[SOLVED] Need some help with Virtual Com port

R

RayB

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Jun 3, 2015
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Location
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Greetings,

I hope this is the right place to post this question, if not, please move it to the proper forum.

I am running Windows 7 Home Premium, 64-bit, SP1, on a Dell Studio 1555 laptop.

I use a USB cable to connect the Laptop to a Ardinuo UNO microcontroller board which I use for project control.

Since I ran Microsoft Updates on ~ 5/15/2015 I have been unable to establish communications between the Laptop and the UNO. Since the Laptop does not have a COM port, the UNO Software installs a virtual COM port device driver. I have opened Device Manager and cannot find any such device or any device with a trouble sign.

I have uninstalled the UNO software 4 times with no improvement.

I have run sfc /scannow at least 30 times and it cannot fix two telemetry.ASM-WindowsDefault.json and utc.app.json. I found a link to The Tech Cookbook and downloaded SFCFix Script and SFCFix (x64 fix) and ran them. It fixed these two files, but as soon as I rebooted the errors were back. I don't know if these files are involved since fixing them did not let me establish communication with the UNO. The Tech Cookbook had a link to this site so that is why I came here.

Sfc /scannow also reports several errors with tcipmon. They have not been repaired as well, and as with the above files, I am not sure that they are involved with the UNO communications issue.

I have attached the SFC report file since it is very long and I would cut and paste parts, however, I might miss something important.

Finally, if all of the above is not an issue with the UNO communication issue, do you have any other things that I should look at or try?

Thanks very much for your help!
 

Attachments

The telemetry.ASM-WindowsDefault.json and utc.app.json files can be ignored.

Does Windows make the device connected sound when you plug in the cable?
 
zcomputerwiz said:
The telemetry.ASM-WindowsDefault.json and utc.app.json files can be ignored.

Does Windows make the device connected sound when you plug in the cable?
Click to expand...

Well that is great information. No, sorry to say that I forgot to mention that. The other thing is that the UNO software has a port selection feature that is greyed out. It was not greyed out when the communications worked. In addition, when I try to upload the UNO program, the error message I get back says cannot find UNO on COM port 4.

Thanks so much for your help!
 
Do USB flash drives or other devices work in the same USB port on your Dell?
Is the Arduino detected when plugged into another computer (if you have another computer to test with)?
 
Hi,

Yes I have tried 4 flash drives and all worked flawlessly. Yes, out of frustration I plugged it into a desktop and it was detected.
 
I've seen something like this before with a Cisco USB Serial device, Windows update installed the wrong driver so the name changed and it wouldn't work.
What do you have under Ports in device manager? Does one of them appear when the Arduino is plugged in and disappear when it is unplugged?
 
zcomputerwiz said:
I've seen something like this before with a Cisco USB Serial device, Windows update installed the wrong driver so the name changed and it wouldn't work.
What do you have under Ports in device manager? Does one of them appear when the Arduino is plugged in and disappear when it is unplugged?
Click to expand...

I don't see anything in Device Manager that says ports. I have made a screen cap of the entire DM screen and the expanded USB screen and attached them.

When I look at Device Manager, and plug in the UNO nothing changes, and no changes when I unplug UNO.

Since UNO software uses a Vitrual COM port I am not sure where to look. However, I expanded every item in DM, saw noting about UNO or an entry with a error flag. I then plugged in UNO and nothing changed.

I appreciate you help in tracking down this issue.
 

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Hi,

I tried this but I still cannot connect. I changed the device driver to all the choices available one at a time to see if it would work, however nothing worked.

I believe the link provides the set up for a 'hardwired' Com port. My Studio 1555 does not have a true COM port but uses the USB port and a virtual COM device driver.

I appreciate your help trying to resolve this issue!
 
That is very strange! Does the Arduino light up when plugged into the laptop? Do you have a powered USB hub to try connecting between the laptop and the Arduino?
 
Unfortunately the UNO does not light up when plugged in. It does when I plug it into a USB port on my desktop, so I believe the UNO board is OK. As best as I can tell the problem is someplace in getting the VIrtual COM port installed / working.

I really appreciate you helping resolve this very frustrating issue!
 
My suspicion is that the UNO is not getting a good enough connection (or enough power) from USB ports on the laptop, if you have a thicker USB cable and a powered USB hub (the type with a wall plug) give that a shot.
 
Greetings,

You hit the jackpot! I purchased a new cable and powered hub. Just for grins I tried the new cable and the UNO lighted up and finished installing the driver. I didn't need the hub. I then went back and tried the old cable. It didn't connect. So I said why did it work with the desktop when I tried connecting the UNO to it. After looking at the cable routing to make the connection it became obvious that the bends in the cable while making the connection caused the broken cable to reconnect. I further confirmed this by connecting the UNO to the laptop and bending the cable until it made contact.

I truly appreciate the help and ideas you have offered to fix this issue. I would have never expected the 18inch wire reinforced cable would have broken. It was treated with loving care.

Thanks again!
 
Excellent! Go ahead and mark the thread as solved under 'thread tools' towards the top on the right side :)
 
Before I close the thread I want to again thank you for all of your help in solving this issue!
 
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