COM port issue...

[cwwees]

I've just added a Bluetooth adapter to my PC. It's been plugged in and out of the USB port a few times. Now, iBike for Windows isn't able to find the COM port that the National Instruments driver was supposed to have set up.

iBike 3.0.6, firmware 4.0 on the iBike
Windows XP SP3

I don't see an option to "fix" an existing installation. I could un-install, then try to re-install - and hope that Natl Inst doesn't mess up my Bluetooth.

Looking for advice on mapping virtual COM ports and getting back whatever iBike was using before.

Charlie

[lorduintah]

The drivers come from National Instruments - a very good software company. That said - I think you should try an uninstall/install. The Bluetooth may be ay fault. NI may have additional capabilities to recognize what is already assigned, whereas the Bluetooth install may not.

Tom

[cwwees]

<sigh>
I've tried a series of "fixes" with no luck, yet. My system restore point from before the Bluetooth didn't work - too many other restore points since then.

I've removed and re-installed the NI driver - no luck. I removed the Bluetooth pseudo-COM port, then tried to install NI - no luck. Removed the Bluetooth HW, removed and re-installed iBike SW, no luck.

I'm currently going through registry clean and trying to get things back to the point that iBike can recognize the power meter.

I'm about to try installing the iBike SW on another machine, just to read the meter. I'd then copy the file across to the machine I want to use.<sigh>

Charlie

[cwwees]

There's something remaining behind when I un-install the iBike software. A re-install knows where my files are (c:\documents and settings\cwwees\my documents\-hobby-interests\bike\ibike) and reloads the last ride I've got on record. There's no indication of the Natl. Inst. software creating a COM port - it's possible that the Bluetooth installation has activated some kind of pseudo-com port manager for all the higher numbers?

Charlie

[lorduintah]

There is probably a folder - NI-VISA or something like that - it may well have instructions on uninstalling other files - I know the Mac version does. I have not installed the PC version, so I am only guessing.

Tom

[cwwees]

Installing the SW on another computer, I find that there's a "virtual com port" driver from Silicon Labs. I run down the list to un-install that , then re-install, and the "bah-ding" sound of a successful USB is sounded. Much better than the chattering of a failed USB connect.

But iBike SW still can't find the correct port while the Bluetooth unit is plugged in. It *does* now see the Bluetooth pseudo COM port. Of course, the iBike interface isn't USB. Should I ask for that as a feature in the next release?

In a little while, I'll try removing the Bluetooth USB to see is iBike can see the com port when there's no Bluetooth.

Charlie

[cwwees]

More tales of driver woe. I remove the physical Bluetooth dongle. I uninstall and re-install the USB-to-UART driver. iBike 3.0.6 sees the COM3 port and communicates with my older unit (a Gen ii). I think I'm happy. Then I unplug stuff, plug it back in, and the COM port can't be found. It's not on the list and several attempts to uninstall everything and re-install everything still haven't produced a single follow-on connection. I'm more than a little peeved at this point.

I've removed the bluetooth device, I've cleaned the system as best I know how, and I've re-installed. The interface simply isn't showing up.

Any suggestions anyone?

Charlie

[cwwees]

Is there any diagnostic software that can query the Silicon Labs driver to see if it sees the USB?

Charlie

[arkiejon]

Just a couple of things I found that might help out..

1. I found that Ibike software can not find the usb addaptor and IPro if I plug it into a USB 4 port hub. It has to be pluged direct into a high speed usb port. I have two brands of 4 port usb hubs and the IPro will not work when pluged in to either.

2. I had to remove my MI brand wireless mouse and keyboard because with them pluged in the IPro and usb adaptor could not be found. I replaced the wireless MI brand keyboard and mouse with a Logitech brand wireless keyboard and mouse and have no problem with the IPro and Ibike software finding things.

The IBike software and drivers are just not 100% compatable with other devices and may not be playing well with your Btooth.

All the above was on a Windows Vista computer. The 4 port hubs are HP brand and Mi brand.

You seem to be computer savy so you might grab a free copy of CCleaner from the website of the same name and clean up your system. And start over. Watch what you remove with this program. ONce you clean it, it is gone.

[cwwees]

Update... I can talk to the iBike on a different computer, just fine. I'm downloading my ride files and passing them from my kids' computer to mine after each ride, but I haven't been able to get my own computer to talk to the iBike. I've done numerous uninstall/registry clean/re-install sequences.

Most recently, I went to control panel \ system \ hardware \ device manager. I have the SP210X USB-to-UART driver installed. The device manager recognizes the driver (I asked to update the driver and Windows appears trace it down and load the same file. Device manager shows COM3 as the virtual com port, it shows the USB driver in place and functioning.

But the iBike / National Instruments software still can't find the device. It doesn't even list COM3 as an option under "device \ connect"

To recap: I've had an iBike talking with this computer for a dozen months. I installed a Bluetooth/USB dongle and got that to work. I didn't try to connect to the iBike for a couple weeks. When I did, it didn't work. I've removed every vestige of Bluetooth from the computer, registry, and every place I can find it.

I still can't make National Instruments/iBike connect to the USB port. But since Device manager shows it, I think that part should be working.

Any advice?

Charlie

[Morocco Mole]

In device manager under advanced settings you can change which com port is present by the SP210X USB-to-UART driver. Have been experiementing with Windows 7 and found some choices (com 3 for example) were not recognised in the iBike software. Try changing it to something higher than the normal 1 - 4 range, eg try COM 10. After changing, unplug and re-plug the iBike crade, then go back into the iBike software and re-connect to the device (Device\Connect)

[cwwees]

Much chagrin!

I probably could make the SI Labs go to a higher COM port and make it all work. Something clicked about the message from my Palm hotsync software... Sure enough, Palm was finding the COM3 and capturing it. iBike software couldn't access that port because Palm wanted to use it for hotsync.

I got the iBike talking on COM3, the default that it looks to use, then plug in the Bluetooth while the iBike is still plugged in, and the Bluetooth gets assigned to a higher COM port and both devices work together.

I will need to check through standby/resume cycles to see if the Bluetooth COM port moves around. For now, I'm leaving the iBike plugged in so it continues to capture the COM3.

Charlie

[mechgt]

In device manager under advanced settings you can change which com port is present by the SP210X USB-to-UART driver. Have been experiementing with Windows 7 and found some choices (com 3 for example) were not recognised in the iBike software. Try changing it to something higher than the normal 1 - 4 range, eg try COM 10. After changing, unplug and re-plug the iBike crade, then go back into the iBike software and re-connect to the device (Device\Connect)

Thanks for this! I too was having connection issues in Windows XP (see below). I simply went to device properties > Port Settings > Advanced and changed the COM port number to a different number (19 in my case) and now we're back online. After changing to a new COM port, I also right-clicked on the device and selected 'Scan for Hardware Changes' to ensure the change 'took'. Thanks!

My symptoms were:
- iBike software would not communicate with iBike (although was previously working)
- Device manager indicated: This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31)
- Yellow warning indicator in Device Manager on "Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge" device.