2.6.14-gentoo-r5 Yenta socket not identifying WPC11 v3

[Michael "Plouj" Ploujnikov]

My attempts at setting up the Linksys WPC11 v3 wifi adapter were
prematurely interrupted when after (what I believe is) some unknown
and unfortunate kernel configuration (pc)cardctl became unable to
identify my card for what it is. All I get now is:

# pccardctl ident
Socket 0:
  no product info available
# pccardctl info
PRODID_1=""
PRODID_2=""
PRODID_3=""
PRODID_4=""
MANFID=0000,0000
FUNCID=255
# pccardctl status
Socket 0:
  5.0V 16-bit PC Card

On the exact same machine I once was able to get the following info:

Socket 0:
  product info: "The Linksys Group, Inc.", "Instant Wireless Network
PC Card", "ISL37300P", "RevA"
  manfid: 0x0274, 0x1613
  function: 6 (network)
Socket 0:
  5V 16-bit PC Card
  function 0: [ready]
PRODID_1="The Linksys Group, Inc."
PRODID_2="Instant Wireless Network PC Card"
PRODID_3="ISL37300P"
PRODID_4="RevA"
MANFID=0274,1613
FUNCID=6

I have come to a point where I am out of ideas of what to try to make
the card be identified again. I assume this has to be done first
before I attempt to figure out how to create the actual wifi network
device so that I can configure it for connectivity. I tried going with
and without the ATI chipset drivers.
I tried starting over with clean kernel configurations, I tried cold
booting the laptop. I tried gentoo's pcmcia-cs and pcmciautils
packages. I tried compiling without hermes drivers, with them as
modules and built-in. I just can't figure out what I did differently
in the beginning!

On a side note: I can use the Knoppix 4.0 DVD and it correctly
identifies my card and lets me use the wifi.