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ThinkPad760L PCMCIA-CF issue in DOS

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First post, by Gfrost

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Trying to use a Compact Flash card for data transfer on a ThinkPad 760L running DOS 6.22 via PCMCIA slot. Official IBM drivers are installed.
I prepare the card using EZPLAY.EXE (part of PC Card Director / ThinkPad utilities). The process is as follows:
1. Assign drive letter D:
2. Format the card

After this, the card works correctly as drive D: -- I can copy files to it, and the data is readable on other computers (Windows 95, Windows 10, Linux etc.).
Problem is after rebooting the ThinkPad, or even after simply disconnecting and reconnecting the PCMCIA card, drive D: becomes inaccessible. The system shows errors like "Invalid media type" or "Can't read the disk". I have to run EZPLAY.EXE again, re-assign the drive letter D: and reformat the card again.

Reply 1 of 3, by MagefromAntares

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Hi,

It has been a while since I used EZPLAY, but to function properly isn't the AUTODRV.SYS needs the path to an INI file?

Again it was a very long time ago I have used it, so I might misremember, but I remember having to put something after the AUTODRV.SYS.

"A process cannot be understood by stopping it. Understanding must move with the flow of the process, must join it and flow with it." - Dune

Reply 2 of 3, by Gfrost

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MagefromAntares wrote on 2026-06-08, 17:29:

Hi,

It has been a while since I used EZPLAY, but to function properly isn't the AUTODRV.SYS needs the path to an INI file?

Hello.
I am not sure I saw anything about INI-file path in the documentation to autodrv and ezplay but big thanks, I will check it more thoroughly now.

Reply 3 of 3, by MagefromAntares

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Gfrost wrote on 2026-06-09, 19:21:
MagefromAntares wrote on 2026-06-08, 17:29:

Hi,

It has been a while since I used EZPLAY, but to function properly isn't the AUTODRV.SYS needs the path to an INI file?

Hello.
I am not sure I saw anything about INI-file path in the documentation to autodrv and ezplay but big thanks, I will check it more thoroughly now.

It has bothered me enough to not remember it that I began searching the net for this, and after finding some forum posts and archived emails on some sites which either contained something after the AUTODRV.SYS file or not(So those were kinda inconclusive), I have found this page:
https://www.ardent-tool.com/misc/pcmcia.html

It is the first time I have visited that website, but it does contain a "DOS Configuration Example" section with the AUTODRV.SYS using an INI file as an argument, so it seems my memory of having to use it at least under some conditions is correct, however it uses the more generic EZPLAY directory than the more specific THINKPAD directory, so it isn't 100% sure that the THINKPAD version needs it, but I think it is worth a try.

"A process cannot be understood by stopping it. Understanding must move with the flow of the process, must join it and flow with it." - Dune

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