PCMCIA slot VERY TIGHT on my X61...Normal?

[tallshorty]

The PCMCIA slot is REALLLLLY TIGHT. I have a Creative PCMCIA sound card. It goes in fine all the way except for last 5 mm. At first I thought it didn't fit but with considerable force I got it in.

After gettting it in, it is VERY difficult to pull it out. The eject stick is useless. It can't push it out no matter how hard I push (so hard that my finger hurts). The only way I can remove the card is to pull and it takes a considerable amount of force so much that I have to hold down my laptop with my other hand. I'm worried something will break eventually.

Can anyone comment if this is the same with their X61 or X61s?

I tried the soundcard on my friends X61 tablet and it went in and out easily.

This is the soundcard i have: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,1746178,00.asp

[Justintoxicated]

Do you have another PCMCIA card you can try in the slot?

Is the factory audio / headphone plug on your X61 loose? (Just wondering because i'm sending mine in for this problem but I guess my alternative solution is PCMCIA sound card like you have)

[tallshorty]

Do you have another PCMCIA card you can try in the slot?

Is the factory audio / headphone plug on your X61 loose? (Just wondering because i'm sending mine in for this problem but I guess my alternative solution is PCMCIA sound card like you have)

I only have this PCMCIA card, but I have tried the card on my old Toshiba laptop and it inserted and was removed easily.

I just bought my X61 last week so no problems with the audio plug. The reason I bought the PCMCIA sound card is because I wanted SPDIF so I can get Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound on my speakers.

[tallshorty]

Come on guys. No one has any comments?

[smvp6459]

Well, if you can force it in and the card operates properly, and your only problem is that it's a tight fit...you could file down whatever part of the card is rubbing against the PCMCIA (assuming you don't plan on returning or selling the card).

The PCMCIA slot might have a problem, but it might just be that the card manufacturer is right at the edge of maximum size and Lenovo is right on the edge of minimum size, making it a tight fit.

It's hard to suggest the right course of action.

If you can get it in, and it works, you might just leave it there (unless you need to constantly put it in and take it out).

[Tomplee]

I use SonyEricsson GC89 EDGE pcmcia card and yes, it is very difficult to get it out of the slot. I have broken my nails few times, trying to push the stick.

[tallshorty]

I use SonyEricsson GC89 EDGE pcmcia card and yes, it is very difficult to get it out of the slot. I have broken my nails few times, trying to push the stick.

Okay. That's good to know. I'm glad i'm not the only one.

[Fortunate]

Mine is not tight - sounds like something is mis-aligned. It certainly wasn't designed to be so tough to use.

On the other hand- my SD card memory slot has an issue where I have to really yank on the card to get it out - goes in easy, but something is catching on the way out. Haven't decided if its the SD card I am using or the reader... but never had a problem with that SD card in pther machines so I suspect its the X61...