Upgrading a CF-T7 to WIndows 7

I have had this CF-T7 for about a year now. It is time for an upgrade. The Bluetooth is unreliable and caused bluescreens. It takes FOREVER to shut down. Lots of little issues.... First big problem was no HDD space. Good chance this is most of the shutdown issue. That hurdle is over now and there is a 320gb drive in here.

Google finds nothing, and a visit to the Panasonics US and JP sites tells the dreaded story, no official drivers available for W7. Well actually Google finds a BUNCH of sites willing to sell you drivers discs for this for $10-20.... Since Panny doesn't offer these drivers, I am understandably concerned. And I refuse to pay $ for suspect crap anyways.

Not a dealbreaker as I just finished this project on my CF-19. But I do have some questions...

If just upgrading retaining current files is an option, is this a smart choice? I have a LOT of software setup on this. While a clean install would be the smartest bet, reinstalling this all will take much longer than cleanup after a dirty upgrade...

I am not fully sold on upgrading it yet. With a little effort I am sure I can fix all its issues, or just do a fresh Vista install. The CF-19 is so nice on W7 though!

When doing a dirty upgrade, what gets cleaned and changed out? Will it install all new drivers, or leave working ones in place?

Any thoughts and advice are very much welcomed!

For now, I am off to resize the HDD and let it fill its new space up. Take an hour or two out to see if we can at least get the current OS purring along and better sorted before an upgrade attempt. This time I at least have two verified working drives. The original one is being left completely alone.

 

Most generic drivers can be found by looking up your hardware specs and hardware id. Some drivers like the Panasonic misc driver you can use one that is for a newer toughbook.

I have always done a clean install on windows 7, I have never done a upgrade on it. Can't give you any help there.

 

I will be revisiting this shortly. I had tried to load W7 up every way possible with no luck. And had given up. Then the other day, I accidentally swapped in the wrong clone drive.

It was an older clone of my CF-19 running W7. And after a couple restarts to find and load drivers, it almost all worked!

Broken? A single PCI missing drivers issue. Screen dimmer hotkeys lighting up indicator, but doing nothing. Everything else "seemed" to work fine.

I thought "hotswapping" os systems had been killed off long ago? Apparently not. Although, I did manage to break windows activation. Easily solved.

 

The hotkey issue can be repaired by deleting/uninstalling the win 7 video driver and installing the vista driver. Another thread discusses this on a cf30.

 

Thanks for bumping that!

 

Okay at the moment I have a short laundry list of issues. Lets start with "unsolved and no clue" and then work down to ones we have hints on.

Most of the drivers loaded fine. There are a few default ones that will need to be changed out, but that is expected. This one though, I have no idea (in Device Manager):

1) PCI Data Acquisition and Signal Processing / PCI bus 0, device 4, function 0

This one is the only one I am completely lost on. Any clues guys?

2) "Unsupported Touchpad driver" Popping up on startup. Rusty here, but I did notice that:

3) "High Definition Audio Driver" is installed (instead of Sigma Tel)...

IIRC, Modem, Audio, and Touchpad were all interconnected on the CF-19. I was dealing with these issues there, so I will go back and read through that thread.

In the meantime, any recommendations on specific drivers, and locations to grab them from, plus order to install would rock!

4) Video dim/brighten issues, the link above should fix that, thanks Shawn!

At the moment, I had to slip my 320gb drive with Vista on it back into it. Unlike some of you guys, I can't afford to have 28+ Toughbooks sitting on my pooltable!

Although, that could be because of my wall of cameras...

 

EDIT for now outdated and pointless post....

 

Okay I am coming back to this thread yet again to try and get this CF-T7 working. I have slacked off dealing with it since I replaced my Mac, and this is a backup for my CF-19 anyways. But I still want to get it working right!

Fixed all the previous issues, EXCEPT those in the post above. Had some user account problems I sorted through, and unfortunately lost the software I needed for my fingerprint scanners in the process.

 

Save all your data from any external storage system and then fresh install of win 7. Use all the drivers from VISTA and make sure in compatibility or admin during installation. If it tell you "does not support" extract the driver into a folder.

Done that in four unit but make sure not to mute the sound when done all the installation and when it is working properly otherwise you need to unplug the hdd to come back again the audio system.

ohlip

 

A fresh install is not in the future for this machine... It is 90% there, and honestly the 10% that is messed up can be ignored. It is now simply a backup machine, to my backup. I just want it 100%.

Somehow I lost ALL my "toolkit" data, including a "paid" version of the Toshiba Bluetooth Stack. This is what is really setting me back, the gigs worth of folders, tools, drivers, windows images etc I lost. Trying to figure out the toolsets I was using and reaquire all those tools by going through my old threads here.

Backtracking to the beginning, I purchased my CF-19 as this CF-T7 had become unreliable and was crashing. I needed the Bluetooth to be 110% reliable. My CF-19 has proven itself to be 110%, and then I discovered the clone of the CF-19, worked almost perfectly out of the box in the CF-T7. With exception to the above issues.

Normally I would have just started with a clean slate Windows install on this CF-T7 instead of buying another computer. But I use bluetooth for a comm link to my automotive software, and could not afford to be down for even a few hours.

I have solved these VERY same issues when I did this to my CF-19, only difference is there were more driver options on the CF-19... Thanks for the compatibility mode suggestions! That is likely the ticket to success here.

Never mute it? Or only before install is finished? If it can't be muted once everything is done, then this is defiantly an issue I am NOT WILLING to live with.

Currently the sound works perfectly, but I noticed that it is the default windows High Definition drivers and NOT the Sigma Tel drivers installed. This pointed to another driver being broken, or wrong order. I saw this on the CF-19 with modem drivers or something causing the sound to break...

 

I currently have some more issues in device manager. I still have the PCI Data Acquisition and Signal Processing Controller showing up, and above that I have 6 slots showing AC890. I have no idea what AC890 is here, anyone?

Is it connected to the sound and modem?

EDIT: Never mind on the AC890... Broken drivers for my Sierra Wireless GPS card.

 

I'm not sure where you are at with this project of yours but I would follow any Panasonic upgrade options listed on their site. I upgraded a CF-19 MK2 to Win 7 via Vista and had good success. As listed elsewhere, I do believe that the order of doing things is important (applies to fresh install and/or upgrade)
The PCI Data Acquisition and Signal Processing Controller could be related to this link:
Panasonic Mobile Computer Wireless Carrier Software
Best regards,
Cleve

 

EDIT: Most of this post has been sorted, but leaving it up as is anyways.

Mostly just lost and aggravated... LOL!

Don't think this applies here? Panny never offered the CF-T7 with W7. Still the install order is important. problem is, what order? I think the solution could be running the Vista video in compatibility mode.

Perhaps you are onto something here. I opened up the lid though and while the SIM card slot is there, there is no modem in the PCI slot. Looks like there never was, as the antenna wires are still taped down. But maybe the computer still knows that slot is there and needs something to communicate with it? Not sure.

And seriously, does anyone know where I can find NON-RETARDED VERSIONS OF THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS? The H-2007-0386.pdf I have here is typically Panasonic unclear without an actual install order that can be easily discerned.

PS: Again, I think I have stuff now installed in the correct order. So not sure I need the above. But still issues persist with the video either being broken, or some sort of compatibility mode not set right.

 

I now appear to have everything working EXCEPT for the brightness control via hotkeys. First the fixes.

After trying to whack this the "right" way I uninstalled it a few times and finally just directed the driver update to search the WHOLE drivers folder. Finally it found something.

Intel Extended Thermal Model MCH Driver, what ever that may be lol.

Now for the broken.

I had previously downloaded and installed the latest Intel 965 chipset drivers. These covered the video and were compatible with W7 (I believe). These are from Intel though and NOT Panasonic. Anyways so I uninstalled these after my first unsuccessful install attempt that bluescreend the pappy. Got it workign and up on the "older" Panny drivers. Running in compatibility (for XP SP2, this was the Vista driver package) and admin mode. Maybe this needs to be updated again to the newer stuff... ???

Went in and after some fiddling, found the screens the install directions eluded to, checked and unchecked as told, no luck. I can control screen brightness with the in software slider, but as soon as I hit either FN key to dim or brighten, it goes full bright. Poked around in all the settings, nada. Sliders are set to full bright in battery or AC modes. I think the problem here has to do with a broken power management item somewhere...

I do not think this is a hotkey driver issue. The rest of the hotkeys work as expected. And all, including the brightness, bring up the Panny Specific middle screen indicators. I went in and uninstalled then reinstalled everything EXCEPT the actual hotkey driver. It wasn't letting me do that.

Screen dims as it should when left alone for a minute, then brightens soon as I touch the pad or a key. But using FN+ up or down Bright keys just makes a flicker and locks it to full bright.

I am sure the issue lies somewhere with power saving options...

 

Please check out above two posts too! Edited as I go sorting issues. I wanted to address this separately though.

Ohlip, I have verified for sure that FN + Mute works fine. No need to pull HDD or anything goofy. This worked right before I fixed the fact the wrong (generic Microsoft) sound drivers were installed. ANd it still works right with the correct Panny ones. It is a "Sound Max" labeled setup, but oddly I also see "Sigma Tel" listed in device manager. Whatever, it works.

 

EVEN MORE INFORMSTION! Lol I hate making multiple posts before the others have even been read or responded to. But I noticed one more thing that may be a solid clue.

During shutdown the FN = F1/F2 brighten buttons ACTUALLY WORK! Also, they "kinda work" when system is up and running. Okay during shutdown, I do not see the middle screen Panasonic indicator, but the buttons DO WORK as expected. During normal operation, they will actually achieve dimming a few clicks, the Panasonic symbol comes up in middle screen. But it does not register the brightness drop and then screen brightens back to full. While I am still holding it down.

Kinda sounds like a registry setting is whacked. Or again something in power management is locking the screen brightness.

And again, this drive was a clone of the CF-19 drive that was 100% working ALL the buttons and functions. Pretty sure I checked it out in the CF-19 too... An OS "hotswap" into the CF-T7 here, and it found the right generic drivers, and worked almost right out of the box. Sorta. Since then, I have corrected (as mentioned above) all the drivers issues. Nothing showing problems in Device manager.

Wireless switch, just checked, works as it should. ECO mode works, or at least "mostly" and lights the light. I did get a conflicts warning when I tried to change a setting under advanced ECO options. I can recreate and post the specifics there if anyone thinks it is relevant.

I am lost on this last part. But I think I have made REALLY good progress here today!!! :thumbsup:

 

That is a symptom of the wrong video driver. May not seem obvious but I've seen this with several Win7 mixed configurations and getting the "right" video driver *from Panasonic* is definitely the fix. You may have to use a Vista driver if there is no true Win7 video driver for your model.

 

I will try again. The "right" wrong Vista video driver from Panny, was what broke everything. Since I installed it, video blinks in and out and then randomly forgets half the items that were on the screen before locking completely. Unfortunately Panasonic doesn't have a proper W7 driver. But I think we are getting close. Everything else is working.

 

Make sure Windows does not automatically update the Panasonic driver to a newer (non-Panasonic) version after you install it.

 

Well we are closer. But STILL not there.

Unfortunately you nailed it and it updated this... As I was doing my restarts, windows decided to do updates. BUT, I do not think this is the issue, specifically the video driver. Why? Okay hear me out.

So I uninstalled the video drivers, lets call the windows one 8.15, and backgraded them to the Panny drivers 7.15 (numbers may be off, but 8 and 7 basically). A couple restarts took to get it sorted. I do not think it even WORKED on the 7.15 Panny drivers.

I actually think I initially had different drivers and not the windows ones, but the actual updated Intel chipset ones. It apparently installs a whole suite of drivers. I do still have that "special" installer...

Okay video done and looking normal.

Next, I uninstalled hkeyset and hkeyapp. These require a restart. Now I have no hotkey pop up indicators, but suddenly EVERYTHING IS WORKING!!!! Okay progress, reinstall hkeyapp first per directions, restart, broken. Install hkset, still broken.

VERIFIED: When I uninstall just hkeyapp, I get everything working again, except for the hot key pop up indicators. So battery percentage left doesn't come up at all.

Now the hkey drivers were installed earlier, and "should" be right for this machine and OS. Everything works at least.

Anyways if I still need to do something different with the video drivers, then how do I force the "wrong" older Panny ones to run? And NOT update?

The correct, non Panny video drivers work and do everything right, until that hkeyapp (hot Key Appendix) is installed.

Okay well whatever is going on, now my sound is broken. Not sure when it crapped though... I had TONS of issues with sound before, likely I fiddled the modem and sound drivers in a wrong order. Anyways ignore this for the moment unless immediately relevant. I will tackle that again after gettign this issue sorted.

 

Okay I am either going to toss in the towel, or the hammer. And by toss in the hammer, I mean take it to this....

Sound is now "fixed," But nothing actually comes from the speakers. Everything shows that it is working, but nada. "Correct" drivers (if such exist, the Vista ones anyways).

Updated video drivers from Intel, cause video crashes. The "correct" Panasonic ones won't stay installed.

Of course, I lost all my accumulated files and no longer even have a copy of Vista to put back on this. I think I will simply yank the HDD, slip another in, and install Vista to that. A real shame. Nothing I have tried will get this to run stably on Vista either... But at least there are "correct" drivers for it to run like crud on Vista.

Anyways, thanks for all the help guys! I wish I had something more positive to report on this, but yeah. I think I will go touchup the paintjob on my well loved and abused CF-19, it likes Windows 7 at least!!!!

 

I have 7 pro 32 bit on my T7 and haven't had any real problems besides overheating. I am getting ready to split it and see what's going on inside.

I will look up and see what drivers I used. I think I kept it pretty generic.

I am running a G2 intel x25 40 gb SSD in it.

Bluetooth: I have the generic windows 7 bluetooth driver ( I don't use bluetooth and keep it disabled most of the time)(I see it as a power waster the way I use that laptop)

Disk drive: Using drivers straight from intel website using there automatic updater.

Display Adapters: Using mobile intel 965 chipset windows 7 generic drivers from intel site (driver version:8.15.10.1930)

Human interface devices: Let the stock windows 7 drivers load, then I extract the exe file for vista and load up the drivers though device manager. Touch is fine and callibration utility works.

I also used generic intel chipset drivers

Mice and other pointing devices: I extracted the panasonic exe and update the driver through device manager.

Network adapter: factory windows 7 drivers, I hate intel proset (some times I extract the generic exe from intel and update though device manager and it updates the driver but doesn't install proset.

Security Devices: extracted the exe and updated though device manager for the TPM device.

Sound: extracted the exe and updated though device manager.

Hotkeys: extracted and updated though device manager.

Panasonic misc driver: downloaded the 19 Mk3 driver and extracted the exe, updated though device manager.

Video, sound, hotkeys, touch all work fine. I haven't gotten the fan utility to work under 7 but I haven't go back to messing with it in several months either. Been wanting to try speedfan to see if that will work.

If you have downloaded and installed too many wrong drivers you may have to go back and uninstall to the base driver and start over after running ccleaner after the set back.

 

Windows® 7 Support and Upgrade Information | TOUGHBOOK | TOUGHPAD | Panasonic Global Notebook PC

May find some drivers you can use there, compare hardware between the models first.

Windows® 7 Support and Upgrade Information | TOUGHBOOK | TOUGHPAD | Panasonic Global Notebook PC

May have to use some cross reference on models to get the same hardware.

 

Well with as messed up as this is, I have no overheating issues at all. And my shop is about 85 right now. Okay, the CF-T7 has no overheasting issues at least. I mentioned in your thread that there was a Panasonic "thermal" program of some sort for the Vista platform. That installed with no issues. I can dig out specifics if you wish, let me know!

Why didn't I think to run CC?! LOLZ! CC found a buttload of issues, no surprise there.

Okay thanks guys for the moral support!!! No hammer to this thing today. I really prefer typing on the CF-T7 to my CF-19 (even though the CF-19 just has a "normal" keyboard).

 

If you take a hammer to it, be sure to post, before , during and after photos......

 

I think my overheating issue is due to wore thermal pad or paste, the fan sounds fine and I can feel hot air being pushed out. It's just going to be one of those tear down and see things there for me.

 

Man! Be prepared, its pita on disassembling this unit. Harddrive and battery out, from there you will see I think 6 or 8 metal clip that hold the keyboard. Its clip is covered by a thin plastic that where clued on its side. You can peel it off halfway, then you can release the said metal clip. Its only the beginning, lol...Then all bottom screws. the keyboard also held by a tough adhesive to another plastic beneath.


Nothing to say more. You will see.

ohlip

 

Screw the hammer... I think I will go for filling it with lead instead. JUST for the aggravation it has caused me!!!

Well... It is all fixed now! How? NO CLUE WHAT I did to actually fix it... I uninstalled and installed multiple times. In every possible order. A few possibilities.

1) I installed all sorts of "power utilities" not mentioned in the install guide, but in the drivers folders. Mind you these are the Vista Drivers for the CF-T7. Most worked without complaint in W7 though. These were installed BEFORE reinstalling the Hotkey Appendix, and then finally the Hotkey Settings.

2) Discovered wireless switch (on front) was not working, installed that and then the second app to get it to work, also before hotkey stuff.

3) Updated all the Intel drivers, then reinstalled the Intel video. It finally gave me the warning "This driver is older, do you still..." YES!

Throw in a bunch of scattered reboots.

Suddenly, sound and everything work.... Oh and before all the above, I had deleted and reinstalled the sound setup, but that didn't fix it.

Anyways, I am making a working backup drive image of this beotch.... :thumbsup:

EDIT: I am cleaning this slowly now that it is all working. If anyone is interested, I will make a fully working image. If so, PLEASE let me know and I will clean any extra non-OE software off of it. Otherwise, the first image I make will be setup with my normal software suites.

 

ADOR, does your fan throttle up and down? Mine constantly changes speed, and actually seems to run most of the time. Whatever the case, I can hear mine changine rapidly with PC load.

As everything in a Panasonic is so highly integrated with the other bits, I am also wondering if that CF-19 misc driver is kicking you??? But then I also have a nagging feeling that may BE the driver I used to get my CF-19 working.

As mentioned before, this was an image of my CF-19 drive I accidently put into this machine, and it booted up "mostly" working. I had been unsuccessful doing a proper W7 install.

Whatever the case, I knew a power utility or setting was playing poorly or conflicting with another setting in here. There are a bunch of Power Utilities as I mentioned above. Many of these of these specify that Misc and common components to be installed first.

I used Panasonic Download Manager set for CF-T7 and Vista. Grabbed all drivers. I think the relevant folders that might help you are:
1) setfan_d070993: This installs the Fan Control Utility.
2) chgbmode_d070179: This installs the ECO Mode (power settings)
3) intelinf_d070388-A: This installs the OLD Intel video drivers

There were a bunch of other small programs. Anything that contains psave or well power, is pretty much a given.

Also thanks again for the CC Cleaner tip guys! I used that to go into my programs list and add Panasonic in front of ALL the Panasonic programs and drivers showing in my list. Makes finding them all in one spot much easier. And I know to leave them alone too! Organized some of my other softwares this way too.

 

Yes mine does change with pc load, but I don't know if its spinning at it's max speed. If the T5 would of had SATA drive I most likely would of kept the ones I had as they are fanless and I never had a over head problem with them.

 

Please take pictures when you open yours up! This T7 may be the only laptop I have owned that I haven't fully disassembled....

 

I will talk lots of pictures, lol. Didn't get to the laptop today but on a positive note got the Ford on the lift at a friends shop, we leveled out the engine, set up proper drive shaft angle, drilled holes for the cross member, welded the correct angle on the trans cross member. We will be hitting the shop early in the morning to finish up the front engine mount welding. May even get the exhaust welded up on it.

 

Ahh the wonders of building cars! MUCH EASIER than laptops. Possibly cheaper too since we had to decide it was Toughbooks for us....

So far this FINALLY gets a clean bill of health, other than I csn't typ for crap on it. Constantly hitting s instead of a...

PLEASE GUYS if anyone thinks I should grab an image of this for us in a "stock configuration" let me know so I can clean it down that far!!!! Otherwise I am just making an image of it cleaned and ready with my software installed...

 

Oh how I wish I had found this thread back in October. It would have been so nice to just install an image! I have my T7 working now except for the touch screen calibration is off and the calibration program doesn't work. Any Ideas? sorry to resurrect old thread.

 

I just did two T7's at work this time out and loaded Windows 7 pro on it. I loaded the driver though device manager and then calibrated. The calibration utility will show up in control panel.

 

Welcome to the Panasonic Toughbook Forum

When you say "doesn't work" do you mean it will not run or are you getting a error message??

 

I also seem to remember having to calibrate it a couple times as it was SO far out.... But yeah fairly straightforward it should be. Gah it has been months since I even powered the T7 up... My CF-19, I use daily!