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Using Cards

Dell™ Latitude™ D420 User's Guide

  Card Types

  Card Blanks

  Extended Cards

  Installing a PC Card or 34-mm ExpressCard

  Installing a Smart Card or Secure Digital (SD) Card

  Removing a PC Card, 34-mm Express Card, or Blank

Card Types

This computer supports the following card types: PC Cards, 34-mm ExpressCard (with adapter), SmartCards, and Secure Digital (SD) card types.

See Specifications for information on supported card types.

NOTE: A PC Card is not a bootable device.

The PC Card slot has one connector that supports a single Type I or Type II card, as well as an adapter for a 34-mm ExpressCard. The PC Card slot supports CardBus technology and extended PC Cards. "Type" of card refers to its thickness, not its functionality.

1

54-mm ExpressCard (not supported by your computer)

2

34-mm ExpressCard (supported with an adapter)

3

PC Card (supported by your computer)

Card Blanks

Your computer shipped with a plastic blank installed in the card slots. Blanks protect unused slots from dust and other particles. Save the blank for use when no card is installed in the slot; blanks from other computers may not fit your computer. To remove the blank, see Removing a PC Card, 34-mm Express Card, or Blank.

Extended Cards

An extended card (for example, a wireless network adapter) is longer than a standard card and extends outside the computer. Follow these precautions when using extended cards:

• Protect the exposed end of an installed card. Striking the end of the card can damage the system board.
  
  
• Always remove an extended card before you pack the computer in its carrying case.
  
  

Installing a PC Card or 34-mm ExpressCard

You can install a PC Card or 34-mm ExpressCard (with an adapter) in the computer while the computer is running. The computer automatically detects the card.

Cards are generally marked with a symbol (such as a triangle or an arrow) to indicate which end to insert into the slot. The cards are keyed to prevent incorrect insertion. If card orientation is not clear, see the documentation that came with the card.

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.

Installing a PC Card

To install a PC Card:

1. Hold the card with its orientation symbol pointing into the slot and the top side of the card facing up. The latch may need to be in the "in" position before you insert the card.
   
   

1	latch
2	card

2. Slide the card into the slot until the card is completely seated in its connector.
   
   

NOTE: For a 34-mm ExpressCard, insert the card into the adapter first, then slide the card into the slot until the card is completely seated in its connector.

If you encounter too much resistance, do not force the card. Check the card orientation and try again.

The computer recognizes most cards and automatically loads the appropriate device driver. If the configuration program tells you to load the manufacturer's drivers, use the floppy disk or CD that came with the PC Card.

Installing a 34-mm Express Card

To install a 34-mm ExpressCard:

NOTE: Your computer supports a 34-mm ExpressCard only with the use of an adapter. Your computer does not support the use of 54-mm ExpressCards.

1. Place the ExpressCard in the adapter.
   
   

2. Install the ExpressCard with adapter the same way as a PC Card. See Installing a PC Card.
   
   

Installing a Smart Card or Secure Digital (SD) Card

Installing a smart card:

You can install a smart card in the computer while the computer is running. The computer automatically detects the card.

To install a smart card:

1. Hold the card so that the gold contact pad is facing upward and pointing toward the smart card slot.
   
   

1	gold contact pad
2	smart card (top)

2. Slide the smart card into the smart card slot until the card is completely seated in its connector. The smart card will protrude approximately 1/2 inch from the slot. The smart card slot is located below the PC Card slot.
   
   

If you encounter too much resistance, do not force the card. Check the card orientation and try again.

To remove a smart card, slide the card out of the computer.

For more information about smart cards, see About Smart Cards.

To install a secure digital (SD) card:

1. Ensure that the card orientation is correct; the gold-metal contacts should be facing downward.
   
   
2. Slide the card into the slot until the card is completely seated in its connector.
   
   

To remove a secure digital card, press in on the card and it will spring outward. Remove the card from the computer.

Removing a PC Card, 34-mm Express Card, or Blank

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in your Product Information Guide.

NOTICE: Click the icon in the taskbar) to select a card and stop it from functioning before you remove it from the computer. If you do not stop the card in the configuration utility, you could lose data. Do not attempt to eject a card by pulling its cable, if one is attached.

Press the latch and remove the card or blank. For some latches, you must press the latch twice: once to pop the latch out, and then a second time to pop the card out.

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