GOBI Device not found on my CF-31 :(

I just got my new GOBI 2000 card today from Heartland and installed it in my CF-31 and it isn't showing up in the BIOS or in Device Manager within Windows

Additionally the software is saying "Gobi Device not Found" when I go to install it from the GOBI software

Any ideas?

Are there any dip switches that I'm missing?
I currently have BIOS 1.00L19 - is there and updated BIOS that would "unlock" the WWAN capabilities?

Thanks

 

Did you do the usual remove battery ac adapter hold the power switch down for 10 sec
Go into bios and set defaults
Thats the procedure for a wwan install

 

Alex,
The re-set you describe should be very prominently displayed in all the model specific FAQ's.
IMHO

Jeff

 

SCREW YOU PANASONIC AND YOUR "YOU HAVE TO BE PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED BS" (They wouldn't even talk to me on the phone!)! I WIN!! I used what tango tough told me in post 21 on this thread to make it work on my CF-31 Mark 1! Even in the PDF it says that it will work! IT DID INDEED WORK!!!!!

http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/562689-cf-52-wwan-retrofit-3.html#post7289044

Thanks!

If you must know, I used an MSDOS boot CD and a flash drive to do this. I boot from the CD drive into a dos prompt and I had the files for the GOBI flash on a flash drive formatted as FAT32 so DOS would actually see it... It acted as the C:\ drive and I just typed in WWANEXE.exe and hit the "e" on the keyboard and BOOOM! FIXED!

It now shows as working in the BIOS AND in device manager!

 

Got a work CF-19R back from Heartland for a mainboard replacement, and the GOBI card wasn't detected in the BIOS. Called Heartland and the guy I talked with told me to immediately get out of the BIOS and boot into Windows. I did and he told me to go into the Wireless Switch utility, which we don't have on our image. He told me to install it, and turn on the WWAN. I downloaded it, installed it, and the WWAN card wasn't in the choices. I searched Google, and of course found Notebook Review in the choices, specifically this thread. Downloaded and ran the utility in the CF-52 thread above, and now the card is working fine.

Do the Heartland people on their helpless-desk get any training at all? I would've figured this guy hearing the WWAN card wasn't detected in the BIOS would've been a clue the BIOS wasn't configured for the GOBI card. If the BIOS doesn't detect it, chances are high Windows won't either, right?

 

No no no no... It has nothing to do with them not knowing what they're doing and everything to do with them simply not telling you. See, with Panasonic you have to be "Authorized" in order to do such minuscule tasks such as popping in a GOBI card. This is Panasonic's way of taking more of your money. The conversation goes something like this:

"Hi, I can't get my GOBI card working. I installed it correctly but it isn't showing up in the BIOS"
"Unfortunately, you'll have to send it to us to have it activated because this has to be performed only by an authorized Panasonic technician"
"Ohh, crap, okay. Here is my credit card info, I'll send it to you"

 

There was no way I was going to send this system back to them. It had already been in their care twice for a bad keyboard. First time they replaced the keyboard, and the ENTER key didn't work when I received it back. Shipped it back to them and they replace the mainboard, then the OEM installed GOBI card isn't recognized. Wonder what they would've screwed up if they had a third shot at it? It's working great now!

 

Partly too many links in the chain; Panasonic Japan, Panasonic US, Heartlands. This means that often valuable information doesn't get too people who man the phones.

Secondly, while retrofitting may or may not be a decent revenue stream for Panasonic, it probably also has a lot to do with making sure the product isn't wrecked by idiots who then a few months later try to send it in for a warranty repair. Having a rule that "only Panasonic authorised people" may retrofit/mess around with the internals is a lot easier for large companies to deal with.

Yes this makes things more difficult for the few of us who like to have Toughbooks personally, but I would wager we are far in the minority.

 

in CF-31's there are no dip switches. the way to enable it in the bios is to write on the gobi 2000 in the bios. there is a utility that writes it in the bios. once you write that on then it will show in bios and in windows. i know its a pain, but thats how they did it. no longer will you see dip switches in new units. reason being is cause its saving them money.

 

Did you even read the thread before you posted this???? We already know this...

 

do u know where to get that utility?
i moved my gobi card from cf30mk3 to cf31mk1 , but show in bios also XP not found new hw .....

regards

tod

 

What Rob™ said.

 

found, bios updated , work !
thank you!
regards
Tod