CF-30 MK1 touchscreen

I have recently bought a CF30 MK1. I have got a HD caddy on order but have temporarily tested the toughbook by running W7 off USB.

I’ve installed the drivers mentioned in the W7 on CF30 MK1 thread but can’t get the touchscreen to work. I’m assuming it is broken.

I have seen repair videos online to switch out the touch panel. I think I can do this but I don’t know what panel to get. Does it matter what MK of CF30 the touch panel comes from? I can get one but the ad doesn’t mention which MK of CF30 it came out of.

If there’s anything else to test before I buy a new panel let me know. This is my first Toughbook so I don’t have any previous experience with them.

 

Do you have the whole model number, will start with CF-30****** and then have 6 or so letters after it. Do you know that it came with a touchscreen?

 

CF-30CTQAZBM

The ad mentioned touchscreen and the model number checks back as touchscreen I think?

I have the FCL Tablet pen device in device manager under HID. (Might have remembered the name wrong!).

Forgot to mention that I updated the BIOS to the Vista version.

Thanks for your help.

 

Is the bios set to touchscreen or set to tablet?

 

I haven’t noticed any touchscreen settings in the BIOS. I’ll check but I think I read that MK1s don’t have touchscreen settings in the BIOS?

Thanks.

 

Try a Linux live usb and see if touchscreen works.

MX18 works nice

 

It's a MK1 guys.
There is a chance the Touchscreen is o.k.

W7 wants a Vista bios.

If you are running it from a USB then Linux is a good idea.

 

He has Vista BIOS installed.

 

Just tried Linux MX 19. The touchscreen didn’t work. Is it meant to work straight out of the box with this? Under the mouse/touchpad settings I only found PS2 mouse in the settings. I don’t really know what I’m doing in Linux so left it at that.

 

Just checked the BIOS. No settings for touchscreen. I’ve got BIOS V1.01L20 and Embedded Controller V1.10L11.

 

Touch should work out of box with Linux MX19.
Might not be calibrated but it should work.

Sheepman! will step in with more info any time now.

 

Probably de-laminated touch panel. Very common on CF-30 MK1. Do you have a source? Show a link here and I'll tell you if it is right.

You will be happy with a new TS panel. Bright and clear and a magic fix.
Shop for a screen protector if you choose this route.

 

By source do you mean the listing I bought it from? It had stock photos so don’t think it will show much. Happy to take pictures of my actual unit if you let me know what you need to see.

Does it matter which MK of CF30 the replacement touch panel comes from? Is there a recommended place to get them from? I’ve only found used ones from Chinese sellers so far.

 

link to source of new touchscreem

 

Ah right.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/222463957651

 

That's wrong. The panel is just a piece of laminated glass. Your link is for an lcd.
Are you in U.K?
I have one or two panels available.....I'm in California.

Did a search. Maybe they are rare.

A lot of confusing information out there. I'll send a picture after I feed the sheep. Where's my headlamp?

 

Here is the right thing.


This is aftermarket but they work all right. NOTE the gold FPC/FFC or whatever it is called.
I think I got a dozen of these from Florida quite a while back.

 

Ok thanks. On the listing there is an option to chose LCD or touch panel. The touch panel does look like that.

I’m in the U.K. I’ve only been able to find 3 at reasonable cost. One in China, one in Canada (not sure if they’ll ship to U.K.) and one in the USA that won’t ship here. The US and Canada ones had the bezel with them. Parts seem to be much easier to find in the US than Europe!

 

Front of the truck usually. Owners manual tells you these things.

https://assets.gm.com/manuals/chevrolet/2001_chevrolet_silverado_owners.pdf

 

That's a headlight. Some folks live where it gets dark at night...nearest street light 17 miles.

Point of interest , if you put the wrong lcd on, i.e. MK3 on a MK1 you get the rainbow effect. Polarization thing.

You may be thinking about swapping complete lids. Just stay with the same mark. If the seller doesn't know what mark it is...press on in your search.

Do you want to try repairing the panel? 50-50 odds.

 

I’ll ask the seller what MK it’s from. Is there part numbers on them that identify what they fit? Might also ask if some of the US sellers will ship here.

I would be willing to have a go at fixing the existing panel. Is it hard?

 

Got sidetracked with a few things.

Do you have a pair of forceps? Or small needle nose pliers.

I can send you a panel but we could try doing the repair.

 

Sorry for slow response. Had loads of stuff going on. Yes I’ve got some small pliers.

 

FYI the panels I’d found in the US are for a MK3. The Chinese seller asked me to take mine apart and send them pictures of it. Makes me think they don’t know what model theirs is for.

 

Send me your mailing address by way of my PM.

Shipping via Medium Flat Rate BOX. Fragile.

The panel should fit any CF-29 to CF-31.

You don't need a lcd....it's just layered "glass" with a FPC glued between the layers.

 

Let's try this first.
Heat the tea kettle while you take off the top cover.

Look for the FPC entering from the side.

Carefully slide it out of the spring loaded connector on the TSPCB. (that's its name mate)

Tape the FPC down so it doesn't move.

***At the end of the FPC NOTE where the metallic bit is glued to the FPC. There is aboot 1/4" there with hot melt glue...hence the pliers and the kettle.

Put your pliers in very hot water. Dump it and do it again.

One person took a tiny bit of aluminium foil and folded it over the FPC...You don't want your pliers to adhere to the glue when it oozes out. I don't use the aluminium because it blocks my view.

ALTERNATIVE....
Use a clothes pin...you blokes may have another name for it...wooden with a spring...ahhh a binder clip may work.

YOU WANT TO MASH THE JOINT WITH YOUR HOT PLIERS UNTIL A FAINT OOZE OF GLUE APPEARS. EITHER HOLD UNTIL IT COOLS OR USE BINDER CLIP TO HOLD THE CONNECTION.

The first time you do this, it may ruin the FPC. Use at your own risk. Have fun doing it. 50/50 success rate here.

 

Thanks. So just to clarify, I’m going to squeeze the bit in the picture below (where the white bit joins the black bit?) with hot pliers until glue eases out. Then hold it there till it cools down?

I’ll try this evening if so.

Thanks for all your help.

 

Yes sir. NICE image.

It's where the gold contacts are glued to the scotch tape. The black does nothing...just a protector.

The joint is at the end of the black rubbery bit. You may want to peel the black part so you have a rock solid SQUEEZE joint.

Measure that in what I call metrics.....I don't do metrics. It's where the gold contacts overlay the printed circuitry.

If this works we are both heroes. Thanks to Ohlip (Teo). He told me I could share it.

 

I use a kitchen match and forceps.

Hot air rework station would work....anything to melt the glue without damaging the tape. (FPC)

 

hair dryer

 

Go easy with the hot air, or the plastic under the contacts will curl .
My source of hot air was a PVC welder.
Still need to clamp after heating.

 

Well gentlemen, I had a go last night and as you’ll see below we have success!



Thanks everyone for all your help and ohlip for allowing me to know the fix (feel like I’ve been told some sort of secret trick! ).

I am going to use it for car diagnostic software on a vehicle I am restoring. Some input may be needed while moving hence why I wanted a touchscreen (not just for drawing smiley faces).

 

Make sure to hang your art in the kitchen.

Vehicle restoration?
We want details...

 

W00t!!!!

Did you take video and why not?

 

Well done, great team work to all of you.

 

It was a secret for a long time. Teo mentioned it several years before he told me. Not a step by step as you got but the information was there.
For years there was less than 10 people that had the instructions. They were all trying to supplement their income after a HUGE influx of SBC Global computers knocked the bottom out of the CF-29 market which was jumped on by eBay sellers who predominately knew nothing about the Toughbooks.
There were a couple of closely held secrets and this was one of them.
Duh duh DUH......Play spy music here...

Jeff

 

And all the buyers came here for help. They were the good old days.

 

Good Old Days ?

 

Oh yes that's the one for sure. Not to many had working touchscreens on them and they were all best to crap too.

 

A late Range Rover Classic that hasn’t been on the road for many many years. Now nearly ready to go again (what better timing than during a pandemic lockdown!). Toughbook is going to be used to read the air suspension and engine ECUs. Maybe also for GPS maps in future. I needed something with serial port that could run XP or newer (and I’ve wanted a Toughbook for ages so good excuse ).

 

Here you go...

 

Nice..

 

I was wondering when this was going to be finally aired in forum! The delamination of the connection between cable and connector... I've done it with tweezers in a pinch... But I always have hemostats around. I try to heat the tips with a heat gun at 450 for about 10 seconds... Sometimes a second try is needed. In a pinch... A Bic lighter. Always works.

Mr. Phelps.... This thread will self destruct in 10 seconds!

 

I used a set of offset needle nose pliers as they are harder to over heat and burn the cable....like I did.