New member - CF18 at last! - Ideas?

OK guys.. here goes. Ive been lurking here as a non-member for quite a while. I've been drooling over my mates CF19 for about 2 years and always wanted a toughbook.
It started for me when I saw a CF-P2 phone on Ebay and just had to have it. Its not exactly cutting edge compared to iPhone's etc, but I'd like to see an iPhone take the punishment that this P2 takes on a daily basis.
Every day i get home from work and wash it in the sink with hot water and soap.. Its an animal!

Later.. a friend offered me a CF-27 as payment for a job and I snapped his hand off. I wish I hadn't bothered to be honest. It came with Windows 98 which I don't get along with, so I installed XP. Big mistake! Used to take about half an hour to boot up!! It now runs Windows 2000 (just about) but wont accept my broadband dongle (won't install) and the serial port appears to be duff (Yes. I use serial)

Yesterday, I went into a computer shop owned by a guy that I trust and have known for about 2 years. I went in there needing a USB extension cable worth about £5. I came out with a CF-18 and some accessories! Apparently he's had it "in the back" for about 2 years and just wanted rid. He asked £100 for it as no-one else seemed interested in something that isn't a quad core running 8GB or RAM. Dead or alive that machine is easily worth more than £100 so I had it off him immediately!

As soon as I get my camera back from my sister, I will post up some pics of the machine and the accessories.

The machine:
VERY clean and is a CF-18DDAZXME. Shows on system properties as 1.10GHz Pentium (R) with 1.24GB RAM. Has XP pro installed with service pack 3 and 130GB HD.

Accessories:
Crap laptop bag (big spender)
Car (12v) power supply
Genuine CF-VCBTB1 external battery charger
Option wireless WLAN GPRS card. Wifi and mobile broadband on Vodafone (included sim card)

Stylus still there and appears to have digitizer screen. Won't work though (probably no drivers)
Brightness buttons on front work, but the others result in INSTANT BSOD and reboot loop for about 15 cycles. (again, its probably just drivers).

Your forum is TOO good and I'm suffering severe info overload! I'll get it sorted in the end though.

I will be using my toughbook as a "go anywhere" laptop and a programming / development machine for two way radios (I'm a radio amateur and self confessed radio geek).

Suggestions / comments / guidance / 1 on 1 mentoring etc very welcome!

 

Welcome to the mad house.

Sounds like you will fit right in.

Your last E would be England. I cropped the M (the last line) from the configurator.

Do you have a serial port on the beastie? I was told that some???18's used Serial port for the digitizer.

:hi2:

Jeff

 

Hi Jeff.. Its an ex-NHS machine apparently. So the England part makes sence.. The model number details that you posted up are identical to the results of the search on the forum I did earlier, although my machine seems to have had the RAM upgraded at some point.

Serial port is supposed to be on the rear left, close to the power socket according to info elsewhere on here. Mine has a blanking plate instead. Its no big deal, I have a USB to Serial adapter that seems to work for everything that I do.

I'll be making careful notes on my progress with the drivers (Digitzer and front buttons) over the next couple of days. As / when I get it sorted, Ill post my experiences up here.

Am I ok running XP Pro with the digitizer and front buttons, or do I need an XP tablet install? I've had mixed info on this so far..

 

I'm not the tablet guy....so to avoid misinforming you I'll yield to my betters.

You know if you have been reading that the drivers are available from Panasonic. I use the jp (Japan) site just cause I'm used to it.

Here, you need this. Replace TEST with your search word for this forum. If you've been here for a while you have seen it.

TEST site:forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic - Google Search

Best chance for instant gratification is a CF-18 Factory Restore disk.

 

I've read extremely detailed threads on EXACTLY what order to install the drivers etc.. That bit seems fairly clear. I was just wondering if the whole lot will actually function correctly under XP pro. I wouldn't have questioned it, but at some point I'm sure I saw a thread about XP tablet including certain components which need to be there.
On the factory restore disk.. Im lead to believe that such things are non-existent due to Panasonic pre installing everything and leaving you to it.

Again, its all no big deal.. The machine appears to run OK at the moment and has a working version of XP right now. It would just be a luxury to get the screen and buttons running as they should.

 

On the restore disk the driver files are installed and stored on the system in C:\util. If you add to this or say you get all the drivers from Pana they are installed in a file C:\util2. Part of the information from the Pana site is a rather large spread sheet with very small letters. The detailed instructions you saw all (or maybe most) were pulled from these sheets.
I recently installed a generic W7 (w/coa)disk to one of my units (CF-74J)and it worked fine and still does...I just add a file from Pana now and then (like newmisc and hotkey) for instance.
IOW it can be done piecemeal as you get to it.
If you back up anything...back up the util folders.
So the question to the forum is what's the difference between a tablet version and regular XPP? Come on....someone jump in here. I can't answer it.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/651584-panasonic-toughbook-cf-18-thread-faq.html

The info you are looking for should be in that thread.

XP tablet edition has the digitizer driver by default, but the driver can be added to XP pro. There are a few threads on this already. For the front buttons that driver can be downloaded on the Panasonic site.

 

Sent from my Note 2 using Tapatalk 2

The model number you posted is this from the bios or from the bottom of the 18 ? If not check the bios to see ir its the same.

 

Your machine will work best with Tablet. It used to be impossible to get but now: Motion Computing LE1600 LS800 Recovery Software Discs | eBay
You will of course need to install all the Panasonic drivers.
CAP

 

Thanks ADOR... I'll have a look at that this instant!

 

As per usual guys, you command, and I shall obey!
The model number I previously quoted was from the bottom of the case.
Model number as it shows in the BIOS is: CF-18DDAZXME

 

I've had a look at that listing just now.. Its not entirely clear what you are buying.. Its only upon careful scrutinization of the picture of the disk that you can see some blurred mention of "XP tablet".. If you squint..

Before I go spending any more money, I think I will try to add the drivers to XP pro (already on the machine) and see what happens. With all my electronics and radio experiments, there is a general fog of "special, magic smoke" in here already, so if the CF18 adds some more it won't make much difference!

 

Stolen from the web..

Windows Tablet PC...
This edition is intended for specially designed notebook/laptop computers called tablet PCs. Windows XP Tablet PC Edition is compatible with a pen-sensitive screen, supporting handwritten notes and portrait-oriented screens. Initially, a retail version could not be purchased separately from a tablet PC, but in August 2004 it became universally available at no cost as part of Service Pack 2 for Windows XP. Unlike Windows XP Media Center Edition which is not available in a retail or volume license form, a volume license version was also made available.

Tablet PC Edition is a superset of Windows XP Professional, the difference being tablet functionality, including alternate text input (Tablet PC Input Panel) and basic drivers for support of tablet PC specific hardware. Requirements to install Tablet PC Edition include a tablet digitizer or touchscreen device, and hardware control buttons including a Ctrl-Alt-Delete shortcut button, scrolling buttons, and at least one user-configurable application button.

There have been two releases:

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition – The original version released in November 2002.
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 – The Tablet PC version released in August 2004 (codenamed Lonestar) as part of Windows XP Service Pack 2. The 2005 edition is available as a service pack upgrade, or as a new OEM version.

Service Pack 2 for Windows XP includes Tablet PC Edition 2005 and is a free upgrade. This version brought improved handwriting recognition and improved the Input Panel, allowing it to be used in almost every application. The Input Panel was also revised to extend speech recognition services (input and correction) to other applications.
Included software
HP TC1100 tablet PC running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and Energy Blue Theme

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition is based on Windows XP Professional and includes all the software features provided in it. In addition, it includes some of the following components:

Tablet PC Input Panel
Windows Journal
Sticky Notes
InkBall
Energy Blue theme

The following downloadable packs released by Microsoft add more functionality:

Microsoft Experience Pack
Ink Art
Ink Crossword
Ink Desktop
Media Transfer
Snipping Tool 2.0

Education Pack
Ink Flash Cards
Equation Writer
GoBinder Lite
Hexic Deluxe

Technology
A Typical Tablet PC Screenshot, showing a docked TIP from Tablet PC Edition 2005 and Internet Explorer 6

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition utilizes the Ink object as a means of data input and storage. This is a data type created as part of the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition API that allows users to manipulate and process handwritten data, including recognition results and, in some cases, the pressure information for each part of the stroke. Properties of Ink can be changed in much the same way as properties of other objects, and the data can be saved to allow future reference. Many applications referencing the Ink object also allow handwritten notes to be filtered and searched through, based on the recognition results stored when Ink is saved.

Integrated with the operating system is a Tablet PC Input Panel (TIP) which allows handwriting to be converted into text for use in most non-full-screen applications. The integrated handwriting recognition in Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 can recognize print, cursive, or mixed writing. Accuracy can be increased by configuring the recognizer to expect left-handed writing or right-handed writing. Recognition in a variety of languages is available with the install of a recognizer pack. The handwriting engine cannot be trained to recognize a particular handwriting style, so the user must modify their handwriting to be better recognized by the system in order to use this feature effectively.

Speech recognition functionality is also incorporated into the Tablet Input Panel. Compared to previous versions, a substantially improved speech recognition engine version 6 (which also ships with Office 2003) and a tutorial, microphone wizard and training modules are included. It is possible to dictate text using speech in certain supported applications and control the Windows GUI and applications using speech, although the accuracy improvements further made in Windows Vista surpass these features. An update for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition containing Ink Analysis and StylusInput API support introduced in Windows Vista is also available.

 

I have that same disk. It's a two disk system. First disk is windows xp tablet edition disk (you will need your coa) the second disk are drivers for the motion computing LE1600. You won't need the second disk if you decide to reload. I have used it a few times on CF-18 digitizers to reload them. There are a few others like that from other makers as well.

 

Update:
Tried to install drivers in EXACTLY the right order, over the top of service pack 3. Computer says no.
Format, then re-install XP with service pack 2. Try the drivers again. Computer says no.

I'm getting the software keyboard (when selected with the mouse) on screen.
I can rotate the screen (using the utility and selected with mouse).

No hotkeys. No touchscreen.

I've forgotten my girlfriends name and I haven't shaved in 48 hours. Am I now a genuine toughbook owner?

 

What is the error that windows tells you?

 

I'm not getting any error messages at all. When I press the hotkeys, there is no response from the machine at all. I've been through all the applications that I can find and there doesn't APPEAR to be any way of "setting them up" as such.
The touchscreen is also non-responsive. I have two "Unknown device" entries under device manager.
I'm just Googleing the Instance ID's at this very second.

 

mat 0019 and 21? hotkey settings and newmisc are common here.

 

The touchscreen will work with the pen when you have the correct WACOM driver installed. You will have to use a mixture of digitizer / touchscreen model drivers to get everything to work right since you are using regular xp as you OS base.


You are getting there on the toughbooks, let us know when you have you second and third unit. lol.

You homework

http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/662774-digitizer-xp-pro-sp3.html

More links in the thread to read.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/325093-cf-18-drivers-buttons.html

http://www.tim.id.au/blog/tims-free-for-all-driver-guide/

 

acpi\mat001f\2&daba3ff&0
acpi\mat0019\2&daba3ff&0

Still searching and soaking information up here.. I'll get there!

 

Thank you very much.. I'm just going through it all now.
And this IS my third. I have:
Panasonic CF-P2 (tough phone)
CF-27
and now the CF-18

Where will this madness end?!?!

 

Jun 26, 2011 – Tablet PC buttons driver is MAT001F Hotkey driver is MAT0019 Misc driver is MAT0021 gleaned from this forum with Azrial's search engine.

TEST site:forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic - Google Search

Replace TEST with mat001f

That (01f) was an odd one for me as I don't work on tablets much.

These are set up I believe from the device manager. Order is important.

 

Wacom Driver has sprung the Digitizer into life! This has resulted in one of the "unknown device" entries disappearing.

acpi\mat001f\2&daba3ff&0 is all thats left to sort out..

I will EAT my CF-27 if I can't get this to work tonight!

The above came off as impatient.. I really can't thank you guys enough for the help so far.. I'm trying my best to absorb the information provided do this machine proud!

 

I just checked to see what drivers Panasonic had for the CF-18MK2 and could not find a Misc driver ?? Have you gone into device manager / unknown device / click update and then point it to the Util folder, then let it search to see if it can find the drive for you ? It always works for me

 

My bad on the 0021. It's 001f we're looking for. A little info can be found here.

 

I think that last one is the hot key driver.

 

Jeff...I though you were right, its been a long time since I had a 18 and I always had the restore disk.

 

Did you get it rocking and rolling? Or should I call Ripley's believe it or not?

 

Well.. I have it 99% complete.
The screen rotation tool works from the desktop icon
All the devices in device manager show fully installed with correct drivers.
Digitizer screen working with stylus.

Looks like I missed something with the hotkeys though, as they still don't work. The screen brightness works, but not the others.

However, I now have the machine running XP SP3 with all the updates completed, and I've been using / testing the machine for a few days. I don't miss the hotkeys at all and I really can't face going through it all again at this stage.

Perhaps I'll have another go at it when I have less projects on my plate.

In the meantime, I have also been applying some of the excellent tips and updates for my CF-P2 phone from this forum. It now has +9dB volume and a few other bits and bobs.

Many thanks for all your help guys.. I start a new job next week (vehicle recovery + diagnostics). I will be taking some pics of the toughbook reading faultcodes etc in various arduous conditions and may create some kind of thread here.

Keep up the good work!

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/325093-cf-18-drivers-buttons.html#post4236581 best one so far.