Installing a new PCMCIA to PCI Interface Card Drive

[test boy ii]

So I have two different DSL lines and recently got a wireless for notebooks.

The new wireless is at least as fast as one of the DSL lines so I decided to make my desk top compatible with the PCMCIA wireless card. The get rid of one of the DSL lines.

I got the impression that my existing DSL set up somehow recognized the new hard ware. A download instantly began.

Now I can't get the installation CD to work. I quickly get an error message that it could not complete installation.

The PCMCIA card should be OK I think....it has a Ricoh chip set and looks well made. The instructions had good english.

I'm thinking of re-installing Windows since my new hard drive is only a few days old. Thus starting over again. And getting rid of any antagonistic software that prevents the successful installation on my new PCMCIA card.

Bit of work for sure.

Any other ideas?

 

[healother]

hmm, ive never tried this before. so your wireless internet providor doesnt provide a desktop wireless card?

 

[test boy ii]

hmm, ive never tried this before. so your wireless internet providor doesnt provide a desktop wireless card?

The wireless provider (Sprint) uses a PCMCIA card just like Verizon and others. Most desk tops do not have a slot for a full sized PCMCIA card. I think all note books do have this slot.

So I bought an adapter for maybe $35 on Ebay. Micro Center sells one that looks cheaper for about $70-80. I'm thinking I should have got the Micro Center card now. They would likely install it for $40 or so.

These installations should be a snap. Unless they are about impossible.

I got the feeling that my existing DSL internet set up "short circuited" this installation. It is competition of course.

 

[test boy ii]

Well ther is an interesting development. The seller had over 2100 feedback ratings on Ebay with a 99% satisfaction rate.

But he no longer a registered used. Something bad happened in the past two weeks.

I could not find feed back for this card however. He mostly sold cables and little stuff.

 

[NickyE3]

why not just get a pci wireless card?

uninstall what you have done already.
take out all the new hardware
put in the install cd and install everything
then plug in your hardware

this setup should work on your computer, but I dont have much experience with this certain problem. i see lots of people doing it with no probs online.

 

[test boy ii]

why not just get a pci wireless card?

I'm trying to get rid of one of my DSL lines and still have a fast connection on a desk top.

The Sprint card for notebooks (mostly) allows me access to the internet almost anywhere. And it should at $60/mt. It is a "wireless card" but it needs a full sized PCMCIA slot just like Verizon and others do.

 

[NickyE3]

i edited my above post - try that out

 

[test boy ii]

why not just get a pci wireless card?

uninstall what you have done already.
take out all the new hardware
put in the install cd and install everything
then plug in your hardware

this setup should work on your computer, but I dont have much experience with this certain problem. i see lots of people doing it with no probs online.

what kinds of wireless router do you have?

I tried all that.

My computer will not allow the installation CD to complete.

I have successfully used this CD on two lap tops. It is a Sprint installation CD...not some $3 program from the bargain bin.

I really think my old DSL connection is somehow "defending its turf" and preventing a successful installation.

This is whi I am considering formatting C and starting over....but this about 1/2 day of work to re-install programs.

 

[test boy ii]

hmm, ive never tried this before. so your wireless internet providor doesnt provide a desktop wireless card?

I think you guys a visualizing a small wireless card that would fit in the same slot that Flash memory cards use.

The wireless cards, that allow you access all over the country, are much larger than that.

They require the full sized slot that notebook computers have. Very few desk tops have this full sized slot.

So one must get a PCMCIA adapter card that fits in a PCI slot.

Then make it work.

 

[healother]

The wireless provider (Sprint) uses a PCMCIA card just like Verizon and others. Most desk tops do not have a slot for a full sized PCMCIA card. I think all note books do have this slot.

So I bought an adapter for maybe $35 on Ebay. Micro Center sells one that looks cheaper for about $70-80. I'm thinking I should have got the Micro Center card now. They would likely install it for $40 or so.

These installations should be a snap. Unless they are about impossible.

I got the feeling that my existing DSL internet set up "short circuited" this installation. It is competition of course.

hmm, the dsl setup shouldnt have changed things.

the pcmcia card adapter, after you installed it in the pci slot and booted your computer, did it detect the new pcmcia adapter? check the device manager and look for it.

once its been detected then if you plug in your wireless card, it should work like plug and play and detect that too. and then your internet would work right after that too id think.

edit: oh yeah, and you might need to install drivers for the pcmcia adapter or the wireless card, or both!

 

[healother]

I tried all that.

My computer will not allow the installation CD to complete.

I have successfully used this CD on two lap tops. It is a Sprint installation CD...not some $3 program from the bargain bin.

I really think my old DSL connection is somehow "defending its turf" and preventing a successful installation.

This is whi I am considering formatting C and starting over....but this about 1/2 day of work to re-install programs.

it might be that the installation for the wireless driver wont work because the pcmcia thingy is a little different if you are using an adapter, if that is so then thats a bummer.
but do i what suggested above, and see if it 'detects' any of the new hardware.
if it can be detected, then you are on a roll.

otherwise like you said, maybe the card you got off of ebay sucks.

 

[test boy ii]

hmm, the dsl setup shouldnt have changed things.

the pcmcia card adapter, after you installed it in the pci slot and booted your computer, did it detect the new pcmcia adapter? check the device manager and look for it.

once its been detected then if you plug in your wireless card, it should work like plug and play and detect that too. and then your internet would work right after that too id think.

edit: oh yeah, and you might need to install drivers for the pcmcia adapter or the wireless card, or both!

The card that I put in the PCI slot showed up as four new devices....all with the bad yellow question mark through them...with the message that drivers are not properly installed.

My computer will not accept the installation CD that contains the drivers. It always quits rather quickly...with the message that 'installation could not be completed. See support service '(or something along those lines).

 

[healother]

I think you guys a visualizing a small wireless card that would fit in the same slot that Flash memory cards use.

The wireless cards, that allow you access all over the country, are much larger than that.

They require the full sized slot that notebook computers have. Very few desk tops have this full sized slot.

So one must get a PCMCIA adapter card that fits in a PCI slot.

Then make it work.

yep, i know exactly what you are talking about. ive seen these cards that verizon sells. I've also seen those pcmcia adapters on sale over the internet and other places.

hopefully there is some pci adapter that can make it so that you can just plug in the pcmcia card and then its all plug and play. or maybe its more complicated than that, i dunno, never tried it.

have you done searches on the internet for advice on forums from people who are attempting the same feat ?

 

[test boy ii]

it might be that the installation for the wireless driver wont work because the pcmcia thingy is a little different if you are using an adapter, if that is so then thats a bummer.
but do i what suggested above, and see if it 'detects' any of the new hardware.
if it can be detected, then you are on a roll.

otherwise like you said, maybe the card you got off of ebay sucks.

Principal suspect

 

[healother]

Principal suspect

is your computer even detecting the adapter card? did you find the pcmcia stuff in your device manager?

 

[test boy ii]

is your computer even detecting the adapter card? did you find the pcmcia stuff in your device manager?

It detects it but installation is not successful. When I go the hard ware installion route, my computer will not read the installation CD.

When I go the software installation route, my computer will only read the CD for a few seconds. About 1% of the time of a full installation.

My computer does not want to read this CD....I have tried 20 times. I am running XP Pro on a brand new hard drive. My last drive crashed.

 

[NickyE3]

you may look on the internet for the vendor of your new hardware - they should have drivers available to download and install directly on your comp instead of using the CD.

 

[test boy ii]

you may look on the internet for the vendor of your new hardware - they should have drivers available to download and install directly on your comp instead of using the CD.

The Ricoh chipset is mainstream. Many sites sell an identical looking card. They always say the drivers will self install with Windows XP.

Interesting on Rico chip sets:
One set comes on a $40 card. The Texas Instruments chip set comes on a $55 card. Then there is a Richo chip set on a $75 card that is recommended for some Marine GPS technology.

Perhaps I zapped it with static electricity? Perhaps it is just a bad card. The fact that the seller is "no longer a registered user" is ominous. Sometimes they do that to duck under bogus merchandise. Then shortly re-appear with a new seller account.

 

[healother]

The Ricoh chipset is mainstream. Many sites sell an identical looking card. They always say the drivers will self install with Windows XP.

Interesting on Rico chip sets:
One set comes on a $40 card. The Texas Instruments chip set comes on a $55 card. Then there is a Richo chip set on a $75 card that is recommended for some Marine GPS technology.

Perhaps I zapped it with static electricity? Perhaps it is just a bad card. The fact that the seller is "no longer a registered user" is ominous. Sometimes they do that to duck under bogus merchandise. Then shortly re-appear with a new seller account.

ok, you need to make sure that the pcmcia card adapter is installed and working first. i would real the model # off of the pci card, and download the drivers for that off the internet.

i would also then do the drivers for your wireless card, get those off the internet too.

 

[test boy ii]

ok, you need to make sure that the pcmcia card adapter is installed and working first. i would real the model # off of the pci card, and download the drivers for that off the internet.

i would also then do the drivers for your wireless card, get those off the internet too.

I can't find drivers. Everything says it should self install the drivers.

I keep trying.

 

[NickyE3]

try www.tigerdirect.com for a new adapter, they have to good prices and are one of the best computer sites on the net

 

[test boy ii]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the intentions.

I can not get the CD that comes with the Sprint wireless card to fully work. It alwasy quits and says to see support personnel.

Even if I got the PCI card to work....it looks to be for nought since the Sprint wireless installation CD does not work on this computer.