Windows 2000 hangs when running dos based time and attendance programme when
communicating through COM port.

We have OLD time and attendance software that is DOS based.

I have tried to run it on a windows 2000 machine and although some bits work
when we try and communicate through the COM port it hangs.

Any help would be appreciated - in the mean time i'll keep trying to work it
out.

Fixes tried

COM port settings changed to that of the old machine.

Full administrator permissions on the win 2000.

Windows 2000 on SP4


Thanks


Plastic_Man

In news:%(E-Mail Removed),
plastic_man <(E-Mail Removed)> fumbled, fiddled and fingered:
> Windows 2000 hangs when running dos based time and attendance
> programme when communicating through COM port.
>
> We have OLD time and attendance software that is DOS based.
>
> I have tried to run it on a windows 2000 machine and although some
> bits work when we try and communicate through the COM port it hangs.
>
> Any help would be appreciated - in the mean time i'll keep trying to
> work it out.
>
> Fixes tried
>
> COM port settings changed to that of the old machine.
>
> Full administrator permissions on the win 2000.
>
> Windows 2000 on SP4
>
>
> Thanks
>
>


Given that it's a DOS based program it's probably trying to access the
hardware direct which Windows 2000 (or any other NT based OS) will not
allow.

Have you enabled/used compatibility mode?

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;279792

Maybe easier to use an old machine with Win 9x on it?



--
Steve Parry BA (Hons) MCP MVP

http://www.gwynfryn.co.uk

But the compatibility mode is not relevant for dos apps, isn't it?
-PA

"Steve Parry [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In news:%(E-Mail Removed),
> plastic_man <(E-Mail Removed)> fumbled, fiddled and fingered:
> > Windows 2000 hangs when running dos based time and attendance
> > programme when communicating through COM port.
> >
> > We have OLD time and attendance software that is DOS based.
> >
> > I have tried to run it on a windows 2000 machine and although some
> > bits work when we try and communicate through the COM port it hangs.
> >
> > Any help would be appreciated - in the mean time i'll keep trying to
> > work it out.
> >
> > Fixes tried
> >
> > COM port settings changed to that of the old machine.
> >
> > Full administrator permissions on the win 2000.
> >
> > Windows 2000 on SP4
> >
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> >
>
>
> Given that it's a DOS based program it's probably trying to access the
> hardware direct which Windows 2000 (or any other NT based OS) will not
> allow.
>
> Have you enabled/used compatibility mode?
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;279792
>
> Maybe easier to use an old machine with Win 9x on it?
>
>
>
> --
> Steve Parry BA (Hons) MCP MVP
>
> http://www.gwynfryn.co.uk
>
>

I'll try the compatibility mode. I did think it was odd that there were no
options for it. Extra odd that it's a hidden feature.

The application currently runs on a Win95 machine, but there are only so
many network connections on the work site, and we just ordered a half dozen
new Win2000 machines. It's a pain for the non-computer-philes who work in
the affected office to switch the network cable, LPT1 dongle, AND device
serial plug every time they need to use that legacy app.

Plastic Man

In news:(E-Mail Removed),
plastic_man <(E-Mail Removed)> fumbled, fiddled and fingered:
> I'll try the compatibility mode. I did think it was odd that there
> were no options for it. Extra odd that it's a hidden feature.
>
> The application currently runs on a Win95 machine, but there are only
> so many network connections on the work site, and we just ordered a
> half dozen new Win2000 machines. It's a pain for the
> non-computer-philes who work in the affected office to switch the
> network cable, LPT1 dongle, AND device serial plug every time they
> need to use that legacy app.
>
> Plastic Man


if you're using RJ45 connections there are splitters availabale to allow
two connections from one wall socket ... such as

http://www.mycableshop.com/sku/RJ45SPLITTER.htm



--
Steve Parry BA (Hons) MCP MVP

http://www.gwynfryn.co.uk

I'm experiencing the same problem and, in my case, it
doesn't appear to be a DOS based problem. I run alot of
applications that require the use of the COM1 port for
program downloading. All but one application is designed
around the Windows OS. The other is an old DOS based
program and in all situations the COM port will suddenly
stop working. The Windows base applications will return an
error message indicating a COM failure and will allow the
user to "retry" to establish communications. This usually
works. On the DOS based program, it will "hang" at any
given time and will not return an error message which is
somewhat frustrating given the huge amount of data to be
downloaded.
I have checked and tweaked the port settings with no luck.
I have also checked for any conficts between applications
and the use of the COM port and have found nothing. This
problem also occurs when using COM Port 2.
I realize that nothing I've said has helped to cure your
problem but you can take comfort in knowing you're not the
only one with a "Windoze" issue!
>-----Original Message-----
>In news:%(E-Mail Removed),
>plastic_man <(E-Mail Removed)> fumbled,
fiddled and fingered:
>> Windows 2000 hangs when running dos based time and
attendance
>> programme when communicating through COM port.
>>
>> We have OLD time and attendance software that is DOS
based.
>>
>> I have tried to run it on a windows 2000 machine and
although some
>> bits work when we try and communicate through the COM
port it hangs.
>>
>> Any help would be appreciated - in the mean time i'll
keep trying to
>> work it out.
>>
>> Fixes tried
>>
>> COM port settings changed to that of the old machine.
>>
>> Full administrator permissions on the win 2000.
>>
>> Windows 2000 on SP4
>>
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
>
>
>Given that it's a DOS based program it's probably trying
to access the
>hardware direct which Windows 2000 (or any other NT based
OS) will not
>allow.
>
>Have you enabled/used compatibility mode?
>
>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;279792
>
>Maybe easier to use an old machine with Win 9x on it?
>
>
>
>--
>Steve Parry BA (Hons) MCP MVP
>
>http://www.gwynfryn.co.uk
>
>
>.
>

Backwards compatibility has always been a contentious issue. It
wouldn't be such a problem if those old DOS apps we need to keep using
weren't so expensive.