SoCalRedLine
03-27-2008, 01:10 PM
I had a huge problem with my Vista PC's not accepting usb to serial (DB9) cables. It took me asking EVERYONE and getting absolutly no help to finally just try my own way.
So, if you ahve Vista and are having problems, here is what you are most likely having a problem with (other than cameras, and printers, and various other USB devices).
Evoscan/ECUflash:
"init sequence failed" or "no cable plugged in"
Various Wideband Devices (LC-1):
"Logworks cannot connect to device"
or, just everytime you plug in the cable a icon pops up in the lower right corner of your screen, and says "Installing Device" eventhough you have already installed the device a couple times...
Well... this is what you have to do (or at least what i did) to get it to work right:
Step 1:
Plug in the device and wait for it to install or do whatever it needs to do.
once its finished doing whatever its doing right click on your "computer" icon and select "Manage"
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k242/SCRLAmike/howto1.jpg
Step 2:
Then windows brings up its UBERsafe screen asking you if you are 100% certain you wanted to manage your computer...click "continue"
then youll see the screen pop up, select device manager, then look to the right side of that screen.
Click on "Ports" and select your device thats giving you trouble. double click, or right click and select properties
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k242/SCRLAmike/howto2.jpg
Step 3:
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k242/SCRLAmike/howto3.jpg
this screen will pop up, now click "port settings" then click "advanced"
Step 4:
This is how you know your Vista machine sucks ass
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k242/SCRLAmike/howto4.jpg
youll notice that all those times it was "installing new hardware" it was actually installing it on the next COM port in line from the first time it got fkd up. So, now everytime you open the program it looks for the device on the last com port it was on, and it now finds that there are 400 other com ports that say the device is there. It confuses the program and it fails.
..So, reassign the device to an "In use" com port. (click on "com port #" pull down menu, and click on another com)
Step 5:
After you select the different COM, click "OK" and it will go back to the properties screen where you started. Now, you look at the top of the menu bar, and it will say the COM port that you are now installed on (COM 3).
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k242/SCRLAmike/howto5.jpg
Now you click the "driver" tab, and uninstall the device and its drivers from the computer. Make sure you check the box that says "delete the driver," then hit "OK"
Step 6-10:
Now you have uninstalled the driver and device, and it shouldnt show up in the "Ports" section device manager eventhough its still plugged in.
Now, you have to unplug the device (leave device manager open) and then plug it back in. An icon will pop up in the lower left again saying that its installing the device.
On some computers it installs again just fine without assistance, and will be on the last com you had it on (COM 3)...but my new comp was different, i had to manually point the "device installer" to the file's location.
For Ecuflash its here:
c:\windows\programfiles\openecu\ecuflash\drivers\x 86 (or x64 if you have 64bit vista)
For your DB9-USB cable, its wherever you have the driver files, i.e. on a CD or in your "Downloads" folder
(for most DB9-USB devices, you can download the proper Vista drivers from the device's manufacturer website)
Now that its installed, and (should be) showing up again under the "ports" section of the device manager.
You will need to assign it to the next "IN USE" COM and then follow steps 3-6 to uninstall it from that COM.
Once you have finished uninstalling all the bad COM ports, and have it finally installed on the COM port of your desire. Your computer should stop giving you problems. It should connect to that same port on everytime you plug in the cable (NO matter which USB port you use).
============Â* FINÂ* ===========
Sometimes with my Sewell DB9-USB cable it doesnt recognize right away in Logworks, so i just unplug and plug it back in, and then itll allow me to connect with Logworks/LM Programer (this works for you Zeitronix guys as well)
Now im sure there is an easier way to make this all work. And now that i made this thread (after receiving NO help), im sure all you IT computer Guru's will come in here and tell me what to do (after the fact)... but hey, thats why i made this thread.
It is a problem i have had on my last 2 Vista machines, and i know of a bunch of other people with the same problem...
LOL... I know it now! O0 thanks to you I can now find the device manager ( when I thought it just popped up when you plug the cable in, or anything in) but how do you "point" the device manager there?
itll pop up a big white screen that asks how window's should install the device.
it'll say "automatically find and install driver" and "i know where the driver is" (or something)...
hit "automatic" and it should then prompt you to put in the install CD, or if you know the location of the driver on your computer. I always point it to where the driver is, i.e. with ECUflash - c\:windows\program_files\openecu\ecuflash\drivers\ x86 (or x64 if youre running the 64bit Vista)
then it should find the driver and install it for you.
another Serial (DB9) to USB question:
whattup man,
I have tried everything, did you tutorial and I still cannot get it to connect. For some reason even when doing your tutorial when I try and manage my com ports the usb port for the LC-1 does not even show up only the tactrix cable shows up. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
it just sounds like you havent properly installed the drivers. Thats the only thing that would keep the device from showing up in device manager. when you plug in the USB-DB9 cable what happens, anything?
a little box/icon should pop up in the lower right corner of your screen in the task bar. if you click on it, it should say "installing device software/drivers." It shouldnt be able to find any drivers for your cable, and then prompt you where to find the drivers.
I keep my drivers on a thumb drive i have so that the computer doesnt automatically install them the wrong way. It will ask you to "insert install CD," or where to find the files. browse to the place the files are, and eveything should install correctly.
then check device manager and it should say "prolific usb/serial device" right next to your Tactrix cable in the COM's section. Then you should be able to connect through Logworks...
...also, if at first logworks doesnt have the option of selecting the correct port, unplug the cable, plug it back in, and restart logworks. Youll see that you now have the option of selecting the USB/Serial port, and it should be able to connect.
Also, if you have any problems because you dont have the "Vista driver" then you need to go to the support/download page of the manufacturer of your cable. 99.9% of the time, the company that makes your USB/Serial cable has the drivers available for download on the internet.
Cable and Driver info:
for the Innovate Sewell USB/Serial cable click here (http://sewelldirect.com/usbtoserial.asp), then go to "specifications" or just follow these ]http://sewelldirect.com/Drivers/SW-1301-XP2K-FILES.zip[/url]
For the installer program - http://sewelldirect.com/download/Drivers/SW-1301Vista.exe
For radioshack brand USB-Serial:
http://rsk.imageg.net/graphics/uc/rsk/Support/SoftwareDownload/2600183.exe
So, if you ahve Vista and are having problems, here is what you are most likely having a problem with (other than cameras, and printers, and various other USB devices).
Evoscan/ECUflash:
"init sequence failed" or "no cable plugged in"
Various Wideband Devices (LC-1):
"Logworks cannot connect to device"
or, just everytime you plug in the cable a icon pops up in the lower right corner of your screen, and says "Installing Device" eventhough you have already installed the device a couple times...
Well... this is what you have to do (or at least what i did) to get it to work right:
Step 1:
Plug in the device and wait for it to install or do whatever it needs to do.
once its finished doing whatever its doing right click on your "computer" icon and select "Manage"
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k242/SCRLAmike/howto1.jpg
Step 2:
Then windows brings up its UBERsafe screen asking you if you are 100% certain you wanted to manage your computer...click "continue"
then youll see the screen pop up, select device manager, then look to the right side of that screen.
Click on "Ports" and select your device thats giving you trouble. double click, or right click and select properties
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k242/SCRLAmike/howto2.jpg
Step 3:
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k242/SCRLAmike/howto3.jpg
this screen will pop up, now click "port settings" then click "advanced"
Step 4:
This is how you know your Vista machine sucks ass
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k242/SCRLAmike/howto4.jpg
youll notice that all those times it was "installing new hardware" it was actually installing it on the next COM port in line from the first time it got fkd up. So, now everytime you open the program it looks for the device on the last com port it was on, and it now finds that there are 400 other com ports that say the device is there. It confuses the program and it fails.
..So, reassign the device to an "In use" com port. (click on "com port #" pull down menu, and click on another com)
Step 5:
After you select the different COM, click "OK" and it will go back to the properties screen where you started. Now, you look at the top of the menu bar, and it will say the COM port that you are now installed on (COM 3).
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k242/SCRLAmike/howto5.jpg
Now you click the "driver" tab, and uninstall the device and its drivers from the computer. Make sure you check the box that says "delete the driver," then hit "OK"
Step 6-10:
Now you have uninstalled the driver and device, and it shouldnt show up in the "Ports" section device manager eventhough its still plugged in.
Now, you have to unplug the device (leave device manager open) and then plug it back in. An icon will pop up in the lower left again saying that its installing the device.
On some computers it installs again just fine without assistance, and will be on the last com you had it on (COM 3)...but my new comp was different, i had to manually point the "device installer" to the file's location.
For Ecuflash its here:
c:\windows\programfiles\openecu\ecuflash\drivers\x 86 (or x64 if you have 64bit vista)
For your DB9-USB cable, its wherever you have the driver files, i.e. on a CD or in your "Downloads" folder
(for most DB9-USB devices, you can download the proper Vista drivers from the device's manufacturer website)
Now that its installed, and (should be) showing up again under the "ports" section of the device manager.
You will need to assign it to the next "IN USE" COM and then follow steps 3-6 to uninstall it from that COM.
Once you have finished uninstalling all the bad COM ports, and have it finally installed on the COM port of your desire. Your computer should stop giving you problems. It should connect to that same port on everytime you plug in the cable (NO matter which USB port you use).
============Â* FINÂ* ===========
Sometimes with my Sewell DB9-USB cable it doesnt recognize right away in Logworks, so i just unplug and plug it back in, and then itll allow me to connect with Logworks/LM Programer (this works for you Zeitronix guys as well)
Now im sure there is an easier way to make this all work. And now that i made this thread (after receiving NO help), im sure all you IT computer Guru's will come in here and tell me what to do (after the fact)... but hey, thats why i made this thread.
It is a problem i have had on my last 2 Vista machines, and i know of a bunch of other people with the same problem...
LOL... I know it now! O0 thanks to you I can now find the device manager ( when I thought it just popped up when you plug the cable in, or anything in) but how do you "point" the device manager there?
itll pop up a big white screen that asks how window's should install the device.
it'll say "automatically find and install driver" and "i know where the driver is" (or something)...
hit "automatic" and it should then prompt you to put in the install CD, or if you know the location of the driver on your computer. I always point it to where the driver is, i.e. with ECUflash - c\:windows\program_files\openecu\ecuflash\drivers\ x86 (or x64 if youre running the 64bit Vista)
then it should find the driver and install it for you.
another Serial (DB9) to USB question:
whattup man,
I have tried everything, did you tutorial and I still cannot get it to connect. For some reason even when doing your tutorial when I try and manage my com ports the usb port for the LC-1 does not even show up only the tactrix cable shows up. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
it just sounds like you havent properly installed the drivers. Thats the only thing that would keep the device from showing up in device manager. when you plug in the USB-DB9 cable what happens, anything?
a little box/icon should pop up in the lower right corner of your screen in the task bar. if you click on it, it should say "installing device software/drivers." It shouldnt be able to find any drivers for your cable, and then prompt you where to find the drivers.
I keep my drivers on a thumb drive i have so that the computer doesnt automatically install them the wrong way. It will ask you to "insert install CD," or where to find the files. browse to the place the files are, and eveything should install correctly.
then check device manager and it should say "prolific usb/serial device" right next to your Tactrix cable in the COM's section. Then you should be able to connect through Logworks...
...also, if at first logworks doesnt have the option of selecting the correct port, unplug the cable, plug it back in, and restart logworks. Youll see that you now have the option of selecting the USB/Serial port, and it should be able to connect.
Also, if you have any problems because you dont have the "Vista driver" then you need to go to the support/download page of the manufacturer of your cable. 99.9% of the time, the company that makes your USB/Serial cable has the drivers available for download on the internet.
Cable and Driver info:
for the Innovate Sewell USB/Serial cable click here (http://sewelldirect.com/usbtoserial.asp), then go to "specifications" or just follow these ]http://sewelldirect.com/Drivers/SW-1301-XP2K-FILES.zip[/url]
For the installer program - http://sewelldirect.com/download/Drivers/SW-1301Vista.exe
For radioshack brand USB-Serial:
http://rsk.imageg.net/graphics/uc/rsk/Support/SoftwareDownload/2600183.exe