CF-29 driving me mad!!

Hi everyone, my very 1st post.

The problem i have is my friend has just bought a 2nd hand Cf-29e notebook. it had no operating system on it. I installed xp on it, plus all the drivers, everything was fine, it worked all night at my house. did windows update everything was cool.

The next day at work it worked fine, all day. he took it home then he phoned me saying the blue screen of death was flashing up quickly on start up, then just cycles over and over.

......he brought it to work the next day it was fine, it was fine all day till he took it home, then the blue screen of death over an over again!!

Today he brought it, and we did a fresh install of Xp it worked all day again, hes just phoned me an hour ago and it has the same fault as before.

My question is why would it be ok in a boiler house, but in the time he drives it home in his car and tries it at home it develops this fault. is there samething at his house that could be affecting it?!!???

Ive no idea, any help would be much appreciated

Will

 

Hi will, Welcome to the forum,
I dont have a CF-29 personally but it sounds like it could be a problem with any of the below:
1- Bad sectors on HDD (Run Chkdsk /f)
2- bad block on the RAM (Bad Ram)
3- Something the laptop is connected to (USB mouse, Keyboard ETC...)

I would run Chkdsk first and see what errors it finds; to do so:

Go to Start, Run,
Type in CMD
in the command line, type chkdck c: /f

You could also find out exactly what was plugged in at the time and test again with the devices unplugged.

 

I'm guessing he is on shore power rather than battery. You didn't say.

Check house circuit voltage and disconnect any peripherals as stated above.

 

Don't know if a bad solder joint in one of the components would cause this, a crack in a joint can change with temperature and have intermittent failure.

 

Most likely a wiring problem at his place. Have him run it strictly from the battery. Also, is he trying to use WiFi? Shut off the wireless card and try again. Did you actually go over to his place to see what was happening for yourself?

 

Thanks for the replies so far guys,

I thought maybe his wifi was the problem, but its barlely booting up before the blue screen. windows certainly is'nt loading. he assures me hes tried it purely on the battery and he gets the fault.

If it was a hardware problem, then surely it would fault at work/my house but its only at his place? there is a piece missing from the under of his toughbook with exposed metal shield. he thinks it could be static from being in his car?

 

Which peice is missing?

 

My guess it's one of these Panasonic Toughbook CF-29 Bottom Front Cover BRAND NEW | eBay or this Panasonic Toughbook CF-29 Bottom Rear Cover BRAND NEW | eBay

 

You've mentioned that it is the Eseries, I mean CF-29E..The problem on this machine is the old driver and software for the card b/g of your wirelless(wi-fi). When you installed the OS upgrade right away the wi-fi driver from intel site. Boot the computer into safe mode and uninstall the b/g card driver, delete driver as much as posible and then installe the updated drive.

It was already been discussed here, I think two years ago.

ohlip

 

Concur, what Ohlip said ^^^

Likely have an Intel 2100 wifi card. The driver needs to be updated and switch the control program to the Windows wifi manager.

My guess is your friend is accessing his wifi at home, that's when the trouble starts. The Intel control program is awful, often causes BSOD. Call up the Windows wifi control program, go to the Advanced tab, and check the box for Windows to control the wifi card. Then update the Intel 2100 driver from the Intel site (driver only).

Let me know if this does not fix it. ;-)

Consider swapping in a better Intel 2915 wifi card, or even better the powerful EnGenius 8602+S card

 

Thanks for all the help guys its really appreciated.

I really cant stress how quickly the blue screen appears, its like straight after the bios screen. this wifi conflict could cause the error this quick?

Also i had his computer at my house, and connected to my network fine and downloaded a load of windows update, no problem at all!?

But i will for sure change the driver

Will

 

I know it'll be a bitter pill to take, but I suggest you start from scratch, reformat the drive to eliminate all traces of the previous installation and follow the Instructions:

Panasonic Toughbook CF-29 Mk2 Drivers

OR:

Get a set of genuine Panasonic CF-29 Series Product Recovery CD-ROMs for the Mk2 unit.

Also, remove any additional RAM before you do this; just in case there is some issue with the SODIMM. Once the unit is performing as factory-released, reinstall the RAM, and if you get BSOD after reinstallation, get a new SODIMM (I prefer Crucial Technologies).

 

BSOD that quickly does not sound like a wifi driver problem. Could be RAM. But you may need to configure away from the Intel PROset utility each time after installing the driver package.

 

My vote is for RAM too... The first thing Windoze loads is the Extended Memory Manager; if it doesn't like your RAM Module for whatever reason, itz gonna BSOD you all over the place.

mnem
BSOD? Sounds like an STD... Try some Penicillin.

 

Thanks for all the help guys, mnementh how do you administer penicillin to the toughbook? lol

Ok on the ram think, it only has the 256mb which is onboard! could it be lack of ram. its trying to run xp service pack 3?

I have formatted the drive started again as per the instructions. the wlan driver in the downloads is different from what ive been using, it came with a disk you see. the driver in the downloads installs ok, see's my network. tries to connect, but gets as far as aquiring ip address then, resets and jut cyles over, connecting>aquiring>connecting so forth.

is this what people have mentioned i might have to configure away from the intel? is this trying to manage the connection aswell as windows. if so how do i change it please.?

Thanks again guys for all your help

 

I'd get the original cf-29 recovery discs for that model number. It really seems to make life a bit easier. several of the gurus have them for sale and or fleabay has them thru a mark hawkins guy. I don't do as well with the add this piece and then that driver approach and find the engenius card works extremely well but they are costing $55.00 on fleabay and the 2195 intel card isn't so bad. have to agree with topcop on this one..Driller

 

@willuk,

Check in control panel what wifi card & drivers your using. The factory shipped Intel 2200bg in the MK2 is well known for Bsod's with the earlier drivers....they released an update in 2008....which is later than the oem recovery disc's.

From the Panasonic driver site your looking for wlan_d080215.exe which installs driver version 9.04.37.

The whole package is a whopping 89MB or so, and as TopCop say's pay attention to the installation procedure, you need to uninstall Hot Key Plus manager or you'll get other conflicts.

Also, most people do not rave about the Intel Proset Utility, if I remember right the installation instructions give you the option of installing the driver only & using win to manage your wifi connection. or, as springfield say's, ditch the card.

Now...running xp sp3 using 256mb base ram....er...er...you may want to rethink that one!

Now, Now...if your already using driver V9.04.37 with the 2200bg card then...er...er...!

 

You mentioned a bottom plate was missing. Look for crud shorting out the RAM slot. Then cover that thing! You may also have the issue with the wifi... Try the new driver or swap to a newer card... It's going to be one of the two...

Also... Depending on how long the cover has been off the bottom... You may have a host of tidbits shorting out stuff on the mobo. You may try taking the bottom plate off (easy) and clearing it all out with compressed air in as clean an environment you can get.

 

CF-29C 2100 card. I did my usual tricks...... yielding nothing via wireless. One trick is to copy Util2 to the machine. Nada.
Popped open a CF-29E, removed 2200 card and put it into the 29C. BAM....wireless worked as it should. Please, I am not being argumentative in favor of the 2200. Personally I have used the 2915 to greater effect in other machines. In my case I had a bad card.
TB is correct in that big mouse hole in the bottom there. Let's get that covered up after opening the bottom and looking around in there. Smoosh the thermal pads if they are smooshable.
Don't forget to un-plug the speaker.
Keep us posted.

Jeff

 

@ willuk; check out:

Panasonic CF-29 CF29 Toughbook Memory Cover Door

I bought one of these from this Seller for my "project" CF-29 Mk1 Toughbook.

 

I've purchased from them in the past and have not been displeased with the shape of items I recieved as well as prices....Driller

 

I agree , I bought from them a long time ago...a 29/51 battery for $30.00 3+ hours. They do have very good prices.

 

Just make sure you buy the correct cover... As I recall... The MK1,2 & 3 are the same... And the MK4&5 are the same... Actualy... Not sure about which side the MK3 goes to... But I think I am correct.

 

Right cha are boss. Mark 4 and 5 the extra hole is next to the speaker. 1,2,3 the extra hole is in the opposite corner from the speaker. Not a good memory...I just went and looked.

Jeff

 

you are correct about the mk 4-5's, the hole is close to the speaker. just make sure you know who the speaker is and not stand so close as you may be mistaken for the hole. I've not had to look cause usually I know a hole when I see one..Driller

 

Yeah, well. we all take our turn being the hole at one time or 'nuther...

mnem<~~~A-whole dwagon~~~<<<