The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    can you flash a CF-19 mk1 BIOS from DOS?

    Discussion in 'Panasonic' started by Dirkies, Dec 27, 2010.

  1. Dirkies

    Dirkies Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Hello
    I am new to this board, although I have regularly read stuff on it in the past, I need to ask a question thus I registered, so please bare with me ;)

    I am wondering if you can reflash a CF-19 MK1 BIOS using a DOS tool instead of the Panasonic Windows app. I believe I did flash it in the past to from 1.00L05 to 1.00L06 or so using a simple DOS tool, but I lost any trace of that and the toughbook support site only lists the last bios update which is a windows-only tool. :(

    It is a Phoenix bios, but none of the Phoenix flashtools like Phlash16 etc work on my Toughbook. Any help would be appreciated. (maybe someone has still an old flashtool for the CF19). The other Panasonic DOS flashtools (for CF29 etc) refuse to work on the CF19, bummer. Kinda silly you need to have Windows installed before you can flash it.

    Thanks!
     
    Dirkies, Dec 27, 2010
    #1
  2. TopCop1988

    TopCop1988 Toughbook Aficionado

    Reputations:
    456
    Messages:
    1,786
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    56
    You're way behind here, as the latest CF-19 Mk1 BIOS is V1.00L16 (for XP; V1.01L16 for Vista):

    CF-19[C/D] series BIOS Update Procedure

    C'est la vie. ;)
     
    TopCop1988, Dec 27, 2010
    #2
  3. Dirkies

    Dirkies Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Well, I know 16 is the latest, but I do not wish to use Windows just to upgrade my BIOS. But I wonder if anyone still has an old BIOS upgrade as there I am pretty sure it was a simple DOS program running off a bootable floppy/USB stick. Anyone has perhaps this one still stowed away somewhere?
     
    Dirkies, Dec 28, 2010
    #3
  4. mnementh

    mnementh Crusty Ol' TinkerDwagon

    Reputations:
    1,116
    Messages:
    3,389
    Likes Received:
    29
    Trophy Points:
    116
    Google Hiren's Boot CD - it's like KNOPPIX; you can boot into Windows from CDROM. Use that to complete the BIOS update, then you can go back to using LINUX without any icky Windows fingerprints on your hard drive.

    It takes a while to boot, and on some machines it is SLOW because it's REALLY WINDOWS running from CDROM... but it SHOULD work.

    It is one of the handiest utilities ever made... always in my toolkit.

    mnem<~~~ Soldier in the HDD liberation front ~~~<<<
     
    mnementh, Dec 28, 2010
    #4