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Remove CF reader from PCMCIA slot?

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  • 20-07-2007 8:37pm
    #1
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,224 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Bit of a noob question, but I have very little experience with laptops. So, I bought a PCMCIA WiFi card to use with a laptop inherited from work. I can't fit it in because where I thought was a free PCMCIA slot was actually a CF reader. I'm not even sure if CF is storage or RAM or what, but what concerns me is that I can't seem to remove it. The CF logo is printed above it on the body of the laptop, so perhaps this machine was never meant to have any other device in this slot. Without recourse to a screwdriver/chisel, is there any way to remove this thing and put in my Wifi card or should I bring the card back and get a USB receiver instead?

    Secondary question: there's a green switch that lights up when I press it beside the power switch with two logos, a kind of transmitter and the same thing with a bar through it. My wireless wizard program assures me there's no wireless device integrated. On the lid of the laptop is a little plastic panel marked 'Antenna' but this has proven to be purely decorative after I clipped it off to see what was beneath. What sort of magical interface could this be?
    The laptop is a Gericom Commander 2040 P4 2000 P14G according to the label underneath but I can't find any specs for it, at least not in a language I can understand. Even the German results for a search don't seem very informative.


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    #2
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    pickarooney wrote:
    Without recourse to a screwdriver/chisel, is there any way to remove this thing and put in my Wifi card or should I bring the card back and get a USB receiver instead?

    Tweezers. Sounds like it is your only man.
    pickarooney wrote:
    Secondary question: there's a green switch that lights up when I press it beside the power switch with two logos, a kind of transmitter and the same thing with a bar through it. My wireless wizard program assures me there's no wireless device integrated. On the lid of the laptop is a little plastic panel marked 'Antenna' but this has proven to be purely decorative after I clipped it off to see what was beneath. What sort of magical interface could this be?
    The laptop is a Gericom Commander 2040 P4 2000 P14G according to the label underneath but I can't find any specs for it, at least not in a language I can understand. Even the German results for a search don't seem very informative.

    It's not unusual for manufacturers to make a standard case, with all the logos/switches etc. and not put the hardware in on the lower modes. I know of one or two low-end Dell models that have similar wireless controls, but do not have wireless cards installed.


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    #3
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,224 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    So, assuming there is no WiFi card, what kind of card would the case be set up for - miniPCI? That might be a neater solution than USB if I could get hold of one. I don't think the CF reader is going to budge.


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    #4
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    pickarooney wrote:
    So, assuming there is no WiFi card, what kind of card would the case be set up for - miniPCI? That might be a neater solution than USB if I could get hold of one. I don't think the CF reader is going to budge.

    It's impossible to say without the make/model number.

    On the CF reader - are you sure it's not an Express Card slot? It's most unusual for a laptop to not have a PCMCIA slot. They are around for the last 6-8 years.


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    #5
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,224 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    tom dunne wrote:
    It's impossible to say without the make/model number.

    On the CF reader - are you sure it's not an Express Card slot? It's most unusual for a laptop to not have a PCMCIA slot. They are around for the last 6-8 years.

    This is about as much info as I can give, really - details on gericom machines are proving impossible to come by. The LEFT pic shows the CF reader and on the TOP you can see the green WiFi(?) light. I brought it into a shop in town to get some RAM and asked about the slot. They concluded that there was no way of removing the CF reader and that there was no actual usable PCMCIA slot. The button is really confusing me. If there's no onboard WiFi and no way of fitting it via PCMCIA, what possible purpose could it serve?

    Ah well, if I can get the other place to take back my PCMCIA card and give me a USB adaptor instead I'll be happy.

    P.S. I tried a paperclip in that little hole in the bottom right. Nothing happened.


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    #6
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,897 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    the bottom picture is missing the area of interest, the pin looks like it would do it

    are there other screws nearer the edge of the case ?

    how do you remove the HDD, maybe it's screw holds in the CF reader, it's probably a PCMCIA card

    as for twesers - try needle nose pliers and open they are inside the gap and try to pull it out gently that way


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