COM port blues (XP)

i am dying over here. i have xp (my biggest problem) and i am trying to connect to my player to correct a corrupt database.

i downloaded the logoedit14 to try to connect via my com port. i am using the 'null modem' serial cable that came with my player. logoedit tells me that the port cannot be opened. i have tried setting it to all com ports in logoedit (COM1, COM2, etc)

i then downloaded Hyperterminal Private Edition and when I try to connect it says "selected port is already being used by another telephony device". it only gives me the option of COM1 or TCP/IP in hyperterminal. this is not listed as compatible with XP. it also did not come bundled with it under accessories -> communications

has anyone else had this problem or know how i can solve it?

i spent a half an hour with Dell troubleshooting the physical port and there is no problem there. it is listed as "working properly" in the device manager and "no conflicts"!

kill me..

First thing I would recommend is finding a friend with another computer (preferably one with a known-good COM port) and trying it on that PC. This would rule out problems with your PC.

Reboot your XP machine into Windows Safe Mode (or Safe Mode with Networking).
[Press F8 during the windows boot up progress bar to select which boot mode to come up in].

This will eliminate a lot of problems in one go.
then try and run Empldoe then to fix/upgrade your empeg.
You can then assign it a IP address so that you can then use the Ethernet in the future if neeed].

If the com port won't work under Safe mode then you really need to find another PC with a known usable com port you can use to fix the empeg problem.

Assuming it does work under Safe mode, then you have a 'work around', you can then compare whats running in Safe mode versus whats running in normal mode and try and locate the difference.

Be aware that the UPS service uses a COM port and your Dell may think you have a UPS installed - this can be turned off under the Power setting in Control panel.

Sorrry I can't be more helpful than the above suggestion, but I run XP on a Dell PC at home with Hyperterminal and can use my com ports without problems, I have to make sure I know which device is plugged into what com port as I have about 5 com ports on my system now.

Be aware that the UPS service uses a COM port and your Dell may think you have a UPS installed - this can be turned off under the Power setting in Control panel.

Interesting, I hadn't thought of that one.

thanks for the tip,

when i went to the UPS tab in the power settings it said that the UPS is currently stopped..bummer

i don't feel that is is the physical port - i ran all the tests from the sytem config (baud test, etc) and they all passed.

i am going to test my player on a friends machine tonight and see if it might be my cable

thanks again for all of your help
this has been a very frustrating few days but luckily i loaded 5324 songs on the player before the problems began. that should be enough to keep me busy until i figure this darn com port issue out

I'd consider trying the tests in safe mode - its about 5 minutes of work and it would eliminate lots of variables in one go.

Plus if it does work, it may save you a trip to your friends place.

woo hoo! got it to work

under modems there was a modem installed and said something about "two computers talking to each other" i just removed the modem and connected on COM1 with logoedit

thank you for listening to my whining and all of your suggestion

hijack 275 is on and i will now attempt to fix the corrpt database.