Port tied up, how to find why

[k0cmh]

I have an old Dell Latitude laptop running XP with an early pentium chip, that I am using for my digital work. I also installed the Yaesu software for configuring my FT-8800R (the OEM, not some pirate, aftermarked version). I am using the OEM cable that came with the software package.

The problem is that the laptop will not communicate with the radio. I called the support number of the software supplier and they said they are 95% sure it is one of the many other programs on the laptop that is "tying up the port" on the laptop. I asked how I go about finding the program doing that and they said it is a Windows/software issue and that about all I can do is start to uninstall each program until the laptop and radio will communicate.

Is anyone aware of another way to figure out which program is holding on to that port.

Additional information: This laptop will not communicate with any printers through the serial cable connection, I have to use the USB port for a printer to function.

[k3wrv]

I mostly avoid Windows, so don't KNOW the answer, but would CTRL-ALT-DEL help? Then click on processes ands look for anything that might want your port and shut it down and see if that makes things OK. Seems to work sort of like top (in Linux)

?????

It's kind of "brute force" and I'm sure there's a more elegant way to do it, but I've used it before a few times and solved my problems. GL es let us knmow how you solved it, if you ever do!

Some rig control programs want the serial port. I'm assuming the port is available and enabled in control panel...

[KC7UP]

If it has a firewall-disable it. Check the system to see what is hooked to the com port using the device manager located in computer-properties-hardware-device manager.
Curt

[kf6rdn]

Process explorer might help:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/default.aspx

[EI8DRB]

^
was going to recommend that

[N4PRT]

The first thing you might want to do is uninstall and reinstall the drivers for the ports--and make sure that there are not any IRQ conflicts.

A port sniffer will identify in an app is tying up the device. Here is a good one that runs as trial ware--just enough for you to see what is happening:

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Programming/Components-Libraries/Serail-Port-Monitor-ActiveX.shtml

[W4INF]

You talking about com port or winsock port? Careful now...

Since you mentioned programming a radio, Im pretty sure its a com port with a cable.

Another program is using that port. Mouse driver? Graphics pad? Modem software? Look for things that could utilize a com port and start killing the processes until you can communicate with the radio, then you found your culprit.

Obviously, programs like Photoshop etc.. do not use a com port so you can ignore them.

An 'advanced task manager' I like to use is Process Viewer (http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,6102-order,1-page,1-c,systemresourcestuneup/description.html), try it and see what you get.

And post back with results and/or solution you discover pse.
Andrew

[N4PRT]

Yes, one can look at process--but likely that is not going to give you any insight as to what com device it is using. Killing them one at a time may not actually release the port, so one still would not know what was happening.

The software app I posted sniffs all COM, parallel, USB, virtual, and Firewire ports and tells you what applications and software calls to DLL or system resources such as IRQ are being made. Could not get much simpler than that could it?

[k0cmh]

I tried using the task manager and shutting down items. It would shut down the computer before I found anything that freed the port. Also, some items that would I would shut down would start running again.

I hope to get some time this coming weekend to try the software recommended. I will keep you all posted.

EDIT: The software runs find on my desktop, but that is somewhat a pain to use since I have to take the radio out of the car and to the computer. My laptop will be much easier to work with when I get that port freed up.

[n2rya]

I have had 3 different lattitudes do the same thing with the com port. All 3 came from different places and I did not have any luck freeing up the ports. I even had a friend who works in a IT department try with no luck. I did a fresh install of XP on 1 machine and it worked so I just did it to the others as well. Kind of extreme but after a few months of no success I had nothing to loose.