ExpressCard problem

Question

Hi all,
Just got my new MacBook Pro yesterday, but am concerned that I might've found a problem with it. In my previous MacBook Pro (mid-2007 model), I used a Griffin card reader in the ExpressCard slot, and it worked perfectly. However, today I tried putting that card reader in to my new MBP, and it completely fails to recognise it; it doesn't even appear under the USB bus in system profiler. This then of course means that if I insert a memory card nothing happens. I've tried rebooting, inserting the reader while the laptop's off, inserting the reader + memoy card while the laptop's off, and various other combinations, but nothing seems to work. Problem is, it's my only ExpressCard, so I've no idea if it's a strange incompatibility between the card and the laptop or, in fact, a faulty ExpressCard slot.
So I'd like to ask: has anyone tried the Griffin card reader in their ExpressCard slot (and if so how did it work), and has anyone else had problems getting any kind of ExpressCard to work in the new MBP, where the card used to work in a previous laptop?
Thanks in advance for any help offered.

Answer 1

Wow, that was fast! Got a potential solution from AppleCare in less than 15 minutes.
I called AppleCare and described the issue. The technician had me do the following steps in order.
1) Shut down the Mac completely.
2) Remove all connections: USB, power, remove the ExpressCard reader from the slot - remove everything so you are left with the laptop all by its lonesome.
3) Flip the laptop over and remove the battery. You do this by lifting the little handle and removing the case cover. Then, pull the plastic strap attached to the battery to lift it out it. Set the case cover and the battery aside in a safe place.
4) Next step is to reset the PMU (Power Management Unit). With the battery removed and all devices disconnected, turn your MacBook over and open the lid, and hold down the power button for 15 seconds. Do not release the power button while you are counting - you must hold it down and keep it held down while you count to 15.
5) After 15 seconds, let go of the power button, and replace the battery and case. The battery slots back in easily enough. The case is a little tricker. It goes in nose-first (i.e. the bit closest to the front of the laptop goes in first), then you lower the case down to rest slightly open on the bit by the lever. Push the little lever back in to winch the case cover back in to place.
6) Turn the laptop over, and reboot and login like normal.
You should now be able to plug your card reader in and have it work without problems. I was able to plug my one in and make two 800 MB transfers without issue; previously, it would fail randomly half way through the transfer.
Prior to the resolution of the issue, the only other device I had attached to the Mac was a USB hard drive (250 GB Western Digital MyBook, connected to high speed USB 2.0). However, after I went through the steps above, I attached this hard drive again and tried the transfer from the ExpressCard a second time, and was able to transfer all the files without the "device removal" error I was getting before.
If you have the same issue and are having problems, just call AppleCare (you get 90 days free with every Mac you buy, so use it or lose it! ). They are keeping my support case open in case I see any more issues, but everything seems to be working great now. I'll post back here again if I have any more problems.
Wild *** guess: I downloaded all the software updates last night, including all the firmware updates. I'm guessing some of this left the high speed USB bus confused, so resetting the PMU and associated widgets might have cleared this problem out. Again, just a guess.
Thanks,
- max