Serial Port is Dead!

My serial port on a Dell is dead.
I'd like to use it to communication with my PalmPilot
(which it used to quite well). But it works no longer.
After many attempts to fix, took it to a computer shop.
They found it dead and couldn't resolve the problem.
They added a serial port card as a work around but couldn't
activate the card! Suggested I re-install M/S Me, which I
have done. Still no serial port.
Have excahnged several emails with Dell support but I'm not
confident that they are on the right trial. I've run
diagnostics on the system and serial port and they do not
reveal any problems. Dell suggestions have included:
1) re-install Me
2) Replace motherboard
3) Clear NVRAM
4) Re-install Intel chipset driver.

They seem to be grasping at straws anmd other than the s/w
re-install, I've not moved further on their suggestions.

Any suggestions.

Sounds like a hardware problem to me and could most likely originate in the
motherboard.
You will have to look for a competent computer mechanic and probably wind up
paying more than a new machine would be worth, if bought at a nearby
computer show.
You'll be the judge.

Harry.


"Phil" wrote in message
...
My serial port on a Dell is dead.
I'd like to use it to communication with my PalmPilot
(which it used to quite well). But it works no longer.
After many attempts to fix, took it to a computer shop.
They found it dead and couldn't resolve the problem.
They added a serial port card as a work around but couldn't
activate the card! Suggested I re-install M/S Me, which I
have done. Still no serial port.
Have excahnged several emails with Dell support but I'm not
confident that they are on the right trial. I've run
diagnostics on the system and serial port and they do not
reveal any problems. Dell suggestions have included:
1) re-install Me
2) Replace motherboard
3) Clear NVRAM
4) Re-install Intel chipset driver.

They seem to be grasping at straws anmd other than the s/w
re-install, I've not moved further on their suggestions.

Any suggestions.


---
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Phil
First thing to do is to check out the Device Manager while in Safe Mode -
and Remove ALL Serial ports found - reboot to Normal Mode, and Windows will
reinstall the required drivers.

See if that helps - and report back

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Phil" wrote in message
...
My serial port on a Dell is dead.
I'd like to use it to communication with my PalmPilot
(which it used to quite well). But it works no longer.
After many attempts to fix, took it to a computer shop.
They found it dead and couldn't resolve the problem.
They added a serial port card as a work around but couldn't
activate the card! Suggested I re-install M/S Me, which I
have done. Still no serial port.
Have excahnged several emails with Dell support but I'm not
confident that they are on the right trial. I've run
diagnostics on the system and serial port and they do not
reveal any problems. Dell suggestions have included:
1) re-install Me
2) Replace motherboard
3) Clear NVRAM
4) Re-install Intel chipset driver.

They seem to be grasping at straws anmd other than the s/w
re-install, I've not moved further on their suggestions.

Any suggestions.

Thanks Noel.
Procedure followed as suggested.
No joy.

Phil

-----Original Message-----
Phil
First thing to do is to check out the Device Manager while
in Safe Mode -
and Remove ALL Serial ports found - reboot to Normal Mode,
and Windows will
reinstall the required drivers.

See if that helps - and report back

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post
messages to NG's

"Phil" wrote in message
...
My serial port on a Dell is dead.
I'd like to use it to communication with my PalmPilot
(which it used to quite well). But it works no longer.
After many attempts to fix, took it to a computer shop.
They found it dead and couldn't resolve the problem.
They added a serial port card as a work around but couldn't
activate the card! Suggested I re-install M/S Me, which I
have done. Still no serial port.
Have excahnged several emails with Dell support but I'm not
confident that they are on the right trial. I've run
diagnostics on the system and serial port and they do not
reveal any problems. Dell suggestions have included:
1) re-install Me
2) Replace motherboard
3) Clear NVRAM
4) Re-install Intel chipset driver.

They seem to be grasping at straws anmd other than the s/w
re-install, I've not moved further on their suggestions.

Any suggestions.


.

Resetting the BIOS is a possible solution - although that will re-activate
the onboard COM port(s), so assuming that they're still U/S after a reboot,
then you should go back into the BIOS and deactivate them before attempting
any further work with the add-in card.

What model of COM port add-on did the store give you?
What model Dell do you have?

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

wrote in message
...
Thanks Noel.
Procedure followed as suggested.
No joy.

Phil

-----Original Message-----
Phil
First thing to do is to check out the Device Manager while
in Safe Mode -
and Remove ALL Serial ports found - reboot to Normal Mode,
and Windows will
reinstall the required drivers.

See if that helps - and report back

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post
messages to NG's

"Phil" wrote in message
...
My serial port on a Dell is dead.
I'd like to use it to communication with my PalmPilot
(which it used to quite well). But it works no longer.
After many attempts to fix, took it to a computer shop.
They found it dead and couldn't resolve the problem.
They added a serial port card as a work around but couldn't
activate the card! Suggested I re-install M/S Me, which I
have done. Still no serial port.
Have excahnged several emails with Dell support but I'm not
confident that they are on the right trial. I've run
diagnostics on the system and serial port and they do not
reveal any problems. Dell suggestions have included:
1) re-install Me
2) Replace motherboard
3) Clear NVRAM
4) Re-install Intel chipset driver.

They seem to be grasping at straws anmd other than the s/w
re-install, I've not moved further on their suggestions.

Any suggestions.


.

I'm running a Dell model L900C desktop.
There is no new serial card in the unit.
The computer repair depot did install one thinking that
that would be a workaround to the dead installed serial
port but they couldn't get the card to work either so they
removed it. At least I didn't have to pay for a card that
wouldn't work ;-)

I did reset the BIOS to no avail.

Phil
=========================
-----Original Message-----
Resetting the BIOS is a possible solution - although that
will re-activate
the onboard COM port(s), so assuming that they're still
U/S after a reboot,
then you should go back into the BIOS and deactivate them
before attempting
any further work with the add-in card.

What model of COM port add-on did the store give you?
What model Dell do you have?

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post
messages to NG's

wrote in message
...
Thanks Noel.
Procedure followed as suggested.
No joy.

Phil

-----Original Message-----
Phil
First thing to do is to check out the Device Manager while
in Safe Mode -
and Remove ALL Serial ports found - reboot to Normal Mode,
and Windows will
reinstall the required drivers.

See if that helps - and report back

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post
messages to NG's

"Phil" wrote in
message
...
My serial port on a Dell is dead.
I'd like to use it to communication with my PalmPilot
(which it used to quite well). But it works no longer.
After many attempts to fix, took it to a computer shop.
They found it dead and couldn't resolve the problem.
They added a serial port card as a work around but
couldn't
activate the card! Suggested I re-install M/S Me, which I
have done. Still no serial port.
Have excahnged several emails with Dell support but
I'm not
confident that they are on the right trial. I've run
diagnostics on the system and serial port and they do not
reveal any problems. Dell suggestions have included:
1) re-install Me
2) Replace motherboard
3) Clear NVRAM
4) Re-install Intel chipset driver.

They seem to be grasping at straws anmd other than
the s/w
re-install, I've not moved further on their suggestions.

Any suggestions.


.



.

Ah - sorry - I got the impression that they'd left it in.

Dell's website is about as transparent as lead - and about as useful

If the hardware is dead - then no amount of code-breaking is going to help,
and a new motherboard is the only long-term solution (and while you're at
it, upgrading the chip and RAM would probably be a good idea, and worthwhile
too!)

Assuming that the hardware is indeed 'goosed', as your techie indicated,
there should be no reason why an add-on card wouldn't work assuming you have
a spare PCI slot available (I have used add-on cards on an ME box of similar
vintage - a PII/400), providing it's set up properly (and it can be a pain
to get it right).
The first thing to do in your situation is to disable the dead COM ports on
the system, in the BIOS - that way you should be able to assign COM1 and
COM2 to the new card.

OTOH - how about getting a USB link for the Pilot? (assuming the Pilot
supports that) - It's another possible solution, which will also be
compatible with any upgraded systems that you may get in future, while
future systems may not have COM ports, you will certainly have USB ports
(for the foreseeable future at least).



--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Phil" wrote in message
...
I'm running a Dell model L900C desktop.
There is no new serial card in the unit.
The computer repair depot did install one thinking that
that would be a workaround to the dead installed serial
port but they couldn't get the card to work either so they
removed it. At least I didn't have to pay for a card that
wouldn't work ;-)

I did reset the BIOS to no avail.

Phil
=========================
-----Original Message-----
Resetting the BIOS is a possible solution - although that
will re-activate
the onboard COM port(s), so assuming that they're still
U/S after a reboot,
then you should go back into the BIOS and deactivate them
before attempting
any further work with the add-in card.

What model of COM port add-on did the store give you?
What model Dell do you have?

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post
messages to NG's

wrote in message
...
Thanks Noel.
Procedure followed as suggested.
No joy.

Phil

-----Original Message-----
Phil
First thing to do is to check out the Device Manager while
in Safe Mode -
and Remove ALL Serial ports found - reboot to Normal Mode,
and Windows will
reinstall the required drivers.

See if that helps - and report back

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post
messages to NG's

"Phil" wrote in
message
...
My serial port on a Dell is dead.
I'd like to use it to communication with my PalmPilot
(which it used to quite well). But it works no longer.
After many attempts to fix, took it to a computer shop.
They found it dead and couldn't resolve the problem.
They added a serial port card as a work around but
couldn't
activate the card! Suggested I re-install M/S Me, which I
have done. Still no serial port.
Have excahnged several emails with Dell support but
I'm not
confident that they are on the right trial. I've run
diagnostics on the system and serial port and they do not
reveal any problems. Dell suggestions have included:
1) re-install Me
2) Replace motherboard
3) Clear NVRAM
4) Re-install Intel chipset driver.

They seem to be grasping at straws anmd other than
the s/w
re-install, I've not moved further on their suggestions.

Any suggestions.


.



.

I've kind of given up on this issue that has plagued me for
about 6 months now. I do have USB capability with the
desktop now and the cheapest solution is probably to
upgrade my palm pilot to a more recent model that can use
the USB port for data transfer. I'm in the process of doing
that now.
Thanks for the help and time on this problem. I feel I got
more reasonable help here than with the Dell Support team.
Phil
=================================
-----Original Message-----
Ah - sorry - I got the impression that they'd left it in.

Dell's website is about as transparent as lead - and about
as useful

If the hardware is dead - then no amount of code-breaking
is going to help,
and a new motherboard is the only long-term solution (and
while you're at
it, upgrading the chip and RAM would probably be a good
idea, and worthwhile
too!)

Assuming that the hardware is indeed 'goosed', as your
techie indicated,
there should be no reason why an add-on card wouldn't work
assuming you have
a spare PCI slot available (I have used add-on cards on an
ME box of similar
vintage - a PII/400), providing it's set up properly (and
it can be a pain
to get it right).
The first thing to do in your situation is to disable the
dead COM ports on
the system, in the BIOS - that way you should be able to
assign COM1 and
COM2 to the new card.

OTOH - how about getting a USB link for the Pilot?
(assuming the Pilot
supports that) - It's another possible solution, which
will also be
compatible with any upgraded systems that you may get in
future, while
future systems may not have COM ports, you will certainly
have USB ports
(for the foreseeable future at least).



--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post
messages to NG's

"Phil" wrote in message
...
I'm running a Dell model L900C desktop.
There is no new serial card in the unit.
The computer repair depot did install one thinking that
that would be a workaround to the dead installed serial
port but they couldn't get the card to work either so they
removed it. At least I didn't have to pay for a card that
wouldn't work ;-)

I did reset the BIOS to no avail.

Phil
=========================
-----Original Message-----
Resetting the BIOS is a possible solution - although that
will re-activate
the onboard COM port(s), so assuming that they're still
U/S after a reboot,
then you should go back into the BIOS and deactivate them
before attempting
any further work with the add-in card.

What model of COM port add-on did the store give you?
What model Dell do you have?

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post
messages to NG's

wrote in message
.. .
Thanks Noel.
Procedure followed as suggested.
No joy.

Phil

-----Original Message-----
Phil
First thing to do is to check out the Device Manager
while
in Safe Mode -
and Remove ALL Serial ports found - reboot to Normal
Mode,
and Windows will
reinstall the required drivers.

See if that helps - and report back

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post
messages to NG's

"Phil" wrote in
message
...
My serial port on a Dell is dead.
I'd like to use it to communication with my PalmPilot
(which it used to quite well). But it works no longer.
After many attempts to fix, took it to a computer shop.
They found it dead and couldn't resolve the problem.
They added a serial port card as a work around but
couldn't
activate the card! Suggested I re-install M/S Me,
which I
have done. Still no serial port.
Have excahnged several emails with Dell support but
I'm not
confident that they are on the right trial. I've run
diagnostics on the system and serial port and they
do not
reveal any problems. Dell suggestions have included:
1) re-install Me
2) Replace motherboard
3) Clear NVRAM
4) Re-install Intel chipset driver.

They seem to be grasping at straws anmd other than
the s/w
re-install, I've not moved further on their
suggestions.

Any suggestions.


.



.



.

You're welcome - sorry we couldn't resolve it for you, but then hardware
problems such as this mean hardware solutions - and they always cost

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Phil" wrote in message
...
I've kind of given up on this issue that has plagued me for
about 6 months now. I do have USB capability with the
desktop now and the cheapest solution is probably to
upgrade my palm pilot to a more recent model that can use
the USB port for data transfer. I'm in the process of doing
that now.
Thanks for the help and time on this problem. I feel I got
more reasonable help here than with the Dell Support team.
Phil
=================================
-----Original Message-----
Ah - sorry - I got the impression that they'd left it in.

Dell's website is about as transparent as lead - and about
as useful

If the hardware is dead - then no amount of code-breaking
is going to help,
and a new motherboard is the only long-term solution (and
while you're at
it, upgrading the chip and RAM would probably be a good
idea, and worthwhile
too!)

Assuming that the hardware is indeed 'goosed', as your
techie indicated,
there should be no reason why an add-on card wouldn't work
assuming you have
a spare PCI slot available (I have used add-on cards on an
ME box of similar
vintage - a PII/400), providing it's set up properly (and
it can be a pain
to get it right).
The first thing to do in your situation is to disable the
dead COM ports on
the system, in the BIOS - that way you should be able to
assign COM1 and
COM2 to the new card.

OTOH - how about getting a USB link for the Pilot?
(assuming the Pilot
supports that) - It's another possible solution, which
will also be
compatible with any upgraded systems that you may get in
future, while
future systems may not have COM ports, you will certainly
have USB ports
(for the foreseeable future at least).



--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post
messages to NG's

"Phil" wrote in message
...
I'm running a Dell model L900C desktop.
There is no new serial card in the unit.
The computer repair depot did install one thinking that
that would be a workaround to the dead installed serial
port but they couldn't get the card to work either so they
removed it. At least I didn't have to pay for a card that
wouldn't work ;-)

I did reset the BIOS to no avail.

Phil
=========================
-----Original Message-----
Resetting the BIOS is a possible solution - although that
will re-activate
the onboard COM port(s), so assuming that they're still
U/S after a reboot,
then you should go back into the BIOS and deactivate them
before attempting
any further work with the add-in card.

What model of COM port add-on did the store give you?
What model Dell do you have?

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post
messages to NG's

wrote in message
. ..
Thanks Noel.
Procedure followed as suggested.
No joy.

Phil

-----Original Message-----
Phil
First thing to do is to check out the Device Manager
while
in Safe Mode -
and Remove ALL Serial ports found - reboot to Normal
Mode,
and Windows will
reinstall the required drivers.

See if that helps - and report back

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post
messages to NG's

"Phil" wrote in
message
...
My serial port on a Dell is dead.
I'd like to use it to communication with my PalmPilot
(which it used to quite well). But it works no longer.
After many attempts to fix, took it to a computer shop.
They found it dead and couldn't resolve the problem.
They added a serial port card as a work around but
couldn't
activate the card! Suggested I re-install M/S Me,
which I
have done. Still no serial port.
Have excahnged several emails with Dell support but
I'm not
confident that they are on the right trial. I've run
diagnostics on the system and serial port and they
do not
reveal any problems. Dell suggestions have included:
1) re-install Me
2) Replace motherboard
3) Clear NVRAM
4) Re-install Intel chipset driver.

They seem to be grasping at straws anmd other than
the s/w
re-install, I've not moved further on their
suggestions.

Any suggestions.


.



.



.