CF 19 toughbook memory upgrade

Hi guys & gals, I have just bought one of these to run diagnostic software for auto purposes & have a memory quandry as there isn't enough free memory to install the software I need.

I have removed all the unnecessary windows stuff as I will only use it for this purpose & still there is not enough.

I either install a bigger hdd, but do not have the windows disc.

Or install memory that I can put little used files on & this is where my question comes in.

I see that I can simply fit a sd card, but if I use the pcmcia slot & fit a card reader, I think this will give a far quicker transfer rate.

Are my thinkings correct & will it work?

Thanks in advance.

 

quick research .....

Is the pcmci card reader 16 bit or 32 bit? only cards with gold strips on contact end are 32 bit..

I just went through this for a Compact flash reader.
My PCMCIA reader was 16 bit and painfully slow. I picked up a 32bit PCMCIA (Cardbus) reader which I have not tested yet.
I needed the Cardbus reader due to the fact my camera uses Compact flash cards.

SDHC transfer rates are at 25mbs
PCMCIA 16bit is rated at 8mbs
PCMCIA (Cardbus) 32 bit is rated at 32mbs...They have the gold strips at the connector end...They are also expensive....

Expresscard is rated at 480 mbs.....but most SD readers for Expresscard are USB speed...zero advantage over built in SD slot.

Short answer SDHC card in the SD reader slot will be faster..Unless you spend the money for an Expresscard SSD....
Micro usb drive is an option also...

 

Shawn,

Thanks for that, alas I am not sure what is correct now........

The datasheet for the CF 19 says I have express card & pc card slots, I used the term pcmcia in my ignorance not realising the difference.

It also says "HCSD memory reader - Data transfer rate 8mb/sec"

Is this the speed you meant as it is spookily the same as your speed for pcmcia 16 bit.

Also, this begs the question. In my ignorance, how do I tell pcmcia/smart card/pc card/express card apart?

 

"HCSD memory reader - Data transfer rate 8mb/sec"
I am guessing your CF19 is an early model..It is a SD reader not a SDHC reader..HC means high capacity...
Micro usb will work, but will not fit under the rubber cover...It will fit under the cover on a CF30..
------------------------------------------------------------
links to read..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PC_Card
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExpressCard
----------------------------------------------------------------
What is your full model number from the BIOS? CF19xxxxxxx
What version of Windows?
------------------------------------------------------------------
We are getting to best option being a bigger hard drive....
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Pick up a cheap external usb case....
Clone or backup the existing hard drive....I use Acronis.....
Swap the internal drive with the new drive in the usb case...
Boot the machine with Acronis...
restore the backup to the new drive...
Acronis automatically resizes the partition
------------------------------------------------------
Or purchase the official recovery disk for your machine....
-----------------------------------------------------------------

 

Thanks again Shawn, I realised what it meant when it said HCSD, but just wrote what the datasheet said for completeness.

Thanks for the other bits of info, I will dig the machine out when I get back from work & see if it all now makes sense,

 

More info will help...

Exact speeds are difficult to determine. So many factors...
The card itself has speed ratings...Are those ratings accurate? Manufacturers lie...
The transfer rate of each interface...PCMCIA///SDHC///Expresscard//USB
Then add the adapter transfer rate differences for PCMCIA or Expresscard or USB..

The simple question , Which is faster? becomes complex.
A larger hard drive is the fastest option without a doubt....
The easiest option is use a SD card in the built in SD reader..

 

OK, I now have a bit more info.

I have a pc card slot & an Express card slot (54mm type) also a SD card slot.

I don't have the time to open it up at the moment to see precise model number on the BIOS chip, but have windows xp pro installed from the factory if that helps.

 

Shawn,

I have now had another look this morning &, sorry to be a pain, but I have another couple of questions you may be able to help me with.

I can't immediately see where to get to the BIOS chip to identify the model, can you tell me where it is?

I also have a SATA hdd & am now starting to wonder if I change the hdd I might as well go for a win 7 upgrade also, but I can't find whether I am 32 or 64 bit win XP pro, is there a way of telling?

 

first page of bios . it will say something similar to CF19KDRAX6M
I am not sure about XP pro...It's been a long time...Odds are you have 32 bit....
I suggest you if you upgrade to win7 you stay with 32 bit.

 

Thanks once again Shawn,

I found it, it says CF19CHBCFBE

 

Ok.

When it was new it was equipped like this.
mk1----U2400 cpu..
802.11..WLAN(wifi)
10.4" Touchscreen
80gb HDD and 512mb ram...
Bluetooth and GPS equipped
Probably has some sort of WWAN card in it...
Windows XP sp2---32bit
Sold in UK originally

 

Thanks once again Shawn, I had a look round earlier & found the same info on another thread in a roundabout way.

Since build it has been upgraded to 4gb ram, but everything else seems to be as was.

I take it the touchscreen is supposed to work from a finger & is unreliable as mine does not!

I have yet to try a sim card in it.

Or even look to see if there is any native software to allow the gps to be of use.

 

Touchscreen is probably bad..mk1's had issues with the touchscreen failing.

Look for a free program called Winfast Navigator by Leadtek.
Com3 4800 baud..I think.
It will show you the GPS data stream.

Win7, 32 bit is fine, other than some guys have had issues with a couple of the drivers.. The button drivers if I recall.
64 bit really needs more than 6gb of ram...

 

Every positive I find, there seems to be a negative just to keep the balance.

Having had a look at a few images, I see that where the gps antenna should be there is a sticky cover!

It seems therefore that the gps has been removed at some time.

Never mind!

That is obviously why I can't see it in the bios to check it is enabled.

 

Sadly that is one of the issues with buying from unknown sellers on ""ebay" and such...
They strip the good bits and sell to unsuspecting buyers.

 

Looking back at the advert, it doesn't say there is gps, and I don't need it, so it is not a major issue.

On a plus note, I have just managed to "find" 2gb, so hopefully I might just squeeze in what I originally was looking like having issues with, and then move a few data files rather than program files to the sd card & "Robert is your Father's Brother", so there we go, another positive & negative to rack up.

 

If you do upgrade to W7 you will need to update the BIOS. It's not hard . Shawn's right about the front buttons. I think it's the screen rotation that is the hard one to get to work right.

 

basics to gain HDD space
disable system restore
reduce or eliminate the recycle bin
reduce the swap file size.

Put data files on SD or usb storage..

Windows should use less than 10gb...that should leave you 70gb left. If you don't have that then something else is incorrect.

 

Shawn,

Thanks again, I had already done all of the above except the system restore, which I remembered yesterday & got windows XP pro down to such a level as to leave me just under 74gb spare, which is enough for what I need.

I have re-instated restore & paging for the moment, but at least I now know I can do what I need to, and after installation I will move all data to the sd card & then will be able to re-instate paging & restore to a reasonable level as the machine will never connect to the internet & will only ever be used for auto diagnostics.

Toughasnails,

As I have now found that I won't need a bigger hdd I probably won't go to W7 now, as it was only really if I needed to change hdd, I thought I might as well upgrade.

Thanks for all your help/advice guys.

 

If you ever do decide to upgrade your hdd go for a SSD. It will give your 19 a big boost...much faster.

 

That is actually one thing I am still consedering.

I will see how it works in the first instance as I do have a fresh install & will only be running programs from one software suite on the machine, so it may actually be quite quick anyway.

 

That's true, it should run faster. I still have my MK1 and I only have XP PRO on it with 4GB memory with 120GB hdd and it runs great. If you ever want to upgrade to a MK2 or 3 you can use the memory and hdd/caddy from the MK1.