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    Dead CF-18 need help!

    Discussion in 'Panasonic' started by Finemedic, Oct 9, 2011.

  1. Finemedic

    Finemedic Notebook Enthusiast

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    I recently acquired a dead CF-18KHHZXBM model number under the white sticker which was unreadable...

    No hardrive, no RAM in slot.
    When I plug in the power cord the red battery light comes on. Nothing on the screen.

    The power board seems to be working since the battery is charging and the red light is on?

    One of the USB ports was broken off the maotherboard and was rattling around on top of powerboard and motherboard.

    Do I need to have RAM and drive installed to get it to get to BIOS screen?

    Is the motherboard dead? How do I know what motherboard model to replace it with?

    Ideas???

    Thanks,
    Bill
     
    Finemedic, Oct 9, 2011
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  2. ares93

    ares93 Notebook Evangelist

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    The Cf-18 has onboard ram so it shouldnt need any ram modules to boot to bios.

    As for the mobo. The usb port might've short circuited it. It sure does sound dead to me. Does it give no proof of life whatsoever?

    If you want a replacement mobo, you need an MK4 motherboard. But other Marks might fit also. But I need confirmation of this. I'm rather unfamiliar with this model.
     
    ares93, Oct 9, 2011
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  3. Finemedic

    Finemedic Notebook Enthusiast

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    No life whatsoever...no beep no nothing. Only red light comes on..screen dead.
    I cant read the white printed sticker with model number worn off. underneath the sticker I found the above model number.
    I also think MOBO is dead from the usn port rattling around and shorting out...
    How do I know a MK4 motherboard? Is there a number on the board somewhere.
     
    Finemedic, Oct 9, 2011
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  4. ares93

    ares93 Notebook Evangelist

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    Your model number is CF-18KHHZXBM as you stated. By the chart below, that would make your CF-18 a Mark 4 with:

    K: Pentium M 753 1.2Ghz w/ WiFi
    H: 10.4 XGA High Bright Touchscreen
    H: 60gb HDD w/ 512mb ram
    Z: No WWAN
    X: Base model
    B: XP Pro SP2
    M: North American model

    Chart: http://forum.notebookreview.com/4648427-post1.html
     
    ares93, Oct 9, 2011
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  5. ADOR

    ADOR Evil Mad Scientist

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    From my understanding of reading other posts the white sticker is put on by on of Panasonic dealers on toughbooks they have added stuff to, thus changing the factory configuration with the white sticker reflecting the new configuration..

    On your MK 4 take your back panel off and disconnect all the connectors and then re-plug them in. Look into your pcmcia port and make sure that there are no bent pens messing it up. Pull the battery out and test with out it. Pull the wireless card out of it. Make sure that usb port that is broke is not grounding out too.

    If it is still dead it may be time for a motherboard. I have swapped a lot of parts out on CF-18's here lately and will be posting a lot of pictures of the insides and install of factory gps in one unit here with in the week. I have swapped out motherboards between Mk1 to Mk3's and Mk4 to Mk5 but I haven't tried Mk1 to 3 on a 4 to 5 chassis. You will be better off sticking with the Mk4/5 motherboard.
     
    ADOR, Oct 9, 2011
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  6. Finemedic

    Finemedic Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanks! I will take all the add ons out and see what happens...If you happen to see a MK4 board for sale please let me know!
     
    Finemedic, Oct 9, 2011
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  7. ares93

    ares93 Notebook Evangelist

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    Usually id recommend that you get a machine with a broken screen or a busted keyboard and use it for parts. But with these things, i honesty dont know what to say. It so rare that something gets buggered...
     
    ares93, Oct 9, 2011
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  8. ADOR

    ADOR Evil Mad Scientist

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    Will do. There are two on ebay right now. One works but touch is broken, the other is a digitizer motherboard. If you think it's truly dead and have nothing to loose you can make sure nothing is shorted out then do the oven trick on it. I have revived a few video cards that way.
     
    ADOR, Oct 9, 2011
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  9. Finemedic

    Finemedic Notebook Enthusiast

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    Can I use a "digitizer" mobo for a touchscreen model?
     
    Finemedic, Oct 9, 2011
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  10. ADOR

    ADOR Evil Mad Scientist

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    Right now I have a Mk3 Touch with a Mk2 Digitizer motherboard in it. It will work, to make the machine work but will have no touch screen and no digitizer unless you swap out all the special parts on the screen that makes it a digitizer. The digitizer has no serial port on the rear from the factory, it uses that feed to make the digitizer work. So if the serial port is important for you that won't work.
     
    ADOR, Oct 9, 2011
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  11. Springfield

    Springfield Notebook Deity

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    Nope. But keep your Eye on Fleabay for one with a busted screen
     
    Springfield, Oct 9, 2011
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  12. ADOR

    ADOR Evil Mad Scientist

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    How about some pictures of where the usb is broke off so we can see the damage better?
     
    ADOR, Oct 9, 2011
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  13. Finemedic

    Finemedic Notebook Enthusiast

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    Finemedic, Oct 9, 2011
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  14. HP Enthusiast

    HP Enthusiast Newbie

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    I wonder how the usb was damaged , they are well protected
     
    HP Enthusiast, Oct 9, 2011
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  15. Finemedic

    Finemedic Notebook Enthusiast

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    Us firefighters can break an anvil....: ) it was used in public service...we are pretty rough on everything.
     
    Finemedic, Oct 9, 2011
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  16. Doobi

    Doobi ToughBook DeityInTraining

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    Just a thought, but on my CF-19, the USB ports look like that normally. They are not soldered to the board IIRC. They kind of snap in place and plug into the board. It may not be broken at all, just fell out of place.
     
    Doobi, Oct 9, 2011
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  17. Finemedic

    Finemedic Notebook Enthusiast

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    They are soldered in. It broke off right where the pins go into the board.
     
    Finemedic, Oct 10, 2011
    #17
  18. TopCop1988

    TopCop1988 Toughbook Aficionado

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    ...with a feather. ;) :rolleyes: :p
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 8, 2015
    TopCop1988, Oct 10, 2011
    #18
  19. ares93

    ares93 Notebook Evangelist

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    Trust me, coppers are worse. Everything they touch turns into instant rubbish.

    I mean seriously, a three month old Volvo V70 and basically everything related to steering, breaking and suspension needs to be replaced? Brake pads not only worn to the metal, but the metal plate was grinded down to roughly half its original thickness. And that's one tough car.
     
    ares93, Oct 10, 2011
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  20. Finemedic

    Finemedic Notebook Enthusiast

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    They are cops because they couldn't pass the fireman test...Just Sayin :)

    IT IS ALIVE! THANKS GUYS!
    I reseated all the ribbon cables and unplugged the CMOS battery for few hours. Somehow the broken USB port shut down the MOBO the clock was off also.

    I have what appears to be a caddy. But no cable for it. Is the cables being sold on fleabay what I need? All I have is the aluminum enclosure...

    Panasonic Toughbook CF-18 CF 18 HD HDD Cable | eBay

    Thanks again!
    Updated Model# from BIOS CF-18KJHZCBM
     
    Finemedic, Oct 10, 2011
    #20
  21. ares93

    ares93 Notebook Evangelist

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    ^ Lol, thats what they say about you lot. I see the bickering between you two is still alive and kicking.

    yup, mate. thats the cable. and good luck with the little bugger. i'm in the process of buying one myself. i hate this bloody time difference. i have to wait hours for every response. then again, the damn thing costs three times over here than what it does in the states. i was offered an 800mhz MK2 CF-28 (like the one i already have) for give or take $700 USD. And that was with a floppy and a dead battery. i really should shut up and be happy i dont have to pay 1000+ USD for it.
     
    ares93, Oct 10, 2011
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  22. ADOR

    ADOR Evil Mad Scientist

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    Glad to see it worked out for you, now just make sure the usb can't short out again and you should be good. To get some use out of it right now you can use a linux usb or live cd, until you get a cable or another caddy.
     
    ADOR, Oct 10, 2011
    #22
  23. toughasnails

    toughasnails Toughbook Moderator Moderator

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    The thing you have to watch out for them Hong kong sellers is they are selling a cheaper one like you have to check the black end that hooks up to the motherboard, the 18 is taller/higher than the 29. I got one and the harddrive would not show up in the bios. Come to find out he was selling the 29 ribbon as a 18 .
     
    toughasnails, Oct 11, 2011
    #23
  24. Finemedic

    Finemedic Notebook Enthusiast

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    I got my hardrive yesterday...should get ribbon cable today. I do have factory recovery CD's but no external CD drive. Can I copy the first CD to a USB stick and boot from that and install the software? Or could I put the new drive in my CF-29 and load up the hardrive with the CD drive in the 29?
    Thanks!
     
    Finemedic, Oct 14, 2011
    #24
  25. toughasnails

    toughasnails Toughbook Moderator Moderator

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    That will not work, the cd checks first to see if you are using the right cd and will not install it. Remember the 3 cd's are not like a XP cd , they are an image of the harddrive when it left the factory. If you have a old cd / dvd drive laying around you could pickup a cheap case to put it in for under $10.00 here http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw...d+drive&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1311
     
    toughasnails, Oct 14, 2011
    #25
  26. Finemedic

    Finemedic Notebook Enthusiast

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    IT IS ALIVE!
    Got an external CD drive, put in the restored discs...Works like a champ..
    I am pretty sure the computer has GPS but I did not see any utilities, programs for GPS on the machine. Any ideas?
    Thanks for all the help. Now on to finding some RAM.
    Bill
     
    Finemedic, Oct 17, 2011
    #26
  27. toughasnails

    toughasnails Toughbook Moderator Moderator

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    If you have a OEM GPS you should have a bump-out for the antenna on the right side next to your harddrive. It should also show in the bios.F2 on start-up
     
    toughasnails, Oct 17, 2011
    #27
  28. ADOR

    ADOR Evil Mad Scientist

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    [​IMG]

    That is the factory bump out for GPS. If it has GPS you will need some testing software. Look up Win Fast Navigator or GPSFox to test it. There are also other free programs to try it out.
     
    ADOR, Oct 17, 2011
    #28
  29. toughasnails

    toughasnails Toughbook Moderator Moderator

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    My guess it's turned off . Once turned on and you mouse starts jumping around there is a patch for that so don't worry about that.
     
    toughasnails, Oct 17, 2011
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  30. Finemedic

    Finemedic Notebook Enthusiast

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    Yes I enabled it in the bios...Now to find some software...Thanks
     
    Finemedic, Oct 17, 2011
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  31. db04p71

    db04p71 Notebook Deity

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    If the BIOS is set to default (GPS enabled) and you use the restore disc, you do not need the GPS patch. It is automatically patched. FWIW, YMMV ;)
     
    db04p71, Oct 17, 2011
    #31
  32. toughasnails

    toughasnails Toughbook Moderator Moderator

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    Ok , that I did not know. I thought the patch came out afterwards. Of course I don't have internal GPS in my 18.
    Thanks Glen
     
    toughasnails, Oct 17, 2011
    #32