PCMCIA USB Thinkpad 760Xl

I have an old Thinkpad 760XL with Win XP and I'm trying to add a couple of USB's. I've just bought a Nisis PCMCIA USB 2.0 card but when I plug it in it says that the PC is not configured for 32 bit cards. Is this a lost cause :-o or is there an alternative solution? Preferably without spending too much of the hard earned stuff:-D

 

Here's a similar question on a thinkpad forum: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=7747

 

Thanks for that PC-XT From what I understand of that link, it looks like a lost cause. :cry A shame as XP runs well on it and that's the only OS that will run my weather station software which needs one USB and one ethernet connection.

 

Alternative solution...buy a powered USB hub with 4 or 7 ports and plug it into the USB port. Note, it should be powered because your thinkpad would not have the power to supply to all devices plugged into the hub.
examples:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182147
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817107644
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817201603

 

Thank Plodr but the problem is that I don't even have one USB. An alternative would be an RS232 to USB converter if such a thing is available. There's plenty the other way round.

 

What ports do you have?
As far as PCMCIA cards, I believe that your laptop originally came with windows 9x. It would need a 16 bit PCMCIA card probably.

 

I'm not sure that a 16 bit USB card exists. I've been looking and can't seem to find anything that fits the description. 16 bit cards end is cs and 32 bit cards end in cb.
The other route you could go but it would cost quite a bit more is get a docking station that would include USB ports. I looked over the Lenovo site and I believe they have some that would work for your model. Since I'm in the US, I don't get to see the model you have.

 

Thanks again. I have found 16bit ethernet cards but like you, nothing for USB. I have one DB-9 serial port, 1 LPT1 and 1VGA plus the usual PS/2 and power connectors. There are plenty of USB to DB9 serial adaptors but they all go the 'wrong' way. I need a female DB9 to female USB. Thanks for the docking station idea, I'll see what I can find.

 

PS/2 to USB are available.
Maybe you can get a PS/2 splitter for the one PS/2 port so you can use a keyboard and mouse. Or if you only have 1 PS/2 port, use the splitter and put a PS/2 to USB adapter on the other.

I used something like this http://www.pccables.com/06014.htm on an old notebook with one PS/2 port.

Then try a PS/2 to USB adapter
example
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812200145

I'm not sure if this just accepts a USB keyboard or would it accept any USB item.


I can now confirm that the above idea is rubbish. I put the splitter into one of my PS/2 ports and when I fired up the computer, I had no working keyboard nor mouse cursor!
We just saved you spending money for gadgets that won't work in your situation.

Before you spend money on that, let me see if I can get it to work on a very old computer running 98SE and 2K. I'll try it on the 2K side.