X31 Compact Flash Reader

[jtt3011]

The CF reader on my XP Pro X31 refuses to play ball with CF cards.

With no card installed, the CF reader is not listed in the device manager. When a card is inserted. an 'unknown device' entry appears in the device list with the title 'Hitachi Flash' (or the maker of whichever card I use). A driver is demanded, but none is found during the driver search sequence.

I've searched the Lenovo, MS, and Intel sites, with no sign of a CF reader driver.

Using a USB-CF adaptor, the cards read OK.

Any solution would be gratefully received.

JohnT

[andyP]

Which bios and embedded controller versions do you have, are they the latest? You can check which you have by looking in bios, press F1 just after booting. You can then compare them with the newest versions offered here

[tarvoke]

do you have an x3 base w/cd drive, or otherwise an external usb cdrom? if so, try booting your favorite linux livecd (e.g. pmagic, INSRT, ubuntu, knoppix, etc.) and try the cardreader. specifically, open a terminal session and after the card is inserted, enter the command: dmesg
and see if it tells you errors or good things.

also, in my experience the way pcmcia cardreaders (of which the built-in cf reader on x31, built-in reader on x61, are good examples) work is that while they are directly connected to the pcmcia/cardbus, their hardware itself does not activate until you insert a card. the better to save power. clever eh? which is why you don't see the driver appear in device manager until etc. etc.

also also, which cf card you use can make a difference. has this particular card worked in the past, in the built-in reader? does it work in other built-in (atapi/ide/pcmcia, as opposed to usb) readers? I have some seagate 5gb microdrives, which being originally sold as oem items are missing essential firmware and they only work in a usb cf reader but never a atapi-pcmcia type reader. this is frustrating and nigh-nonsensical, but that's just how it is apparently.

(of course, hitachi is generally recognized as having the most compatible cf microdrives as well as flash, so it does seem strange to me that it could be blamed on your card...)

[jtt3011]

Linux? Oooer .... wot dat den?

The BIOS and all drivers are latest versions for the X31, and XP Pro is also fully updated.

However, although the cards I have work OK in the USB-CF adaptor, they are pretty ancient by current standards, having been bought to accompany a Canon digital camera 3 or 4 years ago. They consist of 1 x 8Mb, and 2 x 64Mb, the 64Mb being regarded as impressively large at the time I bought them. So, in the light of the above comments, I'm prepared to believe their interfaces may not be quite up to current practice. I'll see if I can scrounge a loan of something more recent to try from someone else before drawing any firm conclusion. But thanks very much for your responses.

And now, having received a USB floppy drive in the post today, I'll see what the X31 thinks of that. It's a lovely machine, but not exactly cooperative about recognising non-native devices - especially if they don't have an IBM sticker on them. I have 2 x drivebay 2000 CDs which don't register at boot up, and work only reluctantly when XP is up and running. One thing for sure, I'd recommend any and every X31 user to get hold of an X3 drivebase if they possibly can - used ones can be acquired quite cheaply, and it don't arf make life easier.

JohnT

[jtt3011]

Decided to reinstall XP, mainly because I'd loaded lots of IBM/Levono utilities and drivers which I wasn't convinced were worth the resources they probably used up. It's been a 3 day job, and I haven't quite finished yet. However, I had the wit to put a CF card into the reader before starting the new install.

Et voila, I now have a working CF reader on the X31.

I wouldn't recommend this extreme approach if the only benefit was to make the CF reader work. But if you need it, there's the answer!

JohnT