There is an alternate step, before the ``Configure Device Driver Modules''
menu selection, called ``Configure PCMCIA Support.'' This menu is used to
enable PCMCIA support.
If you do have PCMCIA but are not installing your Debian system using it (i.e.,
installation with a PCMCIA Ethernet card), you need not configure PCMCIA at
this point. You can easily configure and enable PCMCIA at a later point, after
installation is complete. However, if you are installing by way of a PCMCIA
network device, this alternate must be selected, and PCMCIA support must be
configured prior to configuring the network.
If you need to install PCMCIA, select the alternate below ``Configure Device
Driver Modules.'' You will be asked which PCMCIA controller your system contains.
In most cases, this will be i82365. In some cases, it will be tcic;
your laptop's vendor-supplied specifications should provide the information.
You can generally leave the next few sets of options blank. Again, certain
hardware has special needs; the Linux PCMCIA HOWTO
contains plenty of information in case the default doesn't work.
In some unusual cases, you may also need to modify the file /etc/pcmcia/config.opts.
You can open your second virtual terminal (Left Alt-F2)
and edit the file there and then reconfigure your PCMCIA, or you can manually
force a reload of the modules using insmod and rmmod.
Once PCMCIA is properly configured and installed, you should configure your
device drivers as described in the next section.
