Memory Card Explorer for the Elan P423

[D. Resor]

Does anyone have past experience with Memory Card Explorer and the Elan P423
BUS to PC Car Reader-Writer 2 Slot Internal unit?

https://www.synchrotech.com/products/card-rw_33_p423_elan_pcmcia_pc-card_rea
der_slot.html

Memory Card Explorer has certain compatibility rules for the Motherboard it
is installed in.  The software seems to be a bit picky.

Which mainboard/motherboard is best suited for the task and using Windows XP
x32 SP3?

For instance, from Ricoh's version of MCE:

Computer Hardware

Desktop or laptop computer with Intel 82365 compatible PCMCIA or CardBus
controller
At least 1 PC Card slot
At least 1 CD-ROM drive
Must meet the operating systems' system requirements.

Card Services

Operating system's built-in card services are supported.
3rd party card services are not supported.

Applications

A standard web browser for on-line Help.
Adobe Acrobat Reader for User Guide.

Memory Window

A 16 kbyte memory window (d000 - d3ff at default) required
Flash Memory Card
A Ricoh supplied flash memory card is required.

Before you start MCERICOH - XP, you may have to adjust your BIOS and OS
configurations.
BIOS Setup Check
Make sure that:

* Shadowing between d0000-d3fff is off.

For ISA connected PCMCIA hardware:

* Any ISA Plug-n-Play options allow a shared block from d0000-d3fff (or
greater).
* The ISA bus is set to run at 8MHz max (i.e. not enhanced mode).

By default, MCE requires the exclusive use of a block of real mode memory at
linear address d0000H to d3fffH. If MCERICOH - XP does not detect the flash
memory card with the default memory block settings, this indicates that the
default memory block is already in use. Try one of the following settings:
. (D0) D000-D3FF (default)	. (E0) E000-E3FF
. (D4) D400-D7FF		. (E4) E400-E7FF
. (D8) D800-DBFF		. (E8) E800-EBFF
. (DC) DC00-DFFF		. (EC) EC00-EFFF

System config.sys (found in c:\ & applies only to Windows 98SE
installations)

-If the himem.sys & emm386 drivers appear in config.sys, add the exclusion
block x=d000-d3ff as shown in the example below. If they do not appear, you
do not need to do anything.

device=c:\windows\himem.sys
device=c:\windows\emm386.exe noems x=d000-d3ff

Windows system.ini (found in c:\windows & applies only to Windows 98SE
installations)
-The installer should have added the EMMExclude line to the [386Enh] section
of system.ini.
[386Enh]
EMMExclude=d000-d3ff

Once you have changed the setting, reboot the computer and start MCERICOH -
XP using the /w command line option. Refer to section "7. Troubleshooting"
for more details.

Etc. etc. etc.

It also requires that you exclude cards in other I/O slots but can only
exclude up to 8 slots.

I was looking at a intel d945gnt motherboard as it doesn't have ISA slots
which I do not need, but as an added plus it will except a SATA HDD.  If
that not viable, I will probably need to find a working PIII motherboard
instead.

I've uploaded the full manual here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cqzuviwl9mnv9t9/MCERICOH_UserGuide_XP_V1.01.pdf?dl
=0

Either I am not very good at this or, I lack the extreme patience needed to
make it work!

Thanks

Don Resor