![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
Hi, I have a problem and a theory for the solution, but I just wanted to run it by you guys since I'm new to this. Thanks in advance, and Cliff Notes are at the bottom.
I have a Dell Precision M2300 laptop issued to me by my college. As with most laptops, the sound sucks. I don't even have access to the treble and bass controls in the volume properties (they are grayed out). The built in audio is something called "SigmaTel Audio".
Anyways, I wanted to get the most out of my new set of Beyerdynamic DT770 headphones, so I did some research and bought the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Notebook, based off the X-Fi technology. According to the Requirements tab shown, I needed an ExpressCard slot (34mm or 54mm).
So I checked the documentation for the M2300 off the Dell website. The User Guide can be found here. According to page 135 of the PDF version, I read that the laptop supported the the 34mm ExpressCards. I thought that I was all set since I met every other requirement, so I went ahead and bought it off Newegg.
Note: The sound card fits in a 34mm ExpressCard slot, but can be fitted with a plastic adapted in order to use a 54mm slot.
When I got the card, I turned on my computer and loaded to desktop. I used the 54mm adapter, and the card fit nearly perfectly into the slot on my laptop. When I slid the card into the slot with the computer on (as it said in the manual) the power light did not turn on. Unperturbed, I begin driver installation. Then I got a message that said it did not detect the card. Uh-oh.
I tried a variety of things: removing and reinserting the card, restarting the computer both with and without the card, etc. I tried removing the 54mm adapter, and seeing if it was simply a bad connection. I even checked the BIOS and made sure that the slot was enabled.
Nothing worked, so I went back to my research. In the Devices Manager in my system properties, I have a device for "PCMCIA adapters", but not Express Cards. Also, the User Guide for the laptop says "ExpressCard: 34mm with adapter".
My theory is that I have a PCMCIA slot instead of an Express slot and that I can simply use an adapter to run my card. Does this sound correct? The card fit into the slot, but it PCMCIA cards and Express 54mm cards may be the same size. I checked, and I don't think I damaged either the card or the slot.
Thanks in advance!
Cliff's:
Bought ExpressCard that would not turn on.
May have a PCMCIA slot instead.
Can I use an adapter with the card?
I have a Dell Precision M2300 laptop issued to me by my college. As with most laptops, the sound sucks. I don't even have access to the treble and bass controls in the volume properties (they are grayed out). The built in audio is something called "SigmaTel Audio".
Anyways, I wanted to get the most out of my new set of Beyerdynamic DT770 headphones, so I did some research and bought the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Notebook, based off the X-Fi technology. According to the Requirements tab shown, I needed an ExpressCard slot (34mm or 54mm).
So I checked the documentation for the M2300 off the Dell website. The User Guide can be found here. According to page 135 of the PDF version, I read that the laptop supported the the 34mm ExpressCards. I thought that I was all set since I met every other requirement, so I went ahead and bought it off Newegg.
Note: The sound card fits in a 34mm ExpressCard slot, but can be fitted with a plastic adapted in order to use a 54mm slot.
When I got the card, I turned on my computer and loaded to desktop. I used the 54mm adapter, and the card fit nearly perfectly into the slot on my laptop. When I slid the card into the slot with the computer on (as it said in the manual) the power light did not turn on. Unperturbed, I begin driver installation. Then I got a message that said it did not detect the card. Uh-oh.
I tried a variety of things: removing and reinserting the card, restarting the computer both with and without the card, etc. I tried removing the 54mm adapter, and seeing if it was simply a bad connection. I even checked the BIOS and made sure that the slot was enabled.
Nothing worked, so I went back to my research. In the Devices Manager in my system properties, I have a device for "PCMCIA adapters", but not Express Cards. Also, the User Guide for the laptop says "ExpressCard: 34mm with adapter".
My theory is that I have a PCMCIA slot instead of an Express slot and that I can simply use an adapter to run my card. Does this sound correct? The card fit into the slot, but it PCMCIA cards and Express 54mm cards may be the same size. I checked, and I don't think I damaged either the card or the slot.
Thanks in advance!
Cliff's:
Bought ExpressCard that would not turn on.
May have a PCMCIA slot instead.
Can I use an adapter with the card?