[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

SanDisk technical information & Modified CompactFlash adapters



Here is an interesting page on the SanDisk web site:

http://www.sandisk.com/tech/oem_design/cf_dc.asp

It includes a link
(http://www.sandisk.com/tech/oem_design/cf/CF%20MemMode.ZIP) to a .ZIP file
full of .PDF files about using their CompactFlash cards in "Memory Mapped"
mode.  I've been sort of guessing that this is the mode that the DIPSSDP.SYS
driver for the SanDisk uses, as the original Version 1 PCMCIA card slots
were memory oriented and not so much I/O oriented.  Apparently also, the
Memory Mapped mode is the initial power-on mode for their CompactFlash
memory cards.

I thought that I'd pass the link on for those delving into the workings of
how the DIPSSDP.SYS driver works at providing flash memory support just in
case it might be of any help.  I'm currently using the unmodified driver
with two SanDisk SDCFB-32-455 CompactFlash 32 Megabyte cards in DaneElec
CompactFlash to PCMCIA adapter carriers.  I might have mentioned it before
that I've (And if you do the same, it's strictly at your own risk!) "peeled"
off the top metal shield of each of the carriers to eliminate the hollow
metal "bump" that was probably put there on the metal to allow room for Type
II thickness electronics.  Doing this got the thickness down close enough to
a Type I card that they can be easily ejected with the regular Sharp "Eject"
slide levers.

I've attached a small .JPG file that is a picture of what two of the
modified CompactFlash to PCCARD adapters came out looking like after peeling
off the top metal cover.  I left the bottom metal covers in place for
mechanical stability.  Also, at least on the adapters that I have, the
bottom metal covers were reasonably flat, and didn't have the big stamped
"bump" that made them so thick like on the top cover.  I cropped the photo
and really pushed the JPEG compression to keep it as small as possible.
They look weird, but they fit nicely into (and back out of) the PC-3000's
slots.

Best wishes to all,
Jack

Attachment: TWOCARDS.JPG
Description: JPEG image