¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

ctrl + shift + ? for shortcuts
© 2025 Groups.io
  1. HP8924-Family-Spectrum-Analyzers
  2. Topics

How to write a PCMCIA SRAM card?

 

Greetings all!
I just got an E8285A and would like to write the SRAM card on that. Is there a way besides using Memory Card Explorer (which I don't have and seems to have vanished from the net)?

I got the RFTools package from the file area and I'd love to try it =)

Thanks!
Alexandre, PU2SEX - GG66QM

---8<---Corte aqui---8<---
---8<---Corte aqui---8<---
 
Edited

Hi Alexandre,

Have a look at this link and you will find MCE v2.31 (edit: v3.21) in the dropbox link in the thread. This is old software designed for Win XP and less.
I have not verified this and I am not able to assist you with knowledge. Read the steps to flash a bin to the card.
He refers to it as the Tech2 Memory Card Explorer but it is the Elan MCE program. The Tech2 is a GM Can bus Tool.

https://forum.australia4wd.com/index.php?/topic/38206-isuzu-k-line-1162-english/

Best of luck. Let us know how you go.

Craig
cphelectronics
 

Format the card in the 8285, then see if your PC will recognise it. If it does just copy the the RF Tools files (from /g/HP8924-Family-Spectrum-Analyzers/files/RF%20Tools%20&%20NA%20FM ) to it and give it a go. MCE uses the binary image (/g/HP8924-Family-Spectrum-Analyzers/files/1Separate%20miscellaneous%20files/11807Eopt100.bin )

Robert G8RPI
 

I use MCE for both my tech2 and hp8920 linear flash cards. XP on an ancient laptop, the make and model escapes me right now but I can dig it out if necessary. I seem to recall some laptops don¡¯t have 12 volts available at the pcmcia socket and fail to work with the linear flash cards for this reason.?
?
Chris
 

OP has a RAM card so not an issue, but you are correct, very few laptops have the 12V programming supply (I have a Sharp sub-laptop that does) and some Linear Flash cards need it. Not all cards though and unless you have detailed data sheets for the card it's hard to tell. I've had same make, capacity and label cards that did and did not need 12V. Only the detailed part number was different.

Robert G8RPI.
 

Thanks a lot, Craig and Robert. Now I'll find an old notebook with PCMCIA =)

---8<---Corte aqui---8<---
---8<---Corte aqui---8<---


Em qui., 31 de dez. de 2020 ¨¤s 13:36, Craig Harris <cphelectronics@...> escreveu:

Hi Alexandre,

Have a look at this link and you will find MCE v2.31 in the dropbox link in the thread. This is old software designed for Win XP and less.
I have not verified this and I am not able to assist you with knowledge. Read the steps to flash a bin to the card.
He refers to it as the Tech2 Memory Card Explorer but it is the Elan MCE program. The Tech2 is a GM Can bus Tool.



Best of luck. Let us know how you go.

Craig
cphelectronics

 

I bought a Dell Latitude E6410 on ebay for the purpose of reading PCMCIA cards.
Cost was $50

wally

On Thursday, December 31, 2020, 05:44:08 PM EST, Alexandre Souza <alexandre.tabajara@...> wrote:


Thanks a lot, Craig and Robert. Now I'll find an old notebook with PCMCIA =)

---8<---Corte aqui---8<---
---8<---Corte aqui---8<---


Em qui., 31 de dez. de 2020 ¨¤s 13:36, Craig Harris <cphelectronics@...> escreveu:

Hi Alexandre,

Have a look at this link and you will find MCE v2.31 in the dropbox link in the thread. This is old software designed for Win XP and less.
I have not verified this and I am not able to assist you with knowledge. Read the steps to flash a bin to the card.
He refers to it as the Tech2 Memory Card Explorer but it is the Elan MCE program. The Tech2 is a GM Can bus Tool.



Best of luck. Let us know how you go.

Craig
cphelectronics

 

I did some checks today and found the following.
1/ PC used old Sony laptop running XP and the "generic" PCMCIA memory card drivers from windows installled.
2/ Memory card was a SRAM 2m card with write protection switch.
3/ Card formatted in the laptop for FAT, unknown capacity - result was a 512kB capacity card recognised? by windows.
4/ Individual fles (.pgm, .lib etc from the files ssection here) copied under windows.
5/ Card ejected and WRITE PROTECT SWITCH set to ON
6/ Card tried under "Tests" in a 8920B and I was able to load the programs into the test set.

The odd bit was it seems that the first time the card was put in the 8920B it had to have write protect on but subsequently it could be off.
This was hard to verify fully.

Robert G8RPI
 

Robert, I have NEVER EVER SEEN a pcmcia card works as a driver. But if you are saying, I'll give a try. I love to learn new things :D thanks for the tip!

Enviado do meu Tele-Movel

Em dom, 3 de jan de 2021 18:42, Robert G8RPI via <robert8rpi=[email protected]> escreveu:

I did some checks today and found the following.
1/ PC used old Sony laptop running XP and the "generic" PCMCIA memory card drivers from windows installled.
2/ Memory card was a SRAM 2m card with write protection switch.
3/ Card formatted in the laptop for FAT, unknown capacity - result was a 512kB capacity card recognised? by windows.
4/ Individual fles (.pgm, .lib etc from the files ssection here) copied under windows.
5/ Card ejected and WRITE PROTECT SWITCH set to ON
6/ Card tried under "Tests" in a 8920B and I was able to load the programs into the test set.

The odd bit was it seems that the first time the card was put in the 8920B it had to have write protect on but subsequently it could be off.
This was hard to verify fully.

Robert G8RPI

 

Just to update you all:

I got an old notebook (toshiba L60?!) with pcmcia and windows XP. Inserted the HP 1MB SRAM card on it and copied the files of the RF Tools package to it. Worked flawlessly \o/. Note I had to format the card AGAIN on the pc for it to copy the files.

Next, loaded Memory Card Explorer (MCE) on the notebook, had lots of troubles to run. If you need to run it, and it shows "memory window error" or something like that, open CMD, go to MCE dir and type MCE WD4 or one of the options of the W command: D0, D4, D8, DC, E0, E4, E8, EC. One of then MAY works for you. Note that the command is W and not /W. I spent 2 hours fighting MCE because of the slash. Everywhere on the net says you need the /. After you give the correct command, it will save on the INI file and you'll run it just clicking on the icon.? Ok, MCE running, got the BIN file and wrote it on the SRAM card. Worked ok. Got an old 4MB linear flash card, wrote it, worked also OK.

So, I got RF Tools working on the E8285A. Woohoo! \o/

Is there any other software avaiable? I was curious of the AM Tools. Can I have more than 1 software on a card? Using subdirectories?

Thanks A LOT for the software and the info =)

---8<---Corte aqui---8<---
---8<---Corte aqui---8<---


Em dom., 3 de jan. de 2021 ¨¤s 19:32, Alexandre Souza via <alexandre.tabajara=[email protected]> escreveu:

Robert, I have NEVER EVER SEEN a pcmcia card works as a driver. But if you are saying, I'll give a try. I love to learn new things :D thanks for the tip!

Enviado do meu Tele-Movel

Em dom, 3 de jan de 2021 18:42, Robert G8RPI via <robert8rpi=[email protected]> escreveu:
I did some checks today and found the following.
1/ PC used old Sony laptop running XP and the "generic" PCMCIA memory card drivers from windows installled.
2/ Memory card was a SRAM 2m card with write protection switch.
3/ Card formatted in the laptop for FAT, unknown capacity - result was a 512kB capacity card recognised? by windows.
4/ Individual fles (.pgm, .lib etc from the files ssection here) copied under windows.
5/ Card ejected and WRITE PROTECT SWITCH set to ON
6/ Card tried under "Tests" in a 8920B and I was able to load the programs into the test set.

The odd bit was it seems that the first time the card was put in the 8920B it had to have write protect on but subsequently it could be off.
This was hard to verify fully.

Robert G8RPI

 

Hi,

Glad you got it working.
You can put as much software on the card as will fit or possibly 255 files max. No directories; they all go in the "root".
The card I have has both RF tools and NA FM on it.
Even more interesting I can view and edit the .pgm (IBasic) files on the PC so might try some modifications. Or even write my own.
Always easier to start with something that works.

Robert G8RPI.
 

A small write-up to gather all the knowledge and data necessary to create a card
(in portuguese, google translator is your friend =D )
Thanks you all for the help
?
---8<---Corte aqui---8<---
---8<---Corte aqui---8<---
 

255 or 125 files? I remember in FAT that you could only put 125 (or 122?) files in the root dir
Well, time to go after the other cards, I'm very curious about the "AM TESTS" card...

Thanks for the help!
Alexandre, PU2SEX =)

---8<---Corte aqui---8<---
---8<---Corte aqui---8<---


Em seg., 4 de jan. de 2021 ¨¤s 19:50, Robert G8RPI via <robert8rpi=[email protected]> escreveu:

Hi,

Glad you got it working.
You can put as much software on the card as will fit or possibly 255 files max. No directories; they all go in the "root".
The card I have has both RF tools and NA FM on it.
Even more interesting I can view and edit the .pgm (IBasic) files on the PC so might try some modifications. Or even write my own.
Always easier to start with something that works.

Robert G8RPI.

 

My experience with SRAM and Flash cards:

I used an old Gateway laptop with WinXP. I could read/write an SRAM card just the same as if it were a drive. I could also read/write a Flash card that came from an old Cisco router. If I remember, it was a Smart brand card. I don't know if my laptop had the optional 12V, or if that card required it.

As to multiple programs, the other poster was correct. Just copy everything to the root of the card. Obviously, you can't have files with the same name, but it seems that HP took care of that with the diagnostics that they provided. I had RF Tools, NA FM, AM Tests and EDACS all on one Flash card.

Make sure you have the program files that are for a FAT filesystem, not LIF. If the files have extensions (.prg and others), then you have the correct files.

1 - 14 of 14