🚀 go-pugleaf

"Nutz" <nutz@nutz.com> writes:

> "Don McKenzie" <5V@2.5A> wrote in message
> news:73llpvFvf00dU1@mid.individual.net...
>> Nutz wrote:
>>> I'm sure someone here can help with a problem I have......
>>>
>>> I'm using an ATEN U-232A usb/serial converter for some bench work. I had
>>> the converter working some time back but have since done a restore on my
>>> laptop and the driver was removed.
>>>
>>> Now its reinstalled it wants to connects as COM5/6 or 7, rather than the
>>> COM3 or 4 that it used to use. How are the virtual com ports assigned? I
>>> go into system hardware manager (XP home SP3) and under ports it shows
>>> COM3 & 4 as being in use - how to I delete or otherwise free them up?
>>>
>>> I need COM3 or 4 as the software I need to use for the bench work is
>>> restricted to these two ports.
>>>
>>> Any advice appreciated.
>>>
>>> thanks
>>
>> XP home SP3:
>> you can basically force these to what you want:
>>
>> Control Panel> System> Hardware>Device Manager> ports> select port >
>> properties> advanced> and if it says com5 then make it com 3.
>>
>> it will change to port 3.
>>
>> Don...
>> --
>> Don McKenzie
>>
>> Site Map:            http://www.dontronics.com/sitemap
>> E-Mail Contact Page: http://www.dontronics.com/email
>> Web Camera Page:     http://www.dontronics.com/webcam
>> No More Damn Spam:   http://www.wizard-of-oz.com
>>
>> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/super4-usb-relay-module.html
>
>
>
> Hi Don - I should have known you would have replied!
>
> I had tried as you suggested, under ports it only shows one device (the ATEN
> converter), when I tried to change the port allocation it showed ports 3,4
> as being in use. In use by what I asked.....?
>
> I poked around and found the laptops internal PSTN modem was on com4. As a
> get around I have disabled the modem and forced the Aten converter to com4
> (it still showed com4 as "in use". It's now working ok but the solution
> seems a little bodgy - I still cant find what is uing com3 (which I used to
> use for the aten converter). Is it possible a virtual com port driver is
> still running in the background somehow tying up com3??

I seem to recall there is a menu selection in Device Mangler like
"show devices not present" or some such. Then all the com ports will
appear, even those allocated to unused devices. You can delete ones
you don't want so they are free for your device.

(Sorry to be so vague, I am not a regular windows user and don't have
easy access to an XP system at present. But I have used those ATEN
convertors!).

--

John Devereux

"Don McKenzie" <5V@2.5A> wrote in message
news:73llpvFvf00dU1@mid.individual.net...
> Nutz wrote:
>> I'm sure someone here can help with a problem I have......
>>
>> I'm using an ATEN U-232A usb/serial converter for some bench work. I had
>> the converter working some time back but have since done a restore on my
>> laptop and the driver was removed.
>>
>> Now its reinstalled it wants to connects as COM5/6 or 7, rather than the
>> COM3 or 4 that it used to use. How are the virtual com ports assigned? I
>> go into system hardware manager (XP home SP3) and under ports it shows
>> COM3 & 4 as being in use - how to I delete or otherwise free them up?
>>
>> I need COM3 or 4 as the software I need to use for the bench work is
>> restricted to these two ports.
>>
>> Any advice appreciated.
>>
>> thanks
>
> XP home SP3:
> you can basically force these to what you want:
>
> Control Panel> System> Hardware>Device Manager> ports> select port >
> properties> advanced> and if it says com5 then make it com 3.
>
> it will change to port 3.
>
> Don...
> --
> Don McKenzie
>
> Site Map:            http://www.dontronics.com/sitemap
> E-Mail Contact Page: http://www.dontronics.com/email
> Web Camera Page:     http://www.dontronics.com/webcam
> No More Damn Spam:   http://www.wizard-of-oz.com
>
> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/super4-usb-relay-module.html



Hi Don - I should have known you would have replied!

I had tried as you suggested, under ports it only shows one device (the ATEN
converter), when I tried to change the port allocation it showed ports 3,4
as being in use. In use by what I asked.....?

I poked around and found the laptops internal PSTN modem was on com4. As a
get around I have disabled the modem and forced the Aten converter to com4
(it still showed com4 as "in use". It's now working ok but the solution
seems a little bodgy - I still cant find what is uing com3 (which I used to
use for the aten converter). Is it possible a virtual com port driver is
still running in the background somehow tying up com3??

cheers

"Pete" <pjetson@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:49d5a9cb$0$29876$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
> Nutz wrote:
>
>> I poked around and found the laptops internal PSTN modem was on com4. As
>> a get around I have disabled the modem and forced the Aten converter to
>> com4 (it still showed com4 as "in use". It's now working ok but the
>> solution seems a little bodgy - I still cant find what is uing com3
>> (which I used to use for the aten converter). Is it possible a virtual
>> com port driver is still running in the background somehow tying up
>> com3??
>
> Something USB has used that particular port at some time in the past, so
> Windows marks the port as "in use" apparently just in case you ever plug
> that device into the PC again.
>
> You can change your existing driver/device to COM3, even though Windows
> says that it's in use.  After you do, exit Device Manager and run it
> again, and you'll see that the device is now using COM3.
>
> Peter

Many thanks Peter, I'll go do it.

On Fri, 3 Apr 2009 13:29:16 +0800, "Nutz" <nutz@nutz.com> wrote:

>Now its reinstalled it wants to connects as COM5/6 or 7, rather than the
>COM3 or 4 that it used to use. How are the virtual com ports assigned?

The ports are assigned incrementally from the lowest available number.
"Available" in this case means "has never been used". If a device has
used COM3, then COM3 will be permanently reserved for that particular
device.

In order to distiguish two identical devices, Windows uses the USB
serial number as a reference when it reserves ports. Some poorly
designed devices do not have a serial number programmed. Such devices
will get a new COM port assigned for each USB port they are plugged
into.

>I go
>into system hardware manager (XP home SP3) and under ports it shows COM3 & 4
>as being in use - how to I delete or otherwise free them up?

John is on the right track. Here are the details:

1. Disconnect your USB device.
2. Start a Command Prompt.
3. In the Command Prompt, type these two lines:
	DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES=1
	devmgmt.msc
4. Device Manager will start.
5. In Device Manager, click "View" and select "Show hidden devices".
6. Reserved, but currently non-present ports will be shown in grey
olour.
7. Uninstall offending ports as needed, including your USB device's
port.
8. Connect your USB device. It should now get the lowest available COM
port number.
--
RoRo

Nutz wrote:
> I'm sure someone here can help with a problem I have......
>
> I'm using an ATEN U-232A usb/serial converter for some bench work. I had the
> converter working some time back but have since done a restore on my laptop
> and the driver was removed.
>
> Now its reinstalled it wants to connects as COM5/6 or 7, rather than the
> COM3 or 4 that it used to use. How are the virtual com ports assigned? I go
> into system hardware manager (XP home SP3) and under ports it shows COM3 & 4
> as being in use - how to I delete or otherwise free them up?
>
> I need COM3 or 4 as the software I need to use for the bench work is
> restricted to these two ports.
>
> Any advice appreciated.
>
> thanks

XP home SP3:
you can basically force these to what you want:

Control Panel> System> Hardware>Device Manager> ports> select port >
properties> advanced> and if it says com5 then make it com 3.

it will change to port 3.

Don...






--
Don McKenzie

Site Map:            http://www.dontronics.com/sitemap
E-Mail Contact Page: http://www.dontronics.com/email
Web Camera Page:     http://www.dontronics.com/webcam
No More Damn Spam:   http://www.wizard-of-oz.com

http://www.dontronics-shop.com/super4-usb-relay-module.html

Nutz wrote:

> I poked around and found the laptops internal PSTN modem was on com4. As a
> get around I have disabled the modem and forced the Aten converter to com4
> (it still showed com4 as "in use". It's now working ok but the solution
> seems a little bodgy - I still cant find what is uing com3 (which I used to
> use for the aten converter). Is it possible a virtual com port driver is
> still running in the background somehow tying up com3??

Something USB has used that particular port at some time in the past, so
Windows marks the port as "in use" apparently just in case you ever plug
that device into the PC again.

You can change your existing driver/device to COM3, even though Windows
says that it's in use.  After you do, exit Device Manager and run it
again, and you'll see that the device is now using COM3.

Peter

Nutz wrote:
> I'm sure someone here can help with a problem I have......
>
> I'm using an ATEN U-232A usb/serial converter for some bench work. I had the
> converter working some time back but have since done a restore on my laptop
> and the driver was removed.
>
> Now its reinstalled it wants to connects as COM5/6 or 7, rather than the
> COM3 or 4 that it used to use. How are the virtual com ports assigned? I go
> into system hardware manager (XP home SP3) and under ports it shows COM3 & 4
> as being in use - how to I delete or otherwise free them up?
>
> I need COM3 or 4 as the software I need to use for the bench work is
> restricted to these two ports.
>
> Any advice appreciated.
>
> thanks
>
>
ALter the properties manually assigning as you need.
  thats a right mouse button move

"Tom" <Tom@nospam.com> wrote in message news:49d5eb88$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> Nutz wrote:
>> I'm sure someone here can help with a problem I have......
>>
>> I'm using an ATEN U-232A usb/serial converter for some bench work. I had
>> the converter working some time back but have since done a restore on my
>> laptop and the driver was removed.
>>
>> Now its reinstalled it wants to connects as COM5/6 or 7, rather than the
>> COM3 or 4 that it used to use. How are the virtual com ports assigned? I
>> go into system hardware manager (XP home SP3) and under ports it shows
>> COM3 & 4 as being in use - how to I delete or otherwise free them up?
>>
>> I need COM3 or 4 as the software I need to use for the bench work is
>> restricted to these two ports.
>>
>> Any advice appreciated.
>>
>> thanks
>
> To see all previous COM port assignments run the following in command line
> window:
> set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
> set devmgr_show_details=1
> devmgmt.msc
> This will open your Device Manager, select View->Show Hidden Devices and
> have fun - uninstall any old stuff.
>
> Tom


Awesome Tom, thanks. It also exposed a "gaopdx....."   virus server running
hidden away. The virus was removed some time back.

There were three other instances of the Aten driver running. Looks good now.

cheers

"John Devereux" <john@devereux.me.uk> wrote in message
news:87skkqb1zz.fsf@cordelia.devereux.me.uk...
> "Nutz" <nutz@nutz.com> writes:
>
>> "Don McKenzie" <5V@2.5A> wrote in message
>> news:73llpvFvf00dU1@mid.individual.net...
>>> Nutz wrote:
>>>> I'm sure someone here can help with a problem I have......
>>>>
>>>> I'm using an ATEN U-232A usb/serial converter for some bench work. I
>>>> had
>>>> the converter working some time back but have since done a restore on
>>>> my
>>>> laptop and the driver was removed.
>>>>
>>>> Now its reinstalled it wants to connects as COM5/6 or 7, rather than
>>>> the
>>>> COM3 or 4 that it used to use. How are the virtual com ports assigned?
>>>> I
>>>> go into system hardware manager (XP home SP3) and under ports it shows
>>>> COM3 & 4 as being in use - how to I delete or otherwise free them up?
>>>>
>>>> I need COM3 or 4 as the software I need to use for the bench work is
>>>> restricted to these two ports.
>>>>
>>>> Any advice appreciated.
>>>>
>>>> thanks
>>>
>>> XP home SP3:
>>> you can basically force these to what you want:
>>>
>>> Control Panel> System> Hardware>Device Manager> ports> select port >
>>> properties> advanced> and if it says com5 then make it com 3.
>>>
>>> it will change to port 3.
>>>
>>> Don...
>>> --
>>> Don McKenzie
>>>
>>> Site Map:            http://www.dontronics.com/sitemap
>>> E-Mail Contact Page: http://www.dontronics.com/email
>>> Web Camera Page:     http://www.dontronics.com/webcam
>>> No More Damn Spam:   http://www.wizard-of-oz.com
>>>
>>> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/super4-usb-relay-module.html
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi Don - I should have known you would have replied!
>>
>> I had tried as you suggested, under ports it only shows one device (the
>> ATEN
>> converter), when I tried to change the port allocation it showed ports
>> 3,4
>> as being in use. In use by what I asked.....?
>>
>> I poked around and found the laptops internal PSTN modem was on com4. As
>> a
>> get around I have disabled the modem and forced the Aten converter to
>> com4
>> (it still showed com4 as "in use". It's now working ok but the solution
>> seems a little bodgy - I still cant find what is uing com3 (which I used
>> to
>> use for the aten converter). Is it possible a virtual com port driver is
>> still running in the background somehow tying up com3??
>
> I seem to recall there is a menu selection in Device Mangler like
> "show devices not present" or some such. Then all the com ports will
> appear, even those allocated to unused devices. You can delete ones
> you don't want so they are free for your device.
>
> (Sorry to be so vague, I am not a regular windows user and don't have
> easy access to an XP system at present. But I have used those ATEN
> convertors!).
>
> --
>
> John Devereux

thanks John - Tom seems to have the rest of the info on this.

Nutz wrote:
> I'm sure someone here can help with a problem I have......
>
> I'm using an ATEN U-232A usb/serial converter for some bench work. I had the
> converter working some time back but have since done a restore on my laptop
> and the driver was removed.
>
> Now its reinstalled it wants to connects as COM5/6 or 7, rather than the
> COM3 or 4 that it used to use. How are the virtual com ports assigned? I go
> into system hardware manager (XP home SP3) and under ports it shows COM3 & 4
> as being in use - how to I delete or otherwise free them up?
>
> I need COM3 or 4 as the software I need to use for the bench work is
> restricted to these two ports.
>
> Any advice appreciated.
>
> thanks

To see all previous COM port assignments run the following in command line window:
set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
set devmgr_show_details=1
devmgmt.msc
This will open your Device Manager, select View->Show Hidden Devices and have fun - uninstall any old stuff.

Tom

Robert Roland wrote:

> 3. In the Command Prompt, type these two lines:
> 	DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES=1
> 	devmgmt.msc
> 4. Device Manager will start.
> 5. In Device Manager, click "View" and select "Show hidden devices".
> 6. Reserved, but currently non-present ports will be shown in grey
> olour.
> 7. Uninstall offending ports as needed, including your USB device's
> port.
> 8. Connect your USB device. It should now get the lowest available COM
> port number.

Robert, it may have been a copy and paste problem, but the words "set" 
and "start" are missing in your text, yet the space seems to be reserved 
for it in the layout.

Below my message, is the text I have:

BTW, I wasn't aware of this technique, but I couldn't sort out why your 
text didn't work, so I googled the string. I found a lot more at:
http://www.daniweb.com/forums/thread7700.html

Cheers Don...

=====================================================

Remove Hidden Devices

1. Open a Command Prompt.
2. Type "set DEVMGR_SHOW_DETAILS=1" (without quotation marks) and press 
        Enter.
3. Type "set DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES=1" (without quotation marks) 
and Press Enter.
4. Type "start devmgmt.msc" (without quotation marks) and click press Enter.
5. Click View. Click Show hidden devices.
6. Click "+" to expand devices, Unknown devices and USB devices.
7. Are there any devices and unknown devices (including grayed out 
devices)? If so, please right click it and click Uninstall them.

=====================================================

-- 
Don McKenzie

Site Map:            http://www.dontronics.com/sitemap
E-Mail Contact Page: http://www.dontronics.com/email
Web Camera Page:     http://www.dontronics.com/webcam
No More Damn Spam:   http://www.wizard-of-oz.com

http://www.dontronics-shop.com/super4-usb-relay-module.html