DaqCard 6024E intermittant with Windows XP

Question

I am still having trouble running the PCMCIA DaqCard 6024E reliability
on a Winbook running home version XP. I could get by, but my customers
can't.
I ordered two cards, one to upgrade a Winbook laptop running Windows Me
(from a DaqCard 500) (a little over a year old) and the other for a new
Winbook which came with XP installed. I also have a new Winbook running
XP (also home version) and working fine with a DaqPad 6020E from the USB
port. I am using the latest version of NIDaq, 6.9.2. Once MAX sees the
card, LabVIEW has no problems.
Both of the DaqCards cards run fine in the old Winbook running Me.
Neither of the PCMCIA 6024E cards will run reliably with the XP system.
>From a cold boot, I have to restart several times (usually between 5 and
10 times) before the card is recognized (little icon in task bar). Or
if I boot once and then just unplug and replug the card - hot - it also
requires about 5 to 10 of these cycles. Once its recognized, if I
unplug and replug the card it will not fail to recognize the card until
between 15 and 20 tries.
Just to verify that the laptop is ok, I bought a PCMCIA ethernet card.
The box for the ethernet card (Netgear FA411) indicated that it would
run with Windows 95/98/Me and a sticker on the cellophane wrapper said
"Works with Windows XP". The sticker (afterthought) suggested to me
that if it would work with Windows 95/98/Me it would also work with XP.
I rebooted 25 times and the computer recognized it every time. I also
unplugged and plugged the either net card - hot - 25 times and the
computer recognized it every time.
Winbook will not guarantee survival if I try to load 98 or Me in the new
computer. I think these systems are assembled and loaded in China and
they don't have the drivers in Ohio. By the way, this is my fifth
Winbook, and this is my first problem. Otherwise XP seems to run better
than Me. My new Winbook with XP and the DaqPad has never failed. I
have been using it nearly every day since February. I developed both of
the DacCard systems with it.
I think the Winbooks, about $1000, and the DaqCards are perfect for my
customers. I hope we can fix this problem.
For the present, my clients are using the computers in the lab and are
able to leave them on continuously 24X7. But soon they will get
approvals and will have to go to the clinic for their study. They have
to move a cart into a room, plug in the equipment and can't be messing
with the cards when the room is $700 per hour and the Doctors are upset
(that's a mild term). If we loose a study, we have lost a consenting
patient, (they are not easy to come by these days). I suppose, if I
have to, we could use DaqPAds, but I don't want to do that, nor do I
want the lose the restocking fee. In addition, I am currently putting
another system together, which I will deliver at the end of July. Not
sure what to buy, DaqCard or DaqPad (prefer DaqCard).
Thank, Harry
Harry L. Valenta, Jr., Ph.D.
Biomedical Research Associates, LLC
19042 E. Oxford Drive
Aurora, CO 80013-3812
phone and fax, 303 690 9688
[email protected]
[email protected]
www.bra-llc.com

Answer 1

Harry;
We don't have anything reported yet about Winbooks and Windows XP.
One thing you can try out though, is to see if the Socket drivers in use by the Winbook are the Native ones provided by Microsoft.
If they aren't uninstall those and install the NAtive ones from the Windows installation CD. If that is the case, it's probably the cause of the problem.
Hope this helps.
Filipe