The end of a lot of adhd thoughts ends up with me soldering the right size plug to a usbc PD power board jumped for 15v.

It should be 45w (3A) for most pd bricks, and that will be good nuff for what I need

What i'm concerned about is if there is a malfunction and the voltage is 5v or 9v..... What will a Toughpad do if the charger input voltage dips down that low?

Came without SSD or charger. Picked those up on the cheap on Amazon and installed Win11 with Rufus and Panasonic drivers and BAM I'm in business. Took some time programming the WWAN to work with my Google Fi SIM card but that is working now, too. Batteries are about trashed but I'm gonna use this at work at my desk mainly, so not a big deal for me to stay plugged in most of the time. Overall I'm super happy with it, especially looking at prices on eBay. This thing is in really good condition given some of the ones I've come across. GovDeals for the win lol

So for some more context: not too long ago, I stumbled upon this Panasonic Toughbook CF-29, Mark 2 (or so I think, if I were to believe the model number) with 512 Mb of RAM. When I originally bought it, it didn’t have any HDD included. After a bit of searching, I finally found one online, that does works, but doesn’t have any data on it. I don’t yet know for certain what OS I should boot on it, but I’m thinking about putting Windows XP on the machine.

However, since I’m rather new to this, and never have really done anything like this before, I was wondering if someone might be willing to give some advice on both which version of Windows XP would be best (or if you perhaps have any other suggestions entirely), and on what the best way would be for me to get the OS on the system. I heard people say that the Mark 2 model doesn’t allow the possibility to boot an OS via USB, is that true? And, if so, what would you think the best course of action would be?

Thank you very much in advance!

<SOLVED> Needed to use rufus to set up drive for UEFI as well as inject usb 3 drivers into the w7 iso. I used "drive prep usb3 nvme w7" "NVME SOP_20170419"
Rewrote the cmd scripts to do both usb and nvme at the same time and rant it from administrator power shell. easy peasy

OP
How do I get w7 to install on FZ-M1 MK1 in UEFI?

I have two of them, one on which I installed w7 in bios mode and the other that came factory imaged with w7 but UEFI (either factory, or from the ebay seller)

Both are the same build, same driver package from Panasonic
They are both FZ-M1 MK1's, same processors, ram, aptio bios numbers, etc

Unit one came with factory W7 GPT UEFI
Boot mode compatible
UEFI Enabled
CSM Enabled

The other unit is W7 MBR
Boot mode compatible
UEFI DISabled
CSM Enabled

Everything works in both units
I can swap the m.2 drives and turn off/on UEFI where applicable, and either unit boots and runs either drive with no issues

Why can't I fresh install w7 UEFI? I used archive org to get usb dvd media tool and used the same 7601.24214.180801.1700.sp1 build as is installed on both units already

Do I need to use a different usb tool to make the install drive?
or do I just need to install windows as MBR and then convert to GPT?

Evening All,

I'm contemplating getting a second hand/refurbished CF-20 (8GB RAM, and probably a 512GB memory) running Windows 11.

This is mostly going to be for my charity work/trustee roles - so doesn't need to be all singing and all dancing, but would need all the Toughbook elements that everyone knows and loves.

My question, simply put, is it worth getting a CF-20 in 2026? With a follow up of: any advice or tips/tricks for a new user ?

Thanks in Advance

I've had a 29 and a 30 a number of years ago. I know they're a totally different form factor and were more modular, etc.

I love tinkering and found what appears to be an MK-1 with a CF-VEK33 for $72 at auction.

I know it will need an SSD and I assume batteries.

My plan is to confirm the model in BIOS and order just a cheap SSD from Amazon. I have an adjustable voltage USB-C trigger cable to power it with for now. Are the aftermarket batteries ok? The unit is surplus from a law enforcement agency so I hope it has onboard WWAN.

I'm gonna make sure and use drivers from Panasonic - can I even download the windows 11 from them, or do I need to start with a clean Microsoft install and then do all the drivers manually, one-by-one?

What else should I check for and do?

Yeah I am that guy. Still-Frame from the new Toughbook 34 Promo. Come on now.

FZM1 win7 ublox neo m8 m.2 card

I have tried it with windows sensors ublox gnss + the virtual com port as well as uninstalling the sensor and virt com port and discovering/reinstalling the ublox gnss on it's own actual com port

I can't get Streets and Trips 2013 to see satellites while other programs can see them as well as get a 3d fix. S&T finds the gps device on the virtual or physical com port but does not see any satalites.

What am I not getting?

I have a an Mk1 with the barcode scanner and I'm removing it, 3d printing a new cover, and was curious if there is any serial or usb ports that might be accessible in the expansion bay. The ffc from the camera module looks like it *could be usb3 with big power traces and 3 sets of data pins, but I've not poked around much, yet.

Hi everyone! I,ve bought a cf-53 some years ago second hand, recently i tried to put an ssd with linux mint in it and it didnt detect the OS saying insert a bootable device (i think is something like i should installed BIOS linux instead of UEFI) then it locked the ssd asking for an user password and a master password on another PC, i only have the user password from the BIOS so i tried at and it said “incorrect password hdd is locked”

So my questions are:

1.- is there a default user password and master password for the HDD that i can try?

2.- is there a way to know the admin password of the bios? Or to reset the bios?

3.- is there a way to save my ssd from being trashed out?

Thank you in advance!

<SOLVED> No, they are not the same.

Installed arch as Dual boot with win 10 pro that I customized and debloated.
I streamed it btw.

also thinking about getting more into tac books / ruggedized stuff (especially server/workstation systems).

Sooo it's been a few years and I'd been struggling with touchscreen calibration on my CF-30. I'd kind of given up on it for a while since I'd tried xinput and the built in calibration tool, as well as every other blog suggestion to no avail. The touchscreen itself wouldn't change despite any setting I worked with.

Stumbled across Bob Johnson's page [he reviews a lot of rugged laptops] and found this: https://www.bobjohnson.com/blog/how-to-install-ubuntu-on-a-panasonic-toughbook-cf31/

Turns out, for ubuntu and other similar systems [I'm running Linux Mint XFCE] that allow you to add in a "startup program/command", you can, VERY EASILY, add in a command line with values that'll calibrate your touchscreen.

From the website itself:

In the box labeled Command, copy and paste one of the following lines of text, depending on the generation of your Toughbook CF-31 (if you don’t know the generation, or MK, here’s a guide that will help you figure it out):
For the CF-31 MK1: xinput set-prop "Fujitsu Component USB Touch Panel Pen (0)" "Coordinate Transformation Matrix" 1.075, 0, -.03, 0, 1.1, -0.07, 0, 0, 1

You might have to adjust some values out of the box. I looked up some of the other reddit suggestions and found this: https://cubiclenate.com/2018/04/22/panasonic-cf-19-toughbook-touch-panel-calibration/

Changing the first few numbers to the above so that the calibration reads

"1.115, 0, -0.073, 0, 1.1, -0.07, 0, 0, 1" seemed to work well enough on my system. There's a tiny bit of offset from the right edge, but not enough to the point it affects clicking the X button on windows or the scrollbar from working with the pen.

Still mildly annoying but until I can figure out what these numbers actually mean or trial and error it, it's actually usable [for once!]

HOORAY!

I have a handful of ToughBooks that a friend wants to tinker with. The CF-72 is missing the optical drive. Is there a better source than eBay for missing items?

Hey y'all!

I want to ask, is there a better display panel that i could upgrade my CF-53 mark 4 with? An IPS matrix perchance? I'm using the CF-53 but unfortunately the TN matrix i have on my unit has seen better days - the oleophobic coating is gone and the color reproduction is absolutely horrendous. I really like how the laptop performs and feels but i feel like a better screen is what would TRULY bring it out. I want a display matrix that is fully compatible with said laptop and ... Isn't TN. Similar power draw, same connector, don't mind the resolution, i just want IPS ... If anybody has done a similar upgrade, can you give me a heads up where to look and what to look for? Don't want to kill my laptop with an incompatible/ improperly compatible (ticking hardware-overloading bomb) display.

Thanks in advace!

I have a Panasonic Toughbook CF-30KQPRQ2B (MK3).

Current firmware:

BIOS: V3.01L23

Embedded Controller: V3.00L10

I'm trying to find out if there is a newer official BIOS update available for this exact CF-30 MK3 model.

I've searched Panasonic's current support site and the Internet Archive/Wayback Machine, but I haven't been able to find a verified newer BIOS package.

I’m continuing to troubleshoot the issue with my laptop Toughbook CF-33.

I recorded a video toto show the tablet locking mechanism.

It looks to me like there are visible differences inside the mechanism itself.

I don't think that should be the case if the parts on both sides are identical.

Could that be the cause of the problem?

Could you please tell me how to fix it? Or how I can secure it so the laptop remains usable?

Right now, the tablet loses contact, causing the touchpad and the ports on the keyboard section to stop working.

We have a batch of ~100 of FZ-55Js that came in that are intended to replace older 1st gen FZ-55s. These have the EM7595 vs the EM7511 modem in the old ones.

The Law Enforcement dispatch software uses the Sierra Wireless NMEA port on the 7511 to receive GPS information, but this port does not appear on the factory load at all. Taking it right out of the box and updating to the newest driver and FW for the 7595 gets the NMEA port to show, but the GPS sentences it outputs are empty and it never acquires a lock.

There is a different generic device that shows up now named "USB Serial Device" that is outputting valid GPS data, but I don't know what it is because after physically unplugging the modem it keeps functioning. This did not exist on the older models.

Is this an architectural change from Panasonic and we are now supposed to use this Serial device for GPS? Currently the dispatch software is programmed to look for the "Sierra Wireless NMEA Port" by name, and I am hoping we can get it working again before committing to having to write scripts for the dispatch software to detect the modem model number and figure out if it should connect to the NMEA device or the USB Serial device.

I opened up the new model and noticed the GPS connector on the modem is not plugged into anything and thought they had indeed changed it, but after opening 2 of the 1st gen models, they are same way yet function fine.

I recently received a FZ-55 toughbook that was going to be thrown out. I was able to get into the bios previously and boot from a usb and install Debian. Today, I went to get into the BIOS again and its password locked. I never put a password on the computer and now I can’t get into the bios to install a different OS. Removing the drive and trying to boot from a usb plugged in triggers a verification failed. Does anyone know what I can do to save it? Thank you.

I recently got myself the laptop but sadly it came without a stylus. I ordered one that was specifically made for that same model as my laptop. It was the cf-vnp025u . Supposedly from what I've read it should work. But for some reason I can't get it to. Any ideas? It's running Windows 10. And I also got the one click drivers updated as well, so everything should be in order.