Qualcom 3G data card freezes laptop when inserted

[-keevill-]

I bought a Vodofone 3G/GPRS data card and package for use in Europe. It
worked fine for a month. Then when I inserted the card it completely locked
the computer. I left Europe for my home in S.E Asia and resolved to sort out
the problem later.
It still locks up any laptop into which I insert it. I have downloaded the
latest software from Vodofone but just the same. I tried to remove the
Vodofone sim card which obviously I would not want to use in Asia but each
time I insert the thing into my pcmcia socket it just causes the machine to
freeze often requiring a complete reboot . I am using WinXP Pro SP2 with all
the latest patches .
Tried it in 3 different laptops but all of them running the same winxp sp2
software.
I guess it's a hardware driver problem but how can I solve the problem?
It's a Qualcomm 3G CDMA device pcmcia slot insertion.

 

[M.I.5¾]

I bought a Vodofone 3G/GPRS data card and package for use in Europe. It
worked fine for a month. Then when I inserted the card it completely locked
the computer. I left Europe for my home in S.E Asia and resolved to sort
out the problem later.
It still locks up any laptop into which I insert it. I have downloaded the
latest software from Vodofone but just the same. I tried to remove the
Vodofone sim card which obviously I would not want to use in Asia but each
time I insert the thing into my pcmcia socket it just causes the machine
to freeze often requiring a complete reboot . I am using WinXP Pro SP2
with all the latest patches .
Tried it in 3 different laptops but all of them running the same winxp sp2
software.
I guess it's a hardware driver problem but how can I solve the problem?
It's a Qualcomm 3G CDMA device pcmcia slot insertion.

It sounds to me me more along the lnes that the datacard itself has
developed some fault that is locking up the PC it is inserted into.

 

[Paul]

I bought a Vodofone 3G/GPRS data card and package for use in Europe. It
worked fine for a month. Then when I inserted the card it completely locked
the computer. I left Europe for my home in S.E Asia and resolved to sort out
the problem later.
It still locks up any laptop into which I insert it. I have downloaded the
latest software from Vodofone but just the same. I tried to remove the
Vodofone sim card which obviously I would not want to use in Asia but each
time I insert the thing into my pcmcia socket it just causes the machine to
freeze often requiring a complete reboot . I am using WinXP Pro SP2 with all
the latest patches .
Tried it in 3 different laptops but all of them running the same winxp sp2
software.
I guess it's a hardware driver problem but how can I solve the problem?
It's a Qualcomm 3G CDMA device pcmcia slot insertion.

Could you try booting an alternate OS, and testing the pccard while
the new OS is running ? I use either a Knoppix (knopper.net) or
Ubuntu (ubuntu.com) Linux Livecd for testing. You don't install
any software with those. You boot to a Linux desktop, by inserting
the Linux CD and booting the computer with it. Then, try inserting
your card, and see what happens.

If the computer does not freeze, then you'd suspect a driver problem
back in Windows.

If the computer freezes even in Linux, then it is more likely to be
a hardware problem.

In Linux, programs like lspci, lsusb, and dmesg, can be used to
list the hardware present in the computer. You may see the datacard
when using one of those.

It is also possible, that a Linux package is available to actually use
the datacard. But it likely will not be installed by default, in
Knoppix or Ubuntu.

Both Knoppix and Ubuntu, are a 700MB download from their respective
web site or mirrors. To make your own boot CD, would best be done
with a broadband data connection. It took me about an hour to download,
the last time I did it (late at night). I burned the ISO9660 image
to a CD, with Nero.

Paul

 

[-keevill-]

That's a very clever idea ! Never thought of it.
I have a Ubuntu Boot cd and will try it and report back.
-keevill-

 

[-keevill-]

That's a very clever idea ! Never thought of it.
I have a Ubuntu Boot cd and will try it and report back.
-keevill-

I did as suggested and the device locks up the UBUNTU install also so I must
assume that there is something wrong with it.
Many thanks,
-keevill-