Cf-29 mk-1 refuses to read the CD

Please someone out there HELP!!!!

I have some basic knowledge on computers but no wiz got this CF-29(CRKGZKM) which's HD started making noise and the screen at Start up read no OS, got a new 80g HD w/caddy same thing on the screen ever since tried installing a set of original panasonic (MKI-XP1M-TSW) product recovery discs (3) but the stubborn thing won't barge it just refuses to read the CD (set to boot from it at BIOS), USB port and all else, took it to a tech said the thing was good for nothing.
Me not willing to give in installed the new HD on laptop and loaded a new XP OS (she wouldn't boot the toughbook discs) in it and then back on the caddy to see if it would react only this time the thing boots to the black screen to choose Safe mode Last good conf etc. if choose start windows normally it freezes, safe mode it goes a few drivers an freezes, if nothing is chosen after time is up for choosing it freezes, last good known conf just a black screen no letters and freezes almost feel my fingers frostbitten. (still wont read the CD drive)

Yeah the thing is tough allright, but I trust someone somewhere can help me ease my frustration,

Now stop picturing me choking the damn thing and reply

thanks boys

 

Has the cd ever worked for you? Will it read cd's at all or just not boot them?
Toughbooks are know to be picky about optical drives and worse about any usb drive. The drive must be set to master for the Toughbook to boot from a cd.
PLEASE read the cf 29 FAQ. It will help you understand a lot more.
CF29 FAQ

If you loaded xp on the hard drive in a different laptop, the Toughbook won't boot because the wrong drivers were loaded.
Do you have a floppy drive for the cf29?
Do you have a bootable floppy disk?
I would copy all of the files from the xp install cd to a folder on the hard drive. Then boot from the floppy and use command line DOS to start the install process from the new hard drive after it was installed in the cf 29.

 

Following the above thoughts:

Model Number: CF-29CRKGZKM
Status: DISCONTINUED
MSRP: $3,847
Description: Pentium M 1.2GHz ULV (Centrino), 12.1" Transflective Touch Screen, 40GB HDD, 256 MB RAM, 56K Modem, 10/100 Ethernet LAN, Floppy Disk Drive, No Optical Drive, Intel PRO Wireless LAN, Windows XP Professional

Since this unit did not come from Panasonic with a CD- or DVD-ROM drive, the question most obvious is:

"What is the Model Number of the unit in the Media Bay?"

 

Don't spend too much time on this. Go buy an external CDROM drive, less than $20 most places, and plug it in the back port of your CF29 usb connection. Make sure the new hard drive is installed and ready to go; make sure the restore disk is in the CD drive and ready to go; make sure the BIOS has boot to USB enabled as first option; and fire her up. It should work out just fine for you. let us know...

 

Mine would not read any DVD when I bought it off of the 'Bay although it would read CDs. I messed with it a bit and finally brought it into a local shop. I got it back a couple of days later and it worked just fine. He said that he had to optimize it with some new decoders. Maybe that is it?
AGAUARAK

 

if you can find one a sonny DRX 820U is what worked to get OS on my earlier versions cf-29's as well as cf-18's, Driller

 

Yes most Movie DVD's you need this, lots of free decoders on the web but you do not need them to run the restore disk.