CF-30 MK1 Memory , HDD and W7 upgrade Info

ok ... it is different ... easier to navigate .
stick the usb device into the usb slot on the side
boot into the bios
tab over to "boot"
select the " USB HDD" and move it into position 1
press "F10"
select "yes"
press enter
cross yer fingers .

however ...
the usb thumbdrive built with "pendrive" is not "seen" on boot ... even though in the bios it is told to boot a "usb hdd" .
i do not know if this is just because it does not like the particular thumb drive that i used or the format .
i do know that both of my unisquirrel installer sticks (vistaless and W7) work just fine .
i will build a new "pendrive" usb hdd and see what happens .

the bottom line ...
it is looking like the bios might be a little fussy about "what and how" .
(maybe i should soak the drives in a strong midol solution overnight before sticking them in the slot ?)

 

@SirJ this info you posted above. Did you get all of this from the BIOS ?

 

ok ...
stop the weddin' !

i just built two fresh usb fdd with pendrive ... the '30 will not read them even though they are recognized in the bios .
one of the thumb drives is the same as one i have W7 on .
i will try another usb fdd program and see how that goes .
mind you , i am using my unisquirrel installers

*&^*%$^$^(^%#$^%#%^&^)(*_)*_)*!
(carry on with vigor)

 

That still does not explain the error when running the BIOS update from the HDD.

Something is wrong

 

yep on that ...
i am straightening out the information on my end of the deal .

it is odd that he is getting the error ... my update flashes have gone smoothly .
you don't suppose that machine has a "custom bios" ?
it may be possible that machine is like some others i have read about ...
the bios was requested to be customized by the original purchaser as part of the contract agreement .
this does happen ... i recall the "custom bios" in some comp based broadcast equipment (that shall remain nameless ... uuuggghhh) .
talk about chasing a fart through a keg of nails ...

 

We need to see a photo of the BIOS info page of the CF30 mk1 that he is trying to update the BIOS on.

Custom BIOS was one of the 3 possibilities I listed on a previous post this morning.

 

aha !
the plot thickens and the cheese gets binding ...

 

Here is the bios


Ran the bios program called: wb301v20 and this is the error I get:

 

BINGO....
the M10 on the end indicates that it is a custom BIOS.
Those BIOS's are next to impossible to update.
Your choices are limited at this point. Run Win7 with it not working entirely perfect or Run XP.

 

That's what I thought, I have a mk2 CF30 on the way that one should allow me to upgrade bios and run 7 (hopefully) now I have fixed the display issue with this can anyone recommend which GPS driver version to download? I have the GPS module but am unsure which driver.

 

CF30 mk2 does not need a BIOS upgrade to run Win7. It will be fine the way it is.
You may not want to go looking for trouble.
"If it isn't broke, don't fix it"

 

Sounds about right. If it ain't broke, don't "fix" it.

 

Don't need a driver...at least I never needed one

 

Recommended software?
I found Garmin, would be sick if there was a Google maps program.

 

I use Microsoft Streets. It's about 3 year old but got it for $10.00 .

 

well , at least we now know the problem ...
15K hours ... that is getting up there for hours on the ccfls and inverter .
the good news is that the ccfls can be replaced ... notice i did not say it was easy .
i have a unit here that i am going to order the ccfls up for .

"would be sick if there was a Google maps program."
i am using a program that was developed by a chap across the big pond ... works well .
there is no fixed price ... donation .
all the map data (tiles , etc .) is downloaded on a "i need this portion" basis from different sources and styles .
(i use the "google maps hybrid" ... sweet ... my database is right at 4 gigs)
it will run ok on a '30 but something faster would be better .

 

cffl? The inverter is what keeps the display going right?

 

there is a backlight ... the cold cathode florescent lamps are energized by the inverter .
like all florescent lamps , they are only good for so long ... run them hard and the life is shortened .
there is a shift in spectral output .

 

OIC sounds like old technology.
Does the CF31 use the same florescent tubes?

 

CF31 uses leds

 

ccfl lamps are more efficient than incandescent .
regular florescent lamps require a filament on each end to vaporize mercury to provide some local ionization to make it easier to strike an arc in the lamp with a relatively low voltage .
there are florescent lamps that do not have a filament ... they have a single electrode on each end and a high voltage pulse is used to strike the arc .
the ccfl type are the little brother of the single electrode lamps ... same principle scaled down .

an advantage of ccfl compared to led back lighting is the continuous light over the length of the tube ...
led lights are "spot sources" of light that require diffusion techniques to even out the light .

sometimes old technology is around because it works more easily than some other methods
they still have not replaced piston engines in vehicles , as was touted "just around the corner" in the mid 70's .
piston engines are still widely used in vehicles but they have been improved via metallurgy and electronics .

 

Well i doubt the whole 15k hour usage has to do with the FN key making the display do what it did. I was able to fix it by chnging some display properties. Still waiting on the CF30 MK2 (FedEX ground!). Right now i am debating if i want to install the rubber keyboard on this CF30 MK1 I am typing on now or keep it the plastic key ( both light up) I find it much harder to type using the rubber keyboard BUT its upside is total water resistant, i just don't see that with this keyboard.

a buddy gave me microsoft Streets 2013 got that installed, working pretty darn well. the map GUI is not as fancy as say Google maps or Map Quest.

I am going to use Garmin MobilePC (Discontinued) was able to grab there update and some thing online to make it work.

 

i should have clarified/split my opening statement ...
what i wrote about the cclfs and inverter being "long in the tooth" was not leaning toward an explanation for the the "blinking/blanking" of the display .
it is more of a heads-up as to what is coming down the pike and something you might want to consider ... "foreknowledge is forearmed" .

currently i am thinking strongly about obtaining the ccfls that fit the display on the 30's and relamping .
i can order them up out of china for a reasonable price .
the inverters , as far as i have ascertained , only need the replacement of a couple of capacitors to put them back in good working order .

as i see it , there are a lot of '30s out there that are either still in service or nearing end of life .
those that have dim/color shifted and/or strobbing/banded displays might be put up for sale .
outside of the battery capacity dropping over time , the ccfls and inverters are about the only two major things that go bad , barring membranes and covers , etc ...
the *guts* are not the big problem .
at least if it is the display (et al) , there is a viable option or two available .

as for keyboard choices ...
which type will depend primarily on what type of environment it will be normally run in .
these machines were made as "working field/service/business" ...
normally only the "big boys" could afford them , so the options that were available were geared toward the most flexibility/survivability in demanding environments .

 

Something weird, I ran the Panasonic app called: PC information. It says the machine is windows Vista business. But the OS is windows 7 sp1.

 

I have seen that before and we just guessed it was getting it from the BIOS where your Vista coa info was stored.

I also moved this post here for you

 

Thanks! So how did we determine the bios was "custom"? Is it custom made from Panasonic like a custom order build or something?

 

Yes the BIOS was custom written for a specific customer.
The M12 or was it M10 on the end of the version.
Standard BIOS's do not have the Mxx (xx being a number.)

 

M10

 

Hi guys!

I have an old CF-30 (I believe it is a MK1) and I would like to have two operating systems, that is Windows XP and Windows 7, on it installed. Since it is impossible for Windows OSs to coexist on a single drive it would be plausible to add another drive to this toughbook. The idea is to buy and install an ExpressCard HDD or rather an ExpressCard SSD in the Toughbook for the second Windows making it possible to have two Windows (Windows XP and Windows 7) on the same toughbook. By mere selection which drive to boot from one can start either OS. The question is does this particular model support booting from such a card? And, will both XP and 7 do it? Maybe one should consider which type of the card should be used ExpressCard 54 or 34? Or there is no difference?
Here the information about my CF-30

model no.: CF-30CAQCZBM
serial no.: 7EKYA32197
CPU type: Intel (R) Core (TM) Duo CPU L2400 @ 1.66GHz
CPU speed: 1.66GHz
BIOS: v1.00L14
embedded controller: v1.00L16

What BIOS version fits best for the purpose? As an ExpressCard I plan to use something like this Wintec Filemate ExpressCard PCIe 128GB MLC 1.3 3FMS4E128JM-R
https://www.amazon.com/Wintec-Filemate-ExpressCard-128GB-3FMS4E128JM-R/dp/B007PPZ33M#Ask
Please advise that my model can support this?
Thank you in advance for your kind help
Sergius Vovk

 

Welcome to the Panasonic Toughbook forum
Well for starters you have a MK1 and to run W7 you will need to upgrade the BIOS but when you boot to XP some things like your touchscreen will not work do to upgrading the BIOS.

 

I have used a 2nd HDD in the optical drive bay. It will work and boot, BUT it must be an IDE drive.
You remove the DVD/CD drive from it's caddy and put the HDD adapter in the DVD/CD caddy.

I do have the IDE drive and adapter. The drive is a HDD and not a SSD.

I doubt that an expresscard will boot, but I am not sure.

 

Thank you guys for the piece of knowledge you gave to me. I' ve never taken the native HDD out of my CF-30 to see which type it is: SATA or PATA but somehow, or somebody ealier said it to me, I believe it must be a SATA HDD. So, tell me which latest BIOS to the CF-30 is and if PCI bus is used with the ExpressCard HDD or SSD then this CF-30 should boot fromit?

 

Your HDD is a SATA and my guess you have the latest bios update . There's only 2, XP bios and W7 bios (vista) update. What is your bios #.

 

The main hard drive is SATA,,,BUT the optical drive is PATA/IDE. This is true on ALL CF30's.
For a 2nd hard drive in a CF 30 optical drive bay to work properly, it must be PATA/IDE. I have already done this in the past. That's why I still have these extra parts laying around.
I have put a 2nd hard drives in 2 different CF30's and in CF 52's mk2 thru mk4.

Odds are the Panasonic bios is designed to not boot from an Expresscard. You would need to test it out to be sure.
Lets do a search and see what we find...hold on

 

reading material

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/express-card-ssd-in-cf-30.770477/

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/toughbook-cf-30-second-hard-drive.740459/

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/cf-30-exresscard-question.383166/#post-4869647

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/the-official-cf-30-thread.264961/#post-3531959

Thank you for your reply. My BIOS currently is v1.00L14.

 

Thanks for your help. You mean this one? https://www.ebay.com/itm/2nd-Hard-Drive-HDD-Caddy-Adapter-for-Panasonic-Toughbook-CF-30-optical-drive-bay-/272742148164
As far as I can understand it in this device a SATA HDD is mounted and through a built-in SATA-IDE interface in it it must boot the CF-30?

 

No---
The hard drive MUST be native PATA/IDE in order for it to boot.
The drive will have 44 pins on it
The adapter looks like this. They are difficult to find since PATA/IDE drives are not used much anymore.
I do have 1-2 of them...

 

IDE drives new from China, I needed a new one and it did have zero hours when I tested it. I also have a maybe new one here if you want it, was a freebee.

 

a frisbee.... ....oh that was freebee