CF-C1 : change hard drive and Wifi card ?

Hello Toughbooks mates !

The Intel Wireless 6205 being dead, I would like to replace it, and I am wondering if I could do it myself, since it's accessible by removing the cover at the bottom.
However, I am wondering if the wires (for the antennas I guess) are soldered, does anyone know ?

I am also thinking about changing the HDD with a SSD, would someone know the model and if the caddy can be easily dismantled ?

 

Now I don't own one but never seen one soldered before...should be 2-3 antenna wires that snaps on the card. . The Toughbook caddies come apart but just take your time and get yourself a good screwdriver set...not something from a dollar store.

What makes you think the card is dead. Have you tried to reinstall the drivers.

 

the wifi card is easily accessible (as well as the WWAN slot) through a cover.
there are 2 wires with standard uFL connector (main+aux) that snap on the card.
I replaced my 6205 (still working) with a generic Intel 6250 (wimax as a usb device) with no issues (just some driver updates for wimax - getting a provider though, that's another story).

the HDD is easily switchable, but keep in mind the caddy is meant for a 7mm 2.5" drive. If you put a SSD with standard 9.5mm height,
you'll need to cut some of the foam/pads to accommodate it. (hope i don't mistake this for the CF-19 caddy, which surely is for 7mm)

 

Thank you for your help !

It seems dead, because it suddenly disappeared from Windows, then reappeared but refused to start, and again...

And it disappears also from the Bios, so that's my humble explanation, but I can be wrong !

 

Thanks a lot for these helpul explanations, that gives me some confidence for making those things myself.

I am just a little worried about removing the uFL connectors (I never did such a thing), and the plastic sheet that is placed above the Wifi card.

And from the look of the caddy itself, it's very likely made for a 7mm. So thanks again for the info, I will let you know if it works !

 

you're welcome.
gently peel the black plastic sheet over the card (try not to touch too much of it - to keep the adhesive still good for reapplication).
as for the uFL connectors, you can use your fingernails (if they're not too long ), or some flat piece of plastic to push between the ufl head and the card.

Remember to remove the uFL connectors BEFORE you remove the screws.

 

They do make a special tool for ufl connectors. $18.00 as of just now. .

 

Don't use any tools on the ufl connectors. Just hook the side opposite the wire with a fingernail and flex your finger. Should pop right off. Putting it back on....line the thing up and push gently straight down with the pad of your thumb till it snaps into place. If you are using excessive force you are not lined up.

Hah! Shawn :hi2:and I were posting at the same time. I am not arguing with his post. The ufl tool might work fine and give you more confidence. I just normally use the tools I have.

 

I don't own the tool yet. I took a mini screwdriver and ground a notch in it.

 

I'd like to have two hard disk on my CF-C1. An SDD and a 7200RPM HD.
Do you know if the motherboard had two sata connections ?

 

AFAIR, there is only one connector (proprietary) for the main HDD Caddy.
The only place you could put in a SSD (mSATA), is the WWAN/WiFI MiniPCIe slot, but you would need that slot to be electrically routed for mSATA signaling, and the BIOS modified for that also - none are supported on the C1.
There is however, at least one small white MB style USB connector somewhere on the board. That would be for options like webcam/FPR/Smartcard, if they are not installed already.
You could theoretically use that with a small USB SSD, after you find/solder some kind of adapter for the SSD connector.
You can have that in a Lenovo, w/ a WWAN/mSATA configurable MiniPCIe 2nd slot; I don't know of any Panasonic model with that options.