Can't Install a second Serial Port

[dorimon81]

It still doesn't work. I don't know what the problem can be. I've tried so many things now. The COM2 port just doesn't work. When I try to disable the COM1 port and only enable the COM2, it still doesn't work and I know that it's not the hardware because I've tried more than 1 port and on more than one computer. The only thing that I'm thinking that it could be is the motherboard, but can that be possible?

 

[stui_nz]

Could you open device manager -> select 'view' and choose 'resources by type'.

Open up the IRQ tree.

Now you can make sure your COM ports aren't sharing IRQ's with another device. You might also try swapping the IRQ's and I/O addresses for your two COM ports, and see if the problem is reversed.

 

[Supchaka]

Is there a modem in the machine? If so, what port is it on? You asked what resource, should be IRQ3 02f8-02ff for COM2 If there is a modem, its most lekely on some funky emachine com5 or whatnot, but could still be conflicting. Just pullin at some straws here for ya

 

[dorimon81]

I tried what stui_nz said, but it still doesn't work. The computer does have a modem, but it's on COM3 and it's not sharing an IRQ. I'm totally stumped for this one.

 

[dorimon81]

Do you guys have any more ideas?
Post them if you can because I'm really working hard on this thing to get it to work.

 

[Supchaka]

Well, if you're bored you can humor me, pull out the modem and see what it does

Have you tried going through the add hardware wizard? Manually add a com2 with the resources listed.

 

[dorimon81]

I pull out the modem and nothing happens. I try installing the driver manually and nothing happens. The farthest I'm getting is to the point where the COM2 is opening up and it supposedly "DOES DETECT" a device on it, but when I try to use the device, it doesn't worl. The weird thing is that when the any metal part of the actual port itself touches another part of my case, it doesn't even detect the device on the port.

Can I maybe try downloading some generic ports from some web site?
Does anybody have a link for generic serial port drivers?
If anybody does, it would be greatly apprecitated.

Thanks

 

[repo man11]

You may have a hardware problem with the motherboard. If you have a voltmeter, you might want to check to see if you have any dead pins in the port that isn't working. Compare it with the one that does work.

If you don't have a voltmeter, basic ones are inexpensive, so this might be a good time to get one.

 

[dorimon81]

Now this is starting to get crazy.
When I click on the "Ports Information" in Sisoft Sandra, my Palm Pilot, which is connected to the COM2 port that doesn't work turns on. I'm thinking to myself, how can this be?

Do you guys have any suggestion? I'm thinking that one of the pins on the motherboard is not making proper a propper connection with my device.

 

[JoT]

I don't exactly see why you're converting USB to Serial, what's the point? If you lack a USB port, why not just buy a USB2 card with 4 USB ports on it?

 

[dorimon81]

I'm not out of USB ports. The only reason I bought the USB to serial converter is because I couldn't get the original COM2 port to work. I just spent a lot of money on it and it crashes my computer so I am trying to get the original COM2 serial port to work so I can return the converter.

 

[dorimon81]

How would I be able to fix the incorrect voltages going to each pin from the motherboard? I have observed that only come of the pins are carrying the same voltage as the COM1 port that is working. I know this becase of my Palm Pilot being connected to it. Whenever I boot up the computer and my Palm is connected to the COM2, the Palm turn on but doesn't sync with windows. Could it be a loose connection at the back of the motherboard that I could just solder back together?