Win XP and COM ports

[Ted Wagner]

Can anyone tell me how to tell Windows XP (SP2) to reassign devices to comm
ports, or move assignments?

I'm using LX Nav's new version of LXe (posted yesterday) and I cannot get it
to open the comm port my USB-Serial adapter uses, and LXe won't let me
select one ...

Ted/2NO
Chandler, AZ

[GeorgeB]

On Fri, 15 Apr 2005 07:55:15 -0700, "Ted Wagner" wrote:

>Can anyone tell me how to tell Windows XP (SP2) to reassign devices to comm
>ports, or move assignments?
>
>I'm using LX Nav's new version of LXe (posted yesterday) and I cannot get it
>to open the comm port my USB-Serial adapter uses, and LXe won't let me
>select one ...

I believe that the USB-Serial adapter requres a driver which
accomplishes this function. Check the package, or their website.

George

[Gilles_Sauvagnat]

I do not know if it going to work with your adapter, with mine (Sitecom usb
to serial) here is what I have to do (as I use a XP french version, the
english names might not be exact)
1) Configuration panel
2) System
3) Hardware
4) Peripheral management
5) In the list find your adapter
6) Right click on it and use Properties
6) Select "Port parameters" and then "advanced"
Here you are, you can change the com port

Hope it helps
Regards
Gilles

"Ted Wagner" > a écrit dans le message de news:
1113576898.f841eb51103e0acf8a52f6f971eb1bfb@terane ws...
> Can anyone tell me how to tell Windows XP (SP2) to reassign devices to
> comm ports, or move assignments?
>
> I'm using LX Nav's new version of LXe (posted yesterday) and I cannot get
> it to open the comm port my USB-Serial adapter uses, and LXe won't let me
> select one ...
>
> Ted/2NO
> Chandler, AZ
>

[Ted Wagner]

I was familiar with how to check the properties of currently connected
devices. My question was how to examine/reassign the com port assignments
for the devices *besides* the one(s) I have currently connected.

For example, the properties page for my USB-serial adapter says it's
assigned to COM7 and all other ports (from COM1 to COM8) are taken by
various other devices. It's those various other devices I want to
manipulate, free up or reassign, so I can move my USB-serial adapter from
COM7 to, say, COM2.

ted/2NO

"Ted Wagner" > wrote in message
news:1113576898.f841eb51103e0acf8a52f6f971eb1bfb@t eranews...
> Can anyone tell me how to tell Windows XP (SP2) to reassign devices to
> comm ports, or move assignments?
>
> I'm using LX Nav's new version of LXe (posted yesterday) and I cannot get
> it to open the comm port my USB-Serial adapter uses, and LXe won't let me
> select one ...
>
> Ted/2NO
> Chandler, AZ
>

[Kevin Christner]

Ted Wagner wrote:
> I was familiar with how to check the properties of currently
connected
> devices. My question was how to examine/reassign the com port
assignments
> for the devices *besides* the one(s) I have currently connected.
>
> For example, the properties page for my USB-serial adapter says it's
> assigned to COM7 and all other ports (from COM1 to COM8) are taken by

> various other devices. It's those various other devices I want to
> manipulate, free up or reassign, so I can move my USB-serial adapter
from
> COM7 to, say, COM2.
>
> ted/2NO
>
> "Ted Wagner" > wrote in message
> news:1113576898.f841eb51103e0acf8a52f6f971eb1bfb@t eranews...
> > Can anyone tell me how to tell Windows XP (SP2) to reassign devices
to
> > comm ports, or move assignments?
> >
> > I'm using LX Nav's new version of LXe (posted yesterday) and I
cannot get
> > it to open the comm port my USB-Serial adapter uses, and LXe won't
let me
> > select one ...
> >
> > Ted/2NO
> > Chandler, AZ
> >

[Kevin Christner]

Ted,

You need to disable whatever software is locking up those comm
ports.... its probably a digital camera or PDA.

Kevin

Ted Wagner wrote:
> I was familiar with how to check the properties of currently
connected
> devices. My question was how to examine/reassign the com port
assignments
> for the devices *besides* the one(s) I have currently connected.
>
> For example, the properties page for my USB-serial adapter says it's
> assigned to COM7 and all other ports (from COM1 to COM8) are taken by

> various other devices. It's those various other devices I want to
> manipulate, free up or reassign, so I can move my USB-serial adapter
from
> COM7 to, say, COM2.
>
> ted/2NO
>
> "Ted Wagner" > wrote in message
> news:1113576898.f841eb51103e0acf8a52f6f971eb1bfb@t eranews...
> > Can anyone tell me how to tell Windows XP (SP2) to reassign devices
to
> > comm ports, or move assignments?
> >
> > I'm using LX Nav's new version of LXe (posted yesterday) and I
cannot get
> > it to open the comm port my USB-Serial adapter uses, and LXe won't
let me
> > select one ...
> >
> > Ted/2NO
> > Chandler, AZ
> >

[Don Johnstone]

I had this problem a long while ago. I found that the
culprit was route planning software (MSAutoroute) with
the GPS function enabled. It grabbed a com port and
hung onto it even when the software was not running,
well that it what it seemed to do but in reality Windows
assumed that if the software was installed then the
com port was in use. The only solution was to uninstall
the software and re-install without the GPS function.
It is not unknown for active sync to do the same thing
although it is fair to say that I have never had the
problem with the current version of Active Sync.

At 04:30 19 April 2005, Kevin Christner wrote:
>Ted,
>
>You need to disable whatever software is locking up
>those comm
>ports.... its probably a digital camera or PDA.
>
>Kevin
>
>Ted Wagner wrote:
>> I was familiar with how to check the properties of
>>currently
>connected
>> devices. My question was how to examine/reassign the
>>com port
>assignments
>> for the devices *besides* the one(s) I have currently
>>connected.
>>
>> For example, the properties page for my USB-serial
>>adapter says it's
>> assigned to COM7 and all other ports (from COM1 to
>>COM8) are taken by
>
>> various other devices. It's those various other devices
>>I want to
>> manipulate, free up or reassign, so I can move my
>>USB-serial adapter
>from
>> COM7 to, say, COM2.
>>
>> ted/2NO
>>
>> 'Ted Wagner' wrote in message
>> news:1113576898.f841eb51103e0acf8a52f6f971eb1bfb@t eranews...
>> > Can anyone tell me how to tell Windows XP (SP2) to
>>>reassign devices
>to
>> > comm ports, or move assignments?
>> >
>> > I'm using LX Nav's new version of LXe (posted yesterday)
>>>and I
>cannot get
>> > it to open the comm port my USB-Serial adapter uses,
>>>and LXe won't
>let me
>> > select one ...
>> >
>> > Ted/2NO
>> > Chandler, AZ
>> >
>
>

[Ted Wagner]

Kevin,

My problem is that I can't fine the "software" you're referring to. For
example, the properties/driver for my USB/serial adapter shows that COM2 is
taken by an "ATEN USB/Serial" dev ice. I don't have that device any more,
and the Device Manager will not show it (to disable or uninstall it) unless
I have it plugged in. I've looked everywhere for an ATEN device or device
driver to uninstall, but can't find it anywhere, and no mention of it
anywhere in the registry.

I have exactly one serial device that I'm aware of (my Keyspan USB/serial
adapter), yet all ports are taken from COM1 to COM8. When the Keyspan is not
plugged in, I can't find *any* device in the Device Manager that uses any of
those ports (in fact I do not even have a "Communication Ports ...." entry
(or whatever it's called, which lists COM and LPT ports) in the device
list).

I wonder if some programmer out there has written a Win32 virtual comm port
manager??

-ted/2NO

"Kevin Christner" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Ted,
>
> You need to disable whatever software is locking up those comm
> ports.... its probably a digital camera or PDA.
>
> Kevin
>
> Ted Wagner wrote:
>> I was familiar with how to check the properties of currently
> connected
>> devices. My question was how to examine/reassign the com port
> assignments
>> for the devices *besides* the one(s) I have currently connected.
>>
>> For example, the properties page for my USB-serial adapter says it's
>> assigned to COM7 and all other ports (from COM1 to COM8) are taken by
>
>> various other devices. It's those various other devices I want to
>> manipulate, free up or reassign, so I can move my USB-serial adapter
> from
>> COM7 to, say, COM2.
>>
>> ted/2NO
>>
>> "Ted Wagner" > wrote in message
>> news:1113576898.f841eb51103e0acf8a52f6f971eb1bfb@t eranews...
>> > Can anyone tell me how to tell Windows XP (SP2) to reassign devices
> to
>> > comm ports, or move assignments?
>> >
>> > I'm using LX Nav's new version of LXe (posted yesterday) and I
> cannot get
>> > it to open the comm port my USB-Serial adapter uses, and LXe won't
> let me
>> > select one ...
>> >
>> > Ted/2NO
>> > Chandler, AZ
>> >
>

[Kevin Christner]

Like someone said before, uninstall that software if at all
possible.... If you can't figure out whats doing it, it might just be
easier to reinstall windows....

[[email protected]]

But what is "that software"???

[Kevin Christner]

I can't tell you.... AFAIK, there is no way to tell what it is actually
using the comm ports. You can see devices (hardware) that emulate comm
ports, but not the software that is using them.

Luckily serial ports will soon be history.....

[nimbusgb]

ted

drop into device manager > View > hidden devices. XP remembers you once
had a device and then hides it from you.

'Plug and Pray' again!

Ian

[Ted Wagner]

Ian -- tried that long ago, those pesky comm port occupiers were still not
to be found ...

"nimbusgb" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> ted
>
> drop into device manager > View > hidden devices. XP remembers you once
> had a device and then hides it from you.
>
> 'Plug and Pray' again!
>
> Ian
>

[jrod]

Just ran into the same problem. Check out the following link. This
worked fine for me.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315539

Oh ya, %SystemRoot% is c:\windows by default on an XP installation...at
least it is on my box.