Jerry:
PCMCIA, Socket Server problems are only one of the many motherboard/BIOS
related issues that makes using any laptop (or mobile computer solution)
an expensive proposition in the long run.
I forgot to add that many of the vertical market specific laptop -
palmtop - handheld - platforms (that were sold in volume to a specific
large customer) often contain specialized BIOS. The vertical market
OEM's will often write a BIOS specific enhancement and OS-specific
driver enhancements for installing specialized periperhials onto a
platform (e.g.; bar code readers - wireless communications devices -
docking devices to provide power or RAID or using specialized A-to-D
measuring devices or military hardware - etc...)
This can be a very messy problem when you buy one of these computers
from a "used computer reseller" - especially sight-unseen over the
internet. You often end up with a non-standard mobile platform that only
works with specific brands and combination of parts. Then you run up
against the fact that the total production run was less than say 500 to
1,000 of these mobile platforms with that specific combinations. I have
seen this problem jump up when trying to re-use units built for the
military use too.
IMO if you can live with the lunchbox style configuration when looking
for a used portable computer - take it. That way you can put many more
of the desktop motherboards and cards inside that style of case. Also
you can drop in a new motherboard and drive an external monitor...
IF you need a truly small device because of weight - limited info needs
to be carried out of the office, I recommend looking at the tiny
organizer (REX) or slave-master computer scenario with the Palm OS or
Windows CE OS for the slave - which means your always tied to a desktop
or larger mobile computer using the MS-Windows 9x or NT/2000 OS's. The
smaller handheld devices also have problems with finger fit on their
keyboard and eye squint when trying to read their displays in bright
daylight or low-light inside a dimly lighted building or car.
Another real pain for used mobile computers is when their backlight bulb
(Cold Cathode Fluorescent lamp) decides to wear out in their LCD
display. The "bulbs" are no longer a stocking item from major
distributors. They can be manufactured but you have to buy 250 at a time
to get any price savings :(
Often it is cheaper in the long run to build a computer using rugged
desktop-based components with a small case, add the newer 110V powered
flat color LCD 15" screen, and put it all in a good lockable shipping
case with built-in wheels. That scenario weighs out about 50 lb. and is
shipable via air or ground freight.
As you can tell we have played with more than three styles of mobile
solutions since 1983 when Compaq's 8088 sewing machine was brand-new...
John O
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 31 Jul 1999 14:57:14 -0700
From: "Jerry J. Haumberger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: PCMCIA, Socket Server problems
On 1999-07-31 [EMAIL PROTECTED] <John Oram> said:
>... there are three major generations of PCMCIA/PC Card
>firmware/BIOS & socket service software; plus minor to major
>variations from the slot-card hardware vendors themselves. Our
>experience is that you can only use the slot-card hardware with the
>proper generation of socket services with the proper generation of
>motherboard..
I see. Sounds like we're dealing with a lot of manufacturer-specific
hardware/software on the subject of PCMCIA with laptop computers. Which
means that it's best to shop carefully for what you're going to need and
use, if you want PC card support and a laptop; they're so expensive, so
you
don't want to make mistakes. And used laptops? They appear to be a
greater
gamble for the novice -- and greater challenge for the experienced
hacker.
>"Cardsoft" was supposed to cure the problem. However, they still
>had a large stub (45K to 85K) in the lower 640K of the x86 memory
>model. Often you could actually do better by converting to PC-DOS
>7/2000 as you suggested. But, when dealing with the card services
>part of PC-DOS 7/2000, it is really designed to take advantage of a
>1996 or later motherboard & BIOS.
So I overshot my guess (five or seven years support); it should be about
four years. :) Looking at my memory usage with PC DOS 2000's PCMCIA
installed, I see that (using Ramboost) I've only got about 18,000 k
loaded
low (otherwise, I'd have about 66,000 k in low memory. With everything
else
loaded, I've got 548,752 free in conventional memory, which is fine for
just
use with Net-Tamer or some other modem program (I have four different
boot
configurations using the [MENU] statement).
>Unless someone is a high-level hacker and likes writing their own
>device drivers/card services, your SOL :(
Perhaps we should advise Klaus to save up for a used laptop with
everything
functioning as it should without unpleasant surprises?
>Background:
>We tried to make this work with a 486/50 MHz, circa 1994
>motherboard. After driving to the mfg. in Silicon Valley and
>sitting with their "socket services" engineer, we decided our
>clients could buy new hardware or live with the generational
>limitations of their 1993-1994 corporate buying decision.
>This was no small decision on our part because there are over 3,000
>installed mobile computers.
I guess I should consider myself lucky to get my own 486/50MHz desktop
and
Toshiba Satellite working well with a parallel InterLnk connection! I
had
some doubts, at first, but apparently there's a lot less complexity with
that type of technical problem.
>Long live legacy hardware/software. It will do most of what it was
>designed to do when it was built. However, there are some genuine
>limits as to how far you can push any legacy (mobile) platform.
It's still a sad problem that many people still believe that more power
and
gadgetry is the way of future mobile/desktop computing. If consumers
can't
use legacy software and hardware, or it's not available, they are forced
to
take what's offered to them. I bet most folks only use a fraction of
their
"fun machines" capabilities -- and won't ever really need more...
Jerry
Internet Montana
Net-Tamer V 1.11.2 - Registered
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