So I got a new CF-M34 Mk1 and cant install windows xp/98

I got another toughbook this week. This time its a

CF-M34 mk1 (Celeron 300Mhz)

I want to install windows xp or win 98se, tried a lot of things, but everytime the CF-M34 gives me the

Missing NTLDR error, or just no operating system message.

I have no CD-rom and also NO diskdrive. I do have the docking base.

I tried the following things:

- updated the BIOS to the latest version:cfm34_mk1_w2k_v151l15
- updated the EC with Version L0111120 - cfm34_mk1_w2k_ecupdate

- Installing Windows 98SE on another laptop and then re-insert the harddrive into the CF-MK34 = result : no OS found or a blinking cursor in the top left screen
- Installing Windows XP sp1 on another laptop and then re-insert the harddrive in the CF-mk34 = result: also no os/ or a blinking cursor in the top left screen
- formatting the harddrive on another laptop by using the Windows 98SE cd-rom, and then Format C:/S
after trying this on the CF-mk34 = result = damn no os found.

as i have no diskdrive, nor a cd-rom drive, i hope that some folks on this forum know the magic trick to get my CF-MK34 mk1 the ability to run Windows XP.

PS: I am looking the internet / google for 3 days, read forums etc for more as 50 hours. tried the above methods , and still no result.

As i am not even able to get to the DOS-prompt of Windows 98 when the harddrive is inside the M34, i am not even able to do an install from a D: partition with a copy of windows xp on it.
( yeah , life sucks sometimes....)


I hope that anybody knows the solution to this.

 

Try this...
Install MS dos on another laptop, once installed copy the i386 folder off the OS you want to install. Move the HDD to the m34, boot ms dos and execute setup from the i386 folder..

It does work,, hope this helps and u are successful..

 

Is the hard drive set to master?
Does the bios recognize the hard drive at all?
Will the hard drive boot to a DOS prompt? (Stand alone version such as 5 or 6)
What is the boot sequence set to in the bios?

 

I have about 20 difrent harddrives around. The harddrive is recognised in the BIOS. The boot sequence is C: / A:

harddisk is master.

I now am working on it, and got a 6 gig harddrive boot into DOS.

It seems, that if i use only 1 huge partition, that that the MK34 recognises it and boots to DOS.

If i make 2 DOS-partitions, where C: is also bootable into dos-prompt, the CF-34 doesnt boot the harddrive.

All times i use FAT32

I have now format a 6 gig harddrive, made 1 partition of 4 Gig, while not paritioning the remaining 2 gig. Used Sys C:/S

now copying windows XP onto the C: partition using the hard-drive in another laptop (Compaq Armada 1700).

Will check it out. And keep you informed if it works.

In the end we might have a working tutorial how to install Windows XP on a MK34 that doesnt have diskdrive or CD-rom.

-Update: After copying windows XP on the only partition of 4 gigabyte, and re-inserting the HD into the CF-MK34, the laptop only shows:
no valid operating system / or operating system missing.

 

do you have external cd rom? if you do, check out smart boot manager on sourceforge. it should let you boot from floppy and then use the cd rom.

otherwise: partition the whole drive as 1 partition, format (make bootable), copy i386 folder (the whole folder, not just the files) over and try again.

I had a fujitsu point 1600 that did this very same thing,and never did figure out why. It would only boot if I used the recovery cd's. what a pita!

 

It seems that my MK34 doesnt like multiple partitions. It wont boot. But if I format the whole harddrive into one partition, then my MK34 does boot.

Now i am following your advice "partition the whole drive as 1 partition, format (make bootable), copy i386 folder (the whole folder, not just the files) over and try again."

i prefer to have a 2nd partition to keep my important files. But anyway, if the install only works with 1 partition , then i just have to use a micro-USB memory stick for my important files.

 

I just started messing with this model myself. I have a CF-17 (same as CF-m34 just black) 300mhz with dock, floppy and few other accessories. I also got this eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices If I didn't miss read here on the forum I think this is the non-panasonic branded CD drive that will work on the CF-17/M34. It may be worth checking into. I haven't tested mine out yet, but can check it or the floppy out if needed for testing booting combos.

 

Thanks for the hint ADOR, about the USB CD-rom drive. I suppose, that the CF-M34 was installed in the factory, or so, by using an USB CD-rom drive ?

So, if i have a USB CD-rom drive for my MK34 (Mk1 - celeron 300Mhz), then it boots ? or not ? In the BIOS there are only these boot options:

A:
C: / A:

(there is no USB-cd rom or lan boot option available)

 

interestingfellow, i did what you told, and windows XP installed for the 1st part.

Then a message came on the screen after copying 100% of the files to the HD (i started the install on the MK34 from the HD copy of Windows XP) , that part 1 of the MS-DOS install was finished, press enter (or whatever) to reboot.

I did, the MK34 rebooted and what happens ?

The unforgiven black screen with the message

"MISSING NTLDR", so no continueing of the XP install.....

yeps.

now i am trying your routine again , interestingfellow, but this time with Windows 98SE.

i keep you updated.

anyhow, if other members have a solution for this install problem, please comment.

 

I will have this netbook I am replacing the screen on off the work bench soon. I will see if I can get it to boot from a cd on my CF-17 if not cd I will see if I can find one of my boot floppys and go from there at least we will know the floppy works.

 

I have now Windows 98SE running on my CF-M34.

I format the hardrive full (with only 1 partition). did a format C:/S

after that i connected the harddrive with a external hardrive enclosure , to the USB port of laptop 2.

copied the whole Windows 98SE cd-rom onto the drive.
also copied an windows 98 USB driver , to use an usb drive.


re-inserted into the CF-m34

started winnt.exe in the i386 directory from the DOS prompt.

It installed windows 98SE (takes about 30 mins time)

and voilas. Runs 100%

Except : Unknown device in the device configuration of windows 98se.

The comming days, i keep trying to install windows xp on this machine.

 

There should be a copy of the ntldr file in the i386 directory. Try copying it to the root directory on your c: drive. Also copy ntdetect.com to the root directory as well then try rebooting.

 

Ah, yes: the "Hard Disk Installation Method;" done it many times in the past.

If you will post the complete Model Number (such as: CF-M34xxxxxx) it will aid us in helping you correct the "UD" in the Windows 98SE System Device Manager tab.

Keep this in mind:

System requirements for Windows XP operating systems
This article was previously published under Q314865

The minimum hardware requirements for Windows XP Home Edition are:

•Pentium 233-megahertz (MHz) processor or faster (300 MHz is recommended)
•At least 64 megabytes (MB) of RAM (128 MB is recommended)
•At least 1.5 gigabytes (GB) of available space on the hard disk
•CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
•Keyboard and a Microsoft Mouse or some other compatible pointing device
•Video adapter and monitor with Super VGA (800 x 600)or higher resolution
•Sound card
•Speakers or headphones

For more information about system requirements for Windows XP Home Edition, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

Windows XP - Microsoft Windows (Windows XP - Microsoft Windows) For more information about Windows XP Home Edition, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
Windows XP - Microsoft Windows (Windows XP - Microsoft Windows)

The minimum hardware requirements for Windows XP Professional include:

•Pentium 233-megahertz (MHz) processor or faster (300 MHz is recommended)
•At least 64 megabytes (MB) of RAM (128 MB is recommended)
•At least 1.5 gigabytes (GB) of available space on the hard disk
•CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
•Keyboard and a Microsoft Mouse or some other compatible pointing device
•Video adapter and monitor with Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution
•Sound card
•Speakers or headphones

For more information about system requirements for Windows XP Professional, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

Windows XP - Microsoft Windows (Windows XP - Microsoft Windows)

For more information about Windows XP Professional, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
Windows XP - Microsoft Windows (Windows XP - Microsoft Windows)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
APPLIES TO
•Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
•Microsoft Windows XP Professional

 

Hi TopCop1988, i got 2 numbers:

underneath the battery is : CF-M34T42AA2

but outside on the bottom cover is another one: CF-M34TZ2AZZ

the machine has a Celeron 300Mhz processor, 192 MB SD-ram, 6.5 gigabyte harddrive, internal 56K modem , NO lan. USB 1.0

i also have the Port-Replicator : CF-VEB341

 

The early two CF-17 and one CF-M34 I have won't recognize the CD drive during boot. Both will see the factory Panasonic floppy drive. This was trying it from the usb port on the dock as the early CF-M34/17 I have don't have a usb port. I also have two later M34's 700mhz they have one usb port. The CD drive wouldn't work with them either. I couldn't use the dock with the 700mhz units as they wouldn't power up in the dock. The cd drive (Teac cd-210pu) wouldn't even light up on the toughbooks. It reconized, power light on in my Alienware M9750. Still wouldn't read a CD though.

 

I just made some boot disks for a buddy of mine who had that problem

floppy and usb cdrom>boot from floppy>tell it to then boot from cdrom>carry on with install of whatever.

check out smartbootmanager. For us windows users, copy the sbm.bin file out of the \install\ directory of your favorite copy of ubuntu.
then use ntrawrite.exe (available at sourcforge) to write that bin to your floppy.

then use that floppy to boot in the target machine, and then tell it to use the cdrom.

does it work? i don't know. but it's the solution that kept coming up in google. My friend hasn't gotten them in the mail yet, so he can't tell me if that process works.

 

Perhaps a hard drive overlay. The most popular used to be disk manager.

Dynamic_drive_overlay

discwizard

drive overlay

 

I didnt have any more time to test another Windows XP install, but to awake this topic a little bit : Are there any more people who succeed in installing Windows XP on a CF-M34 (Mark 1) Celeron 300Mhz machine ?

Yesterday i surfed the net till 4 o clock at night, and found several websites describing to use the USB CD-rom. What i learned from it, is that Mark 2 (the Pentium III - 400Mhz) can boot from USB diskdrive, and that the MK3 and above can even boot from USB memory stick.

Sadly, my MK1 can only boot from the original diskdrive that has to be connected to the dockingbase. I do have the dockingbase, but as i told before, i DONT have the diskdrive.....

So, any more hints about this topic ?

 

Did you find this site?

Mod your CF-M34 to boot from a USB Flash Drive !

Did you find this site?

External flopphy for CF-M34

Also; check the WTB thread accompanying this posting:

FOLLOWUP

BTW: this is the drive that works with the dock:

CF-VFDU01
[/

 

I tried 2 external diskdrives on the Cf-M34, a Toshiba external diskdrive, and an IBM external diskdrive. The connectors of the Toshiba and IBM diskdrives fitted right into the dockingbase of the M34, but didnt boot an MS-DOS 6.2 bootable floppy. I can buy a TEAC FD-05 PUB external USB diskdrive for about 30 - 35 euros, but i am not sure if it also works on the Mk1 CF-M34.

Also found an older topic of this forum : http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/204655-booting-usb-floppy.html

where tough-2-go wrote : "The CF-17/CF-M34 MK1 Celerons only can boot with the CF-VFDU01 and requires a port replicator."

 

@TopCop1988
John, Did I include the CF-VDU01 in the CF-M34 stuff I sent you? I had one but can't find it. I will never need it again and would part with it if I still have it.
CAP

 

Well, Cap; I guess I'll have to dig the box out of storage (if it wasn't one of the many things stolen when my storage unit was burglarized <> : still trying to determine just what is gone ) and open it to see (put it away for future use w/o opening it).

 

Open each and see what Make/Model floppy drive is actually inside.

You are looking for a Teac FD-05HG 8833-U.

That may house the Teac FD-05HG 8833-U drive; but you would have to buy it, open it and see, to be sure.

 

Hi Topcop1988, i opened the external diskdrives, and swapped several Teac diskdrives etc.etc.

Heres my result:

Concerning the external diskdrives adapters i used, that are not-Panasonic branded, these are the typenumbers (they did NOT boot DOS 6.2/6.22 with the Cf-M34 ....)

Compaq Computer FDD Adapter 310415-001 J9015
IBM fru nr: 05K6187 asm nr : 05K5907
Toshiba FDD attachment case : model no PA2611U serial no 97279463

I also swapped the 3.5 inch drives among the above 3 adapters.

I tried these TEAC drives:

TEAC FD-05HG 5718
TEAC FD-05HG E-H012-01-1160(B)
TEAC FD-05SLHG 00-U (originally used in the above IBM 05K6187

I even swapped an external diskdrive for the PAnasonic CF-72 with the 3 external diskdrive adapters mentioned above.

Result: Only the IBM ext diskdrive adapter made some noises. At boot of the CF-M34 it also made a head-seeking noise, as if it was going to boot. But it didnt boot the MS-DOS 6.2 disk i used for testing in the end.

When in Windows 98SE , i tried to look at the A: drive, with no result.

I found a shop that has the Original Panasonic CF-VFDU03 external USB floppy drive for sale, for only 9,95 euros. But i dont know for sure, if it will work with my CF-M34 (mark 1 Celeron 300Mhz) system.

Yeah, seems that i have still a long way to go, until i have a working Windows XP install....

 

If that shop is local, drag your M34 and a boot disk up there and ask'm if you can give it a shot real quick.

They might let you, just for the cool factor?????
Good luck!

 

The 03 is a USB drive and, like you, I don't know if the Mk1 will recognize it or not.

But as interestingfellow noted, if the seller is close, "Try Before You Buy"

 

So, today, after several days of testing and not much sleep, i finally got WIndows XP installed and working on my CF-M34 (mk1).

This is what i did to make it happen:

1 - remove the harddrive that is inside the CF-M34 and put it in another computer/laptop. Then FDISK it to one big partition. Then format C:/S (with a windows 98SE bootdisk or cd-rom)
2 - insert harddrive with win98SE system boot files back into the M34.
3 - FDISK again and make one whole partition (This 2nd time has to be done on the M34 instead of part 1, that has to be done on another laptop/computer)
4 - remove harddrive again, insert in other laptop/computer.
5 - format C:/S
6 - copy the whole Windows 98SE and Windows XP disks onto the harddrive in 2 maps (example Win98SET and WinxpSET)
7 - copy himem.sys and smartdrive.sys to C:
8 - make a small config.sys file with "DEVICE=C:\himem.sys"
9 - re-install harddrive into the M34
10 - go to the directory where the copy of the Windows 98SE cd is, and type setup. Install Windows 98SE. (use the minimum install option, for saving some time)
11 - (its is handy to also have copied the videocard driver to the harddisk beforehand) - install the videodriver for Windows 98SE aswell.
12 - When windows 98SE is running, use file-manager and go to the directory where the copy of Windows XP is.
13 - start setup.exe
14 - install Windows XP (choose upgrade)
15 - It takes a very long time to install Windows XP, (more as 2 hours)
(update: i tried the above procedure on another 20 gigabyte harddrive and the install of Windows XP took 1 hour)

but the result is

16 - A working Windows XP on the little Panasonic Toughbook CF-M34.

And i am now a happy camper. hehehe.

 

Glad to hear it worked out for you. On my CF-17 I tried the Plop boot manager in the floppy drive and on the usb port I put the special cd drive I bought for it plugged into the port replicator. Under Plop I chose boot from usb and it will now power up and spin the cd drive but that's it. I have plugged this drive into another computer and it recognized it but still won't boot. Not even on a later mark CF-M34. I think I just got a bad drive. I looks like later on I will be doing that to get a OS on it, but I am going with linux.

 

Ador, or you can try the above procotol that i described. It works, and i bet that it also works on your CF-17 and M34.

I trade laptops for fun, have about 150 laptops in storage. I sleep with laptops. MY workbench is next to my bed. I dream laptops. haha.

Anyhow, i'm going to try the same install on my other CF-M34 in a couple of days. When the above procotol works, it would be handy , to make a special CF-M34 sticky for it, with just the protocol to install Windows XP on it.

I am too lame to make a special website for it.

I dont have any experience with linux, except for the CD-rom Ubuntu version. (that looks nice, but needs lots of ram, that small pentium 1 32 mb laptops dont have.})

 

I can shove in my pendrivelinux (based on Mandrivia 2007) usb drive in it an it will boot from that if I use the Plop boot manager. I have been trying to get the cd drive to work as I have 3 others Mk2 and M4 ( i think, 700mhz machine) that I am also working on. I use to mess with Mandriva some several years ago hence the 2007 mandrivia but still had issues with getting certain wireless to work so I stopped using it for a while. And played with DSL, DAMSMALLLINUX some. I am working on putting DSL on the CF-17 and CF-25 (the floppy and cd drive for it came in yesterday)(150mhz Mk2) I started messing with it again since the "Ubuntu 10.10 is this the toughbook version" thread. I keep 10.10 close by since then. For less ram usage look at other ubuntu like xubuntu, lubuntu. They are made for older system and use less resources, but can still use the repositories for updating. My goal is to have a custom rom of DSL that will work with 2100 and 2200 wireless and get everything else I can working to put up for anyone who needs it to use.

I am always up for trades, PM me, lol.

 

I need windows xp on the CF-M34 (mk1) for :

- compatiblity with some newer games that dont use 3D cards
- reading E-books (loving the touchscreen)
- wifi (always nice in Dutch Mc-Donalds or Central Station Utrecht)

i cant get my touchscreen working with xP.

Can somebody post a link to a working driver for my touchscreen ?

Thanks in advance. The rest works. yeah !

I dont plan to multitask with this slow 300MHz machine. Just e-mail (wifi), some games, and e-books (PDFs).

Ohm, and i bought 2 of this CF-M34s for 30 euros. (real bargain !)

 

Here all the drivers you need buddy...
http://www.toughbookdrivers.com/drivers/cf-m34/index.php?dir=CF-M34 MK1/

 

I installed the tpdd3000 touchscreen driver for Windows XP. At first the touchscreen didnt work. I then changed the port to 4 and after that it worked.

Thanks paddydazer for the driver link you posted. Very handy for all my toughbooks i have.

 

Since i succeeded in installing Windows XP on my CF-M34 (mk1) i downloaded several touchscreen games, that are fun to play. I also use my M34 for making drawings with several paint-programs. I noticed that the touchscreen of the M34 works better as the one i have on my 3 CF-28s.

I am now looking for a working battery for this system. I found a Dutch manufacturer that refurbishes battries and they ask 75 euros for a refuribished 11v 4500mAh battery for my M34. I might buy one from them, but i also think about just buying a CF-18 (mk1) with a working battery (1-2 hours) for 130 euros instead of spending 75 euros on the M34 that only has a 300MHz Celeron inside.

 

for the battery, you can get cheapo 18650 lipos from fleabay, and repack it yourself for about $20.

LIPOs CAN BE DANGEROUS. PLEASE BE INFORMED BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT WORKING WITH LIPO BATTERIES.
THIS IS AT YOUR OWN RISK AND I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING THAT GOES WRONG
or right​

 

Are you sure that you can repack a m34 battery? Many people on the forum have tried repacking Toughbook batteries with no success. The circuitry stores the battery condition and needs to be reset. No one hear has figured out how to reset it. The circuitry still thinks the new cells are junk and won't charge.

 

Thanks shawn for the experience hint. I was thking about buying some cells to recell it , they cost 6 $ a piece, thats 36 $. But i can also buy a working re-furbished m34 battery for 75 euros.

and also, a 3rd thing i think about, is just spending 250 euros for a working CF-19 with working battery. But i prefer the CF-M34, why ?

its old
its old
and its smaller
and it can work with windows xp
and it can play my 2d games

anyhow, thanks shawn for the hint. If nobody ever suceeded to re-program the electronics, i might go for the 75 euros refuyrbished battery.

thanks Shawn for the hint, i didnt read that after 2 weeks google ....

Info from a guy who knows. i respect that, shawn, and also TopCop1988.

Thanks !

 

Umm...

First off, 18650s are Li-Ion, NOT Li-Po. Different chemistry, and if you try to charge them using a Li-Po charger, you'll reduce their life to 20-30 cycles.

Secondly; unless you buy USED, which case the condition of your cells is a GREAT BIG ???, 18650s are NOT cheap. 2 or 3 name brand cells will cost $20 with shipping unless you buy the UltraFire/TrustFire/BSFire branded ones which are NOT good for use in pack building; they have near-zero quality control and the capacity ratings are typically as much as 2x-3x higher than actual. The BS level with these batteries is so bad it's a running joke on the flashlight forums.

They're OK for use in Flashlights, where you use one or two cells at a time & there is no battery monitoring involved; rebuilding a pack is another story altogether. Name brand cells typically come matched at least to box lot level at no more than 5% variation; THIS is what you pay for, not just the overall quality of the cells.

You NEED this kind of matching for cells to rebuild a pack; the *Fire branded ones do NO MATCHING at all, so out of 20 cells, you may get a 20-40% variation in actual capacity, AND you'll get discharge curves which vary widely enough even among cells with the same capacity to trip the "bad cell" detection in any smart battery pack (Yes, even the venerable CF-34 uses a smart battery pack which will have this feature; it is required as a safety function).

Nowadays you can use an RC hobby battery charger to plot the charge curves and match these generic cells; there are dozens on the market which will connect via USB to your PC and give you a comparison chart. Depending on the model and how many cells they'll handle at once they run from $80-250, and then you'll need to build a battery jig to hold the cells while you do your testing. Not exactly cost-effective for rebuilding a single laptop battery unless you're already in the hobby.

If you've used these cells to rebuild a laptop pack and it worked, you got lucky; I know many who were not. There's no way to know if someone else will be able to replicate your work, and there's no way of knowing how long it will work if it does work.

mnem
*Charged*

 

WHOAH!
Sorry....you did get charged up there. Pardon my ignorance. After some quick googling, I see they are both polymer lithium ion, and similar in chemistry, but you are correct, very different.

My bad. And actually, I got more from your rant right then, then a couple posted questions I've asked in the past (here or elsewhere, I can't recall), so

Thank you.

Adjustment made.

 

It's Okay; I didn't get mad, I just wanted to make sure this poor guy didn't go and spend $20-$30 on the cheap batteries and not understand why it turned "RED LIGHT" on his machine after 5 min. charging.

When I say charged, I only meant that I run rechargeables in EVERYTHING I can put them in; even (actually, ESPECIALLY) my kids toys. I've learned a LOT about LI-ION & LI-PO batteries over the last few years; even since we were trying to rebuild the newer packs with the FOAD chip in them. Still don't have a lead on software and interface that will reprogram the chip tho.

mnem
*FOAD Warrior*

 

Thanks for all the info, again ! I now dont buy the batteries to rebuilt the accu.

Does anybody know what the difrences are between an CF-M34 Mk1 with a 300Mhz celeron and a CF-M34 with a 400Mhz celeron ? Does the 400mhz machine has a better graphic chip, or are there more difrences ?

 

I am not sure about the MK1 M34 but the CF-17 I have doesn't have a usb port on the machine and the Mk2 M34 I have does have usb port as the later models do.

 

Minor update, concerning difrences between the Cf-M34 mk1 (Celeron 300Mhz) and the mk2 (Celeron 400Mhz)

videocard = Neomagic 2.5MB vs Lynx 4EM+ (4mb)
CPU = Celeron 300Mhz vs Celeron 400Mhz with SSE
mini-pci = mk1 doesnt have a mini-PCI holder / mk2 does have one mini-pci holder. The mini-pci holder can be exchanged from a mk2 to an mk1.

Minor update 2: concerning installing an OS onto a CF-m34
After you have a working OS, you can use Symantec Ghost (from the Hirens Boot CD) to make a ghost image.. The re-install of a Ghost image only takes 4 minutes for a 6.5 harddrive, instead of 40 mins during the install method i described earlier in this topic.

3) the CF-M34 400Mhz uses a Toshiba LTM08C343P 8.4" TFT PANEL (also used by the CF-48)

 

Rock on, we will see about adding this to the guide. You can post it if you want, or I can add it up top.