Read what it says in resources. ===================================== If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

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Resources page states the following: Com1 Resource settings I/O Range 03F8-03FF IRQ 04 Use automatic settings box is checked [settings based on and change setting boxes are grayed out] Conflicting device list No conflicts

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Those are the defaults, so I would leave them alone. What about: mode com1 ? And does the software in question have a 'settings' option? ===================================== If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

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The program settings allow the selection of a com port and I have selected "Com1". I see no reference to "mode com1" within the resource page.

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type this at the prompt: mode com1 ===================================== If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

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I am not feeling very "average" with all my questions. What do you mean by "type this at the prompt"? Within the e-Caddy software there is a menu that allows me to select one of four com modes; Com1, Com2, Com3, or Com4. I do not see where I can type anything.

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"Com1 is enabled within the Device Manager." Make sure it is enabled in your bios too, and is not in an infrared mode. "Within the e-Caddy software there is a menu that allows me to select one of four com modes; Com1, Com2, Com3, or Com4." Older software often assumes standard settings for Com 1 to Com 4. Com 1 and Com 3 use IRQ 4, but two different I/O addresses; Com 2 and Com 4 use IRQ 3, but two different I/O addresses; the I/O addresses of all 4 Com ports are different from each other. "I do not see where I can type anything." In Windows - Start - Run - type: cmd (press enter) type: mode com1 (press enter) You should see something like in response 5. ...... Test whether the Com port will work with another serial connected device if you can. E.g. If you have a serial connected mouse handy, or can borrow one, or if your mouse came with an adapter than can adapt to a serial port, shut off the computer, connect it to the Com port, start the computer - Windows should automatically find and enable a Serial mouse. Sometimes the mouse will not work while booting into Windows - in that case you may need to use your Tab key to toggle Windows to an active key choice, and use Enter to choose it. The mouse should work once the Desktop has loaded.

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I followed your instructions within start-Run and the and the response is as follows: "device Com1 is not currently available." The e-CaddyLIZER initially worked OK with Com 1 selected within the e-Caddy program. Now apparently Com1 is not operational. I can only conclude that I inadvertently changed something to cause that. What can be done to get Com1 operational? Thank you for your detailed reply. Thanks for your detailed reply.

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Make sure it is enabled in your bios Setup too, and is not in an infrared mode. The legacy default settings for Com1 are IRQ 4 and I/O 378 or 378H or simlar, if it allows you to specify resources.

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When your frustration level is too high, feel free to tell me to seek on site tech help. I do not have another serial device available now. How do I go about checking the bios setup as you instructed?

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Seems like that would be a pointless exercise, since the port must already be enabled in order for Windows to have it in Device Manager (as per your #3 and #8) Nevertheless, accessing the BIOS is typically a simple thing, and something every computer user/owner/operater should know how to do - it's basically the master setup for a computer, accessed via the built-in CMOS program, usually by pressing a key or combination of keys upon system startup read more If it worked before but doesn't now, then, yes, something must have changed - hard to see how that 'something' could be the BIOS since you're unaware of how to get there It's probably something simpler - have you tried uninstalling, reboot, then reinstalling the software? It's possible that the COM port has been subtley damaged, as tuber suggested (amids much other verbiage and pedantry) I'm not one of those who think Bill Gates is the devil. I simply suspect that if Microsoft ever met up with the devil, it wouldn't need an interpreter.

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jboy: Thank you for the bios information. I have tried the uninstall/reboot/reinstall without success. Perhaps the next course of action is to acquire a Com/USB adapter. From all the exchanges in this thread, it appears that the problem lies with the computer's Com1 port rather than the CaddyLINKER connector cable. With the adapter I may be able to obtain upload and download capability by connecting to my USB hub. To all who have participated in this thread, thank you for your time and patience.

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"device Com1 is not currently available." Was the software running and the cable connected? If so exit SW and unplug cable and try again. As jboy says, with COM1 in dev mgr it's a dead sure bet that it's in BIOS. ===================================== If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

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Using Start - Run - typing: cmd (enter), then typing: mode comx (enter) where x is a number 1 to 4 should tell you which Com ports are available regardless of whether a serial device is plugged into them. Since Com 1 is not available, try mode com2, mode com3, mode com4. Your bios Setup and XP may assign different Com port numbers - XP doesn't necessarily adhere to using default legacy settings, and the computer bios may or may not adhere to default legacy settings. What's more important is the resources (IRQ and I/O ) the Com port you see in Device Manager is using. Double click on the Com port in Device Manager and see what Resources it is using. Your CaddyLinker software must be set to the same settings. If you don't know how to get into the bios Setup, start or re-start the computer and press F2 immediately when you see the Dell logo screen. If the bios Setup screen does not appear, let Windows load, Restart and try again. There is a setting for Serial Port 1 - your owners manual says only that Auto will auto select Com 1 or Com 3 settings - it doesn't say what is available there otherwise. Most important is the port must be enabled, to some setting or other, other than infrared. Legacy default settings are IRQ 4 for both, I/O 378 for Com 1, 278 for Com 3, but you may also see IRQ 3 (legacy com 2 and 4)and 3E8 (legacy Com 2), 2E8 (legacy com 4) if the settings are not strictly legacy defaults.

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Followed instructions in Response #19; no luck. Followed instructions in Response #20 and noted the following information: Com1 device is not currently available. Com2 through Com4 are illegal device names. See my response # 8 for Com1 resource settings. The only CaddyLINKER changeable setting is the Com1 through Com4 drop down menu and I have selected Com1. Within the bios I found the following: Legacy settings are Auto, Off, Com1 through Com4. I left it at Auto where it was originally. Parallel port settings were: Mode PS/2 and I/O address: 378h. You must feel like you are leading a blind man with only one leg and no crutch. Perhaps I should alert you that I am a senior citizen who will celebrate his 50th reunion at his alma mater in two months! That information may dissuade you from further correspondence. If so, thanks for your time and the basic computer instructions.

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"Device Com1 is not currently available." Apparently that means something is using the resources for Com1. I have a computer with just one Com port enabled in the bios. In XP it is Com 1 set to standard Com 1 resource settings, like yours - IRQ 4, 3F8. I tried connecting (with Windows Shut Down)a serial mouse to the Com port. I ran: mode Com1 - I got "Device Com1 is not currently available." If you do not have a serial mouse connected to the port, do you have an internal modem on the computer? Dial-up modems often default to using standard Com 1 or Com 2 resources, especially if they are older. Dial-up modems do not show which resources they are using in Device Manager, but they do show which Com port they are using. If you do have an internal dialup modem, the Auto setting for Serial Port 1 in the bios Setup is allowing the internal modem to use IRQ 4 and 3F8, in effect the setting in the bios might as well be disabled. Disable the internal modem on the General page in the properties for the modem. Shut down the computer, plug in the CaddyLinker serial connection if it isn't already plugged in, and reboot, try the CaddyLinker software. ..... As a side note, I tried connecting (with Windows Shut Down)an external modem to the same port. I ran: mode Com1. I still got a display similar to that in response 5 - the same as I was getting previously with nothing physically connected to the same port. Apparently you have to be actually be using the modem on the internet or for a fax program to get the "Device Com1 is not currently available" message. ...... If you do not have an internal dial-up modem, try Uninstalling the Com 1 port in Device Mangaer, rebooting, and letting Windows find it again.

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Since I do not have a dial up modem, I uninstalled the Com1 Port as you recommended. After rebooting, I connected the DaddyLINKER and attempted to download data from the e-Caddy. THE DOWNLOAD WAS SUCCESSFUL !!!!!!!!!!!!! Tubesandwires, you are to be commended for your tenacity and expertise when facing a challenge such as the one you have been grappling with the past couple of days. The challenge was two fold; a technical challenge and a computer "challenged" person such as me. I now have a computer story of considerable interest to tell my West Point classmates at our 50th reunion in May. THANK YOU.

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Success! That's what I love to hear! You're welcome! By the way, it really doesn't matter how old you are when it comes to computers as long as you attempt to figure out your own problems - you're never too old to learn new things. If was was to go to my high school graduation reunion it would be the 37th this year in June. I had never used a personal computer before 1988. Windows has a tendency to not remove previous settings for some devices until you un-install them in Device Manager and let Windows reset them during the next boot. I guess this is one of those cases. When I used Yahoo to search for info about the: "Com1" is "not currently available" error, I found one old post on this very site that said he no longer had the error after Disabling the Com port in Device Manager, then Enabling it again. I thought Un-installing the Com port was more likely to work, so I thought I'd throw that in.

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BRAVO ZULU ===================================== If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

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hey ppl i am unable to interrupt program i am using to communicate via com1 port in 'C'language. i used the 0C hex(2 byte code) for irq4.

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varsha You need to provide a lot more info and you should start a new thread so that you can have more people see your posts Pick a forum - e.g. General is probably seen by more people who answer. click on the yellow Post icon with the blue stick pin above the forum header.

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Tubesandwires; Once again, the Com1 Port would not communicate with the CaddyLinker. Following your instructions that worked before, I uninstalled Com1 Port/rebooted and the Caddylinker worked OK. After some investigation/experimentation, it appears that the use of a SanDisk flash drive on one of the USB ports is disabling the Com1 Port. Looking back, about the time I began using the flash drive, I began to have problems with the Caddylinker on Com1 Port. This is very strange. Do you have any experience with such a problem?

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"Do you have any experience with such a problem?" Not of a Com port and a USB device conflicting, but of two USB devices conflicting, etc., yes. I suspect the SanDisk flash drive is specifying it wants to use the I/O address normally used for Com 1, which is rather unusual since normally only Com ports use Com port I/O addresses. It would be using the USB IRQ, of course. See Response 20 - you could try setting your Com port in your bios Setup to Com 3, and then set your CaddyLinker software to Com 3, and see if the CaddyLinker software works with the SanDisk flash drive plugged in.

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After more investigation, I have determined that the flash drive is not the problem. Com1 is being disabled even though I have not connected the flash drive. I will continue to try to isolate the offending hardware. Thanks for your reply.

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When you install devices the resources they require are recorded somewhere in Windows. It is quite probable those resource settings remain "reserved" even when the SanDisk Flash drive is not installed. Uninstalling Com 1 in Device Manager then rebooting top let Windows find the port again works because it loads the default legacy assignments for the Com port, releasing the I/O address used from being "reserved" for the SanDisk Flash drive. Another thought. Since the default setting for the Com port in the bios Setup is Auto, you may be able to set that to Com 1 to force the legacy resource settings to be reserved only for the Com port - in that case the Sandisk Flash drive should find another PNP I/O address automatically, and you may no longer have the problem.

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I changed the bios setup from auto to Com1 and that did not resolve the problem. I will reset it to auto. For now I am just going to enter the data in the software program manually since the Com1 Port is not working properly. Thanks again.

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Try this. In the bios Setup set the port to Com 1 to force the legacy resource settings to be reserved only for the Com port. It is not a good idea to leave that in Auto because that may allow any PNP device, including the SanDisk Flash, to grab the I/O setting for Com 1, and that's not the situation you want. Uninstall Com 1 in Device Manager then reboot to let Windows find the port again. The CaddyLinker software should work fine. Then try the SanDisk Flash Drive. Then try the Caddylinker software. If I'm right in my assumptions, the SanDisk Flash drive will not longer conflict (be using the I/O address for the Com Port) and the CaddyLinker software should still work. If that isn't the case, you will just have to uninstall Com 1 in Device Manager then reboot to let Windows find the port again whenever the CaddyLinker software doesn't work.

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I followed your instructions and confirmed that the flash drive is not the source of the problem. As always, the CaddyLinker works after the Com1 Port uninstall/reboot, but does not work after a subsequent computer shut down. I agree that I will have to use the uninstall/reboot to use the CaddyLinker software. Thanks again.

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The next time the CaddyLinker software doesn't work.... Start - Run - type: msinfo32 (press Enter) On the left side of System Information Hardware Resources - I/O Look on the right side about 1/2 way down and find what device is using 0x0000003F8- xxx or what is overlapping that address range (normal for Com 1 is 0x0000003F8- 0x0000003FF )

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" Com 1 is 0x0000003F8- 0x0000003FF" is displayed when the upload can not be accomplished. That corresponds to your notation of normal for Com1.

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OK, so that's not the problem. In the same situation, Hardware Resources - Conficts and Sharing - anything there tagged beginning with red lettering? Is anything listed as using the same IRQ as the Com port (4)? Components - Problem Devices - anything there? If there is nothing there either, I'm stumped. On the other hand sometimes a conflict does not show up there in any case.

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No red lettering. No same IRQ. All IRQs OK. Specifically: IRQ4 Communications Port [Com1] OK No problem Devices. I wish I had another serial port device to connect to confirm that the CaddyLINKER is functional. However, since it functions OK after a Com1 uninstall/reboot, I assume it is functional

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Tubesandwires: I now use the following workaround to access the digital scoring device connected to Com1. I disabled Com1 in The Device Manager and restarted the computer. Thereafter, when I want to upload/download with the device, I enable Com1; perform the upload/download; disable Com1. This works for all subsequent computer restarts. I have a shortcut to Device Manager in quick launch to facilitate the enable/disable switching.

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Ah! Good for you! Less trouble than having to Un-install it in Device Manager and reboot.

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