Got yet another one !

OH well - another few steps down the slippery slope. I've now got hold of a CF-18 MK2 off a friend to sell, can't make up my mind whether to buy it off him myself or sell it. I do like it and it's in great condition but then I do seem to be getting an ever increasing load of Laptops and I'm not sure whether I will use it. It seems as good in many ways as my Itronix IX325 Duo Touch and better in some ways. Downsides compared to the Itronix is that it is digitizer only whereas the Itronix is Digitizer and touch, upside is it isn't that much bigger or heavier, the batteries for it are pennies compared to the Itronix and it has a proper keyboard as well.

Suggestions ?

I now have the following already:

CF-28 MK3, all the options and a Gamber Johnson Vehicle Mount
CF-51 MK3 - may every day machine, maxed out on RAM.
CF-07 and CF-VDW07 screen - probably getting fitted in the car.
CF-18 MK2 (if I keep it).
Dell D620 - my backup every day machine - currently gathering dust waiting for my Wife to make the big change to using this - she is reluctant to move away from her old Laptop even though I can hear it creaking.
Itronix IX300 Tablet
Itronix IX325 Duo Touch Tablet - maxed out on RAM (and fully working which it wasn't when I got it.

I'm running out of space - are there any specific pills you can take to cure the sickness

 

It is my professional opinion that this particular strain of toughbook-itis is incurable. You still seem to be in the early stages of the disease (Stage 2 of 5), considering you use other laptops also. But I fear any treatment could have adverse effects at this time. In the next few stages, you will suffer from constant and uncontrollable spending of money on Toughbook parts, mod-craving hands, touchscreen fingers, and you will hear voices, or more precisely, you will hear Rob's voice telling you to get a Toughbook tattoo.

I'm sorry, I wish there was something I could do. My heart goes out to you and you loved ones.

RGDS
Doc Johnny (Currently in Stage 2)

 

Damn, guess I'll just have to accept the inevitable then - think I already have the uncontrollable spending on parts - just one look at my CF-28 will show that.

Forgot the CF-P2 which I think is going to just be consigned to the drawer - the bluetooth isn't compatible with my Car-Kit but I can't bear to part with it - I think that's when it starts getting really bad - when you just can't part with a Toughbook you haven't used for a while - or even can't find a use for apart from propping up the other ones on the pile in the corner.

 

I feel your pain, just got my first CF-30 and am eagerly anticipating it's arrival

 

Of course you're going to keep it!

You're "Toughbook Afflicted."

 

Already you know me too well .

Now just to get it running right - extra memory for a start - think I have a 1GB stick knocking about somewhere, then to do a clean install - Windows is slow as hell on it at the moment (only 256MB memory installed though). Then have to see what hardware is in there - think it has the Sierra GSM installed, not sure on Bluetooth (can't see it at the moment). And then maybe a larger hard drive. Oh man! I'm sick.

 

As I ask of all who venture forth here, what is the CF-18 Toughbook's full Model Number; such as: CF-18xxxxxxx?

 

If I had a penny for every time someone said this line.....

 

.......You'd be rich beyond your wildest dreams....

It's CF-18DDAZXME - 1.1 Centrino, 256MB ram. It's on a white sticker so I guess it's a dealer enhanced one.

 

CF-18DDAZXME

D = Mk2 Pentium 1.1 GHz ULV (Centrino) processor + 802.11b+g WLAN
D = 10.4" XGA High Bright Digitizer Screen
A = 40GB HDD - 256MB RAM - dual high-gain antenna connectors
Z = No WWAN
X = Base model
M = Windows XP Pro Tablet PC Edition
E = UK distribution

 

Thanks TopCop. I think it does have the WWAN card in it, presumably added later.

Windows really does need reinstalling so I guess I'm going to have to go down the road of using XP and adding the drivers rather than the Table Edition route although that won't be too onerous - just done a complete software rebuild on my 28 and it's coming up for the time when the same will need to be done on my 51 as well as it's starting to get really slow and no matter what I do to clean it up, nothing much seems to speed it up. Really gonna want a bigger hard drive on the 18 - may go the route of an SSD.

 

Look for antennas under the side panels of the display.

CF-18 Windows XP Professional Drivers Installation Instructions

CF-18 Mk2 Windows XP Professional Drivers

CF-18 Windows XP Professional Tablet Edition Drivers Installation Instructions

CF-18 Mk2 Windows XP Professional Tablet Edition Drivers

Now, me; I'm basically lazy:

Panasonic Toughbook CF-18 Mk2 Recovery CD - Restore CD

 

A generic install will be needed as the restore cd's are very rare for this model

Read Post #58 for an idea on driver order, this is most important, if you get it wrong, you have to start all over
http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/325093-cf-18-drivers-buttons.html

If you read that thread you will note that you should not bother with the old intel wireless driver
You will have to find the latest driver for that from intel downloads, and don't install proset

As noted all the drivers are available from panasonic downloads...except the driver below

This I beleve is the latest driver needed for your digitizer
ftp://ftp.wacom-europe.com/pub/WINDOWS/cons5.03-3g_int.exe

 

Thanks Alex, that's saved me a bit of time.

Luckily the 1GB memory stick I had spare works fine, I now have 1.256GB showing, that will speed it up a little anyway. Will go about getting all the drivers together an onto a USB stick or CD ready to go.

Do you know if a WIN XP Tablet edition license KEY will work with generic Windows XP - I think probably not in which case I'll get myself a new XP disk and license as I am already using the license key off my only full XP install on my CF-51.

Cheers
Andy

 

The software (genaric tablet os) is as rare as recovery disks, and I am fairly certain that the key wont work

 

As per the PM, thanks for prompting me to think on this one, I can use my OEM disk that I use for most of the reinstalls and use the COA off the CF-51 as I used the Key from my Retail XP Upgrade on that one.

Cheers
Andy

 

*Poke*

Check your PMs.

mnem
*MOOP*

 

Uh, Alex:

Panasonic Toughbook CF-18 Mk2 Recovery CD - Restore CD

That, with the file you noted below, should make this effort a "piece of cake" < >; shouldn't it?

 

NoTopCop , I wish it would work,I always recomend the recovery media
Mark is selling

The OP has a digitizer