XP takes COM Port resources away from applications! (resou..

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Hi - I recently upgraded from WIN98SE to XPHomeSP2.

I have a home control application (Activehome1.42) that talks, via COM1,
to an external device. It includes a TSR that loads at boot time and
comminucates with the device from time to time. It loads and runs
great. Except, within 1/2 hour after loading, it loses communication
with the COM port. (this is repeatable). If I kill the TSR in the Task
Manager and re-load, it works again, for another 1/2 hour or so.

According to Activehome tech support - XP is 'taking away' the COM port
after a while. They are working on a new product that will supercede
this one, use USB, and be XP-friendly, but it's still in Beta.

Does anyone know if there is a way to tell XP "hands off" this COM
port? it SOUNDS like there's some sort of resource timeout.

thanks!
/j

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 10:16:12 -0400, Jeff W <msnews@kwcpa.com>
wrote:

>Hi - I recently upgraded from WIN98SE to XPHomeSP2.
>
>I have a home control application (Activehome1.42) that talks, via COM1,
>to an external device. It includes a TSR that loads at boot time and
>comminucates with the device from time to time. It loads and runs
>great. Except, within 1/2 hour after loading, it loses communication
>with the COM port. (this is repeatable). If I kill the TSR in the Task
>Manager and re-load, it works again, for another 1/2 hour or so.
>
>According to Activehome tech support - XP is 'taking away' the COM port
>after a while. They are working on a new product that will supercede
>this one, use USB, and be XP-friendly, but it's still in Beta.
>
>Does anyone know if there is a way to tell XP "hands off" this COM
>port? it SOUNDS like there's some sort of resource timeout.

I think the problem is with the Activehome gizmo (I've never lost
a com port). You could have the gizmo send a control signal to
some device you dont have installed (like a light "on" command to
an unused device address) every 15 min to keep the activehome
gizmo from timing out.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

it never timed out under WIN98SE

Si Ballenger wrote:

>On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 10:16:12 -0400, Jeff W <msnews@kwcpa.com>
>wrote:
>
>>Hi - I recently upgraded from WIN98SE to XPHomeSP2.
>>
>>I have a home control application (Activehome1.42) that talks, via COM1,
>>to an external device. It includes a TSR that loads at boot time and
>>comminucates with the device from time to time. It loads and runs
>>great. Except, within 1/2 hour after loading, it loses communication
>>with the COM port. (this is repeatable). If I kill the TSR in the Task
>>Manager and re-load, it works again, for another 1/2 hour or so.
>>
>>According to Activehome tech support - XP is 'taking away' the COM port
>>after a while. They are working on a new product that will supercede
>>this one, use USB, and be XP-friendly, but it's still in Beta.
>>
>>Does anyone know if there is a way to tell XP "hands off" this COM
>>port? it SOUNDS like there's some sort of resource timeout.
>
>I think the problem is with the Activehome gizmo (I've never lost
>a com port). You could have the gizmo send a control signal to
>some device you dont have installed (like a light "on" command to
>an unused device address) every 15 min to keep the activehome
>gizmo from timing out.
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Windows XP is NOT Windows 98SE..


"Jeff W" <msnews@Kwcpa.com> wrote in message
news:u$1noJhsEHA.2980@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> it never timed out under WIN98SE
>
> Si Ballenger wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 10:16:12 -0400, Jeff W <msnews@kwcpa.com>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>Hi - I recently upgraded from WIN98SE to XPHomeSP2.
>>>
>>>I have a home control application (Activehome1.42) that talks, via COM1,
>>>to an external device. It includes a TSR that loads at boot time and
>>>comminucates with the device from time to time. It loads and runs
>>>great. Except, within 1/2 hour after loading, it loses communication
>>>with the COM port. (this is repeatable). If I kill the TSR in the Task
>>>Manager and re-load, it works again, for another 1/2 hour or so.
>>>
>>>According to Activehome tech support - XP is 'taking away' the COM port
>>>after a while. They are working on a new product that will supercede
>>>this one, use USB, and be XP-friendly, but it's still in Beta.
>>>
>>>Does anyone know if there is a way to tell XP "hands off" this COM
>>>port? it SOUNDS like there's some sort of resource timeout.
>>
>>I think the problem is with the Activehome gizmo (I've never lost
>>a com port). You could have the gizmo send a control signal to
>>some device you dont have installed (like a light "on" command to
>>an unused device address) every 15 min to keep the activehome
>>gizmo from timing out.
>>
>>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

ummm, yes - with you so far... The software is the version that is
design to work with XP (I used a different revision on WIN98)

Mike Hall wrote:

>Windows XP is NOT Windows 98SE..
>
>
>"Jeff W" <msnews@Kwcpa.com> wrote in message
>news:u$1noJhsEHA.2980@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>> it never timed out under WIN98SE
>>
>> Si Ballenger wrote:
>>
>>>On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 10:16:12 -0400, Jeff W <msnews@kwcpa.com>
>>>wrote:
>>>
>>>>Hi - I recently upgraded from WIN98SE to XPHomeSP2.
>>>>
>>>>I have a home control application (Activehome1.42) that talks, via COM1,
>>>>to an external device. It includes a TSR that loads at boot time and
>>>>comminucates with the device from time to time. It loads and runs
>>>>great. Except, within 1/2 hour after loading, it loses communication
>>>>with the COM port. (this is repeatable). If I kill the TSR in the Task
>>>>Manager and re-load, it works again, for another 1/2 hour or so.
>>>>
>>>>According to Activehome tech support - XP is 'taking away' the COM port
>>>>after a while. They are working on a new product that will supercede
>>>>this one, use USB, and be XP-friendly, but it's still in Beta.
>>>>
>>>>Does anyone know if there is a way to tell XP "hands off" this COM
>>>>port? it SOUNDS like there's some sort of resource timeout.
>>>
>>>I think the problem is with the Activehome gizmo (I've never lost
>>>a com port). You could have the gizmo send a control signal to
>>>some device you dont have installed (like a light "on" command to
>>>an unused device address) every 15 min to keep the activehome
>>>gizmo from timing out.
>>>
>>>
>
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

"Jeff W" <msnews@kwcpa.com> wrote in message
news:ujIXWhfsEHA.3324@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Hi - I recently upgraded from WIN98SE to XPHomeSP2.
>
> I have a home control application (Activehome1.42) that talks, via
> COM1,
> to an external device. It includes a TSR that loads at boot time and
> comminucates with the device from time to time. It loads and runs
> great. Except, within 1/2 hour after loading, it loses communication
> with the COM port. (this is repeatable). If I kill the TSR in the
> Task
> Manager and re-load, it works again, for another 1/2 hour or so.
>
> According to Activehome tech support - XP is 'taking away' the COM
> port
> after a while. They are working on a new product that will supercede
> this one, use USB, and be XP-friendly, but it's still in Beta.
>
> Does anyone know if there is a way to tell XP "hands off" this COM
> port? it SOUNDS like there's some sort of resource timeout.
>
> thanks!
> /j

Run the system information tool and verify that there is nothing using
COM3 - a modem, for example that has not been disabled.

Q

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

I have a 'telephone manager' program that uses 2 USB ports and "calls"
them COM3 and COM4 in its software. could that be the problem?
/j

Quaoar wrote:

>"Jeff W" <msnews@kwcpa.com> wrote in message
>news:ujIXWhfsEHA.3324@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>> Hi - I recently upgraded from WIN98SE to XPHomeSP2.
>>
>> I have a home control application (Activehome1.42) that talks, via
>> COM1,
>> to an external device. It includes a TSR that loads at boot time and
>> comminucates with the device from time to time. It loads and runs
>> great. Except, within 1/2 hour after loading, it loses communication
>> with the COM port. (this is repeatable). If I kill the TSR in the
>> Task
>> Manager and re-load, it works again, for another 1/2 hour or so.
>>
>> According to Activehome tech support - XP is 'taking away' the COM
>> port
>> after a while. They are working on a new product that will supercede
>> this one, use USB, and be XP-friendly, but it's still in Beta.
>>
>> Does anyone know if there is a way to tell XP "hands off" this COM
>> port? it SOUNDS like there's some sort of resource timeout.
>>
>> thanks!
>> /j
>
>Run the system information tool and verify that there is nothing using
>COM3 - a modem, for example that has not been disabled.
>
>Q
>
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

nope - i disabled it and it didn't help (sigh)
/j

Jeff W wrote:

>I have a 'telephone manager' program that uses 2 USB ports and "calls"
>them COM3 and COM4 in its software. could that be the problem?
>/j
>
>Quaoar wrote:
>
>>"Jeff W" <msnews@kwcpa.com> wrote in message
>>news:ujIXWhfsEHA.3324@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>>> Hi - I recently upgraded from WIN98SE to XPHomeSP2.
>>>
>>> I have a home control application (Activehome1.42) that talks, via
>>> COM1,
>>> to an external device. It includes a TSR that loads at boot time and
>>> comminucates with the device from time to time. It loads and runs
>>> great. Except, within 1/2 hour after loading, it loses communication
>>> with the COM port. (this is repeatable). If I kill the TSR in the
>>> Task
>>> Manager and re-load, it works again, for another 1/2 hour or so.
>>>
>>> According to Activehome tech support - XP is 'taking away' the COM
>>> port
>>> after a while. They are working on a new product that will supercede
>>> this one, use USB, and be XP-friendly, but it's still in Beta.
>>>
>>> Does anyone know if there is a way to tell XP "hands off" this COM
>>> port? it SOUNDS like there's some sort of resource timeout.
>>>
>>> thanks!
>>> /j
>>
>>Run the system information tool and verify that there is nothing using
>>COM3 - a modem, for example that has not been disabled.
>>
>>Q
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Try uninstalling instead. If that doesn't work, you can always reinstall.
I'm thinking that disabling the device/port STILL doesn't change the fact
that the definition for COM3 & COM4 is different. It's definitely a SWAG on
my part, but it might work.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

thanks - will try

Kathea Banshou wrote:

>Try uninstalling instead. If that doesn't work, you can always reinstall.
>I'm thinking that disabling the device/port STILL doesn't change the fact
>that the definition for COM3 & COM4 is different. It's definitely a SWAG on
>my part, but it might work.
>
>