4 Port PCMCIA Cardbus problem

[glasseyes (John)]

Help! Calling all IT Hardware Gurus !!
I bought a 4 Port PCMCIA Cardbus USB 2.0 on eBay, as my Toshiba TE2100 laptop only has 2 x USB1.1 ports.
Most USB and USB2 devices seem to work OK in any of the 4 USB2 slots, but when I plug in a USB webcam to the USB2 adaptor, I get the "dreaded blue screen of death", telling me that there is a problem with my hardware or software. The slogan it shows is BUGCODE_USB_DRIVER. The USB webcam works fine in the USB1.1 ports, so I'm wondering whether the PCMCIA adapter can't handle the current drain of the webcam ?
I have installed the webcam drivers and the Ascom 4.1 platform, Net Framework 2, etc.
Anyone out there seen this type of problem ?
TIA,

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

I had something similar when I tried a USB/firewired combo PCMCIA card. The dreaded BSOD nearly drove me nuts. Check in your device manager (when the card is plugged in of course ) under the PCMCIA or USB controllers and check the properties. Mine used to say "Insufficient Resources" under the USB Controller properties. Once I changed to a firewire only card I had no problems. BTW I already have 3 USB2 slot in my laptop.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

BTW your laptop won't be running the USB2 stuff at USB2 speeds. This may also be part of the problem. The DSI is supposed to run at USB1.1 speeds but I never could get it to work properly under USB 1. Also is that a power port in that card? If so have you tried using power to the card? Or how about getting rid of the card and just getting a powered USB hub?

[glasseyes (John)]

Thanks Paul. Yeah that's a little power jack for "high current drain" USB devices, but I don't have a PS for it (why would you?). Luckily the USB2 devices seem to work OK along with the webcam (NexImage) running on USB1.1, but I must admit that DBSOD gives me the creeps. Curse you Bill Gates. . .
The powered hub might eventually be the way to go, but I try to keep things compact (no more cables if I can help it).