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How many others are experiencing software glitches and crashes? — Parallax Forums

How many others are experiencing software glitches and crashes?

turbosupraturbosupra Posts: 1,088
edited 2010-01-15 00:42 in Accessories
I get a lot of software crashes saying that it cannot connect to the oscope on the port that it was connected to

I also see the software restore/maximize itself, when I try and minimize it

About 80% of the time I have to hit F10 twice to connect, as the first time the software tells me it cannot find the oscope on the ports it scans


I believe I'm forgetting 1 or 2 others, I may start taking screen captures if wanted

Comments

  • turbosupraturbosupra Posts: 1,088
    edited 2010-01-09 21:30
    Here are some of the error messages I am seeing routinely. They seem to appear without pattern, although I cannot have the software running for longer than 10 minutes without seeing at least 1 error. The first one happens just about every time I try and connect to the scope?


    propscopeerror1.jpg


    propscopeerror3.jpg


    propscopeerror2.jpg


    propscopeerror4.jpg
  • James LongJames Long Posts: 1,181
    edited 2010-01-09 22:05
    TS,

    I have seen very few errors. Most of the errors I have had were from starting the software before connecting the propscope.

    I have had very few problems, and it has been years since I touched an O-scope. I find it works well, and has a pretty fast signal bandwidth.

    I am running Win Xp Pro, with a 2.6 Ghz AMD. 1 gig of ram.

    I'm not sure what the actual problems are being caused by, but trust when I say it must be very computer specific.

    If I were you I would check my USB configurations Under Control Panel>System>Device Manager> System>USB

    See if any of the USB items are set to power down. If they are, that might give problems.

    Also check to see which version of the Propeller tool you are using. The manual does day if you have an older version it may cause problems.

    I wish I could help more.

    James L

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    James L
    Partner/Designer
    Lil Brother SMT Assembly Services

    Are you addicted to technology or Micro-controllers..... then checkout the forums at Savage Circuits. Learn to build your own Gizmos!
  • DufferDuffer Posts: 374
    edited 2010-01-10 01:24
    Do you really have 16 other COM devices connected to your PC? I have had experiences with several software products that don't work well with COM ports above 9. I'm not sure why, but they seem to loose access to the COM port for no apparent reason while running or during startup. When you add a USB device to your system, it usually takes the next available COM port for the device. Even if that device is never connected to the system again, that COM port won't be used for new devices. I had one situation where I was configuring a number of identiclal USB devices and each had to go through the "new hardware" setup before·they could be configured. After a time, I noticed that each time I configured a new unit, it took the next available·COM port (it was up to COM66 by then).

    There is a way to "force" a device to use a specific COM port that was used by a prior device (try something in the single digits (2-9) that has nothing connected to it. The worst that can happen is that when the device that preciously used that port is reconnected to your system, it will have to go through the "new hardware" setup.

    If I remember right, on WinXP Pro,you can force a connected device to use a specific COM port by going to:
    My Computer, Properties, Hardware (tab),·Device Manager (button), expand the "Ports (COM & LPT)" item,·right-click the device (PropScope)·and select Properties, select the Port Settings (tab), click on Advanced (button) and then select a new COM port.·You'll probably see a number (probably up to COM17 in your case) of ports marked "(in use)". Just pick one that you know isn't currently in use based on the ones shown in Device Manager. You will get an·warning message if you choose one of the (in use) ports. Click OK and continue.·Forcing a new single-digit COM port may not fix your errors, but it's worked for me on several occasions and it shouldn't make the problem any worse.

    Duffer
  • mikedivmikediv Posts: 825
    edited 2010-01-10 20:12
    Turbo I don't know if you followed any of the threads I posted but I have not been able to use my propscope since I bought it weeks ago maybe longer partly my fault I need to call Parallax but had a family emergency a death and everything else was put on hold.
    Mine seems to be a hardware problem but before that when I was trying to use mine I would get a lot of problems with the proscope disconnecting it was really bad if I had my prop proto board connected at same time and was trying to use it both the Prop IDE and the Propscope would hang and I would have to reboot my machine. I am running Vista / Windows 7 and I even tried a clean install of Windows XP I have not bothered to try and use it so I am not sure if there are any mroe updates but at the time I had updated the software per Hanno instructions that did not help any of my problems
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2010-01-10 20:27
    It's not quite what you asked, but I've been using a PropScope without problems. I use Windows XP Home on a 2 GHz MacBook under the latest Parallels Desktop and MacOS 10.6.2.
  • turbosupraturbosupra Posts: 1,088
    edited 2010-01-11 01:11
    @ Duffer, the only com port currently listed in the device manager is com1, I'll try forcing it to use a different com the next time I connect the propscope. Is there a way to find out what com2 is currently assigned to, and so on? I'm guessing it's stored in the registry somewhere under HKLM?

    @ Mikediv, I did have my prop proto board hooked up, it'd be pretty sad if the propscope and prop chip had a conflict with each other, I hope this isn't the case. I also had viewport open at the time, sometimes. I have version 1.0.2

    I have XP sp3 on my dual core 2.6ghz laptop, with 4gb of ram.


    Duffer said...
    Do you really have 16 other COM devices connected to your PC? I have had experiences with several software products that don't work well with COM ports above 9. I'm not sure why, but they seem to loose access to the COM port for no apparent reason while running or during startup. When you add a USB device to your system, it usually takes the next available COM port for the device. Even if that device is never connected to the system again, that COM port won't be used for new devices. I had one situation where I was configuring a number of identiclal USB devices and each had to go through the "new hardware" setup before they could be configured. After a time, I noticed that each time I configured a new unit, it took the next available COM port (it was up to COM66 by then).


    There is a way to "force" a device to use a specific COM port that was used by a prior device (try something in the single digits (2-9) that has nothing connected to it. The worst that can happen is that when the device that preciously used that port is reconnected to your system, it will have to go through the "new hardware" setup.



    If I remember right, on WinXP Pro,you can force a connected device to use a specific COM port by going to:

    My Computer, Properties, Hardware (tab), Device Manager (button), expand the "Ports (COM & LPT)" item, right-click the device (PropScope) and select Properties, select the Port Settings (tab), click on Advanced (button) and then select a new COM port. You'll probably see a number (probably up to COM17 in your case) of ports marked "(in use)". Just pick one that you know isn't currently in use based on the ones shown in Device Manager. You will get an warning message if you choose one of the (in use) ports. Click OK and continue. Forcing a new single-digit COM port may not fix your errors, but it's worked for me on several occasions and it shouldn't make the problem any worse.



    Duffer
  • mikedivmikediv Posts: 825
    edited 2010-01-13 19:29
    Turbo I finally got around to calling Parallax Tech and spoke with David they are going to just send me a MB to try and replace mine to see if that works .. I am hoping its the fix. I will let you know .. As far as the problem I am having with the Proto Board and Propscope running at the same time I am hoping it is part of my original problem. I talked with James and Hanno and to be honest a few others everyone else has not had any problems running their propscope and prop boards at the same time.
    Have you found the solution for the problem you were having???
    Mike
  • BADHABITBADHABIT Posts: 138
    edited 2010-01-14 20:08
    I have not had any problems like you are saying, the only problems I have had are with triggers.

    Hanno is aware of my problems and is working on a resolution.

    If I were to guess I would say your issues are related to device conflict.

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    BH skull.gif
  • hover1hover1 Posts: 1,929
    edited 2010-01-15 00:42
    I have Propellor Tool·and PropScope both running fine under Widows XP Professional SP3 and Windows 7 Professional 64. My suggestion is to remove all··installations of Propscope, and Propeller Tool, and FDTI drivers and start from scratch. Many times·drivers do not get over written and just hang out there.
    Uninstall the programs and then go to the control panel and uninstall the drivers. Then reinstall each·software one by one.·See what Com Ports show up then.
    .......AND get all the CURRENT revisions of the programs before you start the proccess. The current version of PropScope is 1.0.3 and the current version of Propeller Tool is 1.2.7
    Jim
    turbosupra said...
    @ Duffer, the only com port currently listed in the device manager is com1, I'll try forcing it to use a different com the next time I connect the propscope. Is there a way to find out what com2 is currently assigned to, and so on? I'm guessing it's stored in the registry somewhere under HKLM?

    @ Mikediv, I did have my prop proto board hooked up, it'd be pretty sad if the propscope and prop chip had a conflict with each other, I hope this isn't the case. I also had viewport open at the time, sometimes. I have version 1.0.2

    I have XP sp3 on my dual core 2.6ghz laptop, with 4gb of ram.
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