Nonresponse regarding Card Reader problems.....

Gater222,

Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.

Please describe all of the variables:  what brand the CF reader is, what drivers are installed, etc.  Perhaps I can help you if the proper information is provided.

One is at work and I'm not sure of the model, but I think it's an RCA. My main unit is a Microtech USB Cameramate, which works on both Gateway machines I have at home. I have installed the correct drivers from the Microtech website. Both the Microtech and Dell website state that this is a known problem. Microtech suggests installing updated Windows service pack, and upgrading the BIOS, both of which I did. Delll suggests altering the disk.sys file which I did.  Neither had any effect. After installing the driver, upon plugging in the unit I get a blue screen addressing a data dump, and the computer will then need to be rebooted. There is no problem whatsoever until the unit is plugged in again. If booted up with the unit in place, it will shut down and restart. I'm not sure what additional information you need, but I'll be glad to provide it. I have a great need to read CF cards onto this machine, which is brand new.

Gator222,

It sounds to me that you updated just about everything.  You may want to see if there is a firmware update for the card.  You might also want to try using a different card. 

I've just about given up on getting the Microtech to work with this laptop. Other than saying it doesn't work, that's about the best information I can get. The problem is that I need to get one that will work and that will read CF cards. Because of a number of comments on Dell forums, it's clear that a lot of card readers don't work. I'm looking for the name of one that will definitely work; willing to buy if I know it will be compatible.

By the way, I tried once again to install the Microtech drivers and got the same message; Blue screen, says:

K mode exception

B70BA6CD at base

Dumping physical memory

And some other stuff that I didn't have time to see; does this mean anything to anybody???Rick

And for a third time.....why can't Dell get to the bottom of this? Just do a search for problems with USB card readers and you'll find at least a hundred similar complaints. In almost every case, the readers work on other machines just fine, and the newest drivers are installed. Most provide a blue screen of death. WHY IS THIS NOT FIXABLE? IT CERTAINLY IS A DELL PROBLEM. HOW ABOUT A RESPONSE?????????

So far every "unhandled kmode exception" error I have encoutered has been due to onw of two things.  The first is bad hardware,  and the second was a bad device driver for custom hardware.  I have been using my 3M PCMCIA Compact Flash reader with my Dell notebooks (so far 4 different models) for about 3 years.

Your original post in this thread has me slightly confused though...  You reference that you are running Win2K Pro,  yet you talk about installing SP6,  which is an NT4 service pack (MS recently released SP4 for Win2K).  If you are running NT4,  then I am not surprised by the USB problems,  and if you are running an NT4 SP on a Win2K system,  the same would stand...

Sorry....I meant SP4 (I had also upgraded IE6). Apparently it is not the hardware that is bad. Both my units work perfectly well on other machines. I downloaded and installed the most current drivers. Additionally, this problem is recognized by both Microtech and by Dell, because it is addressed by both websites. The problem is that the fixes that are given do not work. Dell's fix ( http://support.dell.com/us/en/kb/document.asp?DN=1049867) involves the disk.sys file. This fix does not work. All you have to do is search the forums and you will find many others with the same problem, yet Dell has not seen fit to solve it, apparently. Like I said, all I want is for someone running a C400 with Win2K specifically to let me know which card readers they have used that work.

I agree. Dell should solve this problem as the forum is full of angry readers on this horrible blue screen when a USB card reader device is plugged it.

 

DELL - PLEASE HELP