APPENDIX D
PCMCIA SOFTWARE(DOS/WINDOWS3.X) INFORMATION
If you have installed the PCMCIA software, such as SystemSoft’s CardSoft or
Databook’s Cardtalk, then EXPCDG.EXE will call these PCMCIA software to
enable the card. If you don’t have one, EXPCDG.EXE still can directly access your
hardware to enable the card. In this case, your computer should have an Intel
82365SL Personal Computer Interface Controller (PCIC) or another compatible
controller.
PCMCIA software contains several components: Socket services, Card services,
Resource Initialization Utility and Card Installation Utility. The remainder of this
section will explain the four components and list the device driver names for the
major PCMCIA software.
Socket Services provide the interface between a system’s BIOS and the host
controller chips (such as the Intel 82365SL PCIC, Vadem 468, etc ) Socket
Services includes functions such as configuring a socket for an I/O or memory
interface and controlling socket power voltages. The Socket Services driver you
have varies with the host computer chip of your computer.
Card Services provides the interface between the PC Card and the PCMCIA
sockets. Card Services must be aware of the I/O, IRQ, and memory resources
already used by the system so it can accurately assign unused resources to the PC
Cards.
To ensure Card Services will operate reliably regardless of the system it is installed
on, some PCMCIA software provides its own resource initialization utility, which
will check I/O ports, IRQs, and memory addresses and then report that information
to Card Services.
The Card Installation Utility detects the insertion and removal of PC cards, and
automatically determines the card type upon insertion so the card and socket will be
configured properly.
