Vista has trouble loading the EEProm Propeller Chip

DDS

I am having a lot of trouble loading programs into the propeller chip.
I am using Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit with service pack 2 and the Propeller editor/development system ver. 1.2.7 (R2).

When I use either F10 or F11 to load programs, the program compiles properly but a dialog box pops up and says that "No Propeller Chip found on any serial port".
If I try and try and try (about once every 5 attempts), the program loads properly.
I am using the Parallax Serial Terminal at the same time but if it works like it does in XP, PST releases the port when it loses "focus". There seems to be some strange USB / serial port stuff going on. If it refuses to load, I have to unplug the USB / Serial port cable and move it to a different port for it to work. I have tried closing PST but it doesn't seem to help. Has anybody had the same problem and if so, what is the fix?
I appreciate any help I can get.

Thanks,
Don

kwinn

I am using vista home basic on my laptop and have no problems. From the symptoms I suspect it may be the FTDI driver. See if you can find a driver for 64 bit vista, and if that fails try downloading the latest version available. Uninstall the old driver completely and then install the new one. Even if the latest FTDI driver is the same version you already have I would suggest doing this.

DDS

Thanks for the help, I will try it but...

I am using a generic USB/serial cable than shows up in device manager as "ATEN USB to serial bridge" (not the Parallax usb/serial device).
I did download and install the most recent FTDI drivers two days ago, but I didn't first remove any old versions that might have been already installed. I will remove and re-install and post if it helps.

Thanks,

Don

DDS

Update,

I removed all FTDI drivers and the ATEN driver.
I re-installed the new current ATEN driver.
Made no difference.

I often still get an error dialog message saying "Communication Error" "Propeller chip lost on COM11" or whatever port I happen to be connected to.
When I close this dialog, I always get a new "Communication Error" saying "No Propeller chip found on any serial port", "Scanned COM4. Scanned COM3"

It would appear that COM11 failed which is why is doesn't show up in the list of COM3 and COM4. When I close this dialog and try to upload to the propeller chip, I briefly see something about checking COM11 and then the error message but this time with COM11 in the list.

Mike Green

The ATEN USB to serial bridge may not be capable of downloading programs to the Propeller. The download protocol is very sensitive to timing and requires that the DTR signal be properly implemented and quite a few USB to serial adapters don't do this. The only USB to serial adapters that I've consistently found to work are those that use the FTDI chips and the Keyspan High Speed Serial Adapter.

John R.

Note that the potential problems Mike describes can be a combination of the not only the particular hardware/chips, but also the implementation. Not all serial adapter/driver combinations implement "full compliance" with all features/functions of the RS-232 Standard.

FTDI is your friend...

Post Edited:

Oh, I forgot to ask: What's Vista?

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John R.
Click here to see my Nomad Build Log

Post Edited (John R.) : 3/11/2010 5:02:36 PM GMT

DDS

Thanks for the help, I will try the FTDI chip (using the Paralax Prop Plug serial/usb converter).

Don

Mike Green

Lots of people have used Vista and the Propeller Tool including Parallax when testing it and it does work with FTDI's Vista drivers. Parallax doesn't have the resources to test the Propeller Tool with the variety of USB to serial adapters out there.

DDS

Update - I switched to the FTDI Chip - Works great! Thanks for the help.

wjsteele

John R. said...
Oh, I forgot to ask: What's Vista?

It was·our Beta for Windows 7. :-)

Bill

(Yes,· I do work Microsoft... but don't hold that against me... I need the money to pay for my Propeller stuff!)
·

pp_314156

I use XP and have the same troubles, but all my USB adapters are from FTDI (evaluation dongles that you can order directly from FTDI). Interesting that the FTDI based adapter solved your problem in Vista but I wouldn't be surprised if it recurred.