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BS1USB/FTDI drivers on Windows 7? — Parallax Forums

BS1USB/FTDI drivers on Windows 7?

yubyubyubyub Posts: 8
edited 2009-08-31 09:44 in BASIC Stamp
I'm trying to get a BS1USB working on a Windows 7 installation for a small project.

I've tried to install the FTDI drivers (from Parallax's page), and as far as I can see, they do install (the screen flashes by quite quickly, so it's hard to tell for sure).

Plugging in the BS1USB yields no love, however.· Nothing shows up in Device Manager (when viewed "By Connection").· The green light on the BS1USB blinks briefly when plugged in, but nothing happens.

I don't have any COM ports showing in my system, which I'd expect after the FTDI drivers are installed and the BS1 USB is plugged in.

Looking in installed programs, I don't see the FTDI drivers listed - so I'm guessing something has gone wrong with the installation.

I've tried emulating Vista for the install, but still no love.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Comments

  • dandreaedandreae Posts: 1,375
    edited 2009-08-26 13:14
    FTDI does not have the drivers yet for Windows 7.· You can check their website for more information:· http://www.ftdichip.com/

    Dave

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    Dave Andreae

    Parallax Tech Support·
  • yubyubyubyub Posts: 8
    edited 2009-08-26 13:16
    I was hoping that they would work in Vista compatibility mode (all other drivers I've encountered do).

    I guess not?
  • yubyubyubyub Posts: 8
    edited 2009-08-26 14:42
    Contacted support at FTDI. They indicated that while they don't have formal support, their internal tests indicated that the 2.04.16 drivers work fine on Windows 7.

    They suggested I use their USBView program (http://www.ftdichip.com/Resources/Utilities/usbview.zip) to see if the device is even recognized. It isn't, unfortunately. The program shows all USB devices connected to a port (whether or not drivers are present) - it shows my flash stick with no problems, but doesn't recognize the BS1-USB at all.

    Sounds like a bad copy of the BS1-USB at this point...
  • dandreaedandreae Posts: 1,375
    edited 2009-08-26 22:15
    Are you able to test the BS1USB on another PC to verify it?

    Dave

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    Dave Andreae

    Parallax Tech Support·
  • yubyubyubyub Posts: 8
    edited 2009-08-27 13:09
    I did, because I wasn't happy with the idea that the BS1-USB arrived DOA, and here's what I found:

    I took it to a Linux box, and plugged it in. The Linux box recognized it (failed to enumerate, but it saw the actual device). This is good - the device doesn't appear to be dead.

    I then took it to another XP machine, and this one recognized it. This is excellent.

    Back to my laptop (running Windows 7), and it doesn't see it. So, I break out my netbook - which also runs Windows 7 - and it didn't see it either. My first thought - Windows 7 seems to have an issue.

    So, I broke out my old hard drive (which still has Vista 32 on it) and swapped it into my main laptop. Curiously, the device isn't recognized still. No dice at all.

    I found a third laptop - this one still has the Windows 7 Beta on it. The device was recognized here. Odd.

    The differences between the laptops are this: my main laptop and netbook all have the same basic chipset in them - Intel 945s, with an ICH7 USB controller. The laptop which worked (running Windows 7 Beta) has an AMD chipset in it.

    So, from what I can tell, the common theme here is that the Intel 945 chipsets don't like my BS1-USB. Tried looking for newer drivers, but no luck - I'm on the latest.

    I'm going to search for a powered USB hub, to see if having a different USB hub controller will change things.

    Any other suggestions? This one is pretty strange...
  • dandreaedandreae Posts: 1,375
    edited 2009-08-27 13:50
    I'm not sure?· I haven't seen this issue before.· It seems like the drivers are not compatible with the Intel 945 chipsets.



    Dave

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    Dave Andreae

    Parallax Tech Support·
  • yubyubyubyub Posts: 8
    edited 2009-08-27 13:52
    Actually, it seems like the 945's don't even see the device (verified using usbview - Microsoft's utility for debugging USB devices). So, the drivers never even have a chance here because the device isn't even seen by the system.

    I'd agree - quite odd. I would've been happy if it were Windows 7's fault, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

    Maybe it's a good excuse to get a new laptop wink.gif (not really an option...)
  • dandreaedandreae Posts: 1,375
    edited 2009-08-27 13:55
    I'll talk to our engineer and see if he has anything to add to this.

    Dave



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    Dave Andreae

    Parallax Tech Support·
  • yubyubyubyub Posts: 8
    edited 2009-08-27 13:55
    Thank you, sir!
  • yubyubyubyub Posts: 8
    edited 2009-08-29 23:21
    Tried on a laptop at home - no go.· Turns out the chipset is a 945 as well.· Very odd.

    Got a USB hub, and put that in between the BS1-USB and the laptop.· Works like a charm now - the device is detected (but the drivers don't work - but that's a different problem at least!).
  • drunkgoblindrunkgoblin Posts: 1
    edited 2009-08-30 22:23
    It may still be Windows 7's fault. Windows 7 RC edition requires signed drivers (Windows 7 Beta did not), and if the driver is not signed for Windows 7, windows will block it (this may only be on the 64-bit edition of Windows 7, I do not have 32-bit so I cannot check). I have had this problem with several USB devices. The trick that worked for some was enabling the driver signing restriction in the group policy editor and setting it to ignore.
    You can accomplish this by typing gpedit.msc in the run box on the start menu. Under User Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, then click All Settings. The box on the right should now show a list of policy objects.
    Sort these by name, and find one called "Code signing for device drivers", double click it and select the Enabled check box. On the drop down menu below, choose Ignore, then click OK. You may have to reinstall the device driver and/or restart your computer, I don't remember. I also remember that this did not work for all of my devices, but best of luck.

    (also be warned that this will allow Drivers that might just not work with windows 7 to be installed, so use at your own risk)

    supposedly also typing the following into an Administrator command prompt allows unsigned drivers to load, but it did not work for me.

    bcdedit.exe -set loadoptions DDISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS

    bcdedit.exe -set TESTSIGNING ON

    hope this helps.
  • yubyubyubyub Posts: 8
    edited 2009-08-31 09:44
    drunkgoblin,

    Thanks - I am running Windows 7 RTM, so I assume it will be close to the RC in terms of this feature.

    Unfortunately, it didn't seem to work. I still get an unknown device - and usbview reports that the device failed to enumerate.

    This is on both my Windows 7 x64 and x86 installs (i.e. 64bit and 32bit).

    Last night, I tried this on my wife's laptop (which is sacred - I never play around with that laptop since it needs to "just work"), which runs Vista Ultimate 32 bit (and has for years). I went through the same steps - install drivers, insert BS1-USB - and I got the same issue. It saw the device (I had to use the USB hub here, too, believe it or not - it's another Intel 945 based system), but couldn't install the drivers.

    At this point, I'm starting to wonder if the BS1-USB is in fact bad.

    Dave - any ideas here?
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