Transnote CardBus issues

[vkim]

Hi everyone,

I am having issues with using some PC Card with my Transnote.

Specifically, I am trying to use a CardBus SATA CardBus (SiI 3112 chip) and 3COM 11a/b/g Wireless card (3CRAG175). While the TN detects them with no problem, it hangs or crashes to BSOD within several minutes if I use cards (i.e. copy files or use the network repectively). The same cards work flawlessly on my A31p.

I have not used CardBus cards until recent (I used 16-bit PCMCIA cards for 3 years without any issues before). Surprisingly enough, IBM ThinkPad USB2 Cardbus card works fine (at least the TN does not crash nor freezes).
Any ideas?

Thanks,
Val.
P.S. the same issue under either Windows 2000 or XP.

[epbrown]

Sounds like a driver or memory problem to me. You might try loading the latest drivers or removing any memory upgrade chips you have. I had a recurring problem with one of my t-notes until I replaced the RAM.

[vkim]

Tried to use different drivers as well as removed the memory stick.
Nothing helped
Tested the base memory - no problem.
Well I guees I better try to get a new motherboard.
Val

[epbrown]

Here's my next question then - what's your units serial number? I suspect this is an IBM problem, since one of my Transnote's has certain CardBUs cards that it simply refuses to work with (most troublesome is my Verizon Broadband cars), and I suspect that this is a bug with the earlier incarnations.

[vkim]

System unit S/N 970430A

Do your CardBus Cards work ok with another Transnote?

[epbrown]

Yep, that's what made it so frustrating. My 2nd t-note looked brand new out of the box, and it works like a champ... until I put my Verizon card in it and connect. From that point on it's lock-ups and blue screens. I've swapped the other t-notes hard drive, memory, even the keyboard, with no luck. I finally swapped its Endurimer case and LCD to my battered reliable one, so it looks brand new and works like a champ. But nothing on the other one indicates any hardware differences between the two - same BIOS, same drivers, everything.

[vkim]

That is really strange. I am not aware of different versions of Transnote system board (I assume that is what makes the difference). HMM also shows only one FRU P/N for the system board. Just weird.

Val

[epbrown]

System unit S/N 970430A

Even closer than I thought - my CardBus-challenged Transnote is 970451, only 20 down the line from yours. Yours was also made in January 2001?

I agree it's odd, and there's no indication the hardware changed as the models went on - they use the same card management chip, same motherboard, same drivers.

My theory is that the trouble is actually APM/ACPI related - the Verizon Broadband card changes power states based on online activity, and it's when the card goes idle and powers down that things go wonky. I see the same behavior with one of my wi-fi cards - fine on one, bluescreens on the other whenever you try to stop or suspend the card.