S
sspr
Status New XP Pro Box with Updates current as of 8-26-03.
I am a software developer and I have a program that I
have moved to XP from W9X and NT2K. The program
communicates to an electronic scale on COM1 (user
selectable). The scale is a standard Com device running
at 1200-N-8-1, also it sends a poll message every .5
seconds to the host device of the current weight.
The problem occurs as soon as I connect the scale,
windows immediately detects a new device and installs
a 'Microsoft Serial Ballpoint' device, it never asks if
it is ok, it just does it.
When this happens the Com port is opened by this device
and my software is unable to open the com port because
the port is already open.
To attempt to work around I have disabled the device
under device manager, this works temporarily until the
computer is restarted. After reboot device manager still
shows the 'Ballpoint' disabled, but the com port is
unable to open due to it already being open by
the 'Ballpoint' device. I can then disable the Com port,
boot windows and re-enable the com port after boot and
all is well again. This has to be done every time windows
is booted.
The only thing that I can think is happening is that
Windows sees the string sent from the device at Boot and
decides it is a 'Ballpoint', it then installs the device
making the Com port unuseable. There must be some way to
keep windows from looking at this com port at boot up?
If anyone can help please email me ([email protected])
or respond to this message.
I am a software developer and I have a program that I
have moved to XP from W9X and NT2K. The program
communicates to an electronic scale on COM1 (user
selectable). The scale is a standard Com device running
at 1200-N-8-1, also it sends a poll message every .5
seconds to the host device of the current weight.
The problem occurs as soon as I connect the scale,
windows immediately detects a new device and installs
a 'Microsoft Serial Ballpoint' device, it never asks if
it is ok, it just does it.
When this happens the Com port is opened by this device
and my software is unable to open the com port because
the port is already open.
To attempt to work around I have disabled the device
under device manager, this works temporarily until the
computer is restarted. After reboot device manager still
shows the 'Ballpoint' disabled, but the com port is
unable to open due to it already being open by
the 'Ballpoint' device. I can then disable the Com port,
boot windows and re-enable the com port after boot and
all is well again. This has to be done every time windows
is booted.
The only thing that I can think is happening is that
Windows sees the string sent from the device at Boot and
decides it is a 'Ballpoint', it then installs the device
making the Com port unuseable. There must be some way to
keep windows from looking at this com port at boot up?
If anyone can help please email me ([email protected])
or respond to this message.