My laptop's PCMCIA socket connection is loose and requires you to press hard underneath the laptop to get a connection. I *think* the problem may be a strip of metallic tape on the motherboard having lost its stickiness (due to age and/or dust).

Can I do anything about this?

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That's the gist of it, here are full details:

The PCMCIA wireless card only establishes electrical connection when you press on the laptop from below in a certain spot. I mean, you do that to get the card's Power light to go on. Once it's on, internet connections are fine -- so it's a hardware problem, not a networking problem.

I took laptop apart: PCMCIA socket does not appear even minutely loose.

Took off the mini PCI door located underneath laptop (similar to the RAM door) and noticed, almost exactly at the point where you gotta press (when the door's attached) to get the card to connect, a 2mm-wide strip of foil tape that was a tiny bit loose.

Blew dust off, gently pressed it back down. Now the card stays connected better, though still easily loses contact.

Coincidence? Or did I find the root of the problem - and if so, what can I do about it?

Compaq Presario 2100


many thanks

CORRECTION:

The metallic tape that I pressed down on was under the RAM door, not the mini PCI door.

(sorry, wish I could've just edited the post but AFAIK Daniweb won't let you do that if more than half an hour has passed since posting.)