fix lpt/com ports

[shellroc2]

How to get into bios and change or add com lpt port. My device manager doesnt show them...also have some yellow ! and ? going on. windows xp sp3 dell dimension e510. dont have option to add hardware.

 

[Hawkeye22]

During boot you should see an option like F2- setup or something of the sort. Hit the button before it boots into windows and you should get into the bios. Find your LPT/COM port setting and set it to "ENABLED". Use the option to save settings and reboot.

Once in windows, if it doesn't detect the ports automatically, go into the device manager and use the option to "scan for new hardware".

The yellow exclamation marks and question mark means the hardware was detected, but the incorrect or no driver is installed for them. If you built this computer, be sure to install the chipset drivers that came with the motherboard. This should fix most of those.

 

[shellroc2]

During boot you should see an option like F2- setup or something of the sort. Hit the button before it boots into windows and you should get into the bios. Find your LPT/COM port setting and set it to "ENABLED". Use the option to save settings and reboot.

Once in windows, if it doesn't detect the ports automatically, go into the device manager and use the option to "scan for new hardware".

The yellow exclamation marks and question mark means the hardware was detected, but the incorrect or no driver is installed for them. If you built this computer, be sure to install the chipset drivers that came with the motherboard. This should fix most of those.

There isnt any lpt/com port option in the f2 mode. the only BIOS word I see, is in the system info area, and the settings cant b changed. I went into device manager, and scanned, with no avail. and when I update driver, it says it could not find a better match for my hardware than I already have. The items in yellow are: sm bus controller and idt high definition audio codec. No, I didnt build this, had to put in new hard drive and memory boards. The only thing different is that I had to put memory boards in DIMM 2 & 4 because they wont work in DIMM 1 & 3.

 

[hang-the-9]

Download the drivers for your computer from Dell's support site, chipset drivers. Should be a several others. Delete the hardware with the issues from Device Manager first then install the drivers. Windows driver search almost never finds anything because it only searches what Microsoft has available.

 

[shellroc2]

Download the drivers for your computer from Dell's support site, chipset drivers. Should be a several others. Delete the hardware with the issues from Device Manager first then install the drivers. Windows driver search almost never finds anything because it only searches what Microsoft has available.

I went to dell. downloaded everything that was recommended when they did the search for my service tag number. and yes the chipset was one of them.. deleted the yellow items before downloading new stuff.. I still have yellow sm bus contoller and idt hight def audio codec. when told I had new hardware (sm bus ctrlr) and searched to install, it came back unable code 10. still dont have lpt/com port info in device mgr.

 

[Hawkeye22]

The chipset drivers should have taken care of the SMBUS. As for the audio codec, did dell list any audio drivers? if so, that should be what it needs.

 

[hang-the-9]

Download the drivers for your computer from Dell's support site, chipset drivers. Should be a several others. Delete the hardware with the issues from Device Manager first then install the drivers. Windows driver search almost never finds anything because it only searches what Microsoft has available.

I went to dell. downloaded everything that was recommended when they did the search for my service tag number. and yes the chipset was one of them.. deleted the yellow items before downloading new stuff.. I still have yellow sm bus contoller and idt hight def audio codec. when told I had new hardware (sm bus ctrlr) and searched to install, it came back unable code 10. still dont have lpt/com port info in device mgr.

Just to make sure, you downloaded and ran the stup for the drivers right? Not just downloaded the files and left them sitting on the hard drive. How did this issue start?

 

[shellroc2]

The chipset drivers should have taken care of the SMBUS. As for the audio codec, did dell list any audio drivers? if so, that should be what it needs.

yes, the audio file was: sigmatel stac 92xx c-major hd audio driver. the chipset is intel 82945g express chipset family. still have the same problem. HOWEVER, I just ran a diagnostic test, and amazing results came back.. everything passed....but 2 things...my dvd-rw drive & system board.. go figure.. my dvd works fine, and my pc is still running.. dont get it..on the system board, it says the diagnostic name is rtc accuracy test failed... on the dvd, it says flash rom test failed

 

[Hawkeye22]

Odd that the drivers aren't fixing the problem. RTC = Real Time Clock. Which diagnostics program did you run? I'd be skeptical of those results.

 

[shellroc2]

Odd that the drivers aren't fixing the problem. RTC = Real Time Clock. Which diagnostics program did you run? I'd be skeptical of those results.

It was Dell diagnostic. I give my service tag #, and it goes from there.. Oh, it just keeps getting worse.. Paid a computer expert to uninstall windows xp and reinstall (which I had already done), and the problem still exists. But come to find out, the com/lpt port has nothing to do with the usb problem. When I connect my usb for my security camera, the pc finds the hardware, but not the software.. funny thing, it works on my other xp...... all my other usb devices work...