Installing Windows XP for CF-19 - The problem with sata drivers!

This is driving me mad! I have done so much, 3 days already and I am still wondering how the heck it is possible to finish this.

My model is CF-19EH***** (MK1).

I have got IDE to USB adapter which I am using for windows xp installation cd-rom and it works just fine plus I have got also USB floppy drive which CF-19 recognizes as well without problems. Here's what I have already tried, not once but several times:

- CD-rom installation from CF-19 + floppy for sata drivers = gives me error "Setup cannot copy file: iastor.sys"

- CD-rom Installation from SATA desktop computer + floppy for sata drivers, complete installation. = Blue screen, fatal read error when booting from CF-19

- CD-rom Installation from SATA desktop computer + floppy for sata drivers, plugged into CF-19 after the first part of installation is completed (restarts) = Blue screen, fatal error when booting from CF-19

- Booting from USB stick: I have tried two different sticks, one is recognized by CF-19 and other one is not. The one which is recognized, CF-19 freezes when it tries to boot from stick (the underline blinking forever).

- Using nLite. I have already included sata drives into XP installation but I don't know how to create booting cd-rom from folders/files that would work and I already wasted 3 cd-roms because none of them were booting after burning, even thought I used programs which specifically were for creating Booting cd-roms.


Funnily enough, in CF-19, Windows XP installation won't recognize floppy drive unless I first put boot disk and then after it starts loading, I take it away immediately and then it continues loading from cd-rom. Without doing that, WinXP installation says it didn't find any drives to load external sata drives.

When installing from my desktop computer, there's no problems with the sata drives installed from external floppy drive but when it's done at CF-19 it always gives me the error that it can't copy the iaStor.sys file. I have tried both the sata driver packet from offical panasonic site and other one from intel.

I am not new user and I am fairly familiar with all these stuff but so far none of the tricks that I can search and find from various forums are helping me at all.

p.s is there GPS in CF-19EH*** model?


EDIT: Finally I managed to burn working boot cd-rom with nLite including the sata drivers! BUT! This is so ridiculous. After complete installation of winxp, I only get the damn same blue screen STOP error right when the windows XP logo starts. This is what I have faced so many times: I finally overcome some problem but then it creates me another problem!

 

Hello cf27 user - I'm reading your post and wondering couple of things-your complete cf-19 model number?
Please look at this link for a possible fix to your dilema:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/390478-reinstalling-xp-panasonic-cf-19-a.html
I have factory restore disks for my mk 2 cf 19 so do not understand your pain, but know there is more than one way to skin a cat. Were things up and running and then you put a new hard drive on or did you just get this toughbook?
A quick fix is to look for factory restore disks to get you up and running. Please let us know how you make out.

 

Hi. The model is CF-19EH203TW. I bought it from ebay and it contains original hard drive.

Good news! I finally... and finally, was able to install and run WinXP without blue screens. It was because I forgot to format hard drive and instead just installed windows over the errored installation.



But LOL! Again another issue.... Serious issue! Every time when I am folding the screen into tablet mode, the computer just tilts and usually a pink squared spot appears into the middle of the screen!!! Does this mean the screen connectors are broken or something like that?

Interestingly enough, if it does not crash during the folding or after that, it's about 80% probability that the crash occurs when I clasp the metal clip!

THIS IS SO UN-F*CKING-BELIEVEABLE!!! So much effort went to installation, only to find out this is broken unit!!!!????

 

Hi from a fellow Finnish CF-19 owner! :hi2:

Do bear in mind that I'm no hardware guru or anything, but your issue does sound somewhat serious to me...if I may ask, how much did you pay for it and what was the seller's history like? I'm thinking that if the computer was exceptionally cheap or if the seller's account was relatively new or if they had quite a bit of negative feedback, it might indicate that not everything is quite right.
I've bought quite a few laptops online and usually I've had no or very few issues, but some laptops have had more issues than others (i.e. BIOS passwords, mouse "drifting" and other things the sellers just "forgot" to mention).
If, on the other hand, the seller was a reputable individual or company with prior history in selling Toughbooks, maybe you could contact them for assistance?

The model number is quite an interesting one! This is pretty much everything I was able to dig up about it:
Generation (Mark): Mark 1
Integrated options: Bluetooth, no Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
WWAN: EVDO RevA Sprint (Upper: WWAN, Lower: GPS)

Given the numbers in the model number, I'm guessing that that particular Toughbook was custom-built for a specific company or government; at least that's what the numbers mean in CF-29 model numbers. My CF-29HTT40BG was built for Deutsche Telekom.
However, I haven't seen the letters T and W in the context of operating system and region (the second-to-last letter in the model number indicates the OS and the last one indicates region). It certainly would be interesting to find out more specs about this particular Toughbook...

Let's hope you'll figure out the problem soon!

 

The seller is french who sells quite a lot of toughbooks even currently and have good reputation. I am still waiting for his response for my problem. The CF-19 I have got is french as well (azerty keyboard and french words). I won this only for 288 euros.

So are you saying, this CF-19 contains GPS? I didn't find it in BIOS.

Also, sorry for my rant for anyone who feels offenced. It's only because I can't describe even by words how extremely frustrated I am since I really worked with this laptop already for over +12 hours only because of the difficulties with sata drivers, and now this very serious issue appeared. Also I am so disappointed because I was so excited and waited so much for getting this (I already planned what I am going to use CF-19 for) and what I got were problems after problems, one after another like a curse.

I can still use it in laptop mode without problems but I specially wanted to have such fantastic combination of both laptop and tablet, so this is really serious disadvantage for my use.

 

Have you installed all the drivers for the 19...about 20+ of them ?

 

It sounds like you have a running open on the harness or maybe an open cable that slightly touchess the ground system of the unit when in it is on tablet move. It happen coz cable has probably created tension and open overtime. Check that out and let me know what you have found. If it is, Its time to look for a replacement LCD harness of the unit.

ohlip

 

Yes I have, all of them.

 

And how do I check it?