[Elecraft] COM port problems

Fri Jul 1 16:37:55 EDT 2022

Peter –

>From what you’re saying, it doesn’t sound like the COM ports were properly reassigned.

You need to change them ALL to a number starting with 21 and going UP.

Then make sure that the software that is accessing the device connected to that port is properly reconfigured to look for the NEW port number.

The cold reboot(s) likely would actually cause the problem to manifest itself, again and again – just as stopping and restarting the affected apps is doing.

Lyn

From: Peter Dougherty (W2IRT) [mailto:lists at w2irt.net] 
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2022 8:31 PM
To: Lyn at LNAINC.com; 'Julia Tuttle'
Cc: 'George Thornton'; 'Elecraft'
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] COM port problems

Reassigning port numbers did not solve the problem, and I did try that as one of the first steps in troubleshooting.

With one day’s work under my belt here’s where the situation lies as of tonight.

1.	After a cold reboot, the first attempt to launch either CI-V Commander (DX Labs rig interface) or N1MM Logger + may or may not capture the COM5 port used for CAT control (which was briefly changed to COM8 then changed back after finding no change).
2.	Launching either the old version of N1MM Rotor (v12.11) or the current .NET version, there’s about a very slim chance that it will work, but the usual result is that on attempting to start the rotor software it indicates both rotor com ports (COM1 and COM3) are already in use, and any attempt to invoke a direction command generates an error message (8018, IIRC) stating the function can only work if a port is open.
3.	Using the DX Lab “DX View” software, which interfaces with the rotor control software, if I repeatedly enable/disable the rotor control tick box, it **MAY** come back, and will keep working until the program is closed.
4.	If CAT control is in fact established, whether through N1MM or Commander, it will remain active until the program is closed. Once closed, either reopening it or opening the other control software will result in either program not being able to see the radio (i.e. the port remains locked out). Note than if it is Commander that is closed and N1MM does not see the radio at first, if I hit the “Reset Radio” bar in the bandmap several times it does seem to come back and start working again.
5.	Every other function of the PC is working the same as it always has, and once a COM port feature is working it remains working flawlessly.
6.	Troubleshooting has involved using Process Explorer to see if any devices are holding a port open when the problem is occurring, and none appear to be doing so. Phantom COM ports were removed, all USB devices were set to fix the issue of stopping the device for power saving (I hoped that one would work, but it didn’t), and all USB Serial drivers were deleted and allowed to reinstall themselves upon reboot. The results were identical.

In short, it appears to me that there is SOMETHING within Windows 11 that has changed somehow, and is locking serial ports on its own, with no easy way to release them.

- pjd

From: Lyn Norstad <Lyn at LNAINC.com> 
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2022 8:46 PM
To: 'Julia Tuttle' <julia at juliatuttle.net>
Cc: 'Peter Dougherty (W2IRT)' <lists at w2irt.net>; 'George Thornton' <gthornton at thorntonmostullaw.com>; 'Elecraft' <Elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] COM port problems

Julie –

I can look for it … but I don’t believe it was in an official MSFT document.  Nevertheless, it has been going on for a couple years.  It seems to affect almost every ham using Win 10 sooner or later.

My understanding is that one or more specific Windows 10 Pro 64 updates reassigned COM ports in order to prevent a potential hacker from accessing the system.  It may have been related to the presence of specific software installed on the system.

In any event, the fix I mentioned does indeed work and ends the problem.

George may have other issues, since he’s already tried this

73

Lyn, W0LEN

From: Julia Tuttle [mailto:julia at juliatuttle.net] 
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2022 2:47 PM
To: Lyn at lnainc.com
Cc: Peter Dougherty (W2IRT); George Thornton; Elecraft
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] COM port problems

Lyn,

Can you share your source that COM port reassignment is a deliberate security feature? I'm curious what vulnerability it's mitigating.

Thanks,

Julie

On Thu, Jun 30, 2022 at 3:25 PM Lyn Norstad <Lyn at lnainc.com> wrote:

Are you running Windows 10 by any chance?

As a security measure, Win 10 automatic updates often reassign COM port
numbers.

If you know how to do it, you can rename and reassign port numbers.  If you
give them a number of 20 or higher, Win 10 update will leave them alone.

Hint:  Control Panel>Device Manager>Ports>(Elecraft connection
port)>General>Advanced>COM Port Number

Be sure to make the corresponding port number change in the software.

73
Lyn, W0LEN

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Peter Dougherty
(W2IRT)
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2022 12:28 AM
To: 'George Thornton'; Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] COM port problems

It's possible (and I'm guessing somehow likely), but darned if I know what
to even look for. These are things that were set when the computer was built
from scratch last year, they have worked 100% reliably over thousands of
QSOs in both Commander and N1MM+ ever since, and absolutely nothing was
changed in terms of configuration or even a Windows Update in at least two
weeks. I just needed to restart the computer after moving it from a wall
outlet to a UPS, and it started going crazy from that point on.

Whatever the issue is, it seems to affect ALL the COM ports in the system
the same; neither Commander nor N1MM can open the radio port, or either of
the two rotor ports.

I did somehow manage to get Commander working (don't aske me how, it just
started), but the rotors are still no-go (and not critical at the moment).

- pjd

From: George Thornton <gthornton at thorntonmostullaw.com> 
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2022 10:23 PM
To: Peter Dougherty (W2IRT) <lists at w2irt.net>; Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] COM port problems

It is possible the parameters set in the computer after reboot don't match
those set in the program.  Check the port and baud settings.  

Generally xom port settings need to match for communication to occur.

Sent from my Galaxy

-------- Original message --------

From: "Peter Dougherty (W2IRT)" <lists at w2irt.net <mailto:lists at w2irt.net> > 

Date: 6/29/22 6:59 PM (GMT-08:00) 

To: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net>  

Subject: [Elecraft] COM port problems 

OK, got a massive problem that just cropped up this evening that is far
beyond my understanding that has completely killed my ability to use my K3
with my computer.

After restarting the PC, suddenly I cannot communicate with the radio using
DX Lab Suite or N1MM+ on the assigned COM port. I have downloaded the K3
Utility software and it is able to connect to the radio on COM5, its usual
port, and invoke macros via the Utility. So I know there's proper
communication between the radio and the PC. But once I close down the K3
Utility program I get the first major problem. The radio goes into transmit
for 10 seconds, releases for about 4 or 5 second, and goes back in to
transmit. Only powering the radio off and back on again stops this behavior.

The main issue is that no CAT control software seems to be able to connect
to the radio at all. The radio is on COM5, and has been for at least the
last 4 or 5 years, and until today it has just worked, even after building a
new computer last November. I just rebooted today and everything went to
heck.

The kicker is that's it's not a K3 hardware problem, and since it works with
neither N1MM nor DX Lab software any more it's apparently not those programs
either, and quite frankly I just don't know where to look next. Compounding
the issue, and likely related to it, the N1MM Rotor control cannot find
either COM port assigned to the rotors (COM1 and COM3). I have tried
removing the ports and re-adding them in Device Manager but the problem
still persists. I am absolutely prepared to pay a certified systems
professional to diagnose and fix this, but with ultra-specialized radio gear
I doubt they'd be able to figure it out either. Any suggestions? I'm
basically QRT until I can fix this.

----------------------------------------------------

Regards,
Peter Dougherty, W2IRT

DXCC Card Checker/CQ-WAZ Checkpoint

www.facebook.com/W2IRT <http://www.facebook.com/W2IRT> 

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