CF-29 Mk5 Win8.1; need correct drivers audio/video/hotkeys

Hello to all. My first post and my first Toughbook. It is a gift and had Windows 8.1 loaded when I received it a few days ago. The model is CF-29NQQGFBM.
I am having some challenges locating the proper drivers at Panasonic (or any of the other recommended sites) due to the newer OS. I have no sound. I probably also have no video and no hotkeys?
I have 3 alerts in Device Manager. Properties for each indicate "The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28)"
Here are the devices:
Multimedia Audio Controller:
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_266E&SUBSYS_834C10F7&REV_04
Video Controller:
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2792&SUBSYS_833810F7&REV_04
Hotkeys (Unknown Device)
ACPI\VEN_MAT&DEV_0019
I also am finding no joy connecting my LG G4 phone, but that can wait.
I have downloaded Panasonic's Download Manager, and it shows only the XPSP3 & Vista Upgrade selections. I don't want to download huge files that I won't need or won't work.
Can I get a little guidance on the proper source and correct drivers?
Has anyone else got 8.1 on a CF-29?
Thanks much in advance for any insights.
Pat

 

Welcome to the Panasonic Toughbook forum

Model Number:
CF-29NQQGFBM

Status:
DISCONTINUED

MSRP:
$4,974
Description: Intel Pentium M 778 1.6GHzLV (Centrino),13.3" Touch XGA,512MB,80GB, Intel 802.11a+b+g, Win XP SP2,Dual pass through, HSDPA,TPM1.2,No Optical

I don't think we have had anyone on here that tried 8 or 8.1 on a CF-29. A few have tried W7 but I found it a little slow. I don't really know where you would ever find W8 drivers for it. All you can do is try the XP or Vista drivers that Panasonic has on there download site.

 

That is going to be slower then death in my humble opinion,XP is the way to go and a side note I see CF-30Mk3's on eBay for $79. That is going to run circles around a 29.

 

If you really want it to run and be usable, look into the Linux distros. There are several designed for older hardware. They will give you a modern OS that can be much more usable than Windows.
Our resident Linux man likes AntiX on CF29's
http://antix.mepis.org/index.php?title=Main_Page
http://distrowatch.com/

XP would be my second choice. I would forget win8. win7 is "possible" but I would download a version that has been stripped of the excess so it runs faster on older hardware.

 

yep ... i agree with the idea of going to a 'nix OS (i am partial to mint13 with the MATE desktop) ...
baring that , using XP is a better choice over 7 or 8.1 or (shudder) 10 .

if you have a newer machine i would say that a newer version would be ok (such as mint17 LTS) .
with older machines i have had some problems running mint 17 and found that mint 13 worked .

 

If you are still going to use 8.1 on that machine and the vista/xp drivers won't work your best bet is going to google all of the hardware you have in that machine and see what others did to solve the problem.

 

The easiest way to get the correct drivers for your model is to go directly to toshiba support site:
http://pc-dl.panasonic.co.jp/itn/default.html
All the drivers for each model is listed once you go to "all drivers" link and put your model in the search bar. For your case you would search cf-29n/p (mk5)
The only problem is that your model is discontinued and the drivers listed are for xp(sp2) since that was the original OS installed on the machine.
I would have to concur with the other replies on this forum that 8.1 might run a little slow as this machine was designed around the xp platform.
Hope this helps.

 

@Olivaman
Welcome to the Panasonic Toughbook forun

 

Thank you all for the warm welcome, detailed responses, and good advice.

I'm trying the XPSP2 drivers to see what happens, but unpacking the exe files for the hotkey drivers into their respective C:\util\ folders fails for all three.
I seem to recall reading some detail about the proper order of installing the hotkey drivers. Can someone point me at that direction, or is this my signal that they will not work?
The audio & video drivers also will not unpack, with windows smartscreen protections trying to save me from them first.
I will do some more poking around as suggested.
I have a couple of ubuntu boxes going already on an ubuntu server, so no hesitation going that way either.
Thanks again,
Pat

 

Moving right along, mid-install on full wipe & new ubuntu. Tallyho.

 

Well we just happen to have a
Linux specialist on here...Sadlmkr (Jeff). When it comes to the CF-29.