USB to Serial Port Adapter Cable/USB to Parallel Printer Cable

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I am using a Averatec Model AV3715-EH1 computer running Windows XP Home
Edition. The computer has only USB ports. Some time ago I purchased the
IOGear adapters above to connect an old HP DeskJet 400 printer while on
consulting assignments (Model GUC1284B) and use the serial port adapter cable
(Model GUC232A) with ham radio applications to key transceivers in connection
with ham radio programs I use. Both IOgear adapters were plug & play and
installed and worked perfectly for 6-8 months. Both applications showed
assignment of virtual COM ports under PORTS-(COM & LPT) under Device Manager
as I recall when they were plugged into the USB ports.

In early August they both stopped working and the folder PORTS under Device
Manager completely disappeared. With the printer plugged in, the printer
will activate but will not print (head comes to the center and stops). Tried
many times to re-install printer driver. The plug and play driver for the
serial port will not even install with an error code 28 whatever that is.
After a period trying to solve this myself working with IOGear and Averatec,
I paid Microsoft $35 to help. I have been working with their so called Tech
Support people in India by phone, emails and on-line since mid-August and
they appear to be totally worthless in trying to resolve the issue, early on
trying to point fingers at everyone except the XP program. Been through five
different tech support people using the Microsoft EasyAssist to look at my
computer and everything and now they assigned the issue to a person who will
not answer my emails.

Before I write Microsoft a letter about this situation I thought I would ask
anyone on this board if they have had this problem or even if not do they
have any idea what might be causing it. Both applications worked performed
beautifully before the problem. HELP! Next how do you get Microsoft's
attention on this poor support.

czachry
 
Can we assume that they still misbehave if you move
them to a different USB port? Did you try this?
 
have you tried deleting the USB ports from the device
manager and allowing XP to find them again. I would also
suggest deleting all references to the virtual ports and the
usb/serial cable


"Charlie Zachry" <[email protected]>
wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
 
Tried deleting USB ports and re-installing. Also used different USB ports on
the computer. Still doing it. Why would the folder "PORTS-(COM&LPT) totally
disappear when this problem started? I think this has something to do with
my problem.
 
This is not Microsoft's fault. You need to check to see if:

1) USB ports are active in the Averatec PC.
2) Windows XP has USB ports defines in Device Manager
3) You have installed the correct motherboard chipset drivers, including the
USB filter driver if the laptop uses a VIA chipset.
4) Applied at least Service Pack 1 for USB 2.0 support.

How many USB devices are you using at the same time? Consider adding a
powered USB hub to your laptop. It could be that the laptop's USB ports can
no longer provide enough power of the USB ports for all the USB devices. A
powered USB hub should help.
 
Why is it not Microsoft's fault when the folder PORTS (COM & LPT) totally
disappeared from Device Manager and virtual COM ports I don't think are being
assigned as before (I can not tell this for sure since the PORTS folder is
gone)? I may have a hardware problem as I tried to install on another laptop
today computer and it is doing the same thing. Funny both applications went
out at the same time and the PORTS folder totally disappeared. That said, I
am also wondering if it might have something to do with one of the Windows XP
Updates since it is doing the exact same thing on another laptop. This other
laptop did have a PORTS folder in Device Manager.

czachry
 
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