CF-27 Toughbook Laptop "Swithch"

Nexrad16 · Post by **Nexrad16** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:45 pm

Can anyone or does anyone know what the "hidden" swith does on the under side of the computer?

This swith is next to where the mem module goes and battery.

Thanks!

Cowthief · Post by **Cowthief** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:21 pm

Hello.

There is a "Hard reset" button in the area.
This removes the CMOS battery from the circuit.
Not recommended except as a last resort.
Windows puts some things in CMOS, by pulling the plug, you can end up with a need for a complete reinstall of the OS.
Linux could care less what you do to the CMOS.

Nexrad16 · Post by **Nexrad16** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:38 pm

That might be a second switch that I have not found yet. This switch is a toggle switch. It is marked "on" but I can't see a "off". I don't know, maybe it's the same thing.

I tried switching it. Do seem to notice anything changing.

Anyway, thanks for the response

Jay911 · Post by **Jay911** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:50 pm

Hey stop that! I was wondering why my wireless was going off.

Just kidding. Does it look original or aftermarket?

Nexrad16 · Post by **Nexrad16** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:58 pm

It looks as if it's factory. If it's an aftermarket job it's a good one.

Nexrad16 · Post by **Nexrad16** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 10:00 pm

looking at it now.... I must say it's factory. On the board (green board) behinde the switch I can see a factory print "on".

jackhackett · Post by **jackhackett** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 10:57 am

don't know what it's for, but not all CF-27's have it.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:47 pm

It should enable the internal PCMCIA card for their their wireless option

clavo · Post by **clavo** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 11:28 am

Does that mean if I tear this thing open there is a 3rd PCMCIA slot that I can put the orinoco gold card that is currently sticking out the side into? This would be great as this card sticking out the side is the only weak point at the moment.

-c

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 1:24 pm

Not that i can find inside. Mine has this switch, it just switches power on and off to the connector for the internal optional wireless.

If you see a CF-27/28 with the cell phone like antenna on the top left corner of the display and an rf connector next to the docking connector that's from the internal optional wireless card.

The models that don't have it installed have a rubber plug on the top left corner of the display, this is where the antenna normally goes. There was a few antenna kits on eBay, but spendy, to add that antenna. I was thinking of using a short wireless card that does not have an integrated antenna, they are out there, and it has an MC jack on it. I tried one and it would be short enough to sit in the PC slot with the door closed, then add that antenna to the top corner and route the cable down and plug it into that card and you have a factory looking install. Except for the antenna jack on the back for the docking station that is.

clavo · Post by **clavo** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 4:28 pm

Let me know if you end up taking the cf-27 apart. I'd be interested in what that optional CDPD wireless modem connected to. I'd guess mini-pci or maybe pcmcia? That would be great if you could just stick in a mini-pci wifi card.

-c

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 4:46 pm

I will let you know what i find, i plan on doing it tonight or tomorrow since i'm getting the laptop ready to go mobile.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 6:03 pm

On the CF-27 the option slot is a PCMCIA

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 7:03 pm

You mean besides the two external PC slots on the back right side there is another PC slot inside?

That's what we were talking about, whats internal.

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 10:03 pm

OK, end result...

Opened er' up. The switch is an enable/disable jumper for the internal wireless card option, this we already knew but it thought i would add that just in case someone else comes along and buzzes to the end of the thread.

If you dissasemble the computer, and this takes a lot of work because you have to remove the battery, hard drive, and a ton of screws throughout the bottom. You also have to remove the screws that hold down the keyboard, remove the keyboard, and finally disconnect the display and remove that. This allows the top plate of the computer to be removed.

Then you will see two small multi-pin headers directly underneath the mouse pad and buttons on the top side of the PCB opposite the switch and the RAM slot.

It appears that they used a custom module that plugged onto these headers, labeled CN20 and CN21. The switch, if you follow the traces, disconnects one pin on the larger header, turning the power off to it to disable the card.

There is also some hold downs and a channel through the adjacent bulkhead on mine where it appear the cable to the antenna would route. And it goes up through the left display hinge to the top left corner where the antenna would be installed. There is also another route to the back where the rf port would be next to the docking connector, between the docking connector and USB port.

From what i have found digging around on the web the card had two antenna ports on it, one to the internal antenna, and one to the external antenna jack on the back. It would have been SUPER nice if they had used a Mini-PCI interface slot there, it would have been easy to add a card to include wireless. But alas, its their own special interface design as far as i can tell. I can't find anything that matches, i will make some phone calls next week to laptop parts suppliers that i know of, but it's going to be hit or miss to find one that has been parted out and had a wireless card.

From what i know so far the 27,28,29 for sure all used the same card. I think some others might have, but later toughbooks appear to have went to Mini-PCI instead.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 6:12 am

Again, what you are looking at is where a carrier board that HAS a PCMCIA slot on it would be installed.

jmr061 · Post by **jmr061** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 7:13 am

The CF-28 has an internal pcmcia slot for the wireless option(s). I don't think the 27 does. I had a CF-27 233 or 266 mhz at one point and remember that switch. It did not have an internal pcmcia. The wireless option in it would have been installed as described above in kb0nly's post.

Jason

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 9:50 am

JMR964 is correct on that. I went and borrowed a friends CF-28 and opened it up, it needed a good going through and cleaning anyway so it was a trade, cleaning for information.

The CF-28 IS different inside. So i was wrong, the 27 does not share the same component as the 28, 29's.

His 28 doesn't have that switch, but it has an internal PCMCIA slot with a short card that has two antenna jacks on it. One jack has the cable that goes to the internal antenna on the display. The other jack has a cable going to the rear antenna port for his docking station.

This is the way he bought it, so i assume its factory. And it looks entirely different than my CF-27 which has a couple small multi pin headers for the wireless board to plug on to. I found a place online that has some Toughbook parts, initial contact with them via email shows they do have a wireless card in stock. I will call them Monday and see if they can send a picture of it to verify its the one i need and get a price quote for it.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 6:04 pm

I've had 3 CF-27's apart that were OEM wireless models and the cards were clearly in an internal PCMCIA slot which was plugged into a header connector next to the switch.

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 6:21 pm

That's odd, i guess i should have taken pictures of this one when i had it apart then. Next to the switch is the memory slot, and on the opposite side is two small push on and latch multi pin headers, no internal PC slot on this one.

CF-27RJ48AAM, maybe the different sub-models have the different internal wireless interface.

On the ones you took apart with the internal PC slot, what did they look like? Were there one or two antenna jacks, etc.

Maybe mine is the same, but it doesn't get the PC slot part added unless the wireless gets installed at the factory. I assume you meant next to the switch on the opposite side, i have a header there, next to the header for the flex cable for the hard drive. It was labeled CN20.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 7:29 pm

There are numerous revisions of the CF-27's throughout the product lifespan from PII 266 through PII 500Mhz models

The cards had single antenna jacks with a split cable, specfically Spider II CDPD cards used for IWIN. Antenna cable was routed to both the rear connector and the screen housing.

THe PCMCIA slot itself was inside a skeleton housing and plugged into the header you see.

If I get some time I might take the CF-27 I have here apart and take digital pics.

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 7:52 pm

Ok, that's what i was thinking, another assembly plugs onto the headers that mine has.

Probably no chance of finding these parts unless i come across a dead parts unit i bet.

CF-27 Toughbook Laptop "Swithch"

CF-27 Toughbook Laptop "Swithch"

Switch

cool

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