CF-74F BIOS Update Issues

Well I have been trying to make this CF-74 work with Win7 so I downloaded the CF-74F BIOS for Vista (2.00-L12) and using my shiny USB FFD (Thanks ADOR!) was trying to replace Bios 2.10-L11 and I got the following message, "ERROR It is prohibited to update this BIOS."

That is a new one on me! Any Ideas?

I just noticed, I would assume that 2.10-L11 is newer then the downloaded BIOS 2.00-L12! This makes no sense!

I am not sure how the BIOS numbers run! Is L12 newer then L11 or is 2.11 newer then 2.00!?

 

There is a program switch, which allows u to override this checking. But u should know, what u want to do I've made a list of this settings on my BIOS thread in the other forum. Maybe this is helpful for u.

 

Well I know exactly what I want to do, I want to upgrade to Win7 from XP and have already loaded the OS, it just does not work correctly. The Toughbook Website provided me with what was supposed to be the newest and correct BIOs to do this, 2.00- L12, but my machine already has 2.10- L11 which may be even newer, but who knows as the numbering scheme seems contradictory and counterintuitive.

I will see if I can find your BIOS thread, as again, the Panasonic site has zero information I could find about flashing this BIOS on this model.

 

Well, I don't know which bios is newer either, but my CF-74E with Win 7 running just fine, has the V2.00L12.
I don't recall having a problem flashing the bios, but it has been a few years.
Hopefully, you don't have one of those dreaded proprietary bios installations.

 

Bill... If your CF-74 came with Vista... It should run W7 without a BIOS change I would think...

 

Good to know, but I have no sound on this computer under Win7. My video is also very washed out. It runs fine under Ubuntu.

Thanks but the BIOS is available in a program that creates a bootable FDD that does not show up under Win7 or at the safe Mode Command Prompt. There is no place to put the switch, I could not even run a batch file to do this.

No, this was an XP machine.

 

I tried this on the Mk1 with the locked bios first in-case I screwed up.

I loaded up windows 7, discovered sound and video problems. Then read up on the Panasonic site under the windows vista upgrade guide for the Mk1 CF-74. Downloaded the bios update, found out I needed to dig out my Panasonic usb FDD. Ran the program no problem, made the disk and made the update. Then did the same with the other pc as I was doing two Mk1's at the same time.

 

Well that is interesting, specially the part about the you also having sound and video problems, but mine is a Mk2 (F) and when I use the program to make the BIOS update floppy and use my Panasonic USB FDD to boot from it to replace Bios 2.10-L11I I got the following message, " ERROR It is prohibited to update this BIOS."

Soooo, unless you are overwriting a different BIOs, I have 2.10-L11, I have no idea why my luck is different!

 

Re sent via PM to avoid future problems.....

 

I didn't write down the bios number I started with, well couldn't see it unless I would of ran software on windows 7 to see the version anyway.

The 74 Mk1 and Mk2 are very close in specs.

Here is the compare between Mk1 - Mk3, the big changes came on the Mk3.

CF-74C/D (Mk1) -- DDR2 SDRAM, PC2-4200-compliant
CF-74E/F (Mk2) -- DDR2 SDRAM, PC2-4200-compliant
CF-74G/H (Mk3) -- DDR2 SDRAM, PC2-5300-compliant


CF-74C/D (Mk1) -- Intel®945GM with up to 128MB DVMT VRAM
CF-74E/F (Mk2) -- Intel®945GM with up to 128MB DVMT VRAM
CF-74G/H (Mk3) -- Intel®965GM with up to 384MB DVMT VRAM


CF-74C/D (Mk1) -- Marvel Yukon 88E8053 10/100/1000
CF-74E/F (Mk2) -- Marvel Yukon 88E8053 10/100/1000
CF-74G/H (Mk3) -- Marvel Yukon 88E8053 10/100/1000

CF-74C (Mk1) -- Intel®PRO/Wireless 3945 ABG (802.11 a/b/g)
CF-74E (Mk2) -- Intel®PRO/Wireless 3945 ABG (802.11 a/b/g)
CF-74G (Mk3) -- Intel® Wireless WiFi link 4965 AGN (802.11 a/b/g)



CF-74C/D (Mk1) -- Intel® 945GM Express chipset
CF-74E/F (Mk2) -- Intel® 945GM Express chipset
CF-74G/H (Mk3) -- Mobile Intel® GM965 Express chipset with ICH8M


CF-74C/D (Mk1) -- Intel® Core Duo Processor T2400 1.83 GHz
CF-74E/F (Mk2) -- Intel® Core Duo Processor T2500 2.0 GHz
CF-74G/H (Mk3) -- Intel® Core 2 Duo Processor T7300 2.0 GHz


CF-74C/D (Mk1) -- SigmaTel STAC9200
CF-74E/F (Mk2) -- SigmaTel STAC9200
CF-74G/H (Mk3) -- SigmaTel STAC9200


CF-74C/D (Mk1) -- 667 MHz FBS
CF-74E/F (Mk2) -- 667 MHz FBS
CF-74G/H (Mk3) -- 800 MHz FBS

Besides going from core duo 1.8 to core duo 2.0 there isn't a real difference in the Mk1 to Mk2. Makes you wonder when they only did that one change.

 

These visual instructions may help..

 

Shawn knows how to paint a picture... I must hand it to him!

 

LoL, yeah this is the same damned machine that hates Ubuntu and will not load a dual boot version of it!

 

In ur BIOS flasher bu74m2 I found this:

Usage> %s [switches] filename
switches:
-mMachineName : Specify machine name
-f : Wait for no key, update forced
-f0 : No key input needed but can check successfull update
-r : Reboot even if power-off sequence is supported
-a : Use APM to Check AC and Battery status.
or > %s -rchk version
where version is the expected BIOS version (such as 1.23)
If current version is newer than expected, exit code is 0
If current version is equal to expected, exit code is 1
If current version is older than expected, exit code is 2
Otherwise 255 will be returned
or > %s -mlist
Print supported machines list.


So I would try -rchk version from ur laptop

 

onirakkiss, don't hate me buddy, but I took the easy way out. I slicked the machine and installed Ubuntu on it. Without the Win7 installation on there it runs like a champ!

It was not my computer and the owner decided that he wanted Linux anyway and I had too much time in it anyway! So for me, this is a mystery that will remain unsolved!

Thanks for your and everyone else's assistance!

 

No problem. Linux is nearly every time the better option.