Jim Meagher wrote:

> Can you be a little more specific about
> "... the system does not... recognize it's existence..."
> Do you mean the PC does not "see" the port or the PC does not "see" the
> camera?

The PC does not seem to be aware that the port exists.


> When you use the camera software to "hook up" to the camera and download
> the pix, what is the error message that you get?

"Unable to communicate with camera", from the camera software on the PC.  I
know it's a port problem, because when I hook the camera up to my at-work PC
which uses a PS mouse and has a 9-pin serial port (COM1) free, everything
works fine.


> Have you checked your CMOS settings to make sure COMM 2 is turned on?

No;  a) I don't know how to do it, and b) I am spooked as hell about
fiddling with CMOS after I changed it by accident one time and lost my hard
drive.
However, when I do the "add new equipment" bit, Windows scans for modems on
all 4 COMs.  Does that possibly mean it does indeed have COM2 turned on?

Incidentally, the camera manufacturer's suggestion about how to deal with
the no-free-9pinserial problem is to disconnect the mouse, connect the
camera, and bring up Windows with no mouse!!!  I ask you!!  The ultimate in
user-hostile.

           thanks for your help,
               Chris

         The PCBUILD web site always needs good submissions.  If
          you would like to contribute to the website, send any
               hardware tech tips or hardware reviews to:
                           [log in to unmask]