Toughbook CF-29 suddenly won't start - please help!

Hi guys,

Longtime member and first time poster here. I've owned my Toughbook CF-29 for a few years now and it's been great overall - no issues whatsoever until tonight.

When turning on the system, the power LED turns on but the system does not respond at all. There is no output whatsoever on the screen and the LEDs for the capslock/numlock do not respond either - this indicates to me that it's likely an issue with the system not starting at all, rather than a potential problem with the screen.

So far, I've tried removing the battery and running just off the AC adapter. I also have a DC car adapter that I've tested with but the system does not behave any differently. I've also tried removing the RAM module and starting up without it - also to no avail.

I'm pretty much out of ideas at this point. What else can I do to troubleshoot this thing?

Thanks!

 

Remove all drives, all memory, and any usb or pcmcia cards. See if the bare machine will boot to Bios.
Please post the full model number. We can help more with that information.

Thanks

 

+1 on what shawn said and get back to us.

 

If all the recommendation still failed. Remove the wireless card and then power it up again. Let see what happen.

ohlip

 

"No issues whatsoever" for "a few years"

You're sure it's a Toughbook?

Sometimes we can miss issues that may be relevant, especially if they arise gradually - before it failed had it been getting warmer, had any socket overload condition, odd noises, new hardware, failure of connected hardware, tripped over the power lead (a lot ) ... anything at all out of the ordinary?

Power led on doesn't necessarily mean power throughout the machine.

With no screen at all and no running sounds from the HDD or (loaded) CD drive I'd check the wires under and around the hinge covers (easy), the fuses and also the board tracks around the DC socket (harder). Broken board tracks are common near user sockets, broken/shorted wires near hinges. During reassembly plug & unplug all plugs/sockets repeatedly to "scratch-clean" oxidation and pollutants from the contacts.

Parts list in my downloaded manual for the Mk.5 shows 5 internal SMT fuses.
F2 & F3 are 5 amp and F4, F5 & F6 are 2 amp. Yours, whichever mark it is, will have some of these fuses.

I don't have a schematic or board layouts but maybe someone here has them - or knows the fuse locations - or could take good macro pics of the boards.

Your local repairer could use the info. to speed the job if you're not diy-inclined.

 

I have actualy had this happen. The power LED lights up but the screen remains dark. The issue was a bad ram module. Replace the RAM module with a knowingly working one.

 

I just had the exact same thing happen to my cf 29. I can't get the serial # since I don't have it written down anywhere. All I get is the lower right green light to come on. The others flash once when I power on but that's it.

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You can find the serial number by using programs like PCWizard.

 

Model number should be on sticker on base on unit.

 

and if i'm not mistaken, it's also displayed in the bios or POST screen.

 

It won't start so he can't read the bios or post.

 

Exactly

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deede dee
:doh:

 

Will it boot up with an external monitor perhaps? I am guessing not, but let's check it out anyway. Also, do you have a spare keyboard you could swap it out with? I for the life of me can't remember the sequence of BIOS startups, but I know RAM, Video, and Keyboard/Mouse are on most of them and some won't boot through to BIOS w/out a keyboard/mouse. At this point, it is worth a try.

 

Im going to send if off to the friendly neighborhood toughbook mechanic instead of messing with it myself. I can build and rebuild a Caterpillar diesel all day long but when it comes to electronics, I'm half blind and all thumbs. Thank you all for the replies.


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