IF you have an empty PCI slot inside your computer, you can install an IEEE1394 Firewir card as the previous post showed you. CompUSA's ad this weekend shows them on sale for $9.99 (after rebate).

Ken

Just installed Adaptec 4300 Fireconnect (Firewire) card in a Dell 2400 and it was not recognized...here's what I sent to Adaptec and their reponse (which works) in case you have the same trouble:



Create-date : 12/27/04 10:50:21
OS : Windows XP
Problem : 12/27/04 10:50:21 ardev1
Just got FireConnect 4300. Windows cannot find drivers..."cannot
install hardware". I have removed the modem (which I do not use) and
the nVidia video card. I have tried the 4300 card in all three slots.
Same results everytime. No updated drivers to download from Adaptec or
Microsoft.

Webmail Solution : 12/27/04 23:03:01 li23952
Hello from Adaptec,

Your system may lose some files (driver for use IEEE-1394).
If an "INF" (Information) file is missing or the wrong version in
Windows XP, it may cause Windows to load the wrong drivers or none at
all. These "INF" files are the WIndows Information files that help
Windows identify and name the device correctly and tell Windows what
driver files are needed for the specific device and where to get them
from.

For example if the file "1394.INF" file is missing and you install the
Adaptec FireConnect/DVPics Plus 4300 adapter into a Windows XP system,
then it will fail to find any suitable drivers for the card and may
continually prompt you to 'search' for the driver.


If the 1394 drivers in Windows XP have become corrupted, then they can
be restored using the steps provided below.

Note: The main files that the card should use are:

1394.INF
1394BUS.SYS
OHCI1394.SYS
1. Open up the Device Manager and uninstall the "NEC FireWarden
OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller" listing
2. Minimize the Device Manager and then insert your Windows XP
CD-ROM
3. Go from the Start menu up to run and type "CMD" and then
press enter. This should bring up a DOS shell
4. Change to the drive letter of the CD drive (press "d:" if
your CD drive is drive letter D.)
5. Next change to the 'i386' directory -- "cd i386 "
6. From this directory type:
expand 1394.in_ c:\windows\inf\1394.inf
This should restore the 'INF' (information) file for the FireConnect
board that should be used
7. Now open the Device Manager back up and highlight the
'Computer' listing at the top of the category list. Select the 'Action'
pull-down menu and choose "Scan for hardware changes". This should
reinstall the FireConnect adapter and the DV camcorder
8. Restart the system and test out a capture using the camcorder



Thanks for using Adaptec ASK US.