Someting on this Laptop is blocking power to the PCMCIA slot, HELP!

[Kelvin]

I have three laptops what have about the same issue.
We use Verizon Air Cards that use the PCMCIA slot. Verizon card model number
PC770 if it matters.

I had a Dell laptop that was doing this and Dell ended up replacing the
mother board as it seemed it was a hardware issue.
With the new mother board in there was still no power (no lights on on the
card) to the card.
Ended up deleting the partition and reinstalling XP.
The card now works.
Did the same to a Dell PC Monday. Reinstalled XP from scratch, cards works.

I have a Panasonic Toughbook I'm having the same issue with.
I really don't want to have to reinstall the OS as it's has a number of
specialty apps our mechanics use, and I have to send it off to be reimages
as a result. I don't have access to the apps...

Anyone run across this issue and found a solution?
Anyone have any idea how to get this resolved?

I can take a known good card and put it in my laptop and it works, put it in
the laptop in questions, doesn't work.
Take the card that the user had been using and put it in my laptop and it
works.

Very frustrating.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Kelvin

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Kelvin" <[email protected]>

| I have three laptops what have about the same issue.
| We use Verizon Air Cards that use the PCMCIA slot. Verizon card model number
| PC770 if it matters.

| I had a Dell laptop that was doing this and Dell ended up replacing the
| mother board as it seemed it was a hardware issue.
| With the new mother board in there was still no power (no lights on on the
| card) to the card.
| Ended up deleting the partition and reinstalling XP.
| The card now works.
| Did the same to a Dell PC Monday. Reinstalled XP from scratch, cards works.

| I have a Panasonic Toughbook I'm having the same issue with.
| I really don't want to have to reinstall the OS as it's has a number of
| specialty apps our mechanics use, and I have to send it off to be reimages
| as a result. I don't have access to the apps...

| Anyone run across this issue and found a solution?
| Anyone have any idea how to get this resolved?

| I can take a known good card and put it in my laptop and it works, put it in
| the laptop in questions, doesn't work.
| Take the card that the user had been using and put it in my laptop and it
| works.

| Very frustrating.

| Any help would be much appreciated!

| Kelvin


What model laptop is this happening in presently and in the past ?

 

[Lem]

I have three laptops what have about the same issue.
We use Verizon Air Cards that use the PCMCIA slot. Verizon card model number
PC770 if it matters.

I had a Dell laptop that was doing this and Dell ended up replacing the
mother board as it seemed it was a hardware issue.
With the new mother board in there was still no power (no lights on on the
card) to the card.
Ended up deleting the partition and reinstalling XP.
The card now works.
Did the same to a Dell PC Monday. Reinstalled XP from scratch, cards works.

I have a Panasonic Toughbook I'm having the same issue with.
I really don't want to have to reinstall the OS as it's has a number of
specialty apps our mechanics use, and I have to send it off to be reimages
as a result. I don't have access to the apps...

Anyone run across this issue and found a solution?
Anyone have any idea how to get this resolved?

I can take a known good card and put it in my laptop and it works, put it in
the laptop in questions, doesn't work.
Take the card that the user had been using and put it in my laptop and it
works.

Very frustrating.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Kelvin

You're only assuming that because there are no lights on the card that
the is no power being supplied. Because it doesn't, in fact, seem to be
a hardware problem, perhaps there is a conflict that corrupts the driver
when you attempt to install it. Try using msconfig to disable all non-MS
apps and services and then install the card. Don't forget to clean up
remnants of previous install attempts. See this thread:
http://businessforums.verizon.net/t...Card-and-ExpressCard/m-p/81638/highlight/true

Another place to start would be to consider how the new installs of XP
differed from what was on the laptops previously. In other words, on the
the two Dells, did you install from a vanilla XP CD or from a Dell
restore CD. Assuming the former, what Dell software was installed but
now isn't there?

The fact that the same issue is happening with a Panasonic Toughbook
might actually help eliminate issues: what software is on both the
Toughbook and the Dells prior to the clean XP install?

 

[John Wunderlich]

I have three laptops what have about the same issue.
We use Verizon Air Cards that use the PCMCIA slot. Verizon card
model number PC770 if it matters.

I had a Dell laptop that was doing this and Dell ended up
replacing the mother board as it seemed it was a hardware issue.
With the new mother board in there was still no power (no lights
on on the card) to the card.
Ended up deleting the partition and reinstalling XP.
The card now works.
Did the same to a Dell PC Monday. Reinstalled XP from scratch,
cards works.

I have a Panasonic Toughbook I'm having the same issue with.
I really don't want to have to reinstall the OS as it's has a
number of specialty apps our mechanics use, and I have to send it
off to be reimages as a result. I don't have access to the apps...

Anyone run across this issue and found a solution?
Anyone have any idea how to get this resolved?

I can take a known good card and put it in my laptop and it works,
put it in the laptop in questions, doesn't work.
Take the card that the user had been using and put it in my laptop
and it works.

Very frustrating.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Kelvin

It could be a driver issue.
Start up Device Manager:
Start->Run->"devmgmt.msc"

Look for your device and make sure there is no errors or warnings on
the device. Record the driver version and date. Then go to the
manufacturer's website and see if there is a newer driver.

HTH,
John

 

[Kelvin]

A Dell Latitude D630, a Dell Latitude E6500 and the Panasonic Toughbook
CF-52.
All have been running fine for months.

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Kelvin" <[email protected]>

| A Dell Latitude D630, a Dell Latitude E6500 and the Panasonic Toughbook
| CF-52.
| All have been running fine for months.


I knew it !

I too have had several Latitude D630 notebooks loose the ability to communicate with
PCMCIA cards including a Verizon AirCard. I wouldn't categorize it as a power issue. I
categorized it as a failure of any PCMCIA card from performing a Plug 'n Play operation
when inserted within the notebook.

In one case it happened twice to one of my users using his D630 and a Verizon AirCard. It
turned out to be an engineering problem with the PCMCIA cage that situates the PCMCIA
interface to the NB's motherboard. There is too much of a gap and will disconnect from
the motherboard. The engineering fix is a rubber pad that goes between the cage and the
chassis to fill the gap void and prevent the disconnection.

There is an aftermarket engineering fix for this for the Dell Latitude D630. I don't know
about the problem with CF-52 ToughBook. We use them too but for different reasons.
Personally, I like the US made Dell ruggetized notebooks.

BTW: There is also a well known, and documented, defect with the NVidia video chipset on
the D630.

 

[Pavel A.]

Maybe all these laptops have been preinstalled with a wrong driver for the
PCMCIA controller.
When you installed XP yourself, it properly detected the controller
and installed the right driver.
If you wish to follow on this issue with Dell or Panasonic, their support
should be able to verify this guess.
--pa