my port settings for NI-Serial card is grayed out, WHY???

[GD_Scott]

I have tried everything that I can think of.  My application needs com ports 5,6,7,8.  When I install NI serial card, it automatically assigns to com 3,4,5,6.  I am installing on windows XP as an administrator and using NI-Serial 3.3 apllication SW. 

When I access com port settings through control panel-system-device manager-ports and try to change com port through "Port settings" tab, there is no "port settings" tab for com 3,4,5,6.  There is a "port settings" tab for com 1, and I can change that.  Why no "port settings" tab for the com ports utilized by the NI-serial card?

I also tried to NI's Measurement and automation utility and change the com port settings on that.  I can at least see the com port setting field in that tool, but it is grayed out.

Please help.

[GD_Scott]

Also, when I run the "NI-Serial Troubleshooting Wizard," it passes the first step (NI-Serial SW presence verified), but fails the second step of detecting the HW.  But in my device manage, I see all four com port devices listed as NI instruments and it says device working properly and I can't update the driver because I already have the best match.

[Rimasaurus]

Hi,

You will only be able to change the port settings through Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX), and not through Device Manager.  Since you are currently unable to do this in MAX, and your hardware is not being recognized in the NI-Serial Troubleshooting Wizard, there may be something wrong with the NI-Serial driver installation.  Try uninstalling the hardware and repairing the driver in Add or Remove Programs.  The NI-Serial driver will be listed in National Instruments Software.  If repairing does not help you detect the hardware in the wizard, then try uninstalling the NI-Serial driver completely and reinstalling it.  Please let us know if you're seeing the same problems after reinstalling the driver.

Regards,

Rima

[GD_Scott]

I believe somewhere in my troubleshooting I uninstalled the drivers for the NI-Serial card, rebooted machine without removing NI-Serial card, card detected upon reboot, manually point to NI-Serial 3.3 folder which included the drivers for reinstall of drivers, and same problem of not being able to change port/com settings.

I didn't go as far as removing MAX from my PC via add/remove programs because I didn't want to mess with the two GPIB cards that have been installed and are working correctly.

Since then, I just found the various com port settings within the SW application, and changed each reference (i.e. serial6 -> serial4, etc.).

My automated test program is currently running and has made it through the initial problems it encountered.

So I guess I was able to work around it.  But it still seems strange to me that if the serial card is operating correctly, (even though com ports are static and unable to be changed currently), but it's indicating that serial card isn't communicating correctly with NI application (MAX or NI-Serial troubleshooter) due to a suspected driver issue, why wouldn't I be getting other errors during my current test run?

[Rimasaurus]

Hi,

This seems to be a unique problem, and it will be hard to troubleshoot this and explain why the NI software isn't working as expected without more details about the hardware and software in this system.  There could be some other software that is causing a corruption with the NI-Serial driver.  At least you've been able to work around the problems, and you're able to change the port settings with the other software.  If you would like to troubleshoot further, I will be happy to help you.  Good luck with your application!

Regards,

Rima