How to take apart Panasonic Toughbook CF-R3/R4/R5 notebook

These instructions will help you take apart Panasonic Toughbook CF-R3/R4/R5 notebooks. The instructions were made for a Panasonic CF-R4 notebook but should work for CF-R3 and CF-R5 too because these computers have the same case.

The instructions will walk you through removing the keyboard, top cover assembly and replacing the hard drive.

There is no easy access to the hard drive, it’s buried deep inside the laptop and located under the top cover.

Many sources state that the Panasonic Let’s Note series use 3.3v drives instead of standard 5v models. The R4 I opened had a stock 5v Toshiba MK6034GAX inside without any modification, jumpering or cutting of pins.

You can replace the stock 60GB hard drive with a larger one. The author of the guide replaced the stock hard drive with a 250GB Western Digital drive.

WARNING!
1. Be very careful when you are disconnecting the keyboard. The keyboard cable is plugged into the connector on the motherboard. You’ll have to unlock the connector first and then pull the keyboard cable. If you break the connector, you’ll have to replace the whole motherboard or use your notebook with an external keyboard because the internal keyboard will not work.
2. Be very careful when you are removing the top cover assembly. There is a cable connecting the touchpad to the motherboard. If the touchpad stopped working after reassembly, most likely you pulled the touchpad cable from the connector. Reconnect the cable.

Here’s another guide for upgrading the hard drive on a Panasonic CF-R3 notebook but in this case the author had to make some modifications to the hard drive.

 

 

 

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