CF28 MkII Win98SE Problem w 3Com Combo

I have used the 3Com combo Lan/Modem card in several CF-28 MkII and MkIII machines under W2K and XP without problems.

However, I am unable to make the 3Com Combo card work in a MkII under Win98SE.

Unfortunately I need 98SE on this machine to run a piece of legacy software that is not replaceable.

I have tried several different 3Com drivers (from this website and 3Com). No matter which driver I load, the message "This device cannot find any free memory range resources to use (Code 12)" appears in the device manager for the LAN part of the combo. The LAN apparently wants a memory range in use by the toughbook keyboard (memory range 0000 to 00ff).

NOTE: The same card, in the same MkII, work fine under Windows 2000 - so there is no problem with the card, MiniPCI slot, etc. This appears to be a pure driver conflict issue.

Does anyone out there remember this issue and how to solve it? I strongly suspect it occurs on all Win98SE MKII/III machines when using the 3Com combo card.

Regards,

 

Sorry I don't have an answer... But I'm wondering how often you will actually use the modem anyway... Why not just stick in a stock LAN card and tuck the modem connector away for possible use in the future?

Or do you use the modem with your software?

 

Toughbook,

Thanks for the thought. Unfortunately, the problem goes beyond the 3Com Combo card. The typical wifi cards that we use under W2K and XP don't work either - such as the Engenius 8602 series. I have tried 4 different Atheros drivers for that card and none work under 98SE. An old time "B" band card works w/o any problems - but is too large (3A) to fit in the inboard slot.

To fix the LAN issue, I have located a Intel-Xircom LAN/modem combo card. This card has the attribute of employing the same Intel LAN chip as the original Panasonic card. It was widely used and has drivers for many OS. Hopefully it will fix the LAN/modem issue - its probably the card we should have used from the start - it may even work with the original Panasonic driver.

I have been unable to locate a dual band or single band 3B size wireless "N" card that supports Win98SE. I am trying a TP-Link TL-WN660G card that has a Win93SE driver and runs a super "G" band with WPA2 @ 108Mbps. This is an Atheros based chipset - so I have my doubts this will really work, as none of the Win98SE Atheros drivers have worked to date. There is also a RaLink 2661 chipset that might have a Win98SE driver, but I have not found a card that uses it that even supports WPA2.

For sake of completeness (perhaps nobody else is even trying to run 98SE any more) I will post what I discover as part of this thread.

Regards

 

For the driver-memory-problem, there are enough descriptions, how to solve this problem. Give them a try...(i.e. http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6618_102-0.html?threadID=28255). Are u using ACPI ?
About the win98 compatible wifi-cards..I also use a ralink under win98SE with this driver http://www.e-tech.nu/GetDL.php?What.../wireless_files/downloads/WGPx02-WGPx03.zip__

 

Pipe -

Ummm... just a suggestion -

Have you given thought to trying Win ME instead? (Good lord... I can't BELIEVE I just suggested that SERIOUSLY)

Anyways... your legacy software SHOULD run under ME, as it was really just a skin job on '98SE; but they had a LOT more drivers for the newer hardware included in the default driver package.

mnem
I feel icky...