Drivers for Toughbook CF-19 MK6

[u/ReDS_9000]

I've rescued a Toughbook CF-19 Mk. 16 from a car shop. It's in mint conditions, but the original SSD has a completely fucked up install of windows 7.

I threw in a new SSD and easily managed to get windows 10 and even windows 11 installed. However, i can't find a way to get the drivers working. I tried transferring the setup files from the old ssd but they just crash saying the PC is not compatible. I tried going over to the panasonic support website, downloaded PC HUB and it doesn't find any of the stuff, it just lets me control the fans.
I can't calibrate my touchscreen or set other resolutions, the hotkeys on the front aren't working and neither is the SD card reader.

Device manager is showing a bunch of devices with missing or broken driver but it can't find them by itself.

Someone suggested booting up the old win7 install and trying to update to windows 10 from there so it should keep the drivers, but as i said, my old install is basically stalled, it's impossible to get anything done. it takes like an hour just to log in.

Any ideas?

[u/Joe_Huser]

Try this Panasonic Connect location. https://global-pc-support.connect.panasonic.com/

[u/ReDS_9000 → u/Joe_Huser]

I already tried. Basically, filtering for my model and OS i just get update packs for the wifi or intel graphic. I tried downloading older drivers for windows 7 or 8 and they just refuse to work or even install. tried with drivers for a different model and they just don't install saying they're incompatible.

[u/Alone_Ad_4861]

I have a mk6 running windows 10. I've never got the tablet buttons working. Wifi and touch screen and even gps is fine but I think the tablet buttons are win7 specific. I just bought a CF-33 so I dont bother with it anymore

[u/mjdeiter]

I’m kind of in the same boat with my MK4 and has been a project of mine for a few months now. Start off downgrading to Windows 7 and update the BIOS. It’s up to you , but consider installing Linux on it. I’m running Manjaro and it does everything I need it to do. I never was able to get the tablet front buttons working but I never use it in tablet mode anyways so I didn’t put a lot of effort into getting them working. The screen brightness buttons worked without issue.

Here’s a guide that you can follow. If you have any issues let me know and I’ll help the best I can. https://www.bobjohnson.com/blog/mastering-ubuntu-on-the-panasonic-toughbook-cf-19/

[u/hallstar89 → u/mjdeiter]

I have a mark 5, i tried the instructions on that link and it has done nothing to help, ive no external speaker audio and the touchscreen calibration has done nothing either. Currently running latest ubuntu on it.

[u/Fpardignalfuln → u/hallstar89]

I've got Pop!_OS running on mine. I got the sound working by opening alsamixer in a terminal, selecting sound card (F6 key) and then, when you've got your sound working, in a terminal

alsactl --file ~/.config/asound.state store

and then make a .desktop file ~/.config/autostart/alsarestore.desktop with the following

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Terminal=false
Name=alsarestore
Exec=alsactl --file ~/.config/asound.state restore

[u/hallstar89 → u/Fpardignalfuln]

Ive opened alsamixer and the default sound card is selected, i can see the audio being detected on ‘pavucontrol’ but still no audio, its showing sound card as ‘HDA Intel PCH’ and chip is Realtek ALC269VB, but still no audio at all, im considering installing windows 7 to make sure the speaker isnt shorted out or something

[u/Fpardignalfuln → u/hallstar89]

Mine is

(default)

Card: PulseAudio

Chip: PulseAudio

There should just be one volume bar showing (Master).

[u/ReDS_9000 → u/mjdeiter]

I stumbled upon that exact guide. I rolled with ubuntu for a while, but, same as you, I couldn't get the buttons to work. I spent hours on libinput trying to find any kind of event coming from those. I never even managed to calibrate the touchscreen properly. that's the reason i ditched linux and decided to try again with windows.

The brightness buttons and the ambient brightness sensor thingy work for me too, even during boot, so I think they're just wired differently.
I guess iIt works fine enough with linux but I was excited for the gimmicks lol

[u/ReDS_9000 → u/mjdeiter]

Do schematics or something like that exist for this laptop? Because I'm genuinely curious now. They're clearly not hooked up as a keyboard, they're not media keys, they're not an HID device so...what are they?

[u/mjdeiter → u/ReDS_9000]

lol you and I are definitely cut from the same cloth.. no rest till we get it working! If I were to venture a guess, most likely dedicated GPIO Lines via ribbon cable to the embedded controller on the motherboard. As far as schematics go, it might be worth reaching out to Bob Johnson to see if they have one.

[u/Safjist_Nipnog]

What version of windows 10 are y’all trying to get going? I got an older install I downloaded and make an install usb with just a basic install no drivers.

Today I just installed it on one of my CF-19 Mk3 and with out drivers or an update I used the built in windows calibration utility, all basics worked out of the box so to speak.

Tomorrow I will be working in misc drivers and other needed stuff. Got to download a version from a newer toughbook.

[u/ReDS_9000 → u/Safjist_Nipnog]

So you got the buttons, the speakers and the touchscreen to work just like that? What version did you use? I could give it a shot

[u/Safjist_Nipnog]

I have the drive with me but not the computer at the moment. I will see if I can get the version out of that. I used windows calibration utility not Panasonics for the screen calibration.

I’m know I Made that drive a few years ago and never updated it.

[u/Safjist_Nipnog]

Didn't see the exact version. I will take note next time I load a PC. But the files on the flash drive are from January 2020. The disk also gives you the version of Home, education and Pro version with N versions of those as well.