CF-18 and USB Powered CD/DVD

Anone using one of these with a CF-18D? I was going to buy one until my USB ports wouldn't read my Cruzer 16GB flash Drive. Not sure i there is enough power in the usb to read it and power it. I was looking at:

http://www.iomagic.com/Products/show_all_results.asp?ProdID=IDVD8PE

This one.

 

I don't know about the drive but i have a 1gb sandisk usb drive and a sandisk 8gb usb drive they are both the same model but only the 1gb would work.

I found the problem. Mine was dong the same thing as yours it would light up but not show anything in device manager.

If you look inside the usb slot on the usb drive the outer 2 pins are longer than the 2 center pins and the make contact with the tougbook outer pins but then center two do not make contact.

When i stuck my drive in the light would come on for a second then shut of and nothing would pop up.

I shaved down the usb drive on the front sides so it would slide in just a hair farther and not it works because the center two pins now are connecting you might want to take a look into this. I do not think that the usb in not giving enough power i think that your two center pins are not contacting the toughbook usb pins but the outer two are.


-James

 

Hmmm.... I'll try it tomorrow and let you know.

 

James

Did you have that problem with your cf-18?

I’m thinking that you had that problem with your cf-29
The cf-29 usb inlet is quite restrictive
I use a SanDisk Cruzer Micro and take the outer cover off to make sure it go’s in all the way on my cf-29
The cf-18s have a lot of clearance to allow for full contact



Alex

 

no I dont have a cf-29 anymore. This was with my CF-19 even tho the slot is bigger the old 1gb usb drive would work but not the 8gb one. I got out a piece of sand paper and shaved the front of it down just a little bit on the edges and now when i insert it it works like a charm. The two outer long pins where making contact with the toughbook so it would light up but not do anything. Now that i shaved it down a hair the center two pins make contact and the drive works like a charm.

I will try the cf-18 later but it should work now with the little mod i did to the drive.

I am also using the sandisk cruzer micro. Both the 1gb and the new 8gb

i looked at the pins on both of the drives and the 8gb one the center two pins where just a hair lower than the 1gb one. I guess they justed used a different usb plug for the newer one.

-James

 

I have solved the problem with my Kingston SD HD reader not fitting into the USB sockets on my CF-30 by using a short male/female USB cable. Maybe it would work with your problem as well. If it is a power issue you could use a "Y" USB cable like the ones that come with most small external 2.5" HDD enclosures.
CAP

 

Well guys,I used a USB extension and the drive worked perfectly. Thanks so much!!!!!

How did you shave it down????

Steve

 

Maybe thats why I have to wiggle it a bit on the cf-18
All I have used for flash memory drives are the Cruzer Micro
Thats because they fit in the restrictive space on the cf-29

I wonder if the other brands of flash memory have the same issues?


Alex

 

I used a fine grit piece of sandpaper. I just held down the piece of sandpaper and ran the corners of the drive across it till I sanded it down just enough to get a good connection on the drive.

I do think this a problem with other USB drives as well. most USB drives the center two pins are shorter and the far set back USB ports on the tough books are restrictive and the drives do not make a good connection on the center pins


James

 

Toughbooks are quirky little darlings aren't they. I found an extension cable about 4" long and when the computer bag starts out at 10 pounds for the machine it's no big deal to add a bunch of small widgets to the load. There is no way I'm going to be able to sand down the high capacity SD card reader, it's HUGE!
CAP

 

Ya the card reader are just a no go on sanding lol