CF-29 PCMCIA Trouble

I currently own a CF-29 MK2, and am having trouble getting the computer to even see the SCR 243 Smart card reader when inserted.The card works fine when inserted into other laptops PCMCIA slots, but refuses to even be recognized when inserted into the CF-29. Device manager shows the PCMCIA adaptor to be functioning normally, but it just doesnt seem to work with any PCMCIA cards I have inserted in there. Running window XP pro SP3

 

Get a bright light and shine it down into the pocket. Look into it with a magnifying glass (If needed) to see if any of the pins are bent. On more than one occasion I have fixed this issue. But it will necessitate taking the laptop completely apart. Check to see if this is the problem.

I guess people think that they can slam cards in crooked and they should work. This is how the problem happens.

 

WHUT?

Yer mean plugging muh WiFi card intuh 2 slots at thuh same tahm duzzin' mean ah kin download my pr0n twice't as fassst?

Yew wait rightch-ere whilest I go tan that boy's hide...

mnem
spitz-n-spartin'-fillibartin'-fric-n-frac-n-daft-arse-mudsucker son-o-mine anyhooo...

 

No dice. I peered into the card slot, but dont see any bent pins... Driver issue maybe?

 

See to it that it is enable on the bios.


ohlip

 

yeah I checked the bios and its enabled, but I did notice that the bios version is 2.00L16 and the embedded controller version is 2.00L12... I noticed on the driver site that there is a later version, but I'm not sure how to install it with out a floppy drive...

 

Did a Bios and EC update, still no luck

 

There are another posibilities. Is this unit open up before, I mean taken out the mbo. coz one of the posiblities is that the PCMCIA module is not properly hook up to its slot on the mbo. check it out. Another one, its all a probality I am not saying it is the trouble what I want you do is how to trouble shoot the problem. Are the chipset driver loaded on the unit? It is very important coz this driver act as like waking up all of its component within the unit mbo.



ohlip

 

Is this the first time you've tried to use a PCMCIA card in this machine? Have you had similar issues with any other PCMCIA cards and this machine?

Is it possible previous owner got rid of this machine BECAUSE of issues with PCMCIA slot? Wouldn't be the first time I've seen that...

mnem
One slot, two slot, red slot, blue slot...

 

Yeah all the chipset drivers are installed and up todate. I'll start tearing this thing down this weekend. Anything I need to look out for rwhen taking this behemoth apart?

I've only had this computer for a few days now, and have only encounter issues with just the PCMCIA slot. None of the PCMCIA cards that I own work in this machine, which sucks since I was hoping that my Smart Card reader PCMCIA card would work, since the only way to access my work data is using a CAC-ID (Common Access Card)...

 

Unfortunately... The only way to true check to see if Teo's suggestion is the culprit is to remove the entire motherboard. This is a chore and your best bet is to take several digital pics if at all possible. Take it apart in a CLEAN space and have several different screw jars ready. Try to keep everything grouped so that you can remember it... Either by the part, direction, color... Whatever helps you remember. When you remove the motherboard... You will see four screws holding the PCMCIA slot assembly down to the motherboard.... At least you SHOULD see the four screws. When you remove them you will notice it doesn't fall right off... The very end of the assembly has a connector that snaps into a connector on the mobo. check this area carefully... Check for blown fuses and anything else that looks out of place or doesn't look right in general.

 

Another way to check if it is seated properly on the mbo. is on the top openning of the unit, underneath the keyboard openning.


ohlip

 

Alright I have this thing town apart with all the screws mounted on a poster board with labels. The PCMCIA reader seems like its seated properly. What do the fuses look like?