I have a early 2009 MBP with a 34 ExpressCard slot. I have always had a problem that none of the cards lock into the port. Even though I can feel the resistance of the spring inside, and I hear a locking sound, the card is still quite easy to pull out of the slot - too easy. By this I mean: If I for example have a eSata ExpressCard in the slot an I attach an eSata cable to it, the card will turn loose and cause OSX to crash.
I should have acted while I still have warranty, but at that time I didnt think the matter was that important to me.
Lately I've been thinking of buying a USB 3.0 expresscard(Sonnet.) And before I'm going to go and buy one, I decided to try to fix my ExpressCard slot problem. I ended up ordering a new ExpressCard cage from a webstore.
I received it today. I ended up using iFixit's guide to replace my old one. After opening up the MBP, which took its time since I've never removed the logic board before, I was able to detach the ExpressCard cage from the MBP. It was identical in every way to the new one I had bought. This also means that the ExpressCards I have didnt lock in.
After taking a closer look at the ExpressCard locking mechanism, I realised that there is no such thing. The spring locks, but the card is in no way attached to the spring. It just happens to be next to it. The only purpose of the spring seems to be to help people get their expresscards out easily.
The only thing that is holding the card in, is the port itself. By this I mean the tiny part of the port that goes inside the ExpressCard. Nothing else is hindering the card in any way. No wonder it's so easy to pull them out!
This is at least the case with my 2009 MBP. I googled the matter, and many other laptops seemed to have the same problem. So this is not unique.
My question to you all is: Does your ExpressCards lock in your port? (And if yes, are you absolutely certain of this? At times when I lock my card in in the start it _SEEMS_ to be locked in, but then after some time it is loose again.)
If this is the thing with most laptops... I am curious if Apple have fixed this for the newer MBPs? Anyone with a 2011 17" have any good knowledge about this?
Thanks for reading.
O
I should have acted while I still have warranty, but at that time I didnt think the matter was that important to me.
Lately I've been thinking of buying a USB 3.0 expresscard(Sonnet.) And before I'm going to go and buy one, I decided to try to fix my ExpressCard slot problem. I ended up ordering a new ExpressCard cage from a webstore.
I received it today. I ended up using iFixit's guide to replace my old one. After opening up the MBP, which took its time since I've never removed the logic board before, I was able to detach the ExpressCard cage from the MBP. It was identical in every way to the new one I had bought. This also means that the ExpressCards I have didnt lock in.
After taking a closer look at the ExpressCard locking mechanism, I realised that there is no such thing. The spring locks, but the card is in no way attached to the spring. It just happens to be next to it. The only purpose of the spring seems to be to help people get their expresscards out easily.
The only thing that is holding the card in, is the port itself. By this I mean the tiny part of the port that goes inside the ExpressCard. Nothing else is hindering the card in any way. No wonder it's so easy to pull them out!
This is at least the case with my 2009 MBP. I googled the matter, and many other laptops seemed to have the same problem. So this is not unique.
My question to you all is: Does your ExpressCards lock in your port? (And if yes, are you absolutely certain of this? At times when I lock my card in in the start it _SEEMS_ to be locked in, but then after some time it is loose again.)
If this is the thing with most laptops... I am curious if Apple have fixed this for the newer MBPs? Anyone with a 2011 17" have any good knowledge about this?
Thanks for reading.
O
