CF18 -- More help needed

I have purchased a second hand CF-18 (CF-18DDB25ME).

My intention was to increase the RAM by adding 1gb (done) and upping the HDD to 160gb, and then upgrade to Window 7.

It is with the 160gb HDD that I have a problem.

The steps taken are;
Using Acronis True Image Home 2011 I connected the 160gb drive (in an enclosure) via USB and cloned the 40gb drive to it.

Then I tried to change the BIOS so that the boot drive would be the USB 160gb, but this flashed a blue screen (too quick to read) and failed to boot up.

Next step was to install the 160gb in the cage and insert into the hard drive bay. Checking the BIOS the drive was recognised on the information page as the Primary Master and also appears as a boot drive, listed after Floppy Drive and USB CD/DVD. But again the system fails to start with just the cursor blinking at the top left of the screen.

Reinstalling the 40gb and all works as before.

Assuming there is no problem with the cloning (all files look identical and size is the almost the same) is there anything else that I need to do or know?

Will the BIOS support a 160gb drive?

Thanks once again for any advice or help.

 

Try again to clone , looks like that failed
Your Mk-2 recognizes the 160gb hard drive, its confirmed by the bios



Alex

 

Tomcat, thank you,

I've made new clone, and then changed this USB drive to be the boot drive, but the same thing happens.

I get the blue screen telling me there has been a problem and asking me what mode to start in. I've chosen safe mode and it seems to load a number of files but then another blue screen pops up so fast that I can't read it, and then it just re-cycles the process.

Is this because of the fact I am using an external drive to try to boot from?

I've answered my own question, switched the 160gb drive to the cage and now it's booting up without any probelms.

 

Are you trying to boot XP from a USB drive?

Then therein lies your issue; the OS can't load USB drivers until it boots and it needs the drivers to access the USB drive so it can boot.

Install the HDD on an IDE channel (install it inside the laptop) and it will boot.

mnem
Harder drives. Heh.

 

Now that makes perfect sense!

Thank you and Tomcat for the help.

Now for the challenge of installing W7!

 

Win 7 works great on that laptop. Got it running on exacly the same number.... Just follow rcx's threat about installing Win 7 on a mk1.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/418424-howto-install-windows-7-cf-18-mk1.html

 

Ahhhhh... I'll be going back to XP when I have the time....

 

In a way I don't blame you Rick, It's so easy to load the recovery disk on a toughbook and your done but to load Windoz 7 on one is a total different ballgame. My 29 is back running XP Pro and will not go down that W7 road again.

 

The newer operating systems are tablet friendly and I think a good choice for cf-18 and cf-19's
I ran vista on my cf-19 and now use w7
I do have spare caddys c/w xp for my cf-19 and cf-30 though as I need xp for some applications



Alex

 

Also the standby and hibernate functions of 7 are much better compared to xp. It just works...always... Just slam the lid and it will fall asleep. I restart my cf-18 once a month or so since its on 7...

 

My CF-29 with XP Pro SP3 does that ..."always".

So how is WindBlows 7th Attempt "much better" here?

 

The xp install didn't do that on my cf-18. Often when I shut the lid the computer it stayed on, while it should just fall asleep. Or when it goes from standby to hibernate after an hour it stalls....and drains the battery with the lid closed...

Had the same issue with an CF-18DH and xp installed with the restore CD's and an CF-18DD with my own install of xp. Since I have 7 on it, it just works...

Have to say that I use my 18 like a phone. I check it very often for 5 minutes, after that it goes back into my backpack. So a lot of on/off action....

 

My CF-18's work great with XP and it gives me no reason to upgrade to 7. I use it only for GPS when traveling or out in the ATV.

Sounds like your "power setting" were not set right. I never had this problem.

 

That's been my thought, too. I really like the improvements in that area over Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.


...then there's always mnementh on the topic ;-)