CF-29 Mk2 problem

Hello, Toughbook experts. Long time lurker, first time poster. I've always found the answers to my questions and learned a lot from this forum.

I've run into a problem that has me stumped. I just purchased a CF-29 Mk2, CF-29EWKGZBM. It will not recognize a CD-rom module, either in the BIOS or in Windows. The module works in another 29 Mk4, where I can boot from it and Windows has no problem.

I reset the Bios to default settings, reflashed version 16 and then flashed to version 17, the latest. It does recognize a floppy module, both bootable and in Windows. It also recognizes the media bay battery.

Also, the F12 boot menu does not work. There is no prompt for it, even though it is enabled in the BIOS. The first time I booted after flashing the BIOS I saw F2 Setup/ F12 Boot Menu,for a second, and it changed to F2 Setup right before my eyes.

I don't know if a Mk2 is supposed to be able to boot from USB, but this one doesn't.

Any idea what's going on here?

TIA, Glen

 

I would give the MP connector on the motherboard a good look under a magnifying glass and check for damage or bent pins. The F12 invokes boot from LAN and will only show up if boot from LAN is enabled in the BIOS. The Boot first menu is invoked with the Esc key.

The MK2 does not support USB boot

 

Exactly what he said!
X1

 

Agreed all around. The fact that the CDROM works in another laptop rules that out completely. And since a floppy and media bay batter do work, that rules out complete MB failure. The only thing that seems to be left is dirty/bent/broken pins on the MB connector. Since the Floppy and MBB dont use the same pins as the CDROM, this would explain why those work and the CD does not. Use a bright light, and a magnifying glass and go over those pins very slowly.

 

Thanks, I'll check the connector.

 

OK, I pulled the bottom off so I could see the connector better. I examined it with a flashlight and magnifying glass. All the connectors are straight and in their grooves.

I should also mention that when the CD caddy is in place the MP light lights up and if I put a CD in the drive, it will spin up and light the MP access light, both in the Bios and Windows, but the BIOS still says NONE under secondary master and Windows does not show a CD drive. I verified that it works correctly in a 29 Mk4.

Any other ideas?

 

Which OS are you using?

 

XP Pro Sp3

 

I think you have a poorly modified caddy. I think you probably bought a caddy that was originally a CD Rom and someone put in a DVD without doing the hack on it to make it work correctly. Some Toughbooks may read it but others will not.

If it is a stock unit as-is... I'd just swap in another DVD and make sure the hack is done.

Just my two cents...

 

Exactly where I was going to go next, good call Boss.

 

It's funny... After hanging around for 2-3 years... We all start thinking alike! LOL