CF28 Toughbook Help PLZ.

I am new to this forum.My name is Terry.I just received a CF28 ToughBook from Ebay.The key board does not work.I opened up the panel under the key board and found that one of the ribbons has a broken connector.Seems it does not lock the ribbon in place.Can anybody give me a suggestion?Now the next thing it appears my battery is not charging.I brought a new battery and a new charger.The battery light blinks red all the time is this normal?I am just dying to do some of the upgrades that you guys have done on here.
Thanks
PS: Great Forum!!

 

Terry, can you post here the seller name or store. Its prostrating that you have a keyboard connector broken. its a pain on the .. If you could search a bet you will find out the solution to the broken keyboard connector. You also said that you bought a new battery but it is flashing red. It means your battery is not new. Its dead. If you can cantact the seller and ask for a replacement or even the cf-28 that you bought.


ohlip

 

I agree with Teo... Unless you bought that as a "As-Is... Whereis..." deal.... I'd make the seller eat it. This is going around ebay more and more as the nicer Toughbooks are getting harder to find. You wouldn't believe the butchered ones I've seen and fixed.

There may be a few ways to get around the broken keyboard connector. Do a search... There are pics of what it should look like somewhere around here. If it is just the brown lever that is broken you may be in luck. Sometimes they can be snapped back in place and will work... Sometimes you can shim underneath the ribbon cable and it will work... If the main white connector itself is broken where the connections are made, you need a new motherboard.

<Sending it back to the seller is sounding easier all the time isn't it?>

Batteries that flash red are bad, bad, bad... If you bought a new battery and it is flashing red... You didn't buy a new battery!

Please post your auction number or the seller... We like to steer clear of the worst ones...

 

Hey guys thanks for the replys.The ribbons appear to be in great condition.The connector that is broke is the brown one I would say.It appears to have two little fingers on it that you would push down.They just do not hold the ribbon down with out this top part.The seller for the tough book is comp-var .He will not even answer my emails.I guess
I have to eat it or fix it.The battery,I just ansked for a replacement.We will see what happens there.I just want to get this thing working.Again.
Thanks guys.This Forum is Great!!!
Terry

 

Okay... Try to search to find the picture I mentioned... If you look... And you will need a magnifier... There are little ears on the motherboard... There are also little (or should be) tips on the very ends of the brown lever. Sometimes it just needs to be snapped back into place. I've had it work with only one side holding... Then a small strip of clear packing tape or Kapton tape to hold everything in place over the top of the large ribbon cable once everything is set. This also keeps it from pulling out when you are putting the silver plate back in place.

 

Yes

You might as well fix it up

Listing states "Sold As Is - for Parts" and there is never a warranties on battery’s
Looks like you only paid $60 including shipping for a mk-1 .so I guess you get what you pay for
I have a mk-1 parts unit somewhere that I could rob the retaining clip from
The problem is I worry about breaking it when I try to remove it
What parts are you missing, we might be able to point you in the right direction
Keep us informed on your progress


Alex

 

Thanks again.The brown lever is what seems to be missing.Where do I find this picture?
Thanks Again
Terry

 

Thanks Alex.I will let every one know how the progress goes.
You Guys are Great.
Thanks
Terry

 

You are missing the WHOLE brown lever???

Not sure about the picture... I'll look but I know it has been posted 2-3 times around here... Hopefully it wasn't hosted on Photobucket as they are bad for wiping out shots more than a few weeks old... I thought I host one though...

I'll check...

 

The only part I'm missing is this brown lever.It appears to be just the retaining clip.I have everything else I hope.It boots up to where it is looking for the driver for the Cd rom I put in.Can not go by that because I can not type where to look for the driver.The screen is very sharp and clear.All in all the tough Book looks great.
Thanks again
Terry

 

Terry... PM me your address in Ill... And I'll try to dig one up and send it to you.

EDIT - I looked up your seller. He/She most likely had no hidden agenda... Just someone who doesn't know Toughbooks from Cookbooks....

 

There is a ps2 input on your cf28
You can plug a keyboard in there for now

Alex

 

Try the following link..

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=351181&highlight=keyboard+connector

 

Tough Book,
I have a question for you.I tryed to go into my bios and do the battery refresh.It stated that my battery was not installed correctly.What is it talking about,is there some trick to that too?
Thanks
Terry

 

It means you either have an aftermarket battery or you have a dead battery... Either way it can't read it.

BTW... The brown lever for the keyboard connector is in the mail to you tomorow. Let me know if you need anything else.

 

I had the same problem with my CF28.

Solution: While holding the ribbon cable and checking that is making a good connection and the keyboard is working. Use a hot glue gun and put one drop on each side of the ribbon to keep it in place and the keyboard will work for a long time, I have been using mine for the last 6+ months without any problems from the keyboard.

Warning Note: Try not to put any hot glue on any SMD (surface mount devices) or you be sorry, I will try to post a picture for this fix later.

 

Since you are missing the brown lever you will need to fashion a wedge to hold the ribbon cable against the white socket. Your wedge needs to be the width of the ribbon cable and the thickness of a credit card (That is what I used). Make it about 2mm wide and trim it so that you have a handle about 10mm to 15mm long. It will look like a tall "T" when you are finished. Insert the ribbon cable into the white block (Contacts on the ribbon cable will be facing up). Use a fine pair of needle nose pliers to gently push the wedge under the ribbon cable (Sand if needed). Once you have the ribbon cable in place attach a small piece of clear packing tape across the white connector and the ribbon cable. Then using another piece of packing tape secure the "T" handle to the mother board. It may take several trial and errors before you get it right, so don't get discouraged, but once it is done you will have a major problem fixed and will be well on your way to have a working computer. Good Luck and welcome to the forum.

By the way I got rooked on my CF-28 and had the same problem as well as many others and got them all fixed and would not trade it for 10 dells.