pcmcia usb card- it don't work

June 11, 2006 10:36 PM

My PCMCIA USB card is crap

I bought a cheap Pcmcia usb 2.0 card to use on my laptop, however it is virtually useless. It won't recognize USB memory sticks, or digital cameras, either with or without the card's external power supply. The main reason I bought it was to use these devices. Is it the card which isn't working or does the computer see pcmcia usbs as a hub? Is it worth trying another (and more expensive brand)?

posted by MrC to Computers & Internet (6 answers total)

Do you have a friend who has:

• a laptop; or,
• a PC Card adapter; or,
• a USB device

Borrowing any of these three will let you test the card, the PC Card slot in your laptop, or the USB device(s), respectively.
posted by Mr. Six at 10:44 PM on June 11, 2006

What OS are you running? If it is XP did it recognize the card when you plugged it in?
posted by SteveTheRed at 10:46 PM on June 11, 2006

What *does* it recognise?
posted by krisjohn at 11:01 PM on June 11, 2006

Response by poster: Sorry; I'm running Win XP on an IBM X24 thinkpad. XP recognised it and there was no cd supplied with it. It recognises corded usb mice, although not a logitech wireless mouse, and keyboards etc. Haven't tried it with a printer.
posted by MrC at 2:13 AM on June 12, 2006

Sounds like a power issue. A mouse doesn't draw much current, while a keyboard would.

Does it work with USB devices that provide their own power, e.g. a printer?
posted by Mr. Six at 2:16 AM on June 12, 2006

Check your BIOS updates. I had to do that to get my laptop to recognize my 2.0 USB PCMCIA card.
posted by ao4047 at 8:11 PM on June 12, 2006