[Ham-Mac] Running ICOM radio control software for Windows inside VMware's Fusion

[Richard Rucker]

Has anyone besides me tried this? Has anyone been successful?

Here's the system I am trying to make work:

(1) MacBook Pro (MBP) running OS X 10.5.1
(2) Windows XP SP2 running on VMware Fusion version 1.1.1
(3) Belkin USB hub connected to the MBP
(4) Two external devices, an ICOM 91AD and an ICOM ID-1.
Each can be controlled using a software interface provided by ICOM on  
a CD. Both interfaces run only in Windows, which explains why I bought  
Fusion.
(5) Each device uses one COM Port in Windows.
(6) A KeySpan USA-19QW serial-to-USB adapter is used to connect the  
91AD to the USB hub
(7) A USB extension cable is used to connect the ID-1 to the USB hub

Two problems:
=============
(1) Installation is problematic for the KeySpan adapter driver, and
(2) The COM Port connection consistently fails after only a very brief  
use. This is true for both radios!

I have attempted several installations now, and the results are always  
the same, so the problem(s) should be isolatable. Here are the  
specifics on each radio and my experience with it:

IC-91AD handheld transceiver:
---------------------------------------
Physical connection: A KeySpan serial-to-USB adapter model USA-19QW  
connects the serial port on the radio to the Belkin USB hub.
Logical connection: gets assigned to COM Port 3 if it is the first  
device installed

I downloaded the latest driver (2001) for the 19QW from KeySpan.  
Sometimes, I get this report on installation: "A service installation  
section in this INF is invalid." Other times, it apparently gets  
installed without a hitch.

The software package comes on a CD from ICOM; on it is a folder  
containing various files including a .exe installer.

The ICOM app installs and launches OK, and initially appears to  
control the radio appropriately. But sooner or later, a COMM Port  
Error occurs which seems unrecoverable, no matter what I try.

What I have been doing to recover is reverting to a previous Fusion  
vmware snapshot and doing the installation again. But each time  
through, I get the same result. The snapshot being used was taken  
before either of these installations was attempted.

ID-1 transceiver:
---------------------
Physical connection: USB cable to the USB hub.
Logical connection: gets assigned to COM Port 4 if it is the second  
device installed

In the case of this radio, the ICOM CD provided both the driver and  
the control software in two different folders. Installation seems to  
go without a hitch.

The ICOM app installs and launches OK, just as above. After a few  
control actions are taken, a COMM Port Error occurs just as above. My  
recovery attempts are the same as above and with the same result.

Comments? Suggestions?

Dick Rucker, KM4ML