Compaq LTE 5200 vs USB 2.0CardBus
 

Here's my situation:

I have a Compaq LTE 5200 laptop which runs very well at 133 Mhz for the purposes I bought it second-hand.

It has an old 28800 card-type modem which works fine. THere are two card slots, incidentally.

I want to add USB capabilities to the computer, and I bought a USB 2.0CardBus PCMCIA card with two USB connectors.

The laptop won't recognize the hardware at all.

What are the possible problems here? Is this laptop too outdated for this type of card?

Thanks,

Mike

Re: Compaq LTE 5200 vs USB 2.0 CardBus
 

The short answer: yes.

The longer answer: USB 2.0 hardware support is not "official" in any version of Windows prior to XP, so drivers are not likely to be available for earlier versions, even for USB 1.1 emulation.

Re: Compaq LTE 5200 vs USB 2.0 CardBus
 

The short answer: yes.

Thanks! (I guess!!) So, the bottom line, then, is that there is most likely no way to use USB devices with this computer? (My non-techie status is showing here, I know!)

Thanks again,

Mike

Re: Compaq LTE 5200 vs USB 2.0 CardBus
 

I should have been more clear, then. If you can find a PCMCIA USB 1.1 adapter -- and are running Windows 98 or later, you should be OK. Which Windows are you running? Most versions of Windows 95 do not support USB at all.

Re: Compaq LTE 5200 vs USB 2.0CardBus
 

I'm running Win 98SE. I've done some searching. PCMCIA USB 1.1 adapters look pretty scarce! Any suggestions on where one might be found?

Thanks for your help!

Mike

Re: Compaq LTE 5200 vs USB 2.0 CardBus
 

There's always Jameco Electronics. They're good for a lot of the unusual stuff.

Re: Compaq LTE 5200 vs USB 2.0CardBus
 

I'm in quiet the same situation: Comaq LTE 5200 notebook running win2000 and a NEC USB 2.0 PCMCIA controller (so as windows 2000 on another machine says).
So I found this article: http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=9856
It says that you can get it work with win98se (mine only runs win98 so I'd have to upgrade). The author also says that he had problems with 32bit cardbus (the adapter I have is also 32bit), what port does the lte5200 offer? 16 or 32bit? (If 16bit I could leave the update to win98se and discard the plan...)

Re: Compaq LTE 5200 vs USB 2.0CardBus
 

Firstly as i know lte 5xxx series not supports card bus they supports "Two Type III PC Card (PCMCIA) slot that supports one Type III, two Type
I, or two Type II PC Cards," (i pastate it from official user manual fot compaq lte 5xxx) so you need to buy PC card(that USB 2.0 adapter you want) which will fit to your laptop PCMCIA controler (for lte 5xxx it is Cirrus 6722)
serch the net, www.google.com recomended ;)

and about windows problems maybe you'll try out linux, i am running lte 5200 with rh 7.1 linux and i enjoy it ;)
Take care good luck
PS. I also want buy usb adapter for my laptop if i will, i tell you

Re: Compaq LTE 5200 vs USB 2.0CardBus
 

I have a 5250 and bought a 1.1 usb that doesn't work so upgraded to windows 98se, still no luck. The manual says it should work. Considering my options. Let me know if you have any success.

Re: Compaq LTE 5200 vs USB 2.0CardBus
 

Assertion 1: there is no way you can get 32-bit CardBus PCMCIA cards to work with Compaq 5xxx series.
Assertion 2: there are no USB2.0 or USB1.1 16-bit PCMCIA cards on the market AFAIK.

Conclusion: there is no way you can get any USB PCMCIA adapter to work with Compaq 5xxx series.

Observation: 32-bit CardBus architecture is significantly different from original PCCard architecture and is much closer to that of PCI. It it probably the main reason for not having USB adapters for 16-bit PCMCIA.

See http://www.pcmcia.org/faq.htm