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BOE rev B works but rev D does not — Parallax Forums

BOE rev B works but rev D does not

Ken SwinneyKen Swinney Posts: 12
edited 2011-03-15 13:37 in BASIC Stamp
I am having trouble with a laptop computer running XP finding the basic stamp. I posted previously but had not luck with the suggested solutions.

One interseting aspect is that I have an older BOE (rev B) that works fine with the laptop, but the problem is with the newer board (rev D). Both are connecting to the laptop through the same USB port.

I have downloaded the USB driver from the parallax page.

Any suggestions on how to fix the problem will be greatly appreciated.

Comments

  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2011-03-15 08:45
    On the Rev D board, is the green LED lit? Is the Stamp plugged in correctly? What happens if you move the Rev D board's Stamp over to the Rev B board? Does the Rev B board still work?

    -Phil
  • Ken SwinneyKen Swinney Posts: 12
    edited 2011-03-15 08:59
    Yep power led is on. using same (new) battery on both boards.
    swapped STAMPS on boards, get same result.
  • RobotWorkshopRobotWorkshop Posts: 2,307
    edited 2011-03-15 09:31
    You mention that you are connecting to the USB port on your computer but you don't specifically say if your BoeBot's are the Serial version (which requires a Serial to USB adapter) or if you are using the USB version of the BoeBot.

    If you are using the USB version of the BoeBot each BoeBot will appear as a unique COM port on your PC. Every built-in FTDI USB chip looks like its own port. The second board will be on a new port. I'd exit out of the BASIC Stamp software, plug in the second BoeBot board (which should activate the port), and then start the Stamp software again. It should find it.

    If you are using a USB to serial adapter then the COM port on the PC will stay the same since it references the FTDI USB chip within that adapter.

    Robert
  • Ken SwinneyKen Swinney Posts: 12
    edited 2011-03-15 09:50
    Neither board needs serial converter, usb cable plugs direcly into both boards.
    I am only plugging one board in at a time.
    Three more points:
    1) Behind the communication error window is the "program progress" window which shows that com10 (the one opened when the stamp board is plugged in) shows "cann't openport, in use".
    2) There are two leds (read and blue) that noramll flash when first plugged in. They come on and stay on when plugged into the laptop.
    3) The rev D board works fine plugged into my old desktop PC. The problem is just with the laptop.

    I have seen a post where
    someone indecated that this is basically a communication problem that may involve the laptop trying to turn on/off the device connected to the post, but I went in device manager to the USB ROOT HUB and unchecked the "allow computer to turn off the device" but it did not help.
    ken
  • RobotWorkshopRobotWorkshop Posts: 2,307
    edited 2011-03-15 09:57
    For the port that is stuck "in use" can you go into the device manager and remove it? Once that is done unplug the board, plug it back in and see if the system will re-discover it and add the port again. Worst case there was a utility on the FTDI website that would remove all the USB serial ports on the PC. You could run that, re-install the drivers, and then the Windows find the boards again.

    Robert
  • Ken SwinneyKen Swinney Posts: 12
    edited 2011-03-15 11:15
    RobotWorkshop wrote: »
    For the port that is stuck "in use" can you go into the device manager and remove it? Once that is done unplug the board, plug it back in and see if the system will re-discover it and add the port again. Worst case there was a utility on the FTDI website that would remove all the USB serial ports on the PC. You could run that, re-install the drivers, and then the Windows find the boards again.

    Robert

    OK. I right clicked on the port in device manager and "uninstalled". It did find the USB device, but did not fix the problem.

    I will look on the FTDI website for the utility you suggest.
    thanks
    ken
  • Ken SwinneyKen Swinney Posts: 12
    edited 2011-03-15 13:37
    Ken Swinney wrote: »
    OK. I right clicked on the port in device manager and "uninstalled". It did find the USB device, but did not fix the problem.

    I will look on the FTDI website for the utility you suggest.
    thanks
    ken

    I downloaded the USBviewer form the FTDI website and ran. plugged in rev D BOE with basicstamp and the basic stamp editor was able to find and down load to it.

    I am not sure what it did, but problem solved.
    thanks to Robert!
    Ken
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