Used CF-28 comming in

Hi guys and it has been a long time for sure.
My old CF-28 video card is failing but I can use it but have to be very quick and I can access it through my network so all is not lost thank goodness.

I have another used CF-28 on the way that has no HD or caddy but that should be an easy swap between the two.
It has a battery and ram and was said to have been tested but I would like to do some sort of test to make sure it will come on before I put in my HD. So how would I go about doing this? I am thinking it should boot up into BIOS? Is that correct? I remember doing that on an old Sony many years ago. But at 73 I do forget things I do not do all the time.
I guess I would also find out if the BIOS is password protected when I try to fire it up. If it is I think I know how to take care of that problem but I will have to take the bottom off.

Just need a little helpful advice if you have any to give.

Thanks

 

It should boot to bios. F2...or just turn it on...it will tell you that the hard drive is not there.

I have some hard drive caddies. PM if interested.

 

Thanks for refreshing my old brain.
I do have an extra caddy that a guy sent me if I wanted to try Linux on mine. Now to find it HA HA
Thanks

Lucky me and the caddy was still in it wrapped package laying on top of a bunch of other stuff A+A+

 

Well after maybe 6 hours of charging the battery I fired it up and with no HD and here is what I saw and I am thinking the warning and error codes are related to the COMOS battery and I think I have found the fix's for them?
I will have to put the RAM from my old computer in this one for sure because mine has 760mb so I guess I will swap it out when I install the old HD from mine?
Here is what I see and I have not hit any keys as of yet!
So what do you guys think? Am I good to go?

 

when this screen appears---
press f2 to get into bios.
you can set clock and view settings

 

Probably/ maybe need a new cmos battery at some point... if date and time don't stay put.

What you are seeing is normal for system with no hdd.

Screen seems pretty bright.

I vote for good to go.

 

Thanks for you help guys and looks like I will need a new CMOS battery for sure because it will not save the settings once I remove the AC and if I remove the AC then it just shuts off so that tell me the battery pack is also no good but at least I can use the one out of my other computer so I am good there.
I did find a cmos battery in France for under $7 and free shipping and might get lucky and it will get here without taking a long time?
There are some in China for cheep but when would I ever get it??

Do any of you know of ones that I can get maybe a little faster or ones that will work okay? I did read some old post about them and guys were not having a lot of luck finding them.

 

Forget the China one, it will take at least 30+ days to get here for sure.

 

Some thinkpads use the same cmos battery

 

ebay ad
https://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Thinkp...h=item5d86df1e74:g:KKYAAOSwa~BYUzly:rk:1:pf:0

Verify that the connector and polarity are the same as what you have now.

Here is one that says it will fit for a bit more money.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Panasonic-T...h=item2abb2ecef1:g:9ZQAAOSwjrFb5xjk:rk:3:pf:0

 

Thanks Shawn. I did copy the number off them so I will see what I can find.
What Toughbook is the one you are showing? It looks like it has more memory in it than a CF-28? The memory for the 28 is right under the main battery.

This is the battery I just ordered from France but I would like one that I could get quicker and it might come it quick??
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Cr2032-CMO...f-28-cf-29-BIOS-Battery-time-rtc/382417536667

 

Thanks. I think I will cancel the one from France and buy this one A+A+A+

Well looks like I will be having two of them come in. I saw no place to cancel the one from France? Oh Well At least I will find out how quick it comes in HA HA

 

HELP
I think I am going to need little help/advice here guys?
I have the new battery for the BIOS so I was going to remove the 9 screws + the one for the handle on the rear??
I also wanted to remove the floppy drive so I could install my CD rom drive but the MP leaver is not in the correct position to push it out like my old 28 is? Did some dummy just shove the floppy drive in there?? I can only move the leaver a tiny bit so it is a no go.
I am hoping after removing the back I can release it?

What can you tell me if you may have had the problem before??

 

I never actually touched a CF 28 so I can not be of much help.

Sheepman may know.

 

Just maybe he will see my post and reply ?

 

He will

 

Sounds like the leaver is stuck or just has not been used much. If I am right you can take the base off and get to it.
My first Toughbook was a 28 which I still have but do you think I can find it . I packed it up a few years ago and put it somewhere just not sure where or I would check it out for you.

 

I made a wire hook one time. Was that a 29 or 28?
I think it's in the saddle shop.

First of all are you sliding the slider with nine dots towards the center of the 28? Sorry have to ask.

I just made another wire.
Look at the bottom of the DVD caddy....the mechanism in the 28 pushes that up.

O_____________________________l hook looks like this. About four inches of heavy wire (stiff) with el in one end and ring in the other. The ring and L line up so you know when it's turned. Light clothes hanger size.

The trick is to open the caddy enough for a hand hold.
Then slide the wire under the caddy and twist to lever the plastic catch on the caddy! UP and jerk that puppy out of there.

Practice with the DVD first to figure out distance and such.

Clear as mud?

 

Images here.

 

HA HA clear as mud is very correct but I do think I understand what you are saying.
I have to take the bottom of anyway to replace the little battery and then I should be able to unlock it and push it out from the inside because all that lever does is push it out.
Right now the lever is setting aimed towards the rear and will not really move. It should be aiming towards the side and then it would work like normal. Somehow it got really jammed up?
I doubt if I will ever have to swap between the DVD and the floppy like I did in the past because the camera I was using used a floppy and now I use a camera that plugs into the USB port. I just hate to know if I install my DVD that it want pop back out again just in case I need to replace it?
I guess I will know more once I get the bottom off. I will let you know what I find when I get there.
Thanks for your input Sheepman

 

THE COMPUTER IS UP AND RUNNING
The lever on the bottom for removing the drives must have been screwed up when it was built? After I put the guide back where it should have been then now it works like it should A+A+A+
Got the BIOS battery installed and now it keeps the date and time like it should A+
I installed my old main battery and then my hard drive and started it up.
All looks the same as it did and every thing is in place as I hopped it would.

 

Now I just have to figure out why it is not showing that my Ethernet cable is unplugged?? Am I overlooking something maybe??
When I unplug the cable feeding it from my switch then the switch is also not showing the computer is plugged in?

Well damn after cooking and eating supper it showed it was connect to the network/internet??

So far so good I guess thank goodness

 

You can also goto any Batteries Plus and have them weld your leads onto a new Cr2032 Coin Battery for about 4 bucks. Walk out 10 min later

 

That would come in handy for sure when you need one right now and then you do not have to get on the net and search for one.
I received one from a seller in NJ and it is all fired up and working A+A+A+
Just today I got the one from France! Talk about slow shipping from oven the pond but I do have a spare that I most likely will never need and I doubt if it will work in my Gobook VR2 but it might but may have to change the plug and that I can do easy.

Thanks for that info and it may help others when they need one

 

Thank goodness for a D-Link wireless card After doing some clean up of some programs I do not use I restarted it and did that 3 times and it still would not connect to my router that has a Ethernet cable that feeds it.
All I have is the service manual and it helps but not in the Ethernet area for them.
I just looked under the main battery on my old one and looks like there is a Ethernet card that plugs in just like ram does except for the little cable that is attached to it.
I guess I could swap it with the newer one I am now using unless you can tell me something different that might be the problem?
Thanks

 

That's probably a Cisco 305 card, might only get wifi B. You should be able to swap it with a newer card that has same shape and same external antenna plug, if you can find one. I've used the Xjack card with a pop-out loop antenna that fits in the PC-card slot. Can send one to try if you're interested.

 

Thanks, I have 3 more wireless cards for whatever reason?? The D-Link I am using now was the fastest one I think and my router is just in the next room so I am within 20' of it.
I did pull the Ethernet card out of my other computer but have not out it in this latest one yet so I can see if the card is the problem or not? I need to see if I can also take out the jack for it just in case it for some reason is the problem?
I guess the Xjack one you are talking about is like some of these?
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=xjack+wirelsss+pc+card&_sacat=0

 

I replaced the Ethernet card and now back in business
Replacing the HD and main battery + it and installing the extra ram on these computers are a breeze but would be nice if one could get to the COMOS battery a little easier but I would say that is a good safety feature to keep anyone from just unplugging it so they could get to your BIOS and unlock your computer I would say.

 

Well dag just when I thought that replacing the Ethernet card and it connecting and I can see it on my network and open what I want to look at the speed of it will not open a link on the web? I had to stick my wireless card back in?
The local connection says speed 100.0 Mbps but the packets are way way down???
I did try update driver and it did but still no luck getting it to work like it should?
Have any of you ever had this problem?

Problem seemed to be the switch and main cable I was using looks like and not the card.
Guess I will put a new connector on my 50' cable so it stays plugged in this time

 

What I see is the boot thing with Panasonic I hit F2 and go to bios.