CF30 Emissive Keyboard Swap

CF30 Emissive Keyboard Swap. Step By Step Guide

1. Standard CF30 keyboard.

2 Remove battery/batteries, hard drive and the plastic strip between keyboard and hinges.

3. Remove the screw holding the bluetooth aerial and the hinge covers to allow space to slide the keyboard.

4. Slide the CF30 keyboard towards the hinges to release, lift and turn over and remove the cover plate over the ribbon cables.

 

5. The keyboard connections revealed.

6. Take a closer look at the ribbon connectors, take note of the slot in the black top left lock bar, a small screwdriver here helps push the bar to the unlocked position.

7. Very gently slide the lock bar over to release the ribbon cable.

8. Remove the top ribbon cable.

9. Move the 2 individual black locking tags to the the release position, remove the ribbon.

 

10. Now release the so far un-used ribbon cable connector lock tags.

11. Replace the lower ribbon cable and close the ribbon lock tags.

12. Now the second ribbon cable as shown and lock the tags.

13. And the third ribbon and lock.

 

14. Replace the cover plate. This model of keyboard is held down with double sided tape not the locking mushrooms of the oem CF30. If you don't wish to stick the keyboard down ,the plastic strip at the top of the keyboard holds the keyboard in place with a slight amount of movement, not a problem at all for general use.

15. Turn the keyboard over, carefully ease/push the ribbon cables in to the space under the palm cover.

16. Slide the keyboard fully home.

17. Replace the hinge covers and the bluetooth aerial.

18. Replace the plastics strip, hard drive, battery/batteries and turn on.

19. Let there be lit keys at night.....


Tools required:

Jewellers type screwdriver set

Tweezers to help locate ribbon cables

Plastic aerosol can caps (3) to keep removed screws separate.






Will that do......any suggestion???

Hope it helps someone..

Mods may move or delete at will.........

 

Rick/Alex can you please put this into our FAQ section or sticky it? This guy spent a LOT of time making this. I've got him the keyboard and he did all the rest.

Thanks!

 

Agreed!

Just correct the spelling of "swop"¹.

¹ "swop" = "Sèx Workers Outreach Project"

 

Please do.....



Also if there are any major differences in the keyboard swap process, between the CF28/29 and the CF30, could someone please possibly take the time to list them as an apendix.

I've only ever had the CF30 apart.

zzr

 

Just got back from vacation... Will work on it tomorrow.....

Great job!

 

This is a great post. For the future did you mean screwdriver here? Not being picky just trying to help.
The lock colors and PCB are different then the CF-29 but this could be used for both. Your emphasis on being gentle was excellent.

Good work.

Jeff

 

Its amazing that no matter how many times you read and re-read something you just can't see the mistakes/omissions sorry, dyslexia strikes again.....change to "screwdriver" as well please...........well spotted Gork

 

I've got another one too. Do you want to hear it? What I mean is out loud. This is a perpetual post if there was one. I just don't want to seem critical. O.K?

Jeff

 

I've not got a problem being corrected, Gork....after all if instructions are posted they must/should be correct.........Ref: your pm regarding the keyboard mushrooms you can see the slots in the T/B's body photo but not very well on the bottom of the keyboard.

hth

zzr

 

Its " Colours" old chap, the Queen's English ..........Please Good Sir........

:tongue:

 

That's the reason publications (newspapers, magazines, etc.) use proof-readers.

"Did you hear about the dyslexic agnostic insomniac? He laid awake at night wondering if there really is a doG."

 

And of course, you just want to be "Good Neighbours".

[ps: "Its" "It's" ]

 

Look 'ere matey I liv's on the rite side of the pond (the English side), dont you start, anol.... only 254 years and they think they own the world....I don't know young up starts.... .....

 

Thank you I hadn't seen the underside on the CF-30 KB up close. Or didn't look at the pictures very close. Sometimes the PM spell checker is English and sometimes it's english. Who's playing games I wonder.
And dear sir I would appreciate it if you spelled my nom de plume correctly. It is Gork!. For a definition of the word search the archives of old Mad magazines.

Gork! le correcteur

 

This makes sense to me.
Also you may strategically locate several small pieces of double sided tape to inhibit the bounce. Leave the protective paper on if you want to get back inside again.

Good show old chap.

Jeff

 

Over to Toughbook to play/adjust as required.......

 

It has been posted and stickied..... In the CF-30 thread....

Good job!

 

ROTFL!!! :laugh:

 

I had no idea that the LED power cable needed flipped upside down when upgrading until I came across this post. Thanks so much for the instructions!!!

 

So i just well i AM swapping my cf 30 chicklet with my cf 29 emmisive. The emmisive is in right now and im on it. The chicklet as you know has those tabs on it so i cant put it on the cf 29.

I guess i have to dremel it? Also i assume the NEW emmisive cf 30 keyboards have the tabs on them as well?

If so i plan to get that model keyboard eventually as long as its not $200

The emmisive just made my cf 30 look a lot better. It makes it look prettier lol.

 

thanks for this post !

 

ZZR1200, You Rock! Not even Panasonic Support would help me on this CF-30 Emissive Keyboard Swap. Your thread was dead on! Thanks' for posting.

 

No you don't have to use a Dremel. What I do is take a box cutterand insert the blade in between the metal plate (the one with the "tabs" on it) and the plastic piece. I cut it gently all the way around the keyboard. Once that is done, I take a thin metal spatula and put that behind the metal plate and gently pry it up.

No, the CF-31 and the CF-31 keyboards do not have those "tabs".

Hope this helps.

 

They got away from the 4 metal locking tabs as Comptronic has said.

I have NO CLUE WHY THOUGH! Those tabs were SO MUCH better than LAME @$$ double sided tape! GAH!

~Rob - perturbed!~

 

What I meant to say was the CF-30 and the CF-31 keyboards.

 

I completely agree. I would think the tans makes it more sturdy and durable although the tape is somewhat strong.

 

Glad to be of help

The cost saving of manufacturing the keyboard sub-frame plus the costs of the locking/mounting points in the main case, compared to the cost of some double sided tape.

I doubt Panasonic actualy make the keyboards them selves, its probably sub-contracted out, so another way of cost saving.

Plus, also theres always a good chance of some heavy handed diy owner breaking the keyboard while removing it, so yet more money being spent with the parts department.... .

 

Ahhh, the role of failure in design... :laugh:

mnem
*Engineers around the water cooler*
"You see? If I'd designed this hinge with that bolt 1/2" thataway, the mechanic could take the whole door off with just a 14mm socket on a 6" extension. Now he has to take the fender off just to get to that one bolt; turns a .6 flag-hour job into a 2.6 flag-hour job. Plus CHA-CHING! when the DIYer dings the paint and strips out the threads on the fender bolts..."

I HAVE REPLACED THIS DOOR AT LEAST A HUNDRED TIMES IN MY CAREER AS A PROFESSIONAL MECHANIC.

 

As I see the last post here was 2011 my hope is for a bit of help to R&R my TB keyboard. Problem is after removing hinge covers and all I simply cannot get keyboard to slide forward at all, not even one mm. Won't budge either when I GENTLY pry against the KB in small opening between the palm rest area and KB itself. No vids or forum posts I've read so far mention this problem.

Anyone encountered this before? Aside from wreaking the KB by forcefully prying is there another solution?

And/or what have I got here, a possible hack re-builder job I must suffer with for life?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Don't pry it! CF-30 standard keyboard has 2 metal buttons on the back that interlock with the case. Don't recall if you have to slide it up or down -- someone should come along shortly and let us know
:hi2:

 

I have not come across this before but I have had a few being held down by double face tape. Check out the picture below

 

My original keyboard in my CF30 had the locking pins AND double sided tape..It was a BIATCH to remove.

 

If I have a stuck keyboard... I CAREFULLY will shoot a long, thin slotted head screw driver down under the corner of the keyboard. Other times I have used an old credit card (One of my wife's cards, it also messes up the magnetic strip to curtail shopping!) to pry under the corner.

If you go nice and slow.... You *should* notice that the double sided tape is giving way. If you take it nice and slow you should be able to remove with no problem.

You didn't say which keyboard you have... Standard (non-illuminated) or silicone or emissive (both illuminated). In my experience... You can bend the bejesus out of a standard keyboard if need be and bend it right back into shape. However, the rubber and plastic emissive both are sealed units. You do NOT want to tear the silicone keyboard and the emissive keyboard has a very small silicone seal around it's base that most probably don't even pay attention to. These can be torn or ripped as well. If you do, black silicone sealant works well fill any tears and make it 100% again. Just push it in the tear and wipe it... Let it cure and reinstall. You can also use a toothpick with some black silicone sealant to fix tears in letters too!

Don't use aggressive double stick tape to reinstall. Scotch makes a double stick tape that shows "permanent" that might be for paper... But it is perfect for Toughbook keyboards. It keeps them in place but allows for easy removal!

 

A Great Big heapin' pile O' Thanks to all for the helpful info~! Shame on me for allowing my ignorance to fester so long but I've only got into using my CF-30 fairly recently and am anxious to make a few upgrades. Thing is, I am not certain exactly WHAT options this book has installed. A look in setup gives some clues but it seems I have a fairly bare-bones model. Here's some info:

Bought in Oct 2012 from re-builder on eBay
CF-30FCDALAM (I believe this is a Mk2)
Ser. 8iKY890531

Re-builder's description: 1.6ghz Touch screen w/80GB - 2GB - WIFI - BT - DVD


Panasonic Website:
Model Number:
CF-30FCDALAM
Status: DISCONTINUED
MSRP: $5,249

Panasonic's Description: WinXP (Vista COA), Intel Core 2 Duo L7500 1.60GHz (Centrino), 13.3" XGA Touch, 80GB, 2GB, Intel 802.11a/b/g, TPM1.2, Bluetooth, Dual Pass (Upper:WWAN/Lower:WLAN), Emissive Backlit Keyboard, No Drive, HDD&Battery Lock, Gobi


Few more questions now:

As per Panasonic website I am supposed to have an Emissive backlit KB, but I cannot determine if mine is in fact backlit capable and the builder simply neglected installing the WinXP driver--- OR--- the builder stripped all the goodies and gave my bare-bones a non-backlit KB. Hardware info shows standard keyboard driver installed. My reason for removing the KB to see if I have the three connectors for the backlit KB's. Also, cannot determine if the mysterious locking buttons on KB are present, the only service manual I could find shows no buttons. Approximate locations? Also, is the double-sided tape a factory install on KB's or a re-builder's option?

Can anyone determine from outward appearance if this is an emissive backlit KB?

See photos:

Using your many helpful recommendations here, I will further attempt to coax KB out of its cave later today, meanwhile, please pardon my appalling ignorance

 

Nope, you do not have one. How I can tell is on the space bar you have no white line on it. The double face tape is factory.

 

Dave,

It was this way from the factory...

Model Number:
CF-30FCDALAM Status:
DISCONTINUED MSRP:
$5,249

Description: WinXP (Vista COA), Intel Core 2 Duo L7500 1.60GHz (Centrino), 13.3" XGA Touch, 80GB, 2GB, Intel 802.11a/b/g, TPM1.2, Bluetooth, Dual Pass (Upper:WWAN/Lower:WLAN), Emissive Backlit Keyboard, No Drive, HDD&Battery Lock, Gobi

With that said... Some sellers on eBay will swap stuff out so the model number may not be really what you have. In this case he removed the desirable emissive keyboard and replaced it with the standard keyboard. You definitely want the emissive. I just bought 5 of them after scoring a pretty good deal in bulk. Please let me know if you need/want one.

 

You do not need a driver for a backlit keyboard to work.
I am 98.9% sure ALL CF30's have the connector to install a backlit keyboard.

I'll look for a photo of the buttons.........On hold music playing.........
Could not find photos, had to take some.
Arrows point to the buttons and the slots they go into. Circle indicates the backlit keyboard connector.

 

PROGRESS REPORT:

Well, this KB is stuck good~! Real good~! Attached so well I can only slip a bent credit card under the top edges a little ways and from the feel, it is like I'm digging into a solid piece of double-sided tape all the way across the top edge. It's not going anywhere without a fight~! After a few days of trying different devices to wriggle under there and possibly make this thing move I can see I'm already tweaking the corners and top edge of KB and am getting nowhere. FYI: my experience is regularly building desktop PC's and have disassembled my DELL laptop for cleaning and hardware replacement multiple times. However, this is my first time experience with TB's and have never seen a situation like this before.

Only solutions I see at this point are to just get jiggy with it and get that KB off anyway I can, most probably bending schiet out of it. Meanwhile, I don't have an Emmisive replacement as yet.

TOUGHBOOK, you mentioned that standard KB's can be bent and bent back? Got a visual on that or any further advice? (tricks will do too~!)
Also, you said you scored a lot of Emmisive KB's, I'll PM you for details.

Meanwhile, I've considered getting this work done for hire: I ship it, builder replaces old KB with a nice backlit, and I pay them. Any recommended vendors/builders and/or brave knights in shining armor to possibly slay this dragon and save the kingdom?

BTW: am wondering if it is common practice for the builder of TB's to use doulble-sided on a KB along with the locking buttons? Seems like that would be overkill to me.

 

Where are you located?

 

Yup... I just got 5 in... 1 has the Tab button broken... They look like they are fairly new and or unused pulls. But they have all been installed at one point. Let me know...

By the way... Don't pay! Get a screwdriver and work that bish out of there! If you are getting a new one anyway... Just break that one out! Just don't rip the ribbon cables out of the connectors... I doubt you would or could... Just sayin'

 

OK, I live in SoCal, about 100 klicks N of LA in the high desert, Victorville, CA. Where are you Shawn?

TB: yes, I need a tested and working emmisive, non-rubberized, but still need to determine if KB/case is locking button type or taped down.

Sorry I gotta' go--- heading down the hill tomorrow for business, prolly won't be back before late so I'll give the KB pull a shot again on Friday.

We'll see where I'm at then, thanks again all... ciao~!

 

Actually... Yes you need a working emissive but no you don't need to know! Rip that keyboard out! The emissive keyboard will not use the locking pin carrier that the MK1s had. You either have a standard keyboard where someone got aggressive with DS tape or you have a standard keyboard where someone had the pin carrier installed aftermarket (for some reason) and DS tape... My bet is on the former.

Yank that sh*t out!

 

PM sent.......