Any other V505 users having problems with PCMCIA (PC Card)?

I have a PCG-V505DC2 that will not recognize any adapters that I put into it (specifically a Linksys wireless adapter). The computer is running XP SP3. The card works fine on my sister's Dell laptop which also uses XP SP3.

After poring over the Internet and this forum for hours, I came across a large amount of inquiries by others that have the same problem of faulty PCMCIA slots. My particular device is a Ricoh R5C520 that device manager reports as working properly. I uninstalled and reinstalled the Ricoh controller, searched Windows Update for updated drivers (which found none), but no luck. I insert a card, and nothing happens: no power lights, no recognition. Nothing.

Chatted with Sony support which offered no real solutions (they even insisted repeatedly that I turn off my internal wireless adapter that I don't even have). Searched Microsoft knowledge base but found no articles pertaining to my problem.

I am at my wit's end. I contacted Ricoh today (whose website doesn't even claim to sell PCMCIA controllers anymore) via email in the hopes of getting an updated driver, but I feel as though they will be of no use as well.

So, finally, my question is: anyone ever had this problem and solved it? Do I need new hardware? New drivers? Both? Is there anyone that knows how to take apart a V505 (I searched the suggested websites for disassembly instructions per this thread but could not find my model in any of them)?

 

It's probably not a software thing. Even if you had no drivers you'd probably get a power light when you put in the card. Sounds to me like the PCMCIA slot is just internally damaged, I've seen this happen when people insert cards and allow too much pressure to be on them (such as putting in a wireless card, leaving the card in when they put it in a bag and all the weight of the laptop is pushing on that card)

 

Yeah, I was assuming that physical damage was a likely possibility. The odd thing is that this is the first time I have ever used the slot for anything since I have purchased it (albeit I purchased it ~5 years ago). So if it is indeed damaged, is there anyway I can tell for sure by just looking at it? And on a related note, how can I take apart a V505?