Panasonic Toughbook CF-51ECMDBBM Newbie....Help!

Hey everyone, i just purched a CF-51 GAMDAKM and i already know i can upgrade the RAM to 2gb, but i am not sure about upgrading the processor. Ive looked at numberous websites, tried browsing through this one even. One site said to go off the 5th character, others said use the first. im confused now. What is the best processor i can install on this model???? i believe its a 479 socket and thats all i know. Please help!

 

There is a link to an article either here or more likely in the CF51 area in Toughbooktalk.com. I'll take a look.

Edit: Here's a source.

51G = Pentium M 1.6GHz Centrino. The socket is crucial.

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=27236

Using ebay as a search engine I found this. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-Penti...ted-/170779205132?pt=CPUs&hash=item27c33bde0c

 

Thanks Sadlmkr. So it is a 51G then? awesome. Is the link to the ebay item the best type available for this model? i know its the older one.

 

I can't answer that, it's an example I found. Key points are Pentium M and the socket. Another way is to read the info from the top of your cpu and research that. Something like SL7SL.
There's a lot of info in here. ~Toughbook Talk~ Toughbook Discussion • View topic - CF-51 Intel CoreDuo 1.66GHz to Intel Core2Duo T7200 /400/600
toughasnails will jump in here when he gets home from work I imagine.

ador is a good source. Found here. http://forum.notebookreview.com/8329089-post200.html

 

But one thing to remember is your model is a 400 MHz FBS model. The model I was talking about is a 533 MHz FBS model.

Lets take a look at yours Processor 725, 1.60 GHz400 MHz FBS
By looking at the chart in the link provided by Sadlmkr this is what we have.

1.6 GHz 2 MB 400 MT/s 16× 0.988–1.34 V 21 W Socket 479

Your options look like the 725, 735, 745, 755 and 765

I am not sure if your motherboard will handle the 533 MHZ FBS speed. If it will it does open up more options for you, but if you ram is slower than 533 MHZ than your ram will be holding you back.

Also some of the older 400 MHZ machines has smaller heat sinks.

There is a pinmod you can do to over clock the chips but that is only available on 915 Intel based motherboards. Your motherboard is a Intel 855GM chipset so I think you are stuck at 400 MHZ FBS

I only picked the cheapest buy it now's, but now you know what to look for.

Intel Pentium M 735 Laptop CPU SL7EP Processor 1.7GHz 400MHz 2MB TESTED | eBay

eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

Intel Pentium M 755 2.0Ghz SL7EM RH80536GC0412M CPU | eBay

Intel SL7V3 Pentium M 765 2.10 GHz 400 MHz 2 MB sSpec SL7V3 Q436A257 2100/2M | eBay

 

Told ya he was a good source. (PM's notwithstanding A )

Jeff...rep to A...

 

Im new to upgrading laptops. If i get faster RAM, does that mean it would help with a faster processor? I believe it currently has 333mhz 516mb. I did plan to upgrade to 2gb at the 333mhz rate. If i get the M775 CPU with a faster rated RAM, would that be beneficial at all? Im not trying to deck it out, just get it as close to the times as i can without going crazy and getting a new board and stuff.

 

So what you have is a MK1 ( Cf-51GAMD( A/H/Q )KM ). Myself I have one MK1 that my grand daughter is using at the moment. I never got around to upgrading it.

I would look into picking up a MK3. You can do a lot of upgrading to that model...4GB memory , CPU mod Core 2 Duo 2.0mhz - 2.33mhz and to top it off with Windows 7 . I tell you it runs almost as fast as a CF-52
Jeff posted the link to toughbooktalk so we did the hard work to find out what works the best...all you have to do is DO IT...it is not hard really.

 

The main purpose i want to upgrade it a little is so i can use it in my garage when working on my toys and other peoples cars. The need to browse the web when a question arises is a must but your covered in grease and everything else. It will spend most of its time in there. I quess im going to have to wait until i physically have it and get into it to make sure the seller wasnt lying or typo'd anything. I thank you for all the help so far everyone and ill be back with more questions once i become addicted to it.

 

Faster ram will help with speed but only to what the max for your mother board is. It looks like 400mhz is the max. So if you put faster ram in it, it will work at a slower speed, but at the max the motherboard provides. So it will not allow you to run the 533 processors. (It may let you run them, but they will work at slower FBS speed so not getting any gains from them.)

If you decide to swap to a different toughbook you can reuse your caddy, battery and charger saving on price by getting a bare chassis. I would recommend if you like the CF-51 (cheapest option)

CF-51xxxxC/K/xx (Mk2)
CF-51xxxxE/Mxx (Mk3)
CF-51xxxxF/Nxx (Mk3LL)

Let's take a quick look at these models.

CF-51 Mk2
Single core 2.0 pentium M, max 2gb ram, 533MHZ FBS, ATI X300 graphics card 128 MB.

CF-52 Mk3
Dual core, core duo 2.0 32bit only, 4gb ram, ATI X1300 video card 256MB, (but have seen some on the bios page on ebay show only 128MB video memory) These can be upgraded to the core2duo making it 64 bit compatible and able to use all 4GB of the ram. ( I have one of these and still haven't upgraded the CPU and I think it still runs at a good speed compared to a lot of other dualcore's I have seen.)

CF-51 Mk3LL 1.66 core duo, 4gb ram, Intel integrated graphics. CPU can be upgraded like the above model, but the graphics are limited.

There is also another model that will work if you like this size toughbook but you can only use the harddrive and power supply from your current toughbook. The battery and caddy won't work.
CF-50, keyboards are the same, has floppy drive AND cd/dvd drive, takes cf-28 batteries ( I haven't had a chance to try out a aftermarket battery in it yet) The early models had pentium 4 CPU, the Mk3 and up models have the pentium M. I would try to get a Mk3 or later. All of the CF-50 I have are the Mk4 and I will be getting more later on as I find them for a good price. I have 4 caddy's waiting. The CPU's on these can be upgraded but I haven't popped one open to do it yet. Max ram is 1.2 or 1.5 GB depending what is on the motherboard.

CF-50D/E/F/G/H (Mk3) -- ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 32MB and 64MB models
1.4GHz OR 1.6GHz CPU

CF-50L/M (Mk4) -- ATI Mobility Radeon 9600, 64M
1.7GHz CPU

CF-50J/K (Mk5) -- ATI Mobility Radeon 9000, 64MB VRAM
1.5GHz

Even if you don't need the improved graphics a better GPU will help take the strain off of a CPU.

(some of the older models can surprise you, the CF-48 in Mk5 or 6 had a Pentium M and ATI 9000 graphics is you have a old one lying around)


( if you are in a lot of grease you may want to think about a rubber keyboard if it is a lot of grease. I got one I got to put in my daughters computer. The backlight won't work but I have been told the rest works fine. The back light is dead in the one I have for that project. Her little brother keeps popping keys off of her keyboard.)

 

and 1 more post and you will be able to PM any member...just in case you did not know this.
ADOR , this would be a great topic on TBT, you can put it here http://www.toughbooktalk.com/viewforum.php?f=13 and copy and past it. I could do it but want you to get the credit . Copy it from the 3 model numbers...great info BTW

 

Thanks alot ADOR. That was some good information for me. I got the MK1 because it was a fully assembled model at what i believe was a descent price for what i wanted to do with it. Alot of the other things i saw were expensive and didnt come with anything but the case. I will look around and see what i can do about getting an MK3 or a Cf-52 not too beat up in the short future.

 

~Toughbook Talk~ Toughbook Discussion • View topic - CF-51 Single Core Cpu Upgrade Q and A

I got the info copied over, I am sure I need to do a little tweaking on the wording later but the info is there for now.


If you get a CF-52 try to hold out for one of the ones with dedicated graphics unless you just get a killer deal. It will expand what you can do with it later on if your needs change. I like the carry handle on them alot now. I just got a compatable toughbook floppy in today so I am going to try some bios flashing tonight on a few of the toughbooks I have that need it like CF-17,CF-m34 and CF-52(think is dead bios, won't boot, still working on it from time to time)

 

ok guys, i got dome new memory i was told was compatible with my 51. it wasnt! i currently only have 512mb 333mhz DDR. I was told by a memory website that the DDR2 400mhz pc2-3200 200pin would work so i purchased a 2G set. they didnt line up correctly with the slots. What is the correct memory i need to upgrade to the max possible???

 

You will have to use the DDR ram. All of the other CF-51's except the Mk1 has DDR2. Even the Mk1LL has DDR2. You will need PC2700 DDR 333MHz for your Mk1. And since that motherboard seems to use the older hardware I don't think it can be upgraded to 2GB, not sure on that.

CF-51xxxxA/H/Qxx (Mk1) -- Intel® 855PM, 400 MHz FBS, DDR SDRAM, PC-2700
CF-51xxxxB/J/Rxx (Mk1LL) -- Intel® 855GM, 400 MHz FBS, DDR2 SDRAM, PC2-4200

you can see here where they starting changing it up for the Mk1LL.

 

according to the panasonic website, its the MK1LL model. I bought DDR2 by accident and it didnt fit. I returned it and am now awaiting the DDR ram. Also according to crucial.com and panasonic, it can handle 2gb max. I just noticed above that you have them listed, im not being an but i think its wrong. The memory in now is DDR and i believe its 333mhz. the new memory should be here tomorrow or saturday so i will know then.

My other question is now that i kno i have a 855gm chipset and 2gb max ram, what would be the best CPU for my board with a 479 socket? i found a 2.0G on ebay. it says 479 but down in the description it says 478?? It is also the pemtium M low voltage i believe. would this work? eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

 

Have a look at your cpu and write down the model of it...like on our MK3 its a T2300 (1.66) SL9DM. Then google that number and click on the intel link .On mine I get this Intel® Core? Duo Processor T2300E (2M Cache, 1.66 GHz, 667 MHz FSB) . From the page you get it will tell you everything you need to know. Clicking compatible products will show you the mother board...by clicking the drop down it will show you all the cpu's...just match up the socket # and FSB speed and that should tell you what you need to know but I would check back here just to be on the safe side .
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The one you are looking at I get this when I googled it http://ark.intel.com/products/27594/Intel-Pentium-M-Processor-755-(2M-Cache-2_00-GHz-400-MHz-FSB) so my guess you can go as high as this one I THINK http://ark.intel.com/products/27596/Intel-Pentium-M-Processor-765-(2M-Cache-2_10-GHz-400-MHz-FSB)

 

What I posted above is straight from Panasonic's site. If yours is CF-51GAMDAKM it is a Mk1 not a Mk1LL.

I have put 2GB of ram in a Mk2LL, but I am unsure if it will work in your model.

CF-51xxxxA/H/Qxx (Mk1) -- Intel® 855PM, 400 MHz FBS, DDR SDRAM, PC-2700

That is just a model break down. The 400 MHz is the FBS or Front Bus Speed not the speed of PC-2700 RAM.

Some of this posted info from Panasonic site may be wrong. On that same Mk2LL I had it shows a ATI X300 video card. It had Intel Integrated graphics on it.

I had to go back and do a little research on the socket. I was thinking All Pentium M were socket 479.

I think the guy just has it mis-listed.

"The Socket 479 has a different electrical pin-arrangement from Socket 478, making it impossible to use a Pentium M in a normal 478 board although the Pentium M fits mechanically in a Socket 478."
Socket 479 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Tomorrow I will pick up my CF-51 MK1 from my daughter and see what I have in it for memory...I thought it had 2GB in it but now I am not sure. ADOR is right when he said...info from Panasonic site may be wrong .

 

Im sorry, i thought i had posted on this thread when i actually got the cf51 in my hands. they sent me the mk1LL model but on the listing it was the MK1 model. If you said earlier that the MK1LL takes DDR2 then it may be wrong. I purchased DDR2 and it didnt even fit in the slot. I took a second look at the installed and it was DDR. My new DDR comes in the mail today and i hope it works or something is wrong with this book.As for the CPU, i will have to get into the book and find out exactly what is in it. The bios said 1.66 GHZ. and my chipset is 855 GM.

 

Ok ...So lets start over is this the model that you have now in your hands a CF-51 GAMDAKM ?? Most sellers on ebay only know 1 thing MK1 , 2 and 3...if you ask them if its a LL they would not have a clue. I have bought at least eight 51's and they were all listed as a MK3 but 5 were "LL".

Don't go by the model number on the bottom of the 51, check it in the BIOS...that is always right. I bought one that had the bottom case replaced and they never changed the tag.

 

It is a CF-51ECMDBBM. It has a 40gb HDD, now has 2GB DDR RAM, CD/DVD RW Dual layer, Windows XP SP3

 

and you got this from the bios, if so that's great, now we see what happen...myself I was still using the model number that you posted at the start of this thread...this is the first time that you posted this model number and this is how we were getting mixed up . Yes yours is a MK1LL

BUT as you can see it says DDR2....oh boy

update
I just changed the Title page to show the correct model #

 

Please post the model number and bios version from the F2 setup.

 

It sounds to me like someone replaced the bottom case...I know a while back buybest14 / 15 had a bunch that the cases were all banged up and this could be one of them

 

The ram is like that video card on that Mk2LL I had. Funny this is a few months later I seen one on ebay that was a Mk2LL looking it over good it had a ATI sticker on it and showing video memory in the bios. So there is possible there was more than one Model Mk2ll in my case. Maybe the same is for the Mk1LL.
Here is a little side by side. According to Panasonic the ram was upgraded to DDR2. BUT we know that is not what your machine takes. Everything else spec wise is the same.

CF-51xxxxA/H/Qxx (Mk1) -- Intel® Pentium® M Processor 735, 1.70 GHz
CF-51xxxxB/J/Rxx (Mk1LL) -- Intel® Pentium® M Processor 725, 1.60 GHz
CF-51xxxxA/H/Qxx (Mk1) -- 855GME integrated 32-bit 3D/2D Gfx, 250MHz
CF-51xxxxB/J/Rxx (Mk1LL) -- 855GME Integrated 32-bit 3D/2D Gfx, 250MHz
Cf-51xxxxA/H/Qxx (Mk1) -- SigmaTel STAC9753A
CF-51xxxxB/J/Rxx (Mk1LL) -- SigmaTel STAC9753A
CF-51xxxxA/H/Qxx (Mk1) -- Intel® 855PM
CF-51xxxxB/J/Rxx (Mk1LL) -- Intel® 855GM
CF-51xxxxA/H/Qxx (Mk1) -- DDR SDRAM, PC-2700-compliant
CF-51xxxxB/J/Rxx (Mk1LL) -- DDR2 SDRAM, PC2-4200-compliant
CF-51xxxxA/H/Qxx (Mk1) -- 400 MHz
CF-51xxxxB/J/Rxx (Mk1LL) -- 400 MHz

On ebay there is no telling what you will get sometimes. I spotted this as a good example.
Panasonic CF-51 Motherboard W/1.6GHz DL3UP1379AAA Complete base,palmrest, XP PRO | eBay

It is a single core CF-51 base with motherboard. According to the sticker on the bottom it is a,
Model Number:CF-51GAMDAKM
Description: Pentium M 1.6GHz (Centrino) 15"XGA, 256MB, 40GB, 56K, 1gig Ethernet, Intel 802.11b+g, COMBO drive, FDD, WIN XP
But on the front there is a ATI graphic sticker for a ATI 9600 64MB version. They don't show any CF-51 on Panasonic's site on having 9600 graphics card. The only one I have seen in writing or in my hands is the Mk4 CF-50. Now the age of that computer they did use ATI 9600 card in that time frame, and being a 64 mb version would be what panasonic used in that time frame as well. Also comparing that CF-51 in the picture with a CF-50 that has the 9600 card the chipset, soundcard, etc is virtually the same. So is it a 9600 card in a CF-51? Never really know. I have contacted the seller to get more info.

 

I appreciate the info. I couldnt figure out why my memory wouldnt work, so i looked closer and it was DDR. The DDR 2GB that i bought fit perfectly and its running fine and shows in the bios. So now that problem is taken care of. the next thing i would like to move onto is getting a better CPU.
What is the correct way to open the CF51 and get the info off the CPU so i know what i can go up to?

 

I just happen to have what you are looking for...check it out . I do have a better picture but will need to look for it but this should work for you.

 

I got a reply back from that vender. Not the full reply.

"I am 100% sure it has ati 9600 video card (64mb)
These are fully tested machines that I tear down and sell as parts on eBay."

He has 100% feed back/140 so he isn't a larger volume dealer. I think I may pick one of these up to see what they are about. Just make sure I get the right connector for the screen I know some of you had hell with that before swapping screens.

So this will open up a whole new model if this is true that is not listed on the Panasonic site.

 

There is no need to tear down the system just to see what CPU you have installed. Search for and download the program CPU-Z. Running this software will give you quite a bit of information on your system.

 

Thank you Rusty....I forgot all about that program CPU-Z - Download.com

 

Hey everyone, sorry for the long time away from this forum. I am getting ready for my next deployment. I am finally looking into getting the CPU upgraded. I have the Mk1LL still and have 2bg ram. I just downloaded cpu-z and it says that i currently have the Pentium M 725 1.6ghz with socket 479 mPGA. The chipset is 855gm. What i would like to know is if the Intel Pentium M 765 2.1ghz will work? Its the one with the most ghz for the 400 fsb and my chipset.

 

Well that's a good question... .Lets have a look...
so this is the one you have Intel® Pentium® M Processor 725 (2M Cache, 1.60A GHz, 400 MHz FSB))
this is the one you want Intel® Pentium® M Processor 765 (2M Cache, 2.10 GHz, 400 MHz FSB)) so unless I missed something I would say yes it will...same board/chipset.
I was just checking ebay SL7V3 | eBay and it would be cheaper to buy a CF-51 MK3 and put a Core 2 Duo in it. No way would I put a $100.00 cpu in a MK1 unless someone is going to give it to you. I would buy a MK3 and put everything from yours in it...almost all the parts will fit and its 10 times a better laptop...$70.00 for a MK3 and $35.00 for a T7200 cpu

 

Two things to consider is the heatsink is smaller on the 400mhz machines and going through older reviews long ago going over 2.0 added a lot more heat and it didn't have a lot more speed than staying 2.0 or smaller. Even my vintage voodoo laptops. Two are almost identical one has 2.1 the other 2.0. Even with software tests you can't really tell a difference. For 15 to 20 bucks you can get 1.8, but that isn't a big jump since the cache and FBS is the same.

If you are going to spend the money like Toughasnails said and like the 51 model get a Mk3 or Mk3ll, from the factory you get core duo 2.0 and ATI x1300 mk3 or 1.66 core duo and Intel graphics on Mk2ll, you can use your current charger, battery, caddy and hard drive.

Then when you want to upgrade later on just decide what core 2 duo you want. That will open up where these machines can fully use the 4gb ram and 64 bit operating system.

For the price of some of those CPU's you could also consider the CF-51 Mk2, CF-51xxxxC/K/xx (Mk2) .This will open up 533mhz FBS CPU slot, give you just about the best Pentium M they have (2.0,2.1,2.2 are the top three) from the factory and X300 ATI graphics.

 

Nailbanger, I agree with the rest, your money would be better invested in a Mk3 CF-51. That's is my everyday system and I would not trade it for much of anything. I have a Mk1 or two but they don't hold up next to a Mk3. Mine has the upgrade to a Core 2 Duo, quick and easy to do. That means it can run either 32 bit or 64 bit operating systems, your Mk 1 can not do that, no matter what you do to it. Other things like the fan inlet is on the back on a Mk3, not the bottom making for a better air flow. Easy to plug on the bottom. Things to think about...