Card Executive
User's Guide
Version 2.0
ΤΜ
2.0 for NT
Copyright
© Copyright 1998 by Phoenix Technologies Ltd. and Softex Incorporated. All rights reserved. No
part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or
translated into any language or computer language, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual, or otherwise, without the prior written permission
of Phoenix Technologies Ltd. and Softex Incorporated.
Disclaimers
PHOENIX TECHNOLOGIES LTD. AND SOFTEX INCORPORATED MAKE NO
REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE DESIGN AND
DOCUMENTATION HEREIN DESCRIBED AND ESPECIALLY DISCLAIM ANY IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
FURTHER, PHOENIX TECHNOLOGIES LTD. AND SOFTEX INCORPORATED RESERVE THE
RIGHT TO REVISE THIS DESIGN AND ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTATION AND TO MAKE
CHANGES FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE CONTENT WITHOUT OBLIGATION OF PHOENIX
TECHNOLOGIES LTD. AND SOFTEX INCORPORATED TO NOTIFY ANY PERSON OF SUCH
REVISIONS OR CHANGES.
Trademarks
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed
as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this document, and Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
and Softex Incorporated were aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in
initial caps or all caps. References may be made in this manual to PS/2, AT, RISC, and IBM, which
are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation; to Intel which is a trademark of Intel
Corporation; to Windows, Windows 95, and Windows NT, which are trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation; and, to RomPilot, PhoenixBIOS, and NoteBIOS, which are trademarks of Phoenix
Technologies Ltd.
Contacting Us
Corporate Address: Phoenix Technologies Ltd. Softex Incorporated
411 East Plumeria Drive 6609 Cuesta Trail
San Jose, California 95134 Austin, TX 78730
USA USA
Website: http://www.phoenix.com
Document Number: CE-PS-2.0-05.98
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Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................1
Summary of Features...........................................................................................................................1
Audience............................................................................................................................................. 2
Conventions and Typefaces Used in This Manual................................................................................ 2
Related Documentation........................................................................................................................ 3
Additional Information ........................................................................................................................ 3
Chapter 1 Installing and Setting Up Card Executive..............................................5
System Requirements .......................................................................................................................... 5
Installing the Card Executive Software................................................................................................ 5
Un-Installing the Card Executive Software.......................................................................................... 6
Upgrading a Previous Version of Card Executive................................................................................. 6
Installing the Card Executive Power Management Feature .................................................................. 7
Verifying Information About Card Executive....................................................................................... 7
Configuring a Shortcut Card Executive Desktop Icon.......................................................................... 8
Using the Shortcut Card Executive Desktop Icon.................................................................................9
Chapter 2 Card Executive Overview.......................................................................13
Supported PC Cards ............................................................................................................................ 13
Hot Swappable Cards.............................................................................................................13
Cards Recognized in Point Enabler Mode .............................................................................. 13
Socket Services.................................................................................................................................... 14
Card Services ...................................................................................................................................... 14
Client Drivers...................................................................................................................................... 15
Card Executive Control Panel.............................................................................................................. 15
Chapter 3 Using the Card Executive Program........................................................17
Inserting and Removing a PC Card from the System ........................................................................... 17
Inserting a PC Card in the System ......................................................................................... 17
Installing PC Card Software.....................................................................................19
Removing a PC Card from the System.................................................................................................20
Monitoring the Card Executive Program ............................................................................................. 20
Displaying PC Card Resources............................................................................................... 22
Enabling or Disabling Card Executive Settings.................................................................................... 22
Enabling or Disabling System Messages ................................................................................ 23
Showing the Card Executive icon in the taskbar..................................................................... 24
Selecting the COM Port for Modem Cards............................................................................. 24
Running PC Card Diagnostics............................................................................................................. 26
Chapter 4 Power Management Support ..................................................................27
Cards Operating in Suspend Mode ...................................................................................................... 27
Cards Operating in Resume Mode ....................................................................................................... 27
Cards Operating in Point-Enabled Mode ............................................................................................. 28
Glossary......................................................................................................................29
Index............................................................................................................................31
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
iii
Figures
Figure 1. About Tab Page on the Card Executive Control Panel.......................................................... 8
Figure 2. Shortcut to Card Executive Desktop Icon............................................................................. 8
Figure 3. Card Executive 2.0 for NT Control Panel............................................................................ 9
Figure 4. Shortcut to Card Executive Properties Dialog Box, General Tab .......................................... 10
Figure 5. Shortcut to Card Executive Properties Dialog Box, Shortcut Tab ......................................... 11
Figure 6. PC Card Insertion Dialog Box ............................................................................................. 17
Figure 7. PC Card Configuration Complete Dialog Box...................................................................... 18
Figure 8. PC Card Not Configured Dialog Box................................................................................... 18
Figure 9. PC Card Removal Complete Dialog Box .............................................................................. 20
Figure 10. Card Executive Control Panel Showing the Status Tab.......................................................21
Figure 11. Card Executive Icon in the Windows NT Taskbar.............................................................. 21
Figure 12. Card Executive Resources Dialog Box............................................................................... 22
Figure 13. Card Executive 2.0 for NT Control Panel.......................................................................... 23
Figure 14. Card Executive 2.0 for NT Control Panel Showing the Settings Tab...................................24
Figure 15. Shortcut to Card Executive Desktop Icon........................................................................... 25
Figure 16. Configure Modem PC Cards Dialog Box............................................................................ 25
Figure 17. PC Card Diagnostics Wizard............................................................................................. 26
Figure 18. PC Card Resuming Dialog Box.......................................................................................... 27
Figure 19. PC Card Resume Complete Dialog Box ............................................................................. 28
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Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
Introduction
Windows NT currently has very limited support for PC Cards. Windows NT requires PC Cards to be plugged in
when the system is started so that they are recognized and configured by the NT driver. The cards cannot be
removed until you shut down the system.
With Card Executive 2.0 for NT, you can insert and remove cards in your portable while it is still running. Card
Executive recognizes and configures the cards with no interruption of service. You can continue to use your
favorite application. No data or services are lost.
Card Executive can run on portable computers that use a variety of different PC Card controllers. Card Executive
software functions on Windows NT 4.0 platforms.
This document covers the installation, features, and operation of Card Executive 2.0 for NT software. For
information on previous versions of Card Executive software, please refer the earlier revisions of this document.
Summary of Features
Card Executive 2.0 for NT supports the following features.
• PC Card Specification 5.0 compliant (including support for Proposal 187 extensions)
• Card Executive contains a single socket service for all Intel 365 compatible controllers such as Intel
365, Vadem VG469, and others. In addition, it supports PCI to PC Card, and PCI to CardBus bridge
chips. Card Executive supports up to four sockets.
• Provides a client driver interface for Card Services functions, 16 bit PC Card support, 32 bit PC Card
support (CardBus), 3V, DMA and dynamic resource management using NT services.
• Contains generic modem PC Card and generic ATA/SRAM Card support along with 3Com, SMC,
NE2000, and IBM Token Ring LAN client drivers, IDE CD-ROM support and Adaptec SCSI card
support. A Card Executive for NT Toolkit is available for porting of point enabler drivers to client
drivers.
• Provides information about the current PC Card sockets in use and their contents.
• Automatic installation of PC Card driver software with minimum user interaction.
• PC Card diagnostics that customize Card Executive for your notebook computer.
• Works with Phoenix Power Management utilities to manage Card Executive. PC Cards are logically
removed and re-inserted into system causing it to suspend and resume activity.
• Provides German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese international language support.
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
1
Introduction
Audience
This manual is designed for portable computer users who are familiar with Windows conventions and
terminology. Specifically, this includes users who want to:
• Use a variety of cards in their portable computer
• Dynamically remove and insert these cards
• Automatic recognition of the cards by the Windows NT operating system, eliminating the need to
configure cards each time they are removed and inserted.
• Manage PC Card resources
If you are unfamiliar with the Windows user interface, you will probably want to spend some time
learning the fundamental Windows conventions before you read this manual.
Contents of this Manual
The Card Executive 2.0 for NT User’s Guide contains the following chapters.
Chapter 1 Installing Card Executive: describes how to install Card Executive and how to
install Card Executive with the power management feature.
Chapter 2 Card Executive Overview: describes the basic features of Card Executive. It
assumes that users are already familiar with Windows terminology and conventions.
Chapter 3 Using Card Executive: describes how to use the Card Executive program.
Chapter 4 Power Management Support Overview: describes the power management features
in Card Executive.
Glossary: includes definitions for various terms used in the manual.
Conventions and Typefaces Used in This Manual
Choose Within this manual, the term choose means to select a menu item by
highlighting it with the cursor and pressing <Enter> or clicking on it.
SETUP <Enter> Boldfaced courier type indicates text as it appears onscreen or in a program. It
is used in text for instructions and for anything you must type literally (such as
A:\SETUP to install a program).
KEY1+KEY2 This indicates a command that requires you press KEY1 and hold it down as
you press KEY2.
Bold text Within text, bold-faced type indicates menu options and commands.
Italic text Within text, italics indicate placeholders, class names, variables, and arrays. In
syntax expressions, placeholders represent information that you must provide.
CUSTOM.H Within text, capital letters represent the names of files and directories.
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Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
Introduction
This icon indicates material you should take special notice of.
Related Documentation
You can obtain additional information about Phoenix Technologies’ power management applications for
Windows NT by reading the following documentation.
• APM 2.0 User’s Guide, Phoenix Technologies Ltd., July, 1997.
• BatteryScope 2.0 User’s Guide, Phoenix Technologies Ltd., February, 1997.
• PowerPanel 2.0 User’s Guide, Phoenix Technologies Ltd., July, 1997.
• Card Executive 2.0 for NT Supported Card List, April, 1997
Additional Information
For additional information about other Phoenix products, visit our World Wide Web home page at
http://www.phoenix.com.
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
3
Introduction
4
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
Chapter 1 Installing and Setting Up Card Executive
Installing the Card Executive 2.0 for NT (also referred to as Card Executive) software involves installing Card
Executive software, and verifying information about the Card Executive program and configuring a shortcut
desktop icon to display on the Windows NT desktop.
This chapter describes:
• Installing the Card Executive software
• Un-installing the Card Executive software
• Upgrading from a previous version.
• Installing the optional Card Executive power management feature
• Verifying information about your version of the Card Executive program
• Setting up the Card Executive program for easy access from the desktop
To begin installing the components, however, your system must meet certain system requirements.
System Requirements
The recommended minimum system for running Card Executive includes the following components:
• A 486 or Pentium computer with PC Card sockets
• Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 (Workstation or Server)
• At least 5MB of free hard disk space available on your computer
Installing the Card Executive Software
Before you install Card Executive, back up the following Windows NT files:
• HAL.DLL
• PCMCIA.SYS
• DISK.SYS
• CDROM.SYS
If you already have a previous version of Card Executive installed in the system, please refer to the
section, Upgrading a Previous Version of Card Executive, for directions on how to upgrade your system.
To install Card Executive 2.0 for NT for the first time on a system:
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
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Chapter 1 Installing and Setting Up Card Executive
1. Insert Disk 1 of the Card Executive software into drive A:. Note: If your installation media is a
CDROM, then insert the CDROM into the CDROM drive.
2. Click the Start button on the Windows NT Taskbar.
3. Choose Run… and enter A:\SETUP.EXE. Note: If your installation media is a CDROM, use the
drive letter of the CDROM drive instead of ‘A:\’
4. Follow the directions displayed in the Card Executive 2.0 for NT installation program. You will
have to specify a pathname in which Card Executive 2.0 will install itself.
5. Reboot your system when prompted by the setup program. Once the system is running again, you can
use the Card Executive software.
The installation program backs up and then overwrites the HAL.DLL, PCMCIA.SYS, DISK.SYS, and
CDROM.SYS files. In addition, the installation program automatically places an icon, Card Executive
2.0 for NT, in the Windows NT Control Panel.
Un-Installing the Card Executive Software
If you already have a version of Card Executive installed in the system, you can un-install that software by
following the steps below:
1. Insert Disk 2 of the Card Executive software into drive A:. Note: If your installation media is a
CDROM, then insert the CDROM into the CDROM drive.
2. Click the Start button on the Windows NT Taskbar.
3. Choose Run… and enter A:\UNINSTL.EXE. Note: If your installation media is a CDROM, use
the drive letter of the CDROM drive instead of ‘A:\’
4. Follow the directions displayed in the Card Executive 2.0 for NT un-installation program.
5. Reboot your system when prompted by the setup program.
The un-installation program can not automatically remove any shortcuts that you may have created while
running Card Executive. You must manually remove any shortcuts to the Card Executive program by
dragging the shortcut to the recycling bin.
Upgrading a Previous Version of Card Executive
If you already have a version of Card Executive installed in the system, you must upgrade your system to
the current version.
1. Un-Install the previous version of Card Executive software. Please follow the steps outlined in the
section, Un-Installing the Card Executive Software, given earlier in this chapter.
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Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
Chapter 1 Installing and Setting Up Card Executive
2. Once the system has been rebooted, you can install Card Executive for NT. Please follow the steps
outlined in the section, Installing the Card Executive Software, given earlier in this chapter. Since
you have un-installed the previous version of Card Executive, the steps in the installation section can
be used.
3. Once the system has been rebooted again, you can use Card Executive for NT
Installing the Card Executive Power Management
Feature
APM 2.0 and Phoenix PowerPanel 2.0 provide power-management functionality for your PC Card
sockets. For more information about these products, refer to the APM 2.0 User’s Guide and PowerPanel
2.0 User’s Guide.
Verifying Information About Card Executive
After you install all the software components and Card Executive, it is a good idea to verify the version
number and other information about the Card Executive program.
To verify information about Card Executive:
1. From the Windows NT Taskbar, choose Start, then Settings, then Control Panel. The Windows NT
Control Panel appears.
2. From the Windows NT Control Panel, click on the Card Executive icon with the right mouse button.
A drop-down list box appears. Select Open from the drop-down list box to display the Card
Executive control panel.
or
Double-click on the Card Executive icon in the Control Panel. The Card Executive control panel
appears.
3. Choose the About tab. The About tab page appears with statistics about the Card Executive software.
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
7
Chapter 1 Installing and Setting Up Card Executive
Figure 1. About Tab Page on the Card Executive Control Panel
As a shortcut for verifying information about the Card Executive program, double-click on the PC Card
icon on the Windows NT Taskbar.
Configuring a Shortcut Card Executive Desktop Icon
Although you can access the Card Executive tabbed dialog boxes by double-clicking the Taskbar icon, you
can also configure a shortcut icon on the Windows NT desktop . To configure the Shortcut to Card
Executive desktop icon, follow these steps:
1. From the Windows NT Control Panel, click on the Card Executive icon with the right mouse button.
A drop-down list box appears.
2. Choose Create Shortcut. A message appears indicating that Windows cannot create a shortcut in the
Windows NT Control Panel and asking whether you want to create the shortcut on the desktop
instead.
3. Click on the Yes button. A shortcut icon appears on the Windows NT desktop. See Figure 2.
Figure 2. Shortcut to Card Executive Desktop Icon
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Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
Chapter 1 Installing and Setting Up Card Executive
Using the Shortcut Card Executive Desktop Icon
You can use the Card Executive shortcut icon on the Windows NT desktop to:
• Access the Card Executive control panel
• Display the shortcut icon properties
To access the Card Executive control panel from the desktop, double-click the left mouse on the Card
Executive icon. To check the status of a card while the system is running, double-click on the Shortcut to
Card Executive icon from the Windows NT desktop. The Card Executive 2.0 for NT control panel
appears. When a PC Card is in the PC Card socket and it is properly working, the status for the card is
listed as Available for Use. See Figure 3.
Figure 3. Card Executive 2.0 for NT Control Panel
To display properties for the Card Executive shortcut icon:
1. Position the cursor over the Card Executive Shortcut icon.
2. Double-click the right mouse button. The Shortcut to Card Executive Properties dialog box appears.
See Figure 4.
3. Choose either the General tab for general information about the shortcut or the Shortcut tab to
change the icon properties.
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
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Chapter 1 Installing and Setting Up Card Executive
Figure 4. Shortcut to Card Executive Properties Dialog Box, General Tab
The General tab displays general information about the Card Executive shortcut including location and file
attributes.
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Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
Chapter 1 Installing and Setting Up Card Executive
Figure 5. Shortcut to Card Executive Properties Dialog Box, Shortcut Tab
On the Shortcut tab, you can create shortcut keys that let you access Card Executive quickly.
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
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Chapter 1 Installing and Setting Up Card Executive
12
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
Chapter 2 Card Executive Overview
The Card Executive provides PC Card (PCMCIA) capability to Windows NT. Through its socket services interface,
the Card Executive software runs on all notebooks that use a variety of different PC Card controllers. The Card
Executive software adds a socket and card services interface to Windows NT, hot swapping support for PC Cards, a
user interface, power management support for PC Cards, and user-level functionality.
Supported PC Cards
Card Executive provides support for many cards with generic drivers. However, specific cards have been
tested to make sure they are supported under Card Executive. The Card Executive 2.0 for NT Supported
PC Card List provides a detailed list of those PC cards supported for:
• Hot swapping mode
• Point enabler mode
It is very important that you know what mode the card you are using is operating in. The mode for the
card is listed in the Card Executive 2.0 for NT Supported PC Card List. If the card is operated in the
incorrect mode, the system operation will become unstable. If the card you are using is not on the Card
Executive 2.0 for NT Supported PC Card List, you must assume the card is running in point enabler
mode. Of course, it is recommended that you only use cards on the Card Executive 2.0 for NT Supported
PC Card List.
Hot Swappable Cards
Hot swappable cards are those cards that can be recognized and enabled on a hot insertion. In
addition the card can be hot removed without affecting the operation of Windows NT. Also, if
you have installed APM 2.0 for NT, then you will be able to properly power manage the notebook
system and the PC Card socket.
Cards Recognized in Point Enabler Mode
Cards recognized in point enabler mode are those cards that can be inserted or removed only
when the system is shut down. They are recognized only when the system is started again. If
you insert or remove a card recognized in point enabler mode while the system is on, the
operation of the system will become unstable.
Cards recognized in point enabler mode can not be properly power managed in the system. You
must disable power management on your notebook computer if you wish to run a PC Card in
point enabler mode.
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
13
Chapter 2 Card Executive Overview
Card Executive consists of four critical layers of software. These layers give Card Executive the full hot
swapping capability for hot swap supported cards. The following are the four software layers in Card
Executive:
• Socket Services
• Card Services
• Client Drivers
• Card Executive Control Panel
Socket Services
Card Executive software implements a PC Card compliant Socket Services driver that supports all of the
major PC Card controllers on the market today. One socket can be used for all Intel 365 compatible
controllers. In addition, Card Executive supports the following controllers:
• Vadem VG469
• Cirrus Logic 6710, 6720, 6729, 6730, 6832
• Texas Instruments 1130 / 1131 / 1250
• O2 Micro OZ6729 / 0Z6832 / 0Z6836
• Ricoh 465, 466, 476
Two controllers are supported for a maximum of four sockets. If more than one controller is used, each
controller must have the same number of sockets.
Card Services
The Card Services layer is required to manage system resources, interact with PC Card client drivers and
to assist with the display of card status and information. Client drivers call Card Services functions to
implement hot swapping for PC Cards. The Card Services features include:
• PC Card Specification 5.0 compliant (including Proposal 187 extensions)
• 16 bit PC Cards
• 32 bit PC Cards, commonly referred to as CardBus cards
• 3V PC Cards
• DMA
• Dynamic resource management using NT services
• Card Status and Information functions
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Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
Chapter 2 Card Executive Overview
Client Drivers
The client drivers are specific for each type of PC Card. There are certain client drivers built-in to your
Card Executive software. If the driver for your card is not included with the Card Executive package, you
must obtain the client driver from the PC Card manufacturer. It is important to know the mode in which
the driver for the PC Card is operating in. Card Executive includes “hot swapping mode” client drivers
for modems, ATA, SRAM, NE2000 LAN, 3Com LAN, SMC LAN, IBM Token Ring, and Adaptec SCSI
PC Cards. You can hot swap these PC Cards; their client drivers are PC Card compatible. A client driver
software development kit (SDK) is available for porting of point enabler mode drivers to how swapping
mode drivers. Point enabler mode drivers are drivers that only recognize PC Cards that are inserted when
the system is off.
Card Executive Control Panel
The Card Executive Control Panel can be used to display status and information about the PC Cards in
your notebook’s PC Card sockets. The Card Executive Control Panel can be invoked from the Windows
NT Control Panel or by double-clicking the Card Executive icon in the taskbar. Please refer to Chapter 3,
Using the Card Executive Program for more details on how to use the Card Executive Control Panel.
Phoenix Card Executive 2.0 for NT PC Card Controller User's Guide
15
Chapter 2 Card Executive Overview
16
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
Chapter 3 Using the Card Executive Program
Using the Card Executive program involves the following procedures:
• Inserting and removing PC Cards
• Monitoring the Card Executive program from Windows NT Taskbar and the Windows NT Control Panel
• Enabling or disabling configuration messages
Inserting and Removing a PC Card from the System
For certain cards, you can either insert or remove a card from your portable system without powering off
the system. This procedure is referred to as “hot swapping.” If you are not using a card that can be hotswapped, you must power off the system before inserting the card. For a list of cards that can be hotswapped, refer to the Card Executive 2.0 for NT Supported Card List.
Inserting a PC Card in the System
To insert a PC Card in to your portable computer, grasp the card at the outer edges and insert the
card into an empty slot. Card Executive displays the PC Card Insertion dialog box with a
message indicating that the card has been inserted.
The name of the card manufacturer and the card type are displayed as the system attempts to find
the correct driver to configure the card. Each card has its own icon. There are different icons for
ATA / SRAM cards, LAN cards, SCSI cards, modem cards, and all other cards.
Figure 6. PC Card Insertion Dialog Box
.
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
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Chapter 3 Using the Card Executive Program
If the card has been configured properly by a client driver, the PC Card Configuration Complete
dialog box is displayed with a message indicating the card is ready for use by the system. The
card type icon indicates the type of card detected by the software. Figure 7 shows the PC Card
Configuration dialog box.
Figure 7. PC Card Configuration Complete Dialog Box
If the Card Executive software cannot find a client driver already installed for use with this card,
the PC Card Not Configured dialog box appears. See Figure 8. A message is displayed
indicating the card is not configured. You can automatically install PC Card driver software
from this dialog box.
Figure 8. PC Card Not Configured Dialog Box
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Card Executive 2.0 for NT User’s Guide
Chapter 3 Using the Card Executive Program
Installing PC Card Software
When you install a new PC Card into the PC Card socket, the dialog box shown in
Figure 8 will be displayed. From this dialog box, you can automatically install the
driver for the PC Card inserted. You can select from the following choices.
Note: Some options may be disabled based on the drivers available.
1. Install system provided driver for this card (recommended). This is the
recommended selection. You can use this selection to automatically install the
driver for the card. After making this selection, you may be prompted to provide
certain information such as the directory name. Follow the directions given for the
card driver you are trying to install. Whenever possible, use the default selection to
minimize configuration issues.
If Card Executive detects a conflict in configuration settings of the driver, Card
Executive will inform you of a driver error, and it will let you try different driver
settings.
2. Install the driver that was provided with the PC Card. You can use this option if
you wish to use the driver provided with the PC Card instead of the system provided
driver. In some cases, the driver provided with the PC Card may be a newer driver
than that provided by Card Executive 2.0. Contact your PC Card manufacturer for
more information.
If you select this option, you must insert the PC Card driver diskette in drive A: and
click OK. You may be prompted to provide certain information such as path
names. Follow the directions given for the card driver you are installing.
Whenever possible, use the default selection to minimize configuration issues.
If Card Executive 2.0 detects a conflict in configuration settings of the driver, Card
Executive 2.0 will inform you of a driver error and let you try different driver
settings.
3. Manually install the driver for this card. This selection is only recommended for
advanced users who have extensive experience with installing device software under
Windows NT. If you select this option, you will have to select the type of PC Card
you are installing. Card Executive will display the appropriate control panel for the
type of PC Card you have inserted. Manually install the driver from the control
panel.
Note: Card Executive will not be able to effectively determine if you make
configuration errors while installing the driver. If the card does not work properly,
you will need to adjust the configuration settings manually.
4. Do not install any driver for this card. If you make this selection, the driver
installation process will be aborted.
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
19
Chapter 3 Using the Card Executive Program
Removing a PC Card from the System
You can only remove cards that are operating in the “hot swapping” mode. Please refer to the
Card Executive 2.0 for NT Supported Card List to find out if the card you are using is a “hot
swappable” card. If you remove a card that is not operating in the “hot swapping” mode, your
system will become unstable. When you remove a “hot swapping” card from the system, the PC
Card Removal Complete dialog box shown in Figure 9 is displayed. All of the insertion,
removal, or configuration dialog boxes can be enabled or disabled through the Settings tab in the
Card Executive 2.0 for NT Control Panel.
Figure 9. PC Card Removal Complete Dialog Box
Monitoring the Card Executive Program
You can monitor the status of the Card Executive program from the Windows NT Taskbar or from the
Card Executive 2.0 for NT Control Panel.
To monitor the status of the Card Executive program from the Windows for NT Control Panel:
1. From the Windows NT START menu, choose Settings and then Control Panel. The Windows NT
Control Panel appears.
2. Double-click the Card Executive icon. The Card Executive 2.0 for NT Control Panel appears.
See Figure 10.
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Card Executive 2.0 for NT User’s Guide
Chapter 3 Using the Card Executive Program
Figure 10. Card Executive Control Panel Showing the Status Tab
To monitor the status from the Taskbar:
1. Move the cursor over the Card Executive icon in the Windows NT Taskbar. The type of cards in the
PC Card sockets are displayed in the tooltip that appears in a balloon above the icon. Figure 11 shows
the Card Executive icon in the Windows NT Taskbar. If no card is inserted, the word “empty”
appears instead in a balloon above the icon.
Figure 11. Card Executive Icon in the Windows NT Taskbar
2. Double-click the icon to display the status of the cards. The Card Executive control panel appears
showing the card manufacturer, card name and type, and whether the card is available for use. See
Figure 10.
Up to four sockets are supported by the software. Note that the card manufacturer and product name are
read from the PC Card’s CIS structure. If the status of the card is “Not Available for Use”, then the
driver for the PC Card is not properly installed or configured. In this case, you should go to the Control
Panel for the type of card present, and install the driver for the card, or reconfigure the driver if it is
already installed. If the status is “Available For Use,” then the card is properly configured and can be
used in the system. When a card is “Available For Use,” you can also display the resources being used by
the card.
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
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Chapter 3 Using the Card Executive Program
Displaying PC Card Resources
The resources being used by a PC Card can be displayed in the Card Executive Control Panel.
The PC Card should be configured and the status should be “Available for Use.” To display card
resources for a given PC Card:
1. Double-click the Shortcut to Card Executive from the desktop or double-click the Card
Executive icon from the Windows NT Control Panel. The Card Executive 2.0 for NT
Control Panel appears. See Figure 10.
2. Choose the Status tab.
3. Click the More… button of the PC Card for which you want to display resources. The PC
Card Resources dialog box is displayed. See Figure 12. The following resource information
is listed:
• I/O resources, range of I/O resources used
• IRQ resources, interrupt number used
Figure 12. Card Executive Resources Dialog Box
Enabling or Disabling Card Executive Settings
You can enable or disable Card Executive settings to:
• Display information status messages
• Display the Card Executive icon in the taskbar
22
• Use modem cards
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User’s Guide
Chapter 3 Using the Card Executive Program
Enabling or Disabling System Messages
System messages are displayed when the system is started or when activity occurs after the
portable has been in an idle state. You can enable or disable the messages that appear about
cards when:
• The system is started
• A card is either inserted or removed while the system is running
• Power management related messages
• Audio for all the messages
To enable or disable the information messages:
1. Double-click the Shortcut to Card Executive from the desktop or double-click the Card
Executive icon from the Windows NT Control Panel. The Card Executive 2.0 for NT
Control Panel appears.
Figure 13. Card Executive 2.0 for NT Control Panel
.
2. Choose the Settings tab. The General Settings displayed by Card Executive are listed. See
Figure 14.
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
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Chapter 3 Using the Card Executive Program
Figure 14. Card Executive 2.0 for NT Control Panel Showing the Settings Tab
3. Check or uncheck the General Settings you want to appear while you use the system. For
example, if you want to enable insertion and configuration messages to appear when the
system is started, the Enable insertion/configuration messages at bootup setting should be
checked. These informational messages will appear when cards are inserted when the
system starts. See Figures 6-9.
Showing the Card Executive icon in the taskbar
The last General Setting show in Figure 14 allows you to add or remove the Card Executive icon
in the taskbar. To add or remove the icon to the taskbar:
1. Check or uncheck the “Show icon in taskbar” setting. Check the box to show the icon, and
uncheck the box to remove the icon
2. Click Apply to activate the setting.
Selecting the COM Port for Modem Cards
You can select the COM port that will be assigned to the modem cards inserted in the system,
based on insertion order or socket order. If the COM port is unavailable — for example, if the
port is being used by motherboard devices, the port is grayed and cannot be selected.
To configure the modem card by insertion:
1. Double-click on the Card Executive icon in the Windows NT Control Panel or the Card
Executive shortcut icon on the desktop. See Figure 15.
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Card Executive 2.0 for NT User’s Guide
Chapter 3 Using the Card Executive Program
Figure 15. Shortcut to Card Executive Desktop Icon
The Card Executive 2.0 for NT Control Panel appears. See Figure 10.
2. Choose the Settings tab.
3. Click the Configure Modems… button. The Configure Modem PC Cards dialog box
appears. See Figure 16.
Figure 16. Configure Modem PC Cards Dialog Box
.
3. Check the Configure Modem by Insertion setting. The title of the tab changes to First
Insertion.
4. Choose the COM port setting you want the card to use and click the OK button. The card
will use that port when first inserted into the portable.
To configure the modem by socket order:
1. Repeat steps 1 and 2 from the procedure.
2. Uncheck the Configure by Insertion setting. The title of the tab changes to the socket you
are configuring.
. Check the COM port setting you want the card to use and click the OK button
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
25
Chapter 3 Using the Card Executive Program
Running PC Card Diagnostics
If a PC Card does not function in your system, you can use the PC Card Diagnostics program to determine
the source of the problem. The PC Card Diagnostics program attempts to resolve any interrupt conflicts
that might exist in your system. Interrupt conflicts are the primary cause of PC Card-related problems in
portable computers. If you run the PC Card Diagnostics program and your card still does not function,
contact your PC Card manufacturer. Note that you must remove any installed cards before running the PC
Card Diagnostics program.
To run PC Card Diagnostics, follow these steps:
1. Double-click the Shortcut to Card Executive from the desktop or double-click the Card Executive icon
from the Windows NT Control Panel. The Card Executive 2.0 for NT Control Panel appears.
2. Choose the Settings tab.
3. Click the Run Diagnostics... button. The PC Card Diagnostic wizard page appears.
4. Follow the PC Card Diagnostic wizard's instructions to complete running the PC Card Diagnostics.
After running the PC Card Diagnostics, click finish. The system will reboot automatically.
Note: Before running the PC Card Diagnostics, be sure to save any open files or documents.
.
Figure 17. PC Card Diagnostics Wizard
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Card Executive 2.0 for NT User’s Guide
Chapter 4 Power Management Support
The Card Executive 2.0 for NT software works with the Power Management software to power-manage PC Cards
in the PC Card sockets of the notebook computer. With power management, PC Cards can operate in one of three
modes:
• Suspend mode
• Resume mode
• Point-enabled mode
Cards Operating in Suspend Mode
When the notebook computer is in suspend mode, the PC Card socket is powered off. This event allows
the maximum power savings in suspend mode.
Cards Operating in Resume Mode
When the system is resumed, the card is logically removed and then inserted again into the system. The
PC Card Resuming dialog box is displayed on the screen. See Figure 18.
Figure 18. PC Card Resuming Dialog Box
When the card is logically inserted again into the system, this event causes the card to be reconfigured.
The Card Executive software again searches for the correct driver to reconfigure the card. When the card
is reconfigured, the PC Card Resume Complete dialog box is displayed. See Figure 19.
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
27
Chapter 4 Power Management Support
Figure 19. PC Card Resume Complete Dialog Box
Cards Operating in Point-Enabled Mode
Cards that operating in point-enabled mode use a piece of PC Card software that accesses the PC Card
and PCMCIA controller directly. The PC Card software bypasses Card Services to recognize and
configure PC Cards. Cards operating in point-enabled mode cannot be inserted or removed from the
system unless the system is powered off. Also, these cards can not function properly with power
management. You must disable your notebook’s power management capability to properly use cards
operating in point enabled mode.
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Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
Glossary
BIOS
The Basic Input Output System, or BIOS, is software
built into a system, specifically in some type of readonly memory (ROM) device. The primary purpose
of the BIOS is to test and initialize the system
components and then to boot the operating system.
The BIOS also provides the low-level input/output
service routines for the various peripheral device
connected to the computer. The BIOS can provide
additional functionality to the system such as the
support required for plug and play.
Card Services
The highest services level of the PC Card
specifications responsible for resource and client
management.
Device Driver
A program that interfaces I/O to a device. See also,
Driver.
Driver
A software program that links a peripheral device
with an operation system by translating and
transmitting data so that the operating system knows
how to handle the peripheral device. A driver is
also referred to as a device driver.
Hot Swapping
The process of inserting or removing a PC Card into
a PC Card slot while the computer system is
running.
PCMCIA
Personal Computer Memory Card International
Association – The organization of marketing and
engineering professionals that defines the
architecture of PCMCIA.
Plug and Play
An architecture designed by Compaq, Intel, and
Microsoft that allows adapter cards to be configured
adapter cards to be configured through software
instead of through dip switches and jumpers. Plug
and play allows for devices in a system to be
assigned resources— for example, hardware
interrupts and I/O address space, without conflicting
with other devices. Generally plug and play
requires that devices support several possible
resource configurations, in addition to system
software, capable of controlling the device
configuration.
Slot
See socket.
Point Enabler
A piece of PCMCIA software that accesses the PC
Card and PCMCIA controller directly, bypassing
Card Services, to recognize and configure PC Cards.
Socket
The receptacle into which PC Cards are inserted that
connects them to the PC Card bus. A socket ensures
proper PC Card matching.
Suspend
Suspend is a power-managed state in which the
system devices are either powered off or consuming
very little power.
Warm Boot
The process of reinitializing a computer system from
a fully powered mode. In PCs, reinitializing a
computer system is usually accomplished by pressing
the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys simultaneously. Only a subset
of system components is initialized during a warm
boot.
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
29
Glossary
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Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
Index
— A —
additional information, 3
— C —
Card Executive
client driver toolkit, 15
hot swapping, 13
monitoring program status, 20
point enabler mode, 13
product overview, 13
shortcut icon, configuring, 8
socket services, 14
using, 17
verifying version number, 7
Card Executive desktop icon
creating, 9
using, 9
Card Executive icon
Windows NT Taskbar, 21
contents of this manual, 2
— D —
desktop icon
checking card status, 9
displaying properties, 9
documentation
Windows NT products, 3
— H —
hot swapping, 17
— M —
modem cards
configuring by insertion, 25
selecting COM ports based on insertion order, 24
selecting COM ports based on socket order, 24
monitoring Card Executive program
from the Taskbar, 21
from the Windows NT control panel, 20
— P —
PC Cards
display resources, 22
hot swapping, 17
inserting, 17
not configured notification message, 18
ready-for-use notification message, 18
removing, 17, 20
Power Management
card resume, 27
card suspend, 27
support, 27
— S —
settings
disabling, 22
enabling, 22
system messages
disabling, 23
enabling, 23
settings, 24
status, 23
— I —
installing
Card Executive software, 6
Windows NT files overwritten, 6
Card Executive 2.0 for NT User's Guide
— W —
Windows NT files
DISK.SYS, 5, 6
HAL.DLL, 5, 6
PCMCIA.SYS, 5, 6
World Wide Web home page, 3
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