legacy serial ports and Windows XP

[Tom Carr]

In my business (fire alarm system installation and
servicing), I need to use a legacy serial port to connect
to fire alarm panels for programming. There seems to be
some problem in the handling of serial ports in Windows XP.

I have had to "downgrade" some of my laptops to Windows 98
to retain proper serial port operation. I have also been
told by others that there is no probem in Windows 2000.

This is becoming more of a problem as I have to replace
older laptops - it is difficult to find machines with
anything other than Windows XP.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Tom Carr

 

[Jetro]

Do not buy the retail laptops with OS preinstalled.

 

[Peter Hutchison]

In my business (fire alarm system installation and
servicing), I need to use a legacy serial port to connect
to fire alarm panels for programming. There seems to be
some problem in the handling of serial ports in Windows XP.

I have had to "downgrade" some of my laptops to Windows 98
to retain proper serial port operation. I have also been
told by others that there is no probem in Windows 2000.

This is becoming more of a problem as I have to replace
older laptops - it is difficult to find machines with
anything other than Windows XP.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Its a problem due to way programs access the ports. Older programs
will access the port "directly" by-passing the Operating System.
Windows XP will not allow that, you need to re-write the program so it
will use OS routines to access the port!

Peter Hutchison
Windows FAQ
http://www.pcguru.plus.com/

 

[Si Ballenger]

Its a problem due to way programs access the ports. Older programs
will access the port "directly" by-passing the Operating System.
Windows XP will not allow that, you need to re-write the program so it
will use OS routines to access the port!

Do a google search for a file called userport.zip. Userport is a
kernal mode driver that will allow user level acces to the
hardware on NT/2K/XP machines. I use this for input and output
via the parallel port on my XP machine. It may not help with
serial port communications. Older serial port programs use calls
to the hardware that are supported in 98 and 2K, but XP does not
support these routines. You are also going to start having
problems finding laptops with built in serial ports, and will
probably have to drop back to the USB to serial gizmos..