Prop BOE: get 'No serial ports found' message"

knikula

ok, not sure this problem can be solved, after reading a very similar thread from HShanko, but here goes...

Prop BOE does not show up as a serial connection after plugged in to my Win XP laptop.
I do get a "Hardware was not successfully installed " message from Win xp after plugging it in.
The blue and red leds flash a few times after connecting the USB cable.

Quickstart Board works fine on this same WinXP machine using the same USB cable. ?? (This is the part that makes no sense)

Powering the PropBOE doesn't make a difference.

BOE works fine on other Win7 machines.

Any thoughts? I reinstalled the parallax prop drivers, but made it no difference.

Thanks in advance...

Ken

Mike Green

It sounds like you've done all the right things. I suggest calling Parallax Tech Support. Sometimes having a live person on the phone walking you through the steps helps find things that this indirect online forum stuff doesn't.

Do try uninstalling the Parallax drivers, then re-installing them from a fresh download. Don't have the BOE plugged in until after the re-install.

knikula

thanks for the response... I get the feeling I may have connected the BOE before installing the drivers the last time... I know that's a bad idea

Duane Degn

I hate to even say it, but have you tried restarting the computer?

I get these sorts of errors every so often but a fresh restart has always solved the problem.

knikula

yup, I have restarted the machine. A few times, but no luck.

Yesterday, I removed the 3 drivers , and reinstalled them with both the propeller tool installation, and with the standalone driver installation program. No luck.

Quickstart board works fine still, and the PropBOE gives me the error message "hardware not installed" from WinXP.

I think the solution is to delete the USB hardware entirely, and let the laptop re-discover the USB port hardware, and install the drivers.
I've been dragging my feet on doing that...

Thanks for the suggestion, might be time for me to upgrade the laptop anyway, it's pretty old.

The laptop is pretty nice in that I can set it next to the Concept2 rowing machine project and use it to debug with the Serial Terminal program.