CF-29 Mk 4 - Need some help

I just got a CF-29 Mk 4 with a clean, legal, install of Windows 7. All of this had been done prior to my little police agency purchasing three of these. I'm the first to get mine (replacing the trusty CF-18 I've been using). Having said this, I was a little dismayed when I found that everything except the hotkeys worked. Touchscreen, sound, WiFi, etc. all worked fine (I have not had opportunity to try the CD or SD yet).

Now, I am a typical cop when it comes to computers (usually the only hardware installs I successfully manage on the first try are with lead and a loud "bang"), but my tech friends all tell me that I know enough to be dangerous. After finding that the hotkeys don't function, I took to the internets, and they all brought me here. I have read, re-read, and developed a slight visual-impairment (from full screen brightness at night) over the past three days; trying to follow all of the posts and instructions here. Having said that, I've tried everything I can find at least twice, including all of the following:

1. I downloaded the hotkey driver from Panasonic for the XP SP2, and tried to update the keyboard driver from device manager - nope

2. I went back and used 7-zip to extract the driver files from the .exe file, and tried again - negative

3. Tried following the order of install used for the hotkeys as listed starting on p. 14 of the Vista upgrade instructions (using XP SP2 drivers)

4. Un-installed everything to do with hotkeys, re-installed the audio and video drivers, then tried updating the keyboard driver with the XP SP2 one, installing hotkey appendix and hotkey settings - to no avail

(prayed)

5. Re-un-installed everything to do with hotkeys, re-installed audio and video with the components for the Vista upgrade, tried to update the driver for the keyboard, installed appendix and hotkey settings using the Vista upgrade - nada

So now here I am... Normally I would not worry quite so much about this; except that having the screen full brightness while driving down the road at night can be a bit difficult.

The only thing close to the hotkeys that works is the keyboard lighting (chicklet type keyboard).

I humbly ask for forgiveness by asking a question that has been discussed time and again on this forum, but whose answer escapes me (like the fella who ran from me two nights ago

The information on my particular device is as follows:
Model Number: CF-29LAQCCBM
OS: Windows 7 Professional

Thank you for your kind patience!

P.S. I don't know if this is related to my troubles or not; but is there a way to make the speaker louder? My CF-18 was quiet compared to some non-Toughbook computers, but louder than this contraption. Sounds are a big prompt with our CAD/NCIC stuff and it kinda helps..

 

Here is a search that may help.

https://www.google.com/search?num=20&safe=off&pws=0&q=cf+29+win7+site%3Aforum.notebookreview.com%2Fpanasonic&oq=cf+29+win7+site%3Aforum.notebookreview.com%2Fpanasonic&gs_l=serp.3...3563.10752.0.11606.10.10.0.0.0.0.119.1130.0j10.10.0.msedr...0...1c.1.60.serp..10.0.0.FCvV4IW-9bs

 

Shawn, I have clicked and read almost every result in the first six pages of that search :-( I've followed all the different solutions (for the CF-29 and others that have been said to work)..

I think the biggest head scratcher is that after all of this, there is never an "unknown device" in the device manager.

Is it not the keyboard driver that needs to be updated? There's nothing referencing hotkeys in the device manager, and as I said, I've reloaded the audio and video drivers as well...

 

What keyboard driver?

 

No, it is not your keyboard. It don't need no driver update. We have been down this road many times before.

In device manager look under System devices and look for Hotkey driver for Panasonic PC . Did you install the Hotkey application program also ?

 

Blair,

I installed both the appendix and the application. Here is a screen shot of my device manager. As you can see, there's nothing with "hotkey" in it..




Like I said, I've tried following all of the posts step by step about this same issue. But the hotkey has never once shown up in device manager :/

 

Yes, me too . There should be at least one because there is no Hotkey installed on it.

 

I'm dumb, but I ain't plum dumb!

That's what's been getting me all along. Under keyboard it shows "Standard PS/2 Keyboard"; hence why I was wondering if it was a keyboard driver issue..

 

There are 3 hotkey "driver" programs.

hotkey settings
hotkey appendix
hotkey application

Did you install the misc driver?

 

He does have it installed Shawn...that was the next thing I looked for in the list

 

Good,,I did NOT read the list....

I do want to know how to change the color scheme to white on black...

 

Shawn, I have installed the hotkey appendix application, the hotkey settings application, and the misc and common components. I've double checked to make sure that I do have them all currently installed. Also, I've tried searching but can't seem to find the 'hotkey application' that you referred to... The only thing other than what I just mentioned installing is the hotkey driver files - which as we see from my device manager, doesn't really have anywhere to be installed.

Is this 'hotkey application' contained in that file, or is it another file all together?

 

There should be three separate "drivers" for hotkeys to work..

 

Ok, here's what I have:

These two I have installed using the setup.exe and ran them in compatibility mode (Vista) as an administrator


This one is the one that has been the only one I have found labeled as a "driver"


The Hotkey Settings application is installed and shows in my programs menu.


Also, the white on black is just one of the windows high contrast themes. Makes it much easier to be a creature, uh, worker of the night

 

Here's an option....
Long way around....
Install XP..verify everything works....then upgrade to Vista....verify everything works as it should....THEN upgrade to Win7...

If it all works properly buy Acronis and make a backup of the drive.....Use the Acronis image to setup the other units in about 15 minutes each.....You will have to use a good serial number for each....Windows 7 will give you a warning....

 

Hermmm... I don't think that would be an option for me right now; budgetary constraints have forced us to turn off our light of hope for 9 hours per night :-/

Is there a way to manually adjust the screen brightness? I've looked all over the display settings, but can't find it there..

By the way, thank you guys for all of your help and advise!!

 

right click on desktop
click on personalize
click on display
click on brightness


or
control panel
click display
click brightness

 

Perhaps we may be on to something here.. When I looked (as I have before) at Control Panel -> Display; there is no brightness option, nor is it under any of the sub options available on that screen.. Could there be a video driver (Panasonic) that is missing? I have read where that effected peoples hotkeys before with W7 on a CF-29...

 

Yes you need the Panasonic video driver.

 

Been soo long I can't remember what I did to get my 29 to run W7. Hang in there as it was worth it on my CF 29 MK3.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Ok, I installed the video drivers that are included in the Vista upgrade pack, un-installed the hk appendix and the hk settings application; then I re-installed both of those (re-booting after every install). Still no brightness under display settings or no hotkey device under devices..

 

Here is a list of all the driver versions from a fully working CF-29 Mk4 with Win7. IIRC, all Panasonic drivers were for Vista, from the Vista upgrade file, except the sound driver is for XP. Also, IIRC, everything was installed on a fresh Win7 install.

Additionally, about the video driver, from a long ago PM to another member:

Yes, I have the driver that I used. It is not Win 7 specific. It is the Vista driver and it works just fine. It's been a while since I've fooled around with the CF-29. Run the setup.exe in compatibility mode for Vista, not SP1 or SP2. Run setup.exe as administrator.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PC Information Viewer V4.00L13 (C) 2003-2007 Matsua Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[Version(Drivers)]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Provider Name Version Type
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 : Intel Corporation Mobile Intel(R) 915GM/GMS,910GML Express Chipset Family 6.14.10.4704 Display Adapters
2 : Intel Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM SMBus Controller - 266A 6.1.7601.17514 System Devices
3 : Intel Intel(R) 82801FBM LPC Interface Controller - 2641 6.1.7601.17514 System Devices
4 : Agere Agere Systems AC'97 Modem 2.2.89.3 Modem
5 : RICOH Ricoh R/RL/5C476(II) or Compatible CardBus Controller 6.1.7600.16385 PCMCIA Adapters
6 : Fujitsu Component Limited touchpad 1.0.0.1 Mouse
7 : Intel Intel(R) 82801FBM Ultra ATA Storage Controllers - 2653 6.1.7601.18231 Others
8 : SigmaTel SigmaTel C-Major Audio 5.10.4251.0 Multimedia
9 : Intel Intel Processor 6.1.7600.16385 Others
10 : RICOH Ricoh R/RL/5C476(II) or Compatible CardBus Controller 6.1.7600.16385 PCMCIA Adapters
11 : Intel Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 2658 6.1.7601.18328 USB
12 : Intel Corporation Mobile Intel(R) 915GM/GMS,910GML Express Chipset Family 6.14.10.4704 Display Adapters
13 :
14 : Intel Intel(R) 82802 Firmware Hub Device 6.1.7601.17514 System Devices
15 : Ricoh SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller 6.1.7601.17514 Others
16 : Intel Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 2659 6.1.7601.18328 USB
17 : Intel Corporation Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2915ABG Network Connection 9.1.0.115 Network Adapter
18 : Panasonic Panasonic Misc Driver 1.0.1200.0 System Devices
19 : Panasonic Hotkey Driver for Panasonic PC 10.0.10.1 System Devices
20 : Panasonic Panasonic Misc Driver 1.0.1200.0 System Devices
21 : Marvell Marvell Yukon 88E8053 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller 11.0.5.3 Network Adapter
22 : Intel Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 265A 6.1.7601.18328 USB
23 : Intel Intel(R) 82801 PCI Bridge - 2448 6.1.7601.17514 System Devices
24 : Intel Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 265C 6.1.7601.18328 USB
25 : Intel Mobile Intel(R) 915GM/PM/GMS/910GML Express Processor to DRAM Controller - 2590 6.1.7601.17514 System Devices
26 : Intel Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM PCI Express Root Port - 2660 6.1.7601.17514 System Devices

 

Sound was XP? Thanks! That may have solved the issue I was gonna make a new thread about.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Wow! Thanks Glen!! It seems that I'm missing about four drivers (including the hotkeys). Would you recommend using the Panasonic Uninstaller that came with the Vista upgrade file? Just to start from scratch? Another thing is that I've been reading back over the upgrade guide, and compared to some of the things it lists (first that stood out was the Bluetooth driver) aren't included in the upgrade file from the Panasonic web site..

**Edit**
So maybe trying to do this while trying to chase bad guys isn't such a great combination.. Just saw where the other files are separate from the main driver containing one! Oops!