pccardctl Command in Linux
The pccardctl command in Linux monitors and controls the PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) devices. These devices are connected to the system using PCMCIA socketsâhardware slots designed for PC cards, commonly used in older laptops, embedded systems, and some industrial equipment.
Table of Contents
Here is a comprehensive guide to the options available with the pccardctl command −
- Installation of pccardctl Command in Linux
- Syntax of pccardctl Command
- pccardctl Command Options
- Examples of pccardctl Command in Linux
Note − The pccardctl command is deprecated as PCMCIA (PC Card) technology is obsolete. Modern hardware rarely includes PCMCIA slots, and support for pccardctl is limited in recent Linux distributions. However, it may still be relevant in specific legacy and industrial environments where PCMCIA cards are still in use.
Installation of pccardctl Command in Linux
To install the pccardctl command in Ubuntu, Kali Linux, Raspberry Pi OS, Debian, and other Debian-based distributions, use the following command −
sudo apt install pcmciautils
To install it on Arch Linux, use the command given below −
sudo pacman -S pcmciautils
To install pccardctl on Fedora, use the following command −
sudo dnf install pcmciautils
To verify the installation of the pccardctl command, check its version using the following command −
pccardctl -V
Syntax of pccardctl Command
The syntax of the pccardctl command in Linux is as follows −
pccardctl [command] [socket]
In the above syntax, the [command] field is used to specify the action to be performed. The [socket] field is optional and is used to specify the socket number of the PCMCIA card.
pccardctl Command Options
The supported sub-commands with pccardctl are listed below −
| Options | Description |
|---|---|
| status | Display the current socket status flags. |
| ident | Display card identification information. (Use lspci for cardbus cards) |
| ls | Display extended debugging information about sockets and devices. |
| suspend | Shut down and disable power for a socket. |
| resume | Restore power to a socket and re-configure for use. |
| eject | Notify all client drivers of card ejection, then cut power to the socket. |
| insert | Notify all client drivers of card insertion. |
Examples of pccardctl Command in Linux
This section explores how to use the pccardctl command in Linux with examples −
- Checking the Status of PCMCIA Sockets
- Displaying Card Identification Details
- Listing Debugging Details
- Suspending a Card
- Resuming the Suspended Card
- Ejecting the Card
Checking the Status of PCMCIA Sockets
To check the status of PCMCIA sockets, use the status subcommand with the pccardctl command −
pccardctl status
Displaying Card Identification Details
To display the card identification details, use the ident subcommand −
pccardctl ident
The above command provides the manufacturer and function details of the inserted card.
Listing Debugging Details
To list the debugging details, use the ls subcommand −
pccardctl ls
To display more detailed debugging information, use the -v option −
pccardctl -v ls
Suspending a Card
To suspend a card, use the suspend subcommand. For example, to power down the PC Card in socket 0 without ejecting it, use the pccardctl command in the following way −
pccardctl suspend 0
Resuming the Suspended Card
To resume the suspended card, use the resume subcommand −
pccardctl resume 0
The above command restores power to the suspended card in socket 0.
Ejecting the Card
To eject the card, use the eject subcommand with pccardctl −
pccardctl eject 0
The above command notifies drivers and cuts power to the PC Card in socket 0.
Conclusion
The pccardctl command in Linux is used to monitor and control PCMCIA devices, which were commonly used in older laptops and industrial systems. While the technology is largely obsolete today, this command can still be essential in legacy environments. This tutorial covered installation, syntax, subcommands, and practical usage of pccardctl.