No usable serial ports found

flasher

I get this message on my old Windows VISTA system. The PBasic programs used to run on COM Port 4. The programs run fine on COM port 3 on my Windows 10 computer. Any ideas?

Thanks

Flasher

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

Check your Control Panel under Mouse Pointers. Older versions of Windows had the nasty habit of interpreting random characters coming from a serial port as emanating from a mouse, then "confiscating" that port for mouse use. You can disable said "mouse" in the Control Panel.

-Phil

flasher

Thanks Phil for information on the port trouble.

A friend suggested attaching something to a wheel and using that to make a noise.

Thanks for asking the question originally.

Flasher