Com port speed

[billr]

Sorry to ask this again...

Using Win8, loading new firmware to MS3 seemed very slow, using full USB connection (connected to com3). How do I check/change those serial port settings? Firmware load went fine, just kind of slow. I found some USB stuff in "Device Manager" part of Control Panel, but nothing about com1-4 or speed settings for anything. I have done it before (with kind help from here!) so know it is there, just can't find it again... I need step-by-step help.

[Matt Cramer]

USB is a bit slower than serial for loading firmware; I haven't found much to speed it up.

[billr]

I had found it to be slow before (same computer and Win8) and was advised how to change port settings form the 9600 baud default to 115K baud. That helped a lot, of course, but I can't figure out how to even check the settings now. If this com3 is still at 9600 I would like to change that. I may just try all the other USB ports on this computer, see if one of them is the faster one that I changed before. But the only real test would be to keep reloading the firmware. That shouldn't really be a problem, but I am reluctant to "tease the bear". I would rather just find out how to check settings.

[racingmini_mtl]

I don't know if you have an FTDI-based adapter and I have no idea how it looks in Win8 but in Win7 once you get to the adapter properties in the device manager, you need to set the latency timer to 1. That makes a huge difference in the comm speed.

Jean

[billr]

It is the FTDI driver, but I can't find it in the Device Manager. My vague recollection is that the procedure involved one of those wonderful Microsoft "ctl/shift/-right-click/scratch-ear/face-north" type of commands! I know it was about last August that I went through this before, I'll just have to search the forums to find it... was hoping to avoid that. Did I mention that I hate Win8? Someday I'm going to have to figure out how to retro-fit XP into this beast.

[racingmini_mtl]

That's what Google got me: http://clientportal.softwaresecure.com/ ... ce-manager

And I really don't want to ever have to deal with Win8.

Jean

[billr]

I have no problem getting to the Device Manager, and in there I find "System Devices" and "USB Controllers". But in those I find nothing for FTDI or settings for anything, really.

[racingmini_mtl]

On Win7 it's not under "System Devices" or "USB Controllers" but under "Ports (COM & LPT)". I assume it should be similar on Win8. And the device has to be connected for it to be seen there.

Jean

[billr]

As far as I can tell, that "ports" section is missing in Win8. There seems to be a lot of useful stuff that was deleted between XP and 8... and a lot of useless stuff that was added.

[jsmcortina]

Seems like your Windows 8 isn't recognising the USB-serial as a COM port?

I found this screenshot from Windows 8. Looks the same as XP to me.

James

[racingmini_mtl]

As far as I can tell, that "ports" section is missing in Win8. There seems to be a lot of useful stuff that was deleted between XP and 8... and a lot of useless stuff that was added.

Hurray for Microsoft "progress"!

You could try to "Show hidden devices" in the Device manager. That might be where they've been put.

Jean

[billr]

Alas, my Win8 seems to be different. There is no "ports", it jumps from "network adapters" to "print queues"; and no "show hidden devices". I guess I have to figure out how to reload/repair Win8, or wipe it out so I can load XP or 7. I hate 8 so much that I would prefer to go back, but I doubt 8 will let me load an older version in place of it. The only way I know of right now is to remove the HDD and repartition it with an old DOS utility on an old computer. Taking apart laptops isn't all that easy, so I have been avoiding that.

[racingmini_mtl]

Could it be that you're not seen as an administrator?

Jean

[billr]

No, I'm using the admin user name and password. This computer acquired something malicious a while back. I "cured" that by deleting any files I could find that had been modified on that date. Maybe I ripped out something essential, but I'm kind of surprised malware would have gone after something as mundane as the port-setting utility.