugging in an ffc, then you can do it.
it gives you another usb port inside, too (usually used for BT).
There is some debate as to which is better, DIY GPS, or the customtoughbooks GPS. I think they are both quite suitable and have had little to no problems with my gps.
IMHO.

 

Thanks fellow - can you please define "ffc" and "BT"? (You see what kind of mouth breather you're dealing with here?)

I can solder with a torch just great - I understand some people use one of those plug in thingies too sometimes...gotta learn how to do that one day.

I'll check out the site you mentioned, thanks.

Here's my full item number: CF-29ETKGZKM

I ran it on the Panasonic site but cannot find that link now for some reason. I'd be curious what details you all can tell me about it.

Again, thanks.

Edit: Found it:

Model Number:
CF-29ETKGZKM Status:
DISCONTINUED MSRP:
$4,488

Description: Pentium M 1.3G LV (Centrino),
13.3Transmissive Touch XGA ,
256MB,40GB,WLAN 802.11b+g, WinXP

 

bluetooth
ffc fpc flat flexible cable/ flex printed circuit Google "molex"

 

@rmcnabb, Welcome to the forum. I don't use internal GPS. I've got 2 Toughbooks with factory GPS and I still use the USGlobalSat BU353 puck. There may be better, more advanced units out there, but the 353 has delivered amazing accuracy and durability for me for years and I see no reason to fix that which is not broken. It is also cheap. If you want to get into the "my GPS tracks more satellites than yours" game, have at it but all GPSs use the dithered results from the 6-8 best signals and throw the rest out anyway. If you are going to be walking around using your CF-29 for navigation in some sort of baby carrier attachment on your chest then an internal unit is a must. On the other hand, if you will, like me, be sitting down in some sort of vehicle; boat, barge, Jeep, Bentley, hot air balloon, dirigible, Airbus 320, or whatever, the little USB GPS is the cheap easy solution. Of course, if you travel so light that something the the size of 4-5 $CAD in Loonies and Twonies with a bit of wire attached is burdensome then an internal unit will be mandatory. Again welcome to the forum, its all in fun
CAP
Tongue only lightly embedded in cheek.

 

You think they are funny then you should see our new bills...there plastic

 

I don't think they're funny, I love them. My government has spent millions trying to get us to use dollar coins. They insist on making them indistinguishable from quarters without careful inspection so no one will use them. I can tell the difference between a Loonie and a Twonie by feel in my pocket, great for tipping and panhandlers.

CAP
Edited to show Loonie and Twonie so people will know what we are talking about.

 

Please explain these for us clueless folk.

 

I was editing to do just that while you were posting
CAP

 

Thanks very much Capt. Dogfish - I am of your mind too, now that I've immersed myself in the subject. BU-353 it shall be. The baby carrier comment was a hoot. Even then I could put the GPS puck up on top of my hat making myself irresistable to the ladies.

Edit: coins explained above