Blogger Seth Persigehl shows in his blog beneftits of being a Toughbook owner.

CF-29 on vacation

Nice computer table.

Toughbook on the beach

Send us your pictures at info@toughbookcentral.com.

WinFast Navigator (Freeware)

The WinFastNavigator is GPS monitor for Pocket PC, Palm, and Windows laptop. It is used to test and view performance of GPS receiver based on SiRF chipset.

For Windows 9x, NT, ME, 2K, XP

GPSInfo (Freeware)

GPSInfo  is used to test and view performance of GPS receiver.
For Windows

Microsoft Street and Trips 2009 Trial Version

Street and Trips is the best selling GPS software in the US. Microsoft now offers a 60 days trial version.
Download trial version and run it for free for 60 days

Fully-rugged Pentium III model.

Mark 1: 600 MHz
Mark 2: 800 MHz
Mark 3: 1.0 GHz

CPU: CF-28X—–
==================================
E – PII 300Mhz
F – PII 333Mhz
G – PII 366Mhz
J – PIII 400Mhz
K – PIII 450Mhz
L – PIII 500Mhz
M – PIII 600Mhz
N – PIII 700Mhz
P – PIII 800Mhz
Q – PIII 850Mhz
R – PIII 900Mhz
S – PIII 1Ghz

LCD – Keyboard: CF-28*X*****
==================================
B – 12.1″ SVGA Touch Screen w/ Std Keyboard
C – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen w/ Std Keyboard
E – 12.1″ SVGA Touch Screen w/ Backlit Keyboard (chicklet)
F – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen w/ Backlit Keyboard (chicklet)
G – 12.1″ SVGA Touch Screen w/ Backlit Keyboard (rubber)
H – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen w/ Backlit Keyboard (rubber)
J – 12.1″ SVGA Touch Screen w/ Std Keyboard – Blk Cabinet
K – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen w/ Std Keyboard – Blk Cabinet
M – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen w/ Std Keyboard – Blk Cabinet
R – 12.1″ SVGA Touch Screen w/ Std Keyboard
S – 12.1″ SVGA Touch Screen – w/ Backlit Keyboard (chicklet)
T – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen – w/ Std Keyboard
U – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen – w/ Backlit Keyboard (chicklet)
V – 12.1″ SVGA Transflective Touch – w/ Backlit KB (rubber)
W – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen- w/ Backlit Keyboard (rubber)
3 – 13.3″ XGA Non Touch Screen w/ Std Keyboard
4 – 13.3″ XGA Non Touch – w/ Backlit Keyboard (chicklet)
5 – 13.3″ XGA Non Touch – w/ Backlit Keyboard (rubber)

HDD – RAM – Wireless WAN Carrier: CF-28**X****
==================================
A – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – CDMA-Verizon
B – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – CDMA-SprintPCS
C – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – GPRS – Cingular
D – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – GPRS – AT&T
E – 30GB HDD – 256MB GPRS – T-Mobile
F – 20GB HDD – 128MB RAM
J – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM
H – 30GB HDD – 768MB RAM
M – 30GB HDD – 512MB RAM
P – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – CDPD
Q – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – Mobitex
Q – 30GB HDD – 1GB RAM
T – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – Secure
3 – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – Hazardous (Skydrol resistant)

Multimedia Pocket – Modem – LAN: CF-28***X***
==================================
A – Floppy Disk Drive – Modem
B – CD ROM Drive – Modem
C – CD ROM Drive – Super Disk Drive Bundle – Modem
D – CDR/W – Modem
E – CDR/W – Super Disk Drive Bundle – Modem
F – DVD – Super Disk Drive Bundle – Modem
G – Floppy Disk Drive – Modem – Ethernet
H – CD ROM Drive – Modem – Ethernet
J – CD ROM Drive – Super Disk Drive – Modem – Ethernet
K – CDR/W – Modem – Ethernet
L – CDR/W+SDD bundle – Modem – Ethernet
M – Floppy Disk Drive – CD ROM Drive – Modem – Ethernet
P – Floppy Disk Drive – Ethernet – 802.11b Wireless LAN
Z-None

Integrated Options: CF-28****X**
==================================
A – CDPD – No Wireless LAN
B – Mobitex – No Wireless LAN
C – CDMA – No Wireless LAN
E – GPS – No Wireless LAN
F – CDPD – GPS – No Wireless LAN
G – Mobitex – GPS – No Wireless LAN
H – CDMA – VoiceKit – No Wireless LAN
J – GPRS – GPS – No Wireless LAN
K – GPRS – No Wireless LAN
L – CDPD – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
M – Mobitex – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
N – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
P – GPRS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
Q – GPRS – GPS -802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
R – CDPD – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
S – Mobitex – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
T – GPRS – VoiceKit – No Wireless LAN
U – CDMA – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
V – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN whip antenna (Cisco)
Y – 802.11b Wireless LAN only – (Lucent)
Z – None”11 – CDPD -802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
2 – Mobitex – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
3 – GPRS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
4 – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
5 – CDPD – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
6 – Mobitex – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
7 – GPRS – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
8 – Wireless LAN Antenna -802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
9 – 802.11b Wireless LAN only – (Cisco)

Operating System: CF-28*****X*
==================================
C – Windows NT
D – Windows 2000
E – Windows 98
F – Windows 2000
G – Windows XP Pro
K – Windows XP Pro
N – OS (No install)
P – Dual (NT-2K)
Q – Dual (XP-2K)
Z – Blank (No-License

Destination Area/Region: CF-28******X
==================================
M – North America
E – UK
G – Germany
F – France
S – Sweden
T – Italy
P – Spain

www.toughwiki.com

Each letter in Panasonic CF-18 model number corresponds to a specific option installed.

MK1 – (first generation) 18B
MK2 – 18D/E
MK3 – 18F/G/H
MK4 – 18K/L
MK5 – (last release) 18N/P

Here is an example extended model number:  CF-18DDAZAMM

CF -
18 – series 18

First character is the CPU & presence of a built-in Wireless card:

B – Pentium 900Mhz (Centrino) / 802.11b+g
C – Pentium 900Mhz Ultra Low Voltage / No wireless
D – Pentium 1.1Ghz ULV (centrino) with builtin B&G wifi
E – Pentium 1.1Ghz ULV / No wifi (Federal Only)
F – Pentium M 733 1.1Ghz (centrino) / 802.11a/b/g
G – Pentium M 733 1.1Ghz /no wifi (Federal Only)
H – Pentium M 733 1.1Ghz (centrino) / 802.11b/g
K – Pentium M 753 1.2Ghz (Centrino) / 802.11a/b/g
L – Pentium M 753 1.2Ghz / no wifi (Federal Only)
N – Pentium M 753 1.2Ghz (Centrino) / 802.11a/b/g + TPM 1.2
P – Pentium M 753 1.2Ghz / no wifi /(Federal Only) / +TPM 1.2

Second character is the screen options:

C – 10.4 XGA high Bright Digitizer / backlit keyboard
D – 10.4 XGA High Bright Digitizer
E – 10.4 XGA digitizer + black cabinet
F – 10.4 XGA tablet (hazardous locations)
H – 10.4 XGA High Bright Touchscreen
J – 10.4 XGA High Bright Touchscreen / backlit keyboard
K – 10.4 XGA High Bright (Hazardous Locations)
T – 10.4 XGA Transflective

Third Character is HDD/RAM options

A – 40GB HDD / 256RAM / dual ant conn
B – 40GB / 256 / dual ant conn
C – 40 / 768
D – 60 / 256 / dual ant conn
H – 60 / 512 / dual ant conn
K – 40 / 256
L – 40 / 512
N – 40 / 256 / dual ant conn / smartcard
Q – 60GB / 512 / dual ant conn / smartcard
1 – 40 / 256 / dual ant conn / haz loc
2 – 60 / 512 / dual ant conn / haz loc

Fourth Character is WWAN (Builtin Broadband) options:

F – GPRS (Cingular)
G – Edge (Cingular) (AT&T GPRS prior to Pent M733)
H – GPRS (T-Mobile)
J – CDMA 1xRTT Verizon (no voice)
K – EVDO (Sprint) (1xRTT prior to Pent M733)
L – GPRS (Cingular)
M – EVDO (Verizon) (1xRTT prior to Pent M733)
Z – none
3 – special order

Fifth Character is extra goodies options:

A – 802.11 + GPS
B – 802.11 + Bluetooth
C – 802.11 +GPS + Bluetooth
X – base model
Z – none
1 – secured HDD Door

Sixth Character is Factory OS Options:

B – XP Pro SP2
D – Win 2k
K – XP Pro
M – XP Pro Tablet PC
R – XP Tablet MUI
V – XP Tablet 2005
X – XP
Z – no license

Seventh and final Character is origin of release:

M – N America
E – not N America
F – ”
G – ”
P – ”
S – ”
T – ”

Source.

With a recent introduction of SATA drives, please make sure you are getting the old fashioned ATA-6. In our case it’s Western Digital 250GB, 5400RPM, 8MB Buffer, man. part number WD250BEVE.

In order to make a smooth upgrade it will be handy to have an external USB hard drive enclosure kit (around $8) and Power Quest Drive Image 7.0 or higher CopyWipe freeware program. There are many similar programs available.

First, connect new HDD using USB enclosure kit. Once recognized by Windows, go to Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Computer Management->Disk Management. The new hard drive will be shown as an unallocated space with approximately 232GB of space available.

Right click->Create new partition-> Follow wizard prompts.

I made 2 primary partitions 120GB each. One for operating system, another one for data.

Now it’s time to launch CopyWipe. I used Window version. The interface is very simple. Choose drive to copy, destination drive but don’t forget to pick “Copy MBR” at the last screen.

It took 60 minutes to copy a 60GB HDD.

Note: I also had success with Western Digital 320GB HDD, man. part number WD320BEVE.

HDD Caddy. Connector side.

Finished assembly.

Buy CF-18 caddy with 320GB hard drive form Tough Depot.

Toughbook Motherboard Production

Riyad Emeran from TrustedReviews.com visited Panasonic factory in Kobe, Japan where Toughbooks are being assembled. Read the full story online or download a printable PDF version.