WooHoo! New to me CF-30...now to install windows and stuff!

Picked up a low use CF-30 off the bay locally for 110 bucks.

Just under 2100 hours. With DVDR and rubber lighted keyboard.

I've already replaced the HDD with a 250gb 7200rpm drive and put 4gb of ram in. Now in the process of installing vista to see how she runs.

Later, I might try to find a dead laptop with a win 7 coa to install that.

I'm excited, this thing is near mint!

Forgot to add that I had bought 2 cf-29's from the same place and the spare CF-29 is in great shape with the plastic backlit keyboard.

The CF-30 appears to use the same keyboard, batteries and docking station, so I'm pretty much set!

 

CF29 keyboard will fit right on the CF30...

What's the full model number of the CF30?

 

Skip vista and do not pass go, instead go to a thread about Win7 or Linux, you will be a very happy camper with your CF-30

 

The model number is
CF-30CWQAZBM

I have Win7, but need a coa for it. I am thinking of using the current win7 number from the hp8540p, but not sure yet.

Right now, I am fighting with it trying to get the system to recognize the touch screen. Nothing is showing up for it in the device manager. The mouse software installed properly, but the thing is having an issue with the touch screen driver install.

I've run the bios update and have the V1.01L20 and the V1.10L11 update.

Not sure what is going on now....

Edit: FCL USB pen tablet does show in device manager.

 

Have you read this thread yet ?? http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/how-to-load-windows-7-on-a-cf-30-mk1-model.476149/

 

Not yet, trying to get vista and touchscreen situated.

I also do not have another COA for Win 7.

 

If you go to Panasonic toughbooks.com,support,drivers you will see driver bundles listed and guess what,they have a CF-30Mk1 bundle for Windows 7.Install 7,click on the exe file and drivers are all installed.

It would be groovy to see how it works.

 

When I get a license for the copy of Win 7 I have, I'll install it.

Until I get a COA for Win 7, I have to use vista.

 

email me... safn1949@gmail

 

You still need to read it if you are installing Vista...it has more to do with Vista than W7

 

I read through some of it. I got the impression that it was more for Win7 than vista. Will actually read it later tonight when I don't have 12 things going at once.....lol

 

my '30 had around 1600 hours on it when i got it .
someone had tried to load W7 on it and pretty much had pooched the job ... bios needed to be flashed and a few other things .
i went back to vista(less) business using a "universal installer" disk (a legit tool used by M$ and other techs) and activated with/by the coa/key on the bottom of the '30 .
(you will find that using *illegal* methods are frowned upon here and will most likely cause you to be treated like a red-headed stepchild)
after much poking and prodding and receiving help from the chaps here i was able to get the '30 back to working condition .
(i did mine the hard way ... not for the faint of heart)
do yourself a favor ... drop the denaro and cop the restore/installation disks ... your sanity will thank you .

the advantage to this is would be in proving that the '30 and the items installed are in good working order .
one can then move on to W7 .

now , do we tell him to order up the gps conversion kit ?

 

I have both "all in one" install discs for Vista and win7. Where I work, they purchase new computers every 3 years and those that are replaced are wiped and sold via a lottery system to employees. The latest one I got is a hp 8540p with win 7 business coa. The one previous came with Vista business. I got the all in one discs from a local retailer that will only sell the discs providing you bring in the computer with a valid sticker.

So no, no illegal windows on my systems.

Going to try the Linux 10 boot to see if the touch panel is working first.

 

hmmm ...
perhaps i am misunderstanding you ...
but , as far as i know , the transfer of an OEM OS to another machine (in this case , type) is not legit .
in other words , while there are copies of an OS that are capable of legally being moved between machines , in this case the key you have is not .

 

Larry, CWB32 is correct..Transfer of COA is not 100%. Personally, I think it's better than none.



From Microsoft.

Can You Move Windows 7 To New Computer

If it's a retail license - yes. You can move it to a different computer as long as it's only installed on one computer at a time (and if it's a Windows 7 Upgrade version the new computer must have it's own qualifying XP/Vista license). The previous Windows 7 installation on the old computer must be formatted/deleted. You might have to call Microsoft and explain what happened to complete the activation. Activating it on the second computer will automatically in effect "deactivate" the license for the first computer. The key will work with both 32 and 64 bit, but only one can be installed at a time.

If it's an OEM license - no. OEM licenses, including Windows preinstalled on a computer before purchase, are tied to the first computer they are installed on and can not be transferred to a different computer. To install Windows on a different computer you will need to buy another copy.

 

Maybe I'm not understanding you. And maybe I was misinformed by the tech at the computer shop when I bought the install discs, but my impression was that if you were in pocession of a valid license, that, that specific license could be moved from system to system, but only on one system at a time.

When I installed vista business on this CF-30, I used the key from the older hp that I paid for, and, have a legitimate, valid vista coa on.

Please correct me and if you don't mind, provide something that verifies that.

 

Read my updated post above^^^^^^^^^^^

 

there is a delineation between the "flavors" of a given OS .
one type allows you to "withdraw" it from a given motherboard (and this is what the OSes are tied/registered to) and load it onto/with another motherboard.
these are typically known as "retail versions" and can be purchased "off the shelf" at retail outlets .
they also (typically) cost more than an "OEM" (original equipment manufacturer) version and come in a fancy box with varying degrees of *documentation* and some support from M$ .
when the copy is activated with the key , it along with the motherboard ID numbers are registered at M$ .

the second (basic) type is known as an "OEM" version .
it can only be installed and activated once with the coa/key that comes with the software .
typically , it comes in a small white envelope (ergo , simple packaging) with no documentation or support of any kind .
the key is specific to the OS and is *registered* back at M$ with the ID number of the particular motherboard it was installed to/with .
this is a one-shot deal and the key typically cannot be used/transfered to another motherboard .
(well , it is possible but you have to show them the severed arm and the stump squirting blood)

in both cases , the OS "calls home" when it is on-line and the legitimacy is tested .
also . both types can be downloaded .
in the case of "universal restore disks" , a legitimate key and the criteria of installation (oem/retail) is "tested" on-line when it/they is/are used .
the M$ database is used to determine the legitimacy of the particular install .

i have re-installed many OSes on comps (OEM and retail) and as long as i install the OS on the machine that the external COA/key was originally used on/with , there are no problems .
in the cases of the retail versions , i have transferred these between several test build machines .

i have not touched upon "corporate bulk licensing" as this is another ballgame and not relevant in this instance .

 

So, just to clarify, the previous laptop, from which I have borrowed the Vista key from, is doa due to missing hard drive, battery, and ram. Currently, the only lap top using that key is the cf-30 mentioned in this thread. When I installed this, I did complete the activation process, and Microsoft verified it. It's now activated.

Now, a coworker told me that his brother used to work for the department responsible for buying and maintaining the computers, stated that the company uses corporate license and that covers the 15 thousand plus computers just in this location. (Could be multiple corporate licenses)

in any case, it seems the keys on each computer are not used, and, the coa sticker does not have "OEM" any where on them.

Essentially, what I think I need to do is call some people and find out specially what category the keys on the laptops themselves fall under to cover my rear.

I'm only really concerned about the win 7 laptop I have because I might retire it.

The Vista install on the cf-30 isn't going to be permanent.

and let me reiterate that I an in no way trying to do anything illegal.

 

you are basically innocuous in the matter ...
it was not explained to you how the key/oem/retail/corporate delineations work .
it could be that the tech that you got the disk from did not understand your particular situation .
normally , when a corporate machine is "retired" the key is either nulled/zeroed or does back into the pool .
for the sake of "less headaches" the key is usually listed as "been used , out of service ... no good" .

 

This is certainly becoming interesting.

So, if the individual keys are "nulled, zeroed, or thrown back into the pool" so to speak, wouldn't it make sense that the coa is removed?

I guess it kind of baffles me that you have to activate it after a new install, but if that key was attached to a corporate license, wouldn't Microsoft come back and deny it?

I won't be calling, email makes a better paper trail.

 

as far as i can figure , removal of the COA/key is more or less "instance specific" .
i have had corporate owned machines that were retired and completely wiped ... but the key was left attached to the machine .
upon re-installing the correct OS the key was accepted in some cases and in others , it was denied .
there are cases of corporate machines that were retired but came with an OS that had been "deactivated" (as shown on-screen after being put on-line for some time) .
who knows ... maybe someone was paid a cheap rate to wipe/deactivate/cycle out of service sundry machines ?

i have also had retired machines that had an obliterated or no key attached and the key that i *extracted* failed to activate the OS .
these were mostly OEM (factory bulk licensing) .
they don't pay me to figure out the fine points of all this , so i just go with what works as it has been explained to me .

as i see it , pinging the tech guy at this point would be rather moot .
i do not see much to be gained except for "picking the fly specks (aka : crap) out of the pepper" .
you now know the gist of what is going on .

bottom line ... if there is a key attached to a machine , you can try to load and activate an OS that is appropriate to that key .

 

in the case of corporate licensing (as i understand it , at least in some cases) ...
a "volume license" used on corporate machines can have a single activation key but the motherboard of a given machine is registered under that specific key .
basically it shows up as :
"company/entity ABC has a volume license good for X number of machines total , the motherboards registered to this key are (insert string of MB ID numbers here) , this leaves Y number of licenses available for use"

as i mentioned , they don't pay me to figure out or know this stuff ... so , i try to fill what limited space i have just behind my eyes and between my ears with stuff i can more readily use .

 

Larry summed it up pretty good..

You never really buy an OS from Microsoft....You lease the rights to use it on one computer.

AKA..Microsoft does whatever they want when they want..

Reality is a moving target...

 

Maybe it's time to start learning Linux. ...

 

Start with the distro Zorin..
Very similar to windows..
http://zorin-os.com/

 

Will do.

Too bad the HDD caddy's weren't interchangeable between the 29 and 30....

 

I did boot up with a mint dvd and it loaded the drivers for the screen, but no go on any response.

 

One more thing, now that it seems to be verified that the touch screen is bad, I'll be dumping Vista.

Can't stand it and certainly am not interested in risking my job over it.

 

what version of mint did you load ?
mint13 w/ MATE should work ok (a real desktop to work with) .
i wouldn't bother with the newer flavors and guis (such as cinnamon mint16) .

the touch screen can be replaced but it is important to get the correct screen for that particular model/lcd .
elsewise you'll wind up with the "tecnicolor swirl" ... i found this out on my '30 and finally found the correct unit .

while replacing the touchscreen is not exceedingly difficult there is a need for finesse , technique and feel .
(cleanliness is very important unless you can tolerate dust , hair and fingerprints on the lcd surface)
i do not recommend this as a beginners project .

 

I think it was mint 17 that I booted it with. No response from screen. disassembled loud and reseated the connector. Booted again with mint and it worked. Then booted with windows and it's working fine now.

The cf-29 I an also using, as stated previously, had a bad screen, so I replaced it with a piece of "plexiglass" that I cut myself.

I even put it in.

In case you are curious, the "plexiglass" is actualy a piece cut from the clear plastic 1/8th sheet used in dlp and the older projection tv's.

It's held up very well and I might do that for the cf-30 being that the display looks so much better without the diffusion of the touch panel.

 

yeah ...
that plastic will work well as it is "optically neutral" .
i used to have several sheets of that plastic and fresnel lenses from rgb kine rear projection sets .
many of these sets also used glass "primary surface" mirrors ... the best mirrors for hanging on a wall and some laser work .
some sets (especially RCA/GE and proscan) used an aluminized mylar sheet (think specialty balloons) on a frame .

as you discovered (most likely) the touchscreen can be held in place with some nasty double sided foam core tape .
i bought a complete '30 display/lid that someone had attempted to remove the touchscreen from and had cracked the touchscreen .
a little naphtha (aka : lighter fluid) helps to release the adhesive ...
along with using an old credit card (or similar) as a spatula .