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Using Cards

User's Guide

  Card Types

  Card Blanks

  Extended Cards

  Installing a PC Card or ExpressCard

  Removing a Card or Blank

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. The PC Card slot supports CardBus technology and extended PC Cards. "Type" of card refers to its thickness, not its functionality.

The ExpressCard slot has one connector that supports 54-mm cards. The slot also supports adapters for 34 - mm cards.

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 PC Card is installed in the slot; blanks from other computers may not fit your computer.

To remove the blank, see Removing a 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 PC or ExpressCards:

• 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 ExpressCard

You can install a PC Card or ExpressCard 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.

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.
   
   
2. 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.

ExpressCard

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.
   
   
2. 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 card.

If you have an adapter, such as the one shown below, you can use 34-mm ExpressCards in the PC Card slot. For information about using the PC Card slot, see PC Card.

Removing a 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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