X10 Community Forum

💬General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: MimiCT on April 07, 2009, 09:42:22 PM

Title: Com port invalid
Post by: MimiCT on April 07, 2009, 09:42:22 PM
 B:(  Good grief, I'm going to toss this computer thru the window.

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum.  I've had our X-10 system for about 15 years now.  I disconnected it from my computer and now I cannot get it to work again.  I keep getting com port error messages and I never took it off the back of the computer, so that part was never moved.  All I want to do is get lights to turn on and off, nothing fancy.  I am operating on a Windows XP.

What am I doing wrong?  ARGH! B:(

What other info do I need to provide?  I'm sorry to be so stoooooooooooopid about this.
Title: Re: Com port invalid
Post by: BVD on April 07, 2009, 10:39:04 PM
B:(  Good grief, I'm going to toss this computer thru the window.

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum.  I've had our X-10 system for about 15 years now.  I disconnected it from my computer and now I cannot get it to work again.  I keep getting com port error messages and I never took it off the back of the computer, so that part was never moved.  All I want to do is get lights to turn on and off, nothing fancy.  I am operating on a Windows XP.

What am I doing wrong?  ARGH! B:(

What other info do I need to provide?  I'm sorry to be so stoooooooooooopid about this.

MimiCT,

Well if you have had the computer that long I might think that the serial interface is on a "Daughter" board rather than coming directly off the "Mother" board. Even though you didn't take it off the computer, those serial boards never did seat in the slots and screw to the top real well. Actually a lot of times when screwing them down they tended to pry themselves partially out of the slots. If this is the case and it now isn't making connection any longer. You should remove the power cord from the computer, take the cover off the computer and unscrew the serial card, lift it out of the socket, firmly reseat the serial card, and put the screw back in.

Another thing you can do is right click on My Computer, Choose Properties, Device Manager, and see what it shows in the ports area. If there is an X or ! by ports there is something wrong. Click on ports and see what port have the X or !. It will probably be the one you are trying to use. If it doesn't show any serial ports you will definitely have to reseat the serial card. Then do this step again. When it shows up without the X or ! thru Ports you should be good to go.

I have also assumed that you are using a firecracker interface?????

Till Later,
Bob
Title: Re: Com port invalid
Post by: Knightrider on April 07, 2009, 11:02:59 PM
you're not using the cm11 are you?  is it a true serial port, or serial to usb adapter?  what OS?
Title: Re: Com port invalid
Post by: Brian H on April 08, 2009, 06:39:41 AM
More data on the interface you are using and the software being used to run it.
15 years is it the same controller you started out with?