The Panasonic CF-25 Information Thread

Got the link, thanks!

 

I downloaded this Flashing disk image from Bootdisk.com http://k7jo.de/tools/drdos/drdflash.exe and writed it to diskette, then I run the BIOS update setup to extract BIOS files to A:/ drive. Then I booted the diskette in my CF-25. All worked out without slightest problems. I only wish I could have option to save the original BIOS backup to floppy.

They are built to last for ages. I just hate the thin plastics creaking in most notebooks avaible. My CF-25 is used, but not abused. The MP Bay cover is missing and one hinge have chipped plastic, and some scratches on bottom.

Yes, the hard drives from that era almost all have ball bearings. I hate the IBM drives, because I have one failed in other notebook and I also got one 12GB IBM drive in disassembled condition. I managed to reassemble it back and despite dust and fingerprint grease on platters I managed to make it work again, with 1,2GB of bad blocks. But this is whole different story. The Seagate hard drive in my CF25 is only moving part making noise. In contrast to previous IBM ball bearing drives the Seagate sound is nice.

 

The only thing missing is the cover for the printer/monitor connections in the rear, and last night the pcmcia cover/door on my cf28 broke off, it had been bent/hard to close for some time now, I guess it's time to get a new one, hopefully find a cover for the cf25 too.

 

Okay, just tested the 128mb stick in my CF-25 DAM (Mk2) and it does not work.... It sees nothing but the standard 16mb. It has the "latest" 64mb bios.

btw. the 128mb stick is from a first mark CF-27. The MK1 CF-27 uses EDO ram. The newer ones use sdram.

 

DD... You MAY just need to straighten out the hinges. If they get bent back under they get hard to close.... Remove everything and straighten with some needle nose pliers. If the hinges are broken... I have some... If you need a new door I have that too... Just PM me for details...

Rick

 

CF-25 BIOS Setup Menus

This is something that seems to be criticized fairly often. As far as the options it provides go, it's not hard to see why.


POST screen - different versions may vary slightly


Main menu


'System Setup' menu


'Power Management' menu


'Supervisor Setup' menu

The closest thing to proper configuration options that we have is the Supervisor Setup menu, but unfortunately it doesn't allow you to manually allocate resources to PCMCIA or anything...the system handles it entirely on its own and seems to do 'not the best' job at it.

 

I found docking station for CF-25 Part Number CF-VEB251W

Quick googling by part number reveals that it have Serial Port, Parallel Port, Display port - HD15, Keyboard port, Mouse Port and Kensington Security Lock.

I found lot of 3 of them on eBay, but their price is out of range for my budget.

 

Thank you, edited it in

 

According to Memtest86+ my CF-25 MK2 notebook have Intel i430MX chipset. I have updated it to latest BIOS v.1.40 but it can't recognize the memory module 64MB EDO SODIMM Notebook RAM Compaq Presario 1800T - eBay (item 130405759507 end time Jul-07-10 22:15:29 PDT) mnementh provided to me

This may be memory modules fault, the BIOS unsupporting the 64MB memory, or maybe my notebooks memory socket is damaged. Can't tell this for sure, I'm going to buy 32MB EDO RAM to try once more.

 

The manuals and stuff suggested that 64MB exceeds the max for Mk2 ("16MB expandable to 48MB" means a 32MB max in the slot). Perhaps the Mk2 actually has this limit despite the Mk3 having more flexibility.

I'll edit in the chipset info along with some info I've been PM'd as well. Thanks for the contribution. If you have no use for that 64MB RAM stick now I'd be interested in it...please

 

Try Amazon.