CF28 OE GPS and backlit keyboard not working with XP

Toughbook Gods:

I have a 2nd CF28 that I am now using which is assigned to me at work. It had W2k on it with the OE GPS installed and emissive keyboard (hard keys) and they were both working, but now has XP loaded and I can't seem to get either to work. Is there a driver I'm missing somewhere? I've got TopoUSA loaded and would like to use the onboard GPS instead of messing around with a usb-based antenna. Likewise, the computer is used in the dark, in a vehicle, and I'd like the backlit keyboard to work.

I cruised various sites listed in the drivers thread, but didn't find anything relevant.

Thoughts?

 

did you check your device manager to see if you have all the drivers on it? that's where I would start. you'll prolly have to play around with the com port on the gps, but don't quote me on that because i'm not sure. I'm sure someone will chime in with the right answer soon

 

You will need to update the drivers most likely. Try going here, you may need to be in IE for the page to load. It should help you out.

 

Thanks for the link....got something for the keyboard, will try that. Nothing for the 28's to deal with the GPS...everything is for the 18's or 29's.

 

The keyboard backlite requires no drivers.. it will even light up with no o/s
Have you adjusted the brightness with the Fn/F12 key
Try this gps driver
http://www.modly.net/CF-28/GPS/Stock-GPS-FIlter.zip





Alex

 

No dice with the Fn/F12...worked fine when it was W2k but not now. The machine is in good shape, so I don't think it's outright broke. All of our 28's have this keyboard, and I haven't seen a failure yet.

Will do...thanks.

Jim

 

I know the keyboard doesn't require a driver, but I thought his HKEY driver might need updating. That controls the whole Fn-F12 thing, correct?

 

I only had one cf-28 with that type of keyboard, most are the rubber backlite , so you might be correct on that
Make sure the hotkey driver is working by seeing if you can dim the screen with the Fn + F1/Fn +F2 keys
If you have the drivers installed correctly the screen will brighten/dim
If you can't you need to install/reinstall Hotkey drivers

http://www.panasonic.ca/PDP/Drivers/cf27_mk2_w2k_hotkey.exe


Alex

 

The other F key functions work just fine...just not the keyboard backlight.

Silly XP. Is there a BIOS setting or something for the photocell control that I'm missing? Maybe the photocell is FUBAR'd somehow so it thinks it's always daylight?

BTW, the GPS driver seems to work and TopoUSA looks like can talk to the GPS...but it can't find any birds? Crappy CF28 antenna?

 

Got the GPS driver loaded, and now it seems like mouse just randomly jumps around on the screen. I thought I saw something about this problem somewhere, but I don't remember where...

Sorry if my n00b is showing.

 

Ten....Your best bet is to reformat the harddrive and start to scratch again or maybe someone here can sell you a recovery disk for the 28. I recommend this to ease the pain and pulling of hair. We can help you step by step procedure if you prepare to do this.


ohlip

 

This isn't a XP issue per se, so reformatting won't help much. It's a GPS engine, filter and port issue...and it's driving me bananas. The more I read here, the more I run around in circles chasing my tail

I think I'm just going to disable the GPS in the BIOS and get a usb solution. The backlit keyboard not working is annoying, but lower on the priority list.

 

If you can gain control of the mouse pointer , try to get into device manager and disable the microsoft serial ballpoint mouse thats under mouse properties there


Alex

 

I ditto that. The jumping mouse fix involved that, or another long-around fix. But if you can "quickly" do the device manager option, that seemed to fix most peoples. As for the keyboard, double check your connections. On the keyboard board, If I remember correctly, there are 3 cables, 2 on the left and 1 on the right. The one on the right needs to be "upside down". Try flipping that one and see if you get the backlights working. If not, flip it back, maybe its just not seated correctly.