I Don't Have a PCI Slot?

[miguel3579]

I'd bought a Sony Camcorder a couple weeks ago, and I found out everything I needed to know about what I needed to to hook it up to my computer.

I didn't have any firewire ports, so I went out and bought a firewire card, but then I found out I don't have any unused PCI slots to hook that up to. (I'd bought my Windows PC a couple years ago)

I'm wondering if there's any alternative to this or not.

 

[jimkonow]

well, is there a useless 56k modem taking up a spot?

 

[miguel3579]

yeah, it's using the only pci slot available

 

[jimkonow]

take out the 56k modem (im assuming you have DSL) and put the Firewire card in it. just turn off the pc and all that jazz first

 

[miguel3579]

ok, thanks. but i'm not that much of a computer person, so just out of curiosity, what's that 56k cable doing there then?

 

[jimkonow]

oh, its there because people used to use DialUp, and thats what you would connect your phone line to to connect to the internet.
just grab a philips screwdriver and take the card out. when youre putting the firewire card in, make sure you apply equal pressure on each side of the card to avoid damaging the card and possibly your motherboard.

 

[miguel3579]

ok, thanks for your help.

 

[jimkonow]

no problem
post back up when you have it installed, mkay?

 

[dougland]

make sure to ground yourself before touching stuff.

 

[Vizy]

how do u properly ground yourself??

 

[g4m3rof1337]

Touch a metal surface, like your case.

 

[aSc1@3]

or use an anti-static wristband, you clip it to your case or to the middle ground screw in an electrical outlet.

http://www.compusa.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=188581&sku=ULT31418

 

[Geoff]

or use an anti-static wristband, you clip it to your case or to the middle ground screw in an electrical outlet.

http://www.compusa.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=188581&sku=ULT31418

No one uses those except in classrooms, lol.

 

[massahwahl]

No one uses those except in classrooms, lol.

There $3 and guaranteed to keep your stuff safe, you make it sound like a stupid thing to use

 

[StrangleHold]

Its not stupid to use but I have been building computers for 13 years and never used one and havent had a problem. Just touch the case or P/S first to discharge and you will be fine.

 

[Vizy]

when you touch the case is the p/s suposed to be plugged in or what?

 

[Geoff]

when you touch the case is the p/s suposed to be plugged in or what?

You should NOT have the power supply connected to the wall when your working on a PC!!!

 

[miguel3579]

no problem
post back up when you have it installed, mkay?

yeah, it's coming close to a week, which it shouldn't take for this, but I found out my computer's unique!, in a bad way. Dell Windows XP, but it's a small-form, compact harddrive. Because of this, I've been unable to find the firewire pc card for it around here, as they "only make large-formed cards". along with this is finding out it wasn't a 56k modem cable, but my network cable that was taking up the spot.


I've found a few small-form 2-port pc cards online, so ill let you know when i get that card and have it hooked up.

 

[Jon Boy]

yeah, it's coming close to a week, which it shouldn't take for this, but I found out my computer's unique!, in a bad way. Dell Windows XP, but it's a small-form, compact harddrive. Because of this, I've been unable to find the firewire pc card for it around here, as they "only make large-formed cards". along with this is finding out it wasn't a 56k modem cable, but my network cable that was taking up the spot.


I've found a few small-form 2-port pc cards online, so ill let you know when i get that card and have it hooked up.

This is why I hate dell they make all there components slightly different sizes and shapes. This means it is near impossible to upgrade and you need to buy a new computer off them or send it off to them to upgrade.