Laptop Dead USB Ports options?

6spdMaxima · 04-12-2008, 02:18 PM

So the laptop I am planning on using for a car PC has dead USB ports, I recently took the PC apart and found that the problem is not with solder points but appears to be a motherboard issue. I am curious to know what my options are to fix the problem, I have looked into new motherboards but they are 150$ which seems steep. The other option I have been looking into is using a PCMCIA card with USB ports and than run a powered external hub, my question is, is this possible? I need usb for The Touch Screen, GPS Reciever, Wireless Mouse and Keyboard, Flash Drive, and External Hard Drive. That's a lot through a PC card. Please let me know if anyone has done this successfully. I really hate to replace the motherboard on this laptop.

xelz · 04-12-2008, 08:04 PM

I got a pcmcia card usb 2.0 with 4 ports hooked installed my laptop. needed it because my lappy only has 1 usb and it's usb 1.1. currently i got a touch screen, gps, usb wireless card, and a serial to usb converter for HD radio. I also had an external hard drive running off of that thing for a while. I think it's a decent choice and it's a lost cheaper then dishing out 150. i haven't tried hooking up an usb hub to it, but i'm sure it can handle it and it runs real smooth, like the usbs are part of the system. i got a usb hub lying around and i could test it out if you'd like.

james

fred333 · 04-17-2008, 09:40 AM

That what I would suggest or to get a new laptop.