How to Find Pin 1 on a PCMCIA Card

PCMCIA card held right side up. Note the notches on the side that prevent it from being plugged in upside down.

A PCMCIA card (also known as a "PC Card") is a means by which to add peripheral devices to a laptop or other computer containing a PCMCIA slot. A PCMCIA card must meet the standards of the former Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (now the USB Implementers Forum).



A PCMCIA card has rounded corners that prohibit the card from being inserted upside down. Therefore, the card can only be inserted into the PCMCIA slot one way.

Things You'll Need

• Computer with installed PCMCIA slot
• PCMCIA card

Instructions

1. Insert the card, connector interface side first, into the PCMCIA slot. If the card will not fit into the slot, turn the card upside down and insert the card. If the card is inserted properly, the computer will beep.

2. Eject the card from the PCMCIA slot and hold it facing right-side up.

3. Observe the bottom row of the PCMCIA connector interface. The leftmost pin in the bottom row of the connector is pin 1.

References

• Microsoft: PCMCIA Slot Specifications and Types
• Pinout Diagram: PCMCIA (PC Card) Bus Connector Pinout

Resources

• ExpressCard: About ExpressCard Technology