Kingston SSD on CF-30K (input/output error)

Hi,
I’m new to this forum and have spent already some time looking for a solution to my current problem, but couldn't find anything related. Hope someone can help me out, since with the help of Panasonic/Kingston support I didn't got that far.
I purchased my first Toughbook CF-30FTSAZAM (BIOS V2.00L11 / EC V2.00L11) some month ago , and since it came without any 'intestines' I decided against all odds (Panasonic approval) to go for a SSD drive as storage. The unit performed very well, running on Windows 7 Ultimate. Know I got a CF-30KAPRQ2M (BIOS V3.00L20 / EC V3.00L17) in my hands and swapped all parts over, including the SSD drive, expecting it to startup possible with some driver incompatibilities. To my own surprise it doesn't started up at all (no OS found) . Starting it with whatever Linux live distribution and looking up the status of the SSD it is actually recognized by the system (as well in the BIOS), but appears as a un-formatted drive. Trying to erase all content (using Linux gparted or Windows start up disk) I just get an 'input/output error. Since I purchased the CF-30K on Ebay with locked BIOS password I had to send it over to Panasonic to get the password removed and I guessed they would have returned the unit with the latest BIOS/EC version for an MK3. On the Panasonic support page is no newer BIOS/EC version to find. If I place the caddy with the SSD drive back into the CF-30F MK2 it works again just fine.
Has anybody an idea how to solve this problem. I really would appreciate any help on this!!!:thumbsup:

 

Could you edit that into a few paragraphs please?

I have several Kingston ssd's but I have a hard time reading your post..

Thanks

 

Hi Shawn,

sorry for my English, I hope I can put my problem in some few paragraphs.

I have two toughbooks one MK2 - CF-30FTSAZAM (BIOS V2.00L11 / EC V2.00L11) and one MK3 - CF-30KAPRQ2M (BIOS V3.00L20 / EC V3.00L17).

My storage is a Kingston SSD SV300S37A/480GB with Windows 7 Ultimate installed on it.

The SSD works great with the MK2, but placing it into the MK3 the drive appears not to be formatted and the OS doesn't start up.

Placing the drive back into the MK2 everything works normal.

A hardware test on the MK3 completes without any hardware issue and the MK3 starts up with any Linux live distribution via USB thumb drive.

Panasonic was not very helpful / Kingston just recommended to use a special erase tool and take it from there.

From the few posts I have seen on the web, the issue looks BIOS related, but I can't find any newer BIOS/EC version than the one that is already installed on the MK3.

Hope this helps so far. Please let me know if you need any other detail!

Thanks,

Peter

 

Can you post a photo of the first page of the bios in each machine?

 

Hope the screenshots help! If not, please let me know.

Thanks a lot,

Peter:thumbsup:

 

Can you take a photo of the bios of the mk3 with the ssd installed? I want to see how the bios reports the drive.

The mk3 bios made be set to IDE mode and not AHCI.

Other possibility is the mk3 doesn't play well with that particular SSD..Once in a while there is a compatibility issue.


Just a heads up, the one with the pink screen has a CCFL tube in the LCD or an inverter going bad. Probably the CCFL.

 

Hi Shawn,

how could I forget - for sure I had to place the caddy with the SSD into the MK3. Attached is the correct screenshot!

 

Hmmm..

They are both set to AHCI SATA....

Next guess..Put the drive back into the mk2...
Go into the BIOS ...Check the security page.....
I can't recall the exact details....someone else will chime in and help.....
We are looking for a security setting..TPM? maybe...something that encrypts the drive to the one laptop only..

Shawn

 

Shawn,
I'm pretty sure you are right about the security setting. On the MK2 the TPM is activated and clearing the user data will result in the loss of access to all data. I encrypted one of the partitions using bit defender and got a set of keys for the case of having to get access on another computer. For the TMP I do not have any key to unlock the drive.
The MK3 is set to use the TPM but all use data had been cleared.
I really would like to swap the drive and not go through a new installation, but if this is the only method, then I go for it. Would be great if someone knows how to get the keys for the MK2.
Regarding the hint about the CCFL tube/inverter. I swapped the best parts into the MK3, including the whole monitor. Prior to the swap both units worked without discoloration and since I always use grounding/bounding when working the hardware, so I guess it is a lose connection.

 

Probably a loose connection or just a freaky coincidence that it started to fail now...

The TPM thing may have to be cleared with the drive in the mk2......Otherwise the drive "may" be unusable in ANY other computer. I am not 100% sure of this....

 

It's not the TPM..It's a setting in the BIOS called Hard Disk Lock..

 

Hi Shawn,
honestly I put a lot of hope int the TPM issue, because it was the most logical thing, so therefore I removed today all kind of encryption and safety feature using the MK2. One of my logical partitions (used only for data) was encrypted with MS Bitlocker and I removed this encryption first. Then, since the TPM was off, but ownership taken I had to turn it on and then clear the ownership with the key file created when I setup TPM some time ago. SO right now the TPM is not active and no ownership taken, fingerprint verification, and every other possible safety feature has been removed, but I get the exact same behavior when starting up the MK3 with the SSD drive.
I used a Kali Linux live USB thump, so I could at least get some information about how the drive ()please see attached) is actually being seen by the OS and it seems to be OK! Hmm! So the next step (which I normally do not like to do) will be to erase the SSD and start from scratch or by a second SSD (maybe different manufacturer). Which SSD drive you are using? Are you using A MK3 with the same BIOS/EC as I do? Would be nice to compare prior to order something that might not work out as well! Again, thanks a lot for your work and help, I really appreciate it!

Peter

 

Do you have a setting in the security menu of the BIOS called Hard disk lock?
Make sure it is DISABLED.

I have several brands of SSD's. Intel works very well.

 

What is the squashfs section? Is that the toshiba stick or the old windows section on the ssd?
Have you tried this with DVD drive pulled?
I think a power pull reset with the stick and the DVD removed is in order.
If the DVD is at the top of the boot order and not working it may send the IO error and never try to play with the SSD.

 

Are you saying you don't own a SSD Jeff ? You gotta get one.

Peter...do you have the restore disk for the 30MK3 ? or even try a standard HDD in the MK3 and see what happens.

 

This is a hybrid ssd, 1TB, I have five or six Intel 180 and wth the bigger one is.

My meaning was a bad DVD will interrupt the boot process if the system sees it first.

From Hybrid CF-52.

J'd