Help! CF-28 Touchpad Problem

First I would like to say what a great forum this is! Most computer forums are filled with responses from people who must like to hear themselves talk, but offer no real information. This forum seems to have a lot of knowledgeable people who have actually tried what they are suggesting. Anyways- I just purchased my first CF-28 (1 ghz). It arrived very used and crusty, so I gave it a good once-over, and repaired anything I could find wrong. In a momentary lapse of reason, I used a plastic-safe contact cleaner to clean the grime from the touchpad. Now the pointer is very erratic. Did I foob the touchpad, or is there a way to fix this? I apologize in advance if this has been answered elsewhere... if so, please post a link. Thanks

 

If you have a touchscreen as well, check around the edges of it. If the unit was as crusty as you say, there may well be a goober stuck around the edge of the screen which can cause eratic mouse movements as it fools the touchscreen into thinking that it is being touched.

 

Exactly. Take a folded piece of paper and run it around the edges. I have done that with nearly every TB I have had. Usually takes care of jumpy muse.

 

Thanks guys! I will try that when I get home. I don't know if this unit has the touchscreen or not, but I never even thought of the touchscreen causing this issue. Genius! I will also check to see if the touchscreen is enabled or not.

Do you think the "plastic safe" contact cleaner could have hurt the touchpad? The CF-28 arrived with Linux installed as the OS, and I don't know if they had the touchscreen drivers installed / working. That's why I was leaning more toward a touchpad issue. I received the CF-28 yesterday. The touchpad seemed to work for the few minutes I played with it, but I never tried the touchscreen. I then proceeded to remove the battery, clean the exterior, and I opened up the case to repair a broken hinge, and flaky keyboard connection.

Any thoughts on this?

 

*Update*

The touchscreen is not enabled in the version of Linux they have installed (I still don't know if it is a touchscreen.) I cleaned around the screen and touchpad with a piece of cardstock. More gunk came out from around the touchpad, but it still isn't working. The cursor seems to jump back to the same position when I move it horizontally. When I try to move vertically, the cursor hardly wants to move. Yesterday, I had the screen partially disassembled to fix the cover latch spring, and hinges. I also had the keyboard out to fix the flaky connection there. Could the problem possibly be related to one of these items? Just a thought...

 

I think there is a Linux guy in here somewhere. I am not he. Others more knowledgeable will probably answer your question as far as removing/installing parts having that effect.

In the meantime, you might try downloading, and re-installing the driver for the touchpad...

In addition, I personally don't think the cleaner you used had any effect, but soapy water is what I think most use. I have on occasion, used some rubbing alcohol on the touchpad with no apparent ill effects.

Good luck and be patient. There are some very knowledgeable folks in here, but you might have to wait for them to have time to respond.

 

You are right about the patience... with that, persistence and some common sense most things can be fixed eventually! I have Ubuntu and Puppy Linux on USB drives that I can boot to and see if the same problem exists. In the meantime, if anyone else has experienced a similar problem, please let me know.

Thanks-

 

I forgot, the CF-28 does not support boot from USB... I will have to boot from a live CD.

 

First, It sounds as if your touchpad is dead. Mine died and did the same thing. I do not think it was the cleaner, but probably more from the rubbing. Does the top of the touchpad appear to be separated from what's underneath? Other than the rubber feel, it should be tight like the palm rest, with no giving, or folding if you will, on the pad. Are there any noticeable holes in the pad? Is what you were describing that when you move the pointer to a spot on the screen and let go, the pointer appears to "spring back" to another spot?

Second, it could still be a gunk issue if your pad feels tight and not givvy. Was it working before you cleaned it? As a last, you can CAREFULLY remove the palm rest, and if you don't pull too hard, or at too great an angle, it should be reusable. Once off, remove the touchpad bracket and clean the pad really good from there. Then put it all back together.

Let us know if any of this is helpful....

EDIT: PS. your avatar not only looks like me as a kid, but I remember doing that EXACT thing, at about that SAME age. Very vivid, yet painful memory, if you know what I mean *twitch twitch*

 

Doobi-

The touchpad did work fine until I cleaned it... (stupid, stupid stupid!) I used the cleaner and only a springy toothbrush (not any real pressure.) It doesn't seem to have any give, and there are no noticeable holes or defects. You are correct in your description: the pointer springs back to the right side of the screen every time, and vertical movement is nearly impossible. I briefly read the manual to see how hard it is to disassemble, but the fragile keyboard connector frightens me! How many layers of PCB's need to be removed to get to the touchpad? I am considering purchasing another one, and using this one for parts if it is too much trouble (I haven't given up yet!) This one has a great battery, HDD caddy, and AC adapter I could use in the next one if necessary.

P.S.- glad you like the avatar! I also did similar things as a kid- the one I remember is disassembling an electric clock, plugging it in, and doing the 60hz shuffle. It must not have been too painful a memory, since I am now an electrician / service tech. We work on voltages up to, and sometimes greater than 4160. (Luckily, I have only tasted the 277V so far... I did a little more than twitch!)

Thanks for the help so far!
=bn

 

Replacing the touchpad seems a daunting task, but it really isnt bad, and not expensive at all IMO.

Follow this link for the thread we had on this very topic.

 

And for the electrician in you...

"So I Bought A Taser…

Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest. The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife Julie. What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse-sized taser. The effects of the taser were supposed to be short lived, with no long-term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety; and every woman needs something to protect herself with, right??

WAY TOO COOL! Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two AAA batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button.

Nothing!

I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button AND pressed it against a metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue arc of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs.

AWESOME!!! NOW WE ARE TALKING!!

(Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave. Oh well, collateral damage I guess.)

Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself (First big mistake) that it couldn't be all that bad with only two triple-A batteries, right?

There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target; I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie(second big mistake) but thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised. Am I wrong?

So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, and taser in another. The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water. Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries.

All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5” long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference; pretty cute really and (loaded with two itsy, bitsy triple-A batteries) thinking to myself, 'no possible way!'

What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best...?

I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side as if to say, 'Don't do it dummy!' Reasoning that a one second burst from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad. I decided to give myself a one second burst just for heck of it. I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and . .

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD . . . WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION . . . WHAT THE HELL!!!

I'm pretty sure Jessie Ventura ran in through the side door, picked Me up in the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again. I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs.

The cat was making meowing sounds I had never heard before - clinging to a picture frame hanging above the fireplace, obviously in an attempt to avoid getting slammed by my body flopping all over the living room.

Note: If you ever feel compelled to 'mug' yourself with a taser, one word of caution: there is no such thing as a one second burst when you zap yourself! You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor.. A three second burst would be considered conservative.

IT HURT LIKE HELL!!!

A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape. My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace; the recliner was upside down and about 8 feet or so from where it originally was; my triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching; my face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs. . . I had no control over the drooling. Apparently I pooped on myself, but was too numb to know for sure and my sense of smell was gone. I saw a faint smoke cloud above my head which I believe came from my hair. I'm still looking for my testicles and I'm offering a significant reward for their safe return!!

Should have zapped the cat!

P. S. My wife loved the gift, and now regularly threatens me with it!"

 

What a great story! Thanks for the link concerning tp replacement... I think I could handle that. This is my first toughbook, and I must say it is even more rugged than I imagined. I purchased the TB for e-books, manuals, documentation, and programming equipment. It would also be nice if it had enough power to run M$ Visio, or even AutoCAD, which brings me to my next question: is the CF-29 worth the extra $$$? I currently own a Lenovo notebook, an HP TC1100 tablet PC, and an IBM Thinkpad X60s. After getting/loving the CF-28, I am considering replacing the TC1100 with a slightly newer TB. The TC1100 is way cool but almost too delicate for field work.

 

Ahhhhh Doobi... I got that email months ago.... You're a bad boy for perpetuating a hoax! We're about truth here! So anyway... I was invited to the White House yesterday....

bnewport.... yup... you screwed the pooch... you "may" need a "dryer" to try to fix that... Or just wait. You may also try a hair dryer or heat gun on low. The worse case scenario is replacement. The bad news is you'll be scared to do the swap. The GOOD news is that it isn't as bad as it looks in the schematics... AND... You can probably, maybe receive it as a donation or at VERY little cost from one of the members here. (Start looking guys... Just in case!)

Try the rior suggestions though.... Just DO NOT melt the touchpad... You want warm 100 Deg. - 120 Deg. heat! MAX!

 

Wow thanks toughbook for pointing that out to me
When I read that I though Doobi was mad at me for something and was threatening me lol


Alex

 

You mean he didn't really do it? "bnewport" my loss is your gain. In the midst of a dozen other projects I was swapping displays on a pretty decent MK3 yesterday waiting for an OS to load. I went to connect the smaller of the two ribbon cables, gave it a little push with my thumb nail, and the connector sheared right off the mobo. So I am parting out a CF-28 MK3 and have the entire touchpad with all the little bits in a ziploc bag ready to go. They are a PITA as they are glued to the palmrest with that shiny gray stuff Panasonic uses all over the place, but you can get them off if you are careful. Let me know if you want it. Any one remember who needed a battery/harddrive cover?
CAP
EDIT: Just looked at the link the mad electrician posted. It is for a CF-29 and the procedure for a CF-28 is different in that the touch pad is replaced from underneath the palm rest not from the top. You have to split the case.

 

Grav needed the bottom... I know he got one but I think he really needed two of them... You might PM him... He works long/weird hours sometimes I think...

 

Hey! I never claimed that was ME!!! Don't you see the quotes?!

I too received it via email and was laughing till my sides hurt. I could just picture Rick (Toughbook) being the one in the story!! LOL

 

Capt-

I would be interested in the touchpad- how can I contact you? Thanks to everyone for the help!

Bryan

 

bnewport,
Can I send an email via the web page you have posted?
CAP

 

bnewport... Doobi is right... it seems daunting but just take your time. As far as the keyboard connection goes... Just gingerly pull out the cable that goes into the brown-levered connection. What I do while I work on my CF-28s is to put a swath of clear packing tape across the whole opening while the keyboard is out. This keeps stuff from poking the connector and it also keeps the brown lever from falling off. It just holds everything in place. Then... When I am ready to put it all back together, I just pull off the tape. I don't stick it to the center... Just the sides.

Anyway... You'll be able to do it. If you have ANY doubt... Take some digital pics and only take it apart on a clean table with spots for screws and parts!

 

Toughbook-

The digital pic idea is a great one! I have done this with laptops in the past, but usually I forget until I already have it halfway disassembled! (Thanks for the reminder) Another method I use, is a piece of cardboard, with the screw locations punched in the cardboard to insert the screws. This way I can also write notes on the cardboard, such as which screw or circuit board comes out first, what size torx bit is required, or even notes concerning cables to be plugged back in so I don't forget.

The brown keyboard connector is the one that gave me trouble. I don't know if it is broken, because I don't know what it is supposed to look like. It is basically a "U" shape, and it doesn't seem to want to stay put. After I got the cable back in the connector, I took some 2" wide electrical tape, and taped it in place. The brown connector appears to be some kind of "wedge" underneath the cable to hold the ribbon in place? Is pressure all that holds it in, or is it supposed to snap in somehow?

Cap-

Yes, you can send an email to the address on my webpage- Thanks!

 

bnewport,
That's why we ask people to read a little here before stuff gets taken apart. Google your problem on the forum and you will find lots of info on just this problem. Trust me, the connector is broken.
CAP

email sent

 

Arrrgghhh!!! I figured it was broken when it wouldn't fit together right. That explains some of the pieces floating around in the unit. Oh well... I have a parts unit I guess... I did get a great battery, power supply, and HDD caddy. The mismatched cover screws should have been my first clue.

 

Make sure it is broken! Use a 10X magnifier and check both ends of the main (white) connector. You should see small holders for the "ears" on the brown lever. You must also make sure you have the lever oriented correctly... Look for sharpie marks! Sometimes the brown lever pops out and looks broken but isn't. This connection is the hardest part to truly understand about the CF-28... And is it's only issue. (For the servicer/modder)

 

Thanks Toughbook- I will do that. It really is a shame that such an industrial notebook has an Achilles heel like this. Did you say that the CF-29 has a different keyboard connector? I have disassembled many mechanical and electrical devices, and I always say "it goes back together the same way it came apart", but if someone re-assembled it wrong before I got to it... that is the hard part! (Not knowing what the connector is supposed to look like) Does anyone have a picture they could post of a non-broken connector and the associated parts? Or is it too small to see the details in a picture? It is possible that the ribbon cable is not making connection on all pins... I read an excellent suggestion on here about making a rectangle piece with a slot in the middle, and a folded tab to hold the cable in place. I don't remember whose idea it was, but it was genius! I may attempt to make one of these.

This was my first time disassembling a CF-28, so it is definitely a learning experience. I appreciate all of you sharing your knowledge. Sometimes the best lesson is learning what not to do! It sure is easier learning from others experiences and/or mistakes. (Too bad some of the guys I work with never learn!)

 

That would be Teo, forum name "ohlip", he has his moments.
CAP

 

I'll load a shot in a sec... I just snapped a few...

Here you go... I hope this helps...

 

There is nothing wrong with that connector as long as the brown clip is still intact. The part that retains it is the ratcheting ridges on the bottom of the clip. The trick is to hold it at the correct angle while pushing in the ribbon cable. It is tricky but it can be done.

 

Thanks for the pics! I will have to check the connector... it may be broken, but I don't remember.

 

I have a dental pick kind of instrument that I carefully-gently put under to lift that clip up and so far have not had a problem. I have only removed about 8-10 keyboards though. I guess my time is coming...

 

I am surprised that no one manufactures a "connector repair kit" like the one Ohlip designed...

 

I can do that! but it depends on demand



ohlip

 

I've done a bunch... and swapped hundreds of keyboards... I only broke the first one. If you treat it gently and with resect... It will work. I just slowly pull out the ribbon cable when the clamp is still down and then lift it up with my fingernail when it is time to go back. I slide the ribbon cable in then I gently push down on both sides of the top of the brown lever to finish up.