PCMCIA wireless card not recognized (no power)

greenjelly · 03-14-2008, 05:48 PM

I have a HP Pavilion ze4900 laptop. I was using a motorola pcmcia wireless network card that was working fine. Recently, it got crushed in the bag while fixed to the laptop, ending up slightly bent (and the plastic cover broke off). The card stopped working, so I got a new (D-link) one. The new one is also not being recognized (nothing happens when the card is inserted, no power light, no "new hardware found", just nothing). Is it possible that the PCMCIA slot itself is damaged or could it be an issue with the cardbus controller?

I have tried all sequences of rebooting, uninstalling the cardbus controller (Texas Instruments PCI-1410 CardBus Controller: driver version 5.1.2600.0) etc.

Has anyone encountered this problem, and can it be fixed by getting the right driver? If there may be a problem with the wiring inside, is it worth the effort to open up the laptop and try to fix it? (I have opened up desktops numerous times, but never a laptop)

Appreciate any help with this problem. Thanks!

**TriggerFinger** · 03-14-2008, 06:38 PM

Hi greenjelly,

when the first one got crushed, did you try it on your laptop? if yes, that might have shorted something in the slot if not the controller itself. anyways, try your DLink on another laptop if it gets recognized there just to eliminate some possibilities. also try another card like a USB pcmcia card on your laptop and see if it works.

opening up that laptop is worth a try if you know what you are doing. but considering the fact that unlike desktops, laptop components are on-board (well most of it). so repairing a motherboard is for me way over my head. i would rather replace it than pay big bucks to have it repaired. if it is just the PCMCIA connector, i think it can be replaced but i am not really sure as i have not done any replacement procedure of that yet.

derekbuc · 04-25-2008, 06:36 PM

Hey, could you give me the cardbus controller drivers somehow please? I've been searching for about a million years through the internet and I can't find a driver for the life of me. Loads of sites just re-direct me to windows update. If you reply I could give you my email address or something. I really need this file! Thanks!

03-14-2008, 05:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
greenjelly Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 6 OS: XP	PCMCIA wireless card not recognized (no power) I have a HP Pavilion ze4900 laptop. I was using a motorola pcmcia wireless network card that was working fine. Recently, it got crushed in the bag while fixed to the laptop, ending up slightly bent (and the plastic cover broke off). The card stopped working, so I got a new (D-link) one. The new one is also not being recognized (nothing happens when the card is inserted, no power light, no "new hardware found", just nothing). Is it possible that the PCMCIA slot itself is damaged or could it be an issue with the cardbus controller? I have tried all sequences of rebooting, uninstalling the cardbus controller (Texas Instruments PCI-1410 CardBus Controller: driver version 5.1.2600.0) etc. Has anyone encountered this problem, and can it be fixed by getting the right driver? If there may be a problem with the wiring inside, is it worth the effort to open up the laptop and try to fix it? (I have opened up desktops numerous times, but never a laptop) Appreciate any help with this problem. Thanks!

03-14-2008, 06:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,826 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: PCMCIA wireless card not recognized (no power) Hi greenjelly, when the first one got crushed, did you try it on your laptop? if yes, that might have shorted something in the slot if not the controller itself. anyways, try your DLink on another laptop if it gets recognized there just to eliminate some possibilities. also try another card like a USB pcmcia card on your laptop and see if it works. opening up that laptop is worth a try if you know what you are doing. but considering the fact that unlike desktops, laptop components are on-board (well most of it). so repairing a motherboard is for me way over my head. i would rather replace it than pay big bucks to have it repaired. if it is just the PCMCIA connector, i think it can be replaced but i am not really sure as i have not done any replacement procedure of that yet. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE Last edited by TriggerFinger; 03-14-2008 at 06:42 PM.

04-25-2008, 06:36 PM	#3 (permalink)
derekbuc Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1 OS: xp sp2 & opensuse 10.3	Re: PCMCIA wireless card not recognized (no power) Hey, could you give me the cardbus controller drivers somehow please? I've been searching for about a million years through the internet and I can't find a driver for the life of me. Loads of sites just re-direct me to windows update. If you reply I could give you my email address or something. I really need this file! Thanks!