Win2K mbedSerial Port - success !!!

Information

Success!!! - but how? update Jun 2011: My "lab" computer is old (running Win2K), but just ultra-reliable for what it does. I reinstalled the mbed drivers from the web site again - after first cleaning the registry, and now it works. I wish I had a good explanation.

While the mbed shows as a flash drive just fine, perhaps I won't have the success I was hoping for the serial port.

I recognize this is an old computer and this is an unsupported driver, but did some investigation, which you see below.

I installed the drivers - as noted above. Restarted, and the device shows in Device Manager as in error. "This device cannot start. [Code 10]". The driver shows mbed 2.0.0.0 as visible in the .inf file.

I loaded a serial port test application (that does communicate on my XP and W7 systems), in the hopes that it would help "stimulate" detection by the OS.

Per device manager, it is on COM9, which was not otherwise used (I've a number of USB to serial adapters that have slurped up the other port numbers. Only 2 others are installed right now).

Driver file details shows mbedserial.sys provider Thesycon GmbH, 1.71.0.0, (c) 2005-2008.

I looked into the registry, to compare both a Belkin USB-serial adapter to the mbed (on the assumption they were similar). There is a lot of similarity, but a lot of differences - so discontinued that plan. For instance:

The Belkin adapter shows up under

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USB\Vid_050d&Pid_0109

I did not find the mbed serial under

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USB\Vid_0d28&Pid_0203

where I was expecting

The mbed flash shows up under

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USB\Vid_0d28&Pid_0204

The mbed did show up under

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum\Root\Ports\0000

The mbed is the only thing that shows up under "Ports".

This does look consistent with the entry for mbedserial under

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\mbedSerial.

If there is interest, or some thoughts on why it isn't working, I've attached exports from my registry.

Take care NOT /media/uploads/WiredHome/w2kmbedserial.zip to install these


1 comment on Win2K mbedSerial Port - success !!!:

09 Apr 2011

Why not upgrade your computer to Windows XP? You can get a genuine XP on eBay for under £20.

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