Is there a firewire card available that can be used with a Compaq
Presario?  I have tried an Adaptec FireConnect 4300, but the metal
piece that holds the card is too big for the expansion slot.

Hi thisisnotdawngavin-ga,
    I find it very surprising that the Adaptec FireConnect 4300 does
not fit into a Presario's PCI expansion slot. Anyways a quick search
on the net and the USENET (Google Groups) revealed the names of the
following cards that people are using with their Compaq Presario :

 - ADS Tech : Pyro 1394 FireWire Card
   ( http://www.adstech.com/ )
 - KeySpan FireWire Card
   ( http://www.keyspan.com/products/fw/ )

 An interesting posting that I found on the USENET was from a Compaq
Presario user who also had an Adaptec FireConnect 4300 card installed.
          - Subject:  Multiple DV Cameras on XP?
            Newsgroup: microsoft.public.windowsxp.video
            ( http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=%23Oyp1DyWBHA.2208%40tkmsftngp05&rnum=4&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Dcompaq%2Bpresario%2Badaptec%2B4300%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26scoring%3Dd%26sa%3DN%26tab%3Dwg
)
       This posting, coupled with the fact that I was able to find no
mention of any incompatibility between the Adaptec 4300 and a
Presario, leads me to suggest that perhaps you might have
misinterpreted the installation instructions for the card. You can
find the installation instructions at :
     - Simple Step-by-Step Tips for Installing Your Adaptec PCI Card 
       ( http://www.adaptec.com/worldwide/support/supporteditorial.html?sess=no&prodkey=how_to_install_pcicard&cat=/Product/AFW-4300&fromPage=suppedindexprod
)
     Do you have a very old Presario system ?

You can find more information on available FireWire cards at :
    - FireWire 1394
     ( http://www.firewire-1394.com/ )

    - VideoGuys : The Electronic Mailbox
     ( http://www.videoguys.com/ )

==========================================
Hope this helps.
If you need any clarifications, just ask!
:)


==========================================
Google/Google Groups Search Terms :
                      "firewire card" compaq presario
                      buy firewire card compaq presario

You were absolutely right .... I did misinterpret the installation
directions.  Thank you for your thoroughness with your answer ... the
video clip helped immensely.  (The fact that I'm sitting here
uploading music to my new iPod proves how good your answer was.)

Thanks so much!

you could try removing the metal piece from the card. it is normally
used to help keep the card from coming unplugged, but if you really
want to use the card, ive seen this done before. it would certainly
void the warrenty though, and it's a lot harder to put the metal piece
back on than to take it off.