W7 doesn't see Expresscard OR SDReader Slots


  1. Posts : 373
    Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit
       #1

    W7 doesn't see Expresscard OR SDReader Slots


    Hi All,

    Some possibly significant preamble:

    System always ran great until a few weeks ago when the internal wifi card quit. Turned out (from getting a replacement) that it wasn't the card, but that the laptop stopped recognizing that it had a wifi card installed. Tried restoring a backup of C:\ from a couple weeks prior when everything was honky dory but the [new] wifi still could not be detected. So chalked that up to a fluke hardware/mb issue and got a USB mini Wifi adapter.

    Only now the internal SDCard reader AND the Expresscard slot are no longer seen by Windows either! USB ports still working (so far?!). But when I go to Computer (FileMgr) there are only the hard drive partitions and the DVD listed and no matter what I pop into either port (SDcard or an adapter in the Expresscard slot) I get nuthin.

    Tried sfc /scannow and got 100% integrity.

    Any ideas?

    System Specs:
    Acer Aspire 4530
    W7-64 Ultimate
    Last edited by remm; 23 Jul 2013 at 22:56. Reason: system specs
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 373
    Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Oddly and FTR this all resolved itself. In case any of the following ever helps anyone else...

    First I opened the machine and cleaned off the old thermal paste and applied new, which took care of the heat problem I was having that preceded all this. I also blew out the machine but it was clean already. The thermal paste however was dried out and the machine (which always ran hot being AMD/nVidia) had been running VERY hot.... like 165-187F when just piddling around the desktop. After applying new thermal paste it's running 135-141F on average.

    I also removed the CMOS battery for a few hours, then replaced it.

    When I reassembled the machine I left out the internal Wifi card since it wasn't being recognized, but when I booted my systray icons were missing and screwed up. So I powered down and reinstalled the wifi card [and might have switched the wifi antenna cables on the card, but from what I read it shouldn't matter which post they are on]. When I booted the systray icons were right again.

    So don't know if ANYTHING there had anything to do with the machine snapping out of the funk it was in and getting itself back together, but when I was troubleshooting a problem with the USB Wifi Adapter not reconnecting after sleep, I was in Device Mgr and saw the internal wifi was back again! It had been missing from Dev Mgr for 2 weeks, ever since it "disappeared" from the system.

    So I uninstalled the USB wifi drivers and reconfigured the internal wifi card, and it worked perfectly again. Then I tried the internal SDCard reader and it was also working again! Same with the Expresscard slot! And five days later everything is still working as it should.

    So don't know if removing the CMOS battery reset the machine; or maybe booting with the wifi card OUT, then replacing it did the trick; or if it really DOES matter on this machine which post the antenna wires go to on the wifi card and I happened to put them back "the right way" the last time I installed it, but something worked!

    So alls well that ends well. And my machine is running nice and cool too. :)
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 572
    Windows 7 Professional x64
       #3

    Tell me could this be an HP perhaps?

    From our experience there are a lot of HP and Dell motherboard/video failures due to overheating and the ball solder failure of the NVidia chip. This has been and issue for over 7 years with the DV and G series HP laptops. The Dell failures are more sporadic by model but all have the NVidia chips. This IS NOT an NVidia failure but a cooling failure from poor design. most of the HP class actions are settled now but I can still see failures happening. Keep That Sucker Cool! I would Highly recommend a cooler pad and or rear standoffs at the pad points to increase airflow.

    The best fix if you care to try and research it is to place a copper shim between the heat sink and vid chip. I have personally saved several lappy's with this trick and know it works getting the chipset temps down to the low 120's.
    Last edited by mohavepc; 30 Jul 2013 at 21:49. Reason: I hit enter after 1 line and my win*8* pOs lappy moved focus. da*m pos 8
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 1,007
    Winndows 7 32 bit
       #4

    remm said:
    Oddly and FTR this all resolved itself. In case any of the following ever helps anyone else...

    First I opened the machine and cleaned off the old thermal paste and applied new, which took care of the heat problem I was having that preceded all this. I also blew out the machine but it was clean already. The thermal paste however was dried out and the machine (which always ran hot being AMD/nVidia) had been running VERY hot.... like 165-187F when just piddling around the desktop. After applying new thermal paste it's running 135-141F on average.

    I also removed the CMOS battery for a few hours, then replaced it.

    When I reassembled the machine I left out the internal Wifi card since it wasn't being recognized, but when I booted my systray icons were missing and screwed up. So I powered down and reinstalled the wifi card [and might have switched the wifi antenna cables on the card, but from what I read it shouldn't matter which post they are on]. When I booted the systray icons were right again.

    So don't know if ANYTHING there had anything to do with the machine snapping out of the funk it was in and getting itself back together, but when I was troubleshooting a problem with the USB Wifi Adapter not reconnecting after sleep, I was in Device Mgr and saw the internal wifi was back again! It had been missing from Dev Mgr for 2 weeks, ever since it "disappeared" from the system.

    So I uninstalled the USB wifi drivers and reconfigured the internal wifi card, and it worked perfectly again. Then I tried the internal SDCard reader and it was also working again! Same with the Expresscard slot! And five days later everything is still working as it should.

    So don't know if removing the CMOS battery reset the machine; or maybe booting with the wifi card OUT, then replacing it did the trick; or if it really DOES matter on this machine which post the antenna wires go to on the wifi card and I happened to put them back "the right way" the last time I installed it, but something worked!

    So alls well that ends well. And my machine is running nice and cool too. :)
    Hi remm,

    Its great to hear both wireless card and SD card reader is working fine now. It seems to me could be an issue with either the motherboard or CMOS battery.

    You should consider replacing the CMOS battery and if it works fine then you would know the cause of the issue.

    Also, driver corruption on the system can cause this issue. So next time if the issue occurs you should tr removing the drivers and installing them again.

    If you have any queries in future, please feel free to contact us.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 373
    Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    mohavepc said:
    Tell me could this be an HP perhaps?

    From our experience there are a lot of HP and Dell motherboard/video failures due to overheating and the ball solder failure of the NVidia chip. [...]
    I read about that and the lawsuit. But no, this is an Acer and was not part of that. (I looked into it a few weeks ago when all this was happening with my machine.)

    The best fix if you care to try and research it is to place a copper shim between the heat sink and vid chip. I have personally saved several lappy's with this trick and know it works getting the chipset temps down to the low 120's.
    That is very good to know. Where would I get a copper shim of the correct thickness and of the right kind of copper (purity)?

    I might do that if the temps start rising again later when this thermal paste dries out a bit, but for now the CPU is pretty much staying around 145F and it's rated to go to 212F (not that it ever should get anywhere near there) so 145F is acceptable. Before it was operating ~167-187F and that was def too hot! :)
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 373
    Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #6

    SandeepP said:
    It seems to me could be an issue with either the motherboard or CMOS battery.

    You should consider replacing the CMOS battery and if it works fine then you would know the cause of the issue.
    As stated prior, the issue is already resolved by the steps I took, though not sure which step solved it. My best guess is removing the CMOS battery and leaving it out a couple hours resolved the problem. IAC it's been nearly 2 weeks now and it's still all working great.

    Also, driver corruption on the system can cause this issue. So next time if the issue occurs you should tr removing the drivers and installing them again.
    I did uninstall/reinstall the devices and drivers at the very start. Unfortunately that did not help. But it's always a good place to start. :)
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 1,007
    Winndows 7 32 bit
       #7

    remm said:
    SandeepP said:
    It seems to me could be an issue with either the motherboard or CMOS battery.

    You should consider replacing the CMOS battery and if it works fine then you would know the cause of the issue.
    As stated prior, the issue is already resolved by the steps I took, though not sure which step solved it. My best guess is removing the CMOS battery and leaving it out a couple hours resolved the problem. IAC it's been nearly 2 weeks now and it's still all working great.

    Also, driver corruption on the system can cause this issue. So next time if the issue occurs you should tr removing the drivers and installing them again.
    I did uninstall/reinstall the devices and drivers at the very start. Unfortunately that did not help. But it's always a good place to start. :)
    Hi remm,

    I agree that taking out the CMOS battery and putting it back would have helped in resolving this issue. If it occurs in future you should consider replacing the CMOS battery for the system.

    Thanks for sharing your findings with us.
      My Computer


 

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