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help deleting USB Serial com ports — Parallax Forums

help deleting USB Serial com ports

SyfySyfy Posts: 8
edited 2012-04-19 06:47 in Propeller 1
small problem ,my windows still thinks i got more USB Serial com ports instald.
i have tried to delete them ,but the USB Serial com port number only gets higher, im at number 8 now.
if i remember correctly there is a folder that contains this info, but i dont know where, and the file name
i hope someone can tell me.

Syfy

Comments

  • LeonLeon Posts: 7,620
    edited 2012-04-17 04:23
    You want the Device Manager.
  • SyfySyfy Posts: 8
    edited 2012-04-17 05:06
    yes indeed normally that's the way to do it.
    failing to do so before disconnecting the unit or un installing the driver software can result in the problem i got.
    first it was ubs serial com3(mormal) ,after i tested all 10 of my usb servo controllers i ended up with usb serial com6.
    i have some pc crash problems and now im at usb serial com number 9.

    Syfy
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2012-04-17 06:39
    To allow Windows Device Manager to show hidden device you need to add an environment variable
    1. Click "Start" and then "Run"
    2. Enter "sysdm.cpl" and click "OK" (or right-click "My Computer" and click "Properties")
    3. Click the "Advanced" tab
    4. Click the "Environment Variables" button
    5. Under the "System Variables" section (the bottom list), click the "New" button
    6. Enter "devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices" for the Variable name and "1" for the Variable value - DO NOT ENTER THE QUOTES
    7. Click "OK" in the "New System Variable" dialog box
    8. Click "OK" in the "Environment Variables" dialog box
    9. Click "OK" in the "System Properties" dialog box
    Now open Device Manager and click "View" on the menu and click "Show hidden devices"
    Expand the "Ports" list tree item (click the "+")
    You should see all of the virtual ports and you can right-click a port and click "Uninstall" to delete it

    EDIT:
    You could also click "Properties" instead of Uninstall, and then click the "Port Settings" tab and the "Advanced" button to change the assigned port number.
  • Erik FriesenErik Friesen Posts: 1,071
    edited 2012-04-17 06:56
    If an FTDI device is given a serial number, it will stay on the same com port regardless of the usb location plugged into. If it has none, it will go through the song and dance for each port plugged into, and get a new comp port.
  • SyfySyfy Posts: 8
    edited 2012-04-17 07:54
    wow ,many thanks its working!

    and the crashing of my pc? ,im using 2 microsoft hd 5000 cams and the servo controller at the same time and its some
    times crash my pc.
    if i try to run the devices in my roborealm programe file the pc will crash immediately.
    have you guys got any idea why?

    Syfy
  • jazzedjazzed Posts: 11,803
    edited 2012-04-17 08:03
    Ron Czapala wrote: »
    To allow Windows Device Manager to show hidden device you need to add an environment variable
    1. Click "Start" and then "Run"
    2. Enter "sysdm.cpl" and click "OK" (or right-click "My Computer" and click "Properties")
    3. Click the "Advanced" tab
    4. Click the "Environment Variables" button
    5. Under the "System Variables" section (the bottom list), click the "New" button
    6. Enter "devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices" for the Variable name and "1" for the Variable value - DO NOT ENTER THE QUOTES
    7. Click "OK" in the "New System Variable" dialog box
    8. Click "OK" in the "Environment Variables" dialog box
    9. Click "OK" in the "System Properties" dialog box
    Now open Device Manager and click "View" on the menu and click "Show hidden devices"
    Expand the "Ports" list tree item (click the "+")
    You should see all of the virtual ports and you can right-click a port and click "Uninstall" to delete it

    EDIT:
    You could also click "Properties" instead of Uninstall, and then click the "Port Settings" tab and the "Advanced" button to change the assigned port number.

    Thank you sir!
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2012-04-17 08:41
    The systems has multiple components, any of them can be the cause of the problem(s).
    Can you determine how each works by itself? The windows install could be a problem, or the PC too slow or defective memory, or the HD cams, or the servo controler, or the roborealm. Try to reproduce the failure, then isolate a cause. It could be something easy as a flakey power supply, or an error in the apps.
  • SyfySyfy Posts: 8
    edited 2012-04-18 04:53
    good idea, thanks
    i already conected the servo controller to a non bracket usb port and it was fixd for a short time.
    but i just crasht the pc again after running the cams and servo controler in roborealm for awaile.
    so it got a litle batter. (roborealm is controlling the servos ferry intensifly)
    il try switching the power supplys ,
    when devices active 5.12volt and 5.0v or 4.98v when devices non active.
    i think this is a little strange.

    Syfy
  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,183
    edited 2012-04-18 16:04
    Syfy wrote: »
    ....,but the USB Serial com port number only gets higher, im at number 8 now.

    Only 8? I saw a COM147 (or ~ ), on someone's demo video recently, and I think some of my SW may only check 2 com digits..

    So is 999 the limit, or is COM1024 possible ?
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2012-04-18 17:21
    jmg wrote: »
    Only 8? I saw a COM147 (or ~ ), on someone's demo video recently, and I think some of my SW may only check 2 com digits..

    So is 999 the limit, or is COM1024 possible ?

    The limit in XP appears to be 256.
  • bruceebrucee Posts: 239
    edited 2012-04-19 05:55
    I've seen this a lot on systems we use to test FTDI boards. On both XP and Win7, I've seen com port numbers up to around 1200.

    To remove them you can do it manually as suggested above, or uninstall the device driver, remove the connection and reinstall the driver, this will reset you to 0.
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2012-04-19 06:47
    brucee wrote: »
    I've seen this a lot on systems we use to test FTDI boards. On both XP and Win7, I've seen com port numbers up to around 1200.

    To remove them you can do it manually as suggested above, or uninstall the device driver, remove the connection and reinstall the driver, this will reset you to 0.

    If you edit the COM port in the properties dialog box (see post #4), 256 is the highest number appearing in the drop down.
    I suppose higher numbers may be possible, but changing them manually seems to be limited.
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