Thinkpads Forum

The description for my X61 Tablet [7762-b6u] says this:

"Slots
1 Type I / II PC Card slot with 34mm
ExpressCard via adapter, 1 secure digital card slot."

What does "via adapter" mean?

I know and use the SD slot, but have not put anything into the slot above that one; it looks like the usual PCMCIA card slot.

RRHODY wrote:The description for my X61 Tablet [7762-b6u] says this:

"Slots
1 Type I / II PC Card slot with 34mm
ExpressCard via adapter, 1 secure digital card slot."

What does "via adapter" mean?

I know and use the SD slot, but have not put anything into the slot above that one; it looks like the usual PCMCIA card slot.

There is a PCMCIA cardbus+ adapter card that lets you run certain USB-based express cards.

Not worth it in my opinion as most express cards you would ever want to use (such as for eSATA) won't work.

So the Express Card will connect if you have the proper adapter - BUT - you say those cards connected via the adapter do not work. Is that the card's fault or the adapter's?

RRHODY wrote:So the Express Card will connect if you have the proper adapter - BUT - you say those cards connected via the adapter do not work. Is that the card's fault or the adapter's?

There are two general types of Express Cards -- USB based and PCI Express based. The cardbus+ in the Thinkpads allow you to use a Express Card adapter but the adapter only supports USB based Express Cards. Most Express Cards are PCI Express based. Some example Express Cards I think of are eSATA cards. These would be PCI Express based. These won't work on the adapter.

The only USB based Express Card I've seen is a card reader, but there are plenty of card readers available in cardbus form.

Conclusion is that Express Card via the cardbus+ adapter are useless.

I wish they had a real Express Card slot. My 4 year old HP has one :s

Hello, I just bought a 34/54 USB 3.0 Express Card, but unfortunately it doesn't seem to fit in my Thinkpad X61 tablet (7767-5AU) card slot.

Is it worth getting an adaptor? As this expansion card is USB based, but maybe the adaptor won't give me full USB 3 speeds? or will it?

Thanks

The expansion card cannot possibly be USB based, because what's the point of making a USB3 adapter which runs over USB2?

It won't work.

Think Lenovo was disingenuous in advertising the X61-series as ExpressCard-compliant.

Cheers.

ya, I'm not happy about lenovo falsely advertising express card support. It's useless in the form implemented. And my HP that is older sports a real Express Card slot -- I don't know what took Lenovo so long.

I really would love esata on the X6*. None of the cardbus esata card chipsets support AFT 4k sector drives, and almost all 2TB+ drives now use it, so I find my cardbus esata cards useless other than for connecting a bluray burner, which I rarely have purpose for on a X60. I would rather hook up a 2TB+ drive.

dmdsoftware wrote:ya, I'm not happy about lenovo falsely advertising express card support. It's useless in the form implemented. And my HP that is older sports a real Express Card slot -- I don't know what took Lenovo so long.

It's not about "too long". Proper native ExpressCard 34/54 support has been around since the T43. It's just with the X6x series, due to space considerations, they had to choose between CardBus and ExpressCard. And I guess they believed that at that time CardBus devices were still more popular.

dmdsoftware wrote:ya, I'm not happy about lenovo falsely advertising express card support. It's useless in the form implemented. And my HP that is older sports a real Express Card slot -- I don't know what took Lenovo so long.

dr_st wrote:It's not about "too long". Proper native ExpressCard 34/54 support has been around since the T43. It's just with the X6x series, due to space considerations, they had to choose between CardBus and ExpressCard. And I guess they believed that at that time CardBus devices were still more popular.

Wish there was a HACK/ way around to replace them ... Just like Middleton's BIOS change

You're aware that this issue actually involves the hardware instead of software...?

Just want to make sure so that you won't hope in vain... : )

Cheers.

loyukfai wrote:You're aware that this issue actually involves the hardware instead of software...?

Just want to make sure so that you won't hope in vain... : )

Cheers.

I know. Maybe some ingenous mind can find a hardware mod/ hack