Guys

 

I have 2 Panasonic CF-29 Toughbook laptops, one a Mk2 whick keeps blue screening, the other I just bought which is a Mk3. My plan is to use 5 hard drives/caddy's with a fresh XP Pro install with different diagnostic programs.

 

The issue I have is that when I swap the hard drives between the laptops, when I put them in the new one I get a conflict and the laptop wont start, obvioulsy as the xp install has been done in another laptop. I cant get to a boot screen for formatting the hd, is there a way I can format the hard drive only either in the faulty laptop or on the new one then install a fresh copy of XP rather than buying new hard drives.

 

Cheers John

What's the spec of the laptops ?

 

XP is very fussy about changing hardware but windows 7 works a treat !

 

See if you can get windows 7 on them !

The 2 laptops are very similar spec's but as for windows 7 the software installs and runs with xp pro without issues and i dont want to create any more grief.

 

The software doesnt really need high spec pc's to run them , the 2 laptops are 1.3 processors, 512 mb ram, 40 or 80 gig hd's.

 

Cheers John

Get a USB external caddy (mine was £9 from Maplins), stick the HDD in that and plug into USB on working laptop. Then you can format - or maybe even repair - that HDD before reinstalling in the non working laptop and do a fresh install of XP.

I'm assuming what you really want is to use the 5 hard disks and have a fresh install for each of the them with different diagnostic software. I assume that the machines have an optical drive so you'll need that to install windows anyway? Boot from the CD, go through the install process and format the drive as you go through the install. If it doesnt have a built in optical drive you could always try a USB optical drive. I would say it'll probably understand that as a bootable drive.

 

Repeat for each drive and you'll have 5drives that work with the new laptop. I suspect that the different "mk's" of the toughbook will be based around different chipsets so thats why it wont start. I wouldnt recommend swapping hard disks between machines unless they are identical, even then it can be a PITA as even with the same revision of machine there can be subtle differences.

Gio I have had a look in Maplins they only appear to have a SATA HD Caddy, you wouldnt have a link would you?

 

Chris When the good laptop starts I can go to a menu screen that allows me options to boot from cd etc, I select that and I still get the conflict screen, I think maybee a proper boot cd would maybee be a better option rather than a xp disc but I still would have thought it would have ran. I have a dvd rom I can swap between each laptop so thats not an issue.

 

Cheers John

LINKY>

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_kw=2.5&_kw=sata&_kw=hd&_kw=caSE

Gio I have had a look in Maplins they only appear to have a SATA HD Caddy, you wouldnt have a link would you?

 

Chris When the good laptop starts I can go to a menu screen that allows me options to boot from cd etc, I select that and I still get the conflict screen, I think maybee a proper boot cd would maybee be a better option rather than a xp disc but I still would have thought it would have ran. I have a dvd rom I can swap between each laptop so thats not an issue.

 

Cheers John

 

Is the "good" laptop known working? Doesnt sound good if its having problems booting from a CD? Do both of them blue screen? What is the conflict message exactly, is it coming from windows or the laptops own bios?

Chris I will start it in a bit and type up the exact message with the conflicts, cheers

Chris I took a pic with my phone hope its clear enough, the laptop starts with the blue panasonic screen then goes to this.

 

Cheers John

Ah, right well that conflict is an issue with either the mainboard or the configuration of the bios.

 

Its saying two ethernet controllers, but it could mean the wireless and the "normal" ethernet card are conflicting. Just to be clear, I assume it has PCMCIA or cardbus etc as an expansion slot, is there a network card in there? Or anything else plugged into the laptop?

 

What I would do, is press F2 to enter setup (assuming it will let you!) and then find a way of resetting the bios back to factory default and see if that does the trick. If not there may be a fault with the machine :(

A quick google on the subject reveals that the wireless card is often the culprit. Bizzarly removing the card and reseating it seems to be the solution...

 

Being so tough, I wonder if people are a little rough with them and the card becomes ever so slightly dislodged perhaps? You could try that. Or failing that, if you dont need the wireless just take the card out of the machine. It wont do it any harm to not have it.

A quick google on the subject reveals that the wireless card is often the culprit. Bizzarly removing the card and reseating it seems to be the solution...

 

Being so tough, I wonder if people are a little rough with them and the card becomes ever so slightly dislodged perhaps? You could try that. Or failing that, if you dont need the wireless just take the card out of the machine. It wont do it any harm to not have it.

 

Seen it happen with graphics cards many a time!

Seen it happen with graphics cards many a time!

 

On tough books or machines in general?! lol

 

But yes loose hardware can cause all sorts of weird shit.

On tough books or machines in general?! lol

 

But yes loose hardware can cause all sorts of weird shit.

 

Just in general bud but as you say it happens and then its a case of :confused1:

 

had a few mates say to me my screen wont display and that's mostly my first check! lol

Ah, right well that conflict is an issue with either the mainboard or the configuration of the bios.

 

Its saying two ethernet controllers, but it could mean the wireless and the "normal" ethernet card are conflicting. Just to be clear, I assume it has PCMCIA or cardbus etc as an expansion slot, is there a network card in there? Or anything else plugged into the laptop?

 

What I would do, is press F2 to enter setup (assuming it will let you!) and then find a way of resetting the bios back to factory default and see if that does the trick. If not there may be a fault with the machine :(

 

IRQ issues it looks more like matey

IRQ issues it looks more like matey

 

Yes - hence the conflict of system resources. However assuming the hardware is standard, resetting all to default should solve the issues as it wouldnt have come from the factory with the network cards fighting for the same IRQ ;)

Very frustrating this is, if I try to boot from cd it conflicts, I try to restore default settings, same thing happens, would changing the hd's and carring out a fresh install of xp pro resolve my issue? HD's are not that expensive and I can put them through my company.

 

I wish everything was straightforward looool

 

Cheers John

DId you try resetting the bios? That error is nothing to do with the hard disk, its either a physical fault or software configuration issue within the laptos own software (i.e out side of windows)

Resetting bios..........errr what do i do or how do i reset it.

 

Cheers John

I dont know if this is correct but when I remove the hard drive and start the laptop I get the same error/conflict, am guessing its as u guys say its a problem with the laptop itself, if so I will be on the phone to get it replaced on Monday.

 

Cheers John

It could be a fault mate, but its quite likely to be something and nothing either a reset or simply reseating the wireless network card might help, saw it on another forum after a quick google. If you like give me a call tomorrow and i'll try and guide you through resetting the bios. I'll pm you my number incase you dont have it anymore.

John, here's the link to the caddy I got from Maplins. It's gone up to £15 http://www.maplin.co.uk/idata-usb-2.0-portable-sata-hdd-enclosure-444578

 

But in reading the follow-ons and your error message, this is not an HDD fault / OS fault stopping the boot. IMHO, Quavey / murt are much more on the right track. It looks like a BIOS conflict. As Quavey says, hit F2 to get into BIOS setup but if this is a first for you, best take up Quavey's offer and give him a bell.

Awsome guys thanks for the replies.

 

Cheers John

Thanks for the replies guys laptop has been returned to the supplier who has replaced it for me.

 

Cheers John