Major Jackyl wrote on 2024-08-21, 22:16:

I've been hoarding this "PC Card Drive" for YEARS, still don't know what connector goes in the back. Haven't been able to find a […]
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I've been hoarding this "PC Card Drive" for YEARS, still don't know what connector goes in the back. Haven't been able to find anything about it at all, really. It Is a Data I/O (Redmond, WA) Model CARDPRO2-INT P/n 993-0001-001 and was built by Pamela (useless, but the sticker says so, 🤣).

The attachment 20240821_165719.jpg is no longer available

The attachment 20240821_165826.jpg is no longer available

The attachment 20240821_170914.jpg is no longer available

My questions are thus:
1. How would I go about plugging it into something? Just to even see lights would be O.K.
2. What would've been the typical usage for such a device? Storage PCMCIA cards? Data Transfers? Does it seriously just add PCMCIA to desktop?!?

I only have one PCMCIA card left (from the generation), it is a 56k modem.

Is there any point to this thing or is it just bay-filler/oddware?

I don't have much experience with PCMCIA, but am reading up on it now, some reading suggestions would be fine, too!

Thanks for checking it out!

Looks like you're missing the ISA bus adaptor...

https://web.archive.org/web/19980117060555id_ … om/cardpro2.htm

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/193341096655

PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2024-08-21, 22:51:

Looks like you're missing the ISA bus adaptor... […]
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Major Jackyl wrote on 2024-08-21, 22:16:

I've been hoarding this "PC Card Drive" for YEARS, still don't know what connector goes in the back. Haven't been able to find a […]
Show full quote

I've been hoarding this "PC Card Drive" for YEARS, still don't know what connector goes in the back. Haven't been able to find anything about it at all, really. It Is a Data I/O (Redmond, WA) Model CARDPRO2-INT P/n 993-0001-001 and was built by Pamela (useless, but the sticker says so, 🤣).

The attachment 20240821_165719.jpg is no longer available

The attachment 20240821_165826.jpg is no longer available

The attachment 20240821_170914.jpg is no longer available

My questions are thus:
1. How would I go about plugging it into something? Just to even see lights would be O.K.
2. What would've been the typical usage for such a device? Storage PCMCIA cards? Data Transfers? Does it seriously just add PCMCIA to desktop?!?

I only have one PCMCIA card left (from the generation), it is a 56k modem.

Is there any point to this thing or is it just bay-filler/oddware?

I don't have much experience with PCMCIA, but am reading up on it now, some reading suggestions would be fine, too!

Thanks for checking it out!

Looks like you're missing the ISA bus adaptor...

The attachment CardPro2 ISA Bus Adaptor.jpg is no longer available

https://web.archive.org/web/19980117060555id_ … om/cardpro2.htm

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/193341096655

Woah. That's pretty cool. And pricy, wow. Now I know what to keep an eye out for, thanks!

Dang. That means it's just going to be bay-filler for a while...

See the Vadem controller chip on other cards but no idea if interchangeable...

Major Jackyl wrote on 2024-08-21, 22:16:

Does it seriously just add PCMCIA to desktop?!?

Sure, if you wanted an 802.11b wifi card, or an hotswappable card reader, it would have been your best platform before neat USB/Firewire/PCI competition really developed 😀

Or maybe you just had a laptop too ($$$$$) and wanted to get the most of the accessories ($$$) you already bought 😀

Or maybe you upgraded from a PS/2E 😀))

Yes, that looks to be a fully featured PCMCIA controller (or it would be if it was complete), as opposed to more modern ones that have standard USB external drive chips and only support IDE cards like CF adapters, and at best have a second slot for SRAM cards only…