PSI Win 2.33+USB serial connection+Windows XP

[newbie]

Can anyone shed some light here. I have purchased a new laptop running windws xp with 4 usb connections and no serial port. I have downloaded psiwin 2.33 from psion website and purchased 2 usb serial 232 adpaters/converters. I have had no joy as both of them fail to make a connection with the psion. On my old machine running windows 98 I have tried install the usb adapter and have had the same outcome but the actual serial com port that i can plug in the psion connector will make a connection with the psion.

Has anyone been successful in connecting a psion using a usb serail adapater/converter on windows xp?

If so can anyone recommend what kind of adapter works well.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[newbie]

Oh i forgot to say what they were

one is a belkin serial adapter f5u103 the other is something from maplins a usb serial converter ZP43 i think might be the reference

Hope this helps

[MikeMcC]

You should have posted your update message as a reply to the first rather than creating a new thread :) I have merged the two threads.

The important thing is that the USB "Serial Port Replicator" must create a COM port, which appears in PsiWin properties, so that you can select it. Did this happen?

As a test, you could try connecting with the Psion's Comms application and Hyperterminal on the PC just to be sure that the two are communicating with the "serial port". There are instructions for doing this on the General Information page of my website if you need them.

[diem]

Clove Technology sell a USB-serial adaptor - here's the URL:

http://www.clove.co.uk/products.asp?product=PS5-USBC

Not sure if it works, but Clove are a reputable company who don't tend to stock products that are dodgy.

[Haggis]

I used a USB to Serial adapter I got from a company called CPC. The software that came with the adapter created a port (USB to Serial port) in device manager that psiWin could see (Com 5). Everything works fine. In "My Psion" Properties see if there is a Com port that is not checked this may be the adapter port. The other alternative is to use the IRDA port on your laptop this should also be a option in the properties.

[vsmith99]

Hey guys,

Buy the USB Serial adapter from Clove Technologies. There is an XP driver on the CD but the manafucture of the cable has an updated driver just released. I have two of the cables and have used the old and new drivers and they work perfect. I use it with my 5mx, Series 7 and Nokia 9290. I have a new 2710 Compaq laptop.

The Belkin adapter doesn't work well if at all. I have it in my desk drawer. I have also tried about three other brands with no luck.

This adapter really works. Just be sure that you go into Device Manager and set the baud rate for the new Com port to 115200. In Psion Properties under Connections be sure you tick the appropiate Com port. If you have more than one Com port checked and the connection initally fails then click Retry until you cycle through all the Com ports you have checked. Once it connects PsiWin remembers this and future connects will work on the first try. This only applies if you have multiple ports checked in PsiWin Properties under Connections. Otherwise it should connect the first time.

Check out these two links.

www.clove.co.uk and click on Accessories and Psion Series x.

The cable is manufactured by Magic Control Technology. You can view the cable and get the latest driver for XP.

http://www.mct.com.tw/product/product.html

Vince

[zszzszss]

Hello,
Like Newbie, I bought (from psion-store) a serial to usb converter made by POD for my laptop running XP pro and 5mx, but the connection fails.

A new com port (COM5) was created, the PsiWin 2.3.3 recognized it, but no connection was established.

I tried the virtual IR port from http://www.ircomm2k.de/, but it wouldn't work either -- again, a new com port is created, which is recognized by the PsiWin 2.3.3, and the two machines seem to detect each other, but, alas, no wavy icon.

I tried uninstalling PsiWin 2.3.3, but I get an error message that psconsv.exe is in use by another application (I don't know which), and therefore I can't uninstall.

On a desktop with Win2000 a direct connection to a serial port with the standard cable works fine, but I have no luck when I try the USB to serial converter.

Any suggestions would be very welcome.
ZS

[MikeMcC]

Any suggestions would be very welcome I would suggest you uninstall PsiWin, run the registry cleaner and then reinstall it (making sure your serial port device is already installed first).
I tried uninstalling PsiWin 2.3.3, but I get an error message that psconsv.exe is in use by another application Right clicking on the icon in the system tray and selecting 'Close' should let you uninstall.

[zszzszss]

Thanks for your quick response, Mike.
I can't overcome the difficulty in uninstalling PsiWin 2.3.3. When I right-click the frame and press "close" the uninstall program simply stops. I even tried deleting "psconsv.exe" manually, but I get a message "access denied, ..., file in use." Any other suggestions? It seems that the two things -- not being able to connect, and to uninstall -- are related.
Is it a good idea to run the registry cleaner BEFORE I uninstall (I'm not sure this question makes sense, but just in case)?
Thanks.
ZS

[MikeMcC]

When I right-click the frame and press "close" the uninstall program simply stops By default, after installing PsiWin, the connection server launches when the PC is booted and the icon is in the system tray. It is this you should "right click" and close, not part of the uninstall routine.

Here's another suggestion, go to:

C:\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp\

and delete the shortcut for the PsiWin connection server. Reboot the PC and it will no longer launch automatically. You should then be able to uninstall PsiWin and run the reg cleaner.

Is it a good idea to run the registry cleaner BEFORE I uninstall NO! This might cause serious problems with the uninstaller if it cannot find entries it needs. The reg cleaner is only for cleaning out settings left behind in the registry after it is uninstalled.

[zszzszss]

Thanks again.
Following your suggestions I was able to uninstall and then reinstall PsiWin 2.3.3, but I still can't make my XP laptop and 5mx psion communicate through PsiWin. I'm able to transfer files with the Hyperterminal connection, but that's not good enough.
Any other ideas? Did Newbie eventually succeed with his/her XP?
ZS

[MikeMcC]

I still can't make my XP laptop and 5mx psion communicate through PsiWin Make sure that in PsiWin Properties only the COM port created by your USB "serial port device" is checked and that the same speed is set in PsiWin and the Psion, rather than using "Maximum Attainable".

If, after you reinstalled PsiWin, it didn't see the Psion as a "New" device which hadn't been connected previously, delete the machine by using "Machine Manager". Also delete the Psiwin.ini file in the Psion - C:\System\Psiwin.ini

To use "Machine Manager" on the PC go to:

Start > Programs > PsiWin 2.3 > Machine Manager

See if that helps you.

[jhelton]

I've been using Triplite USB-serial connector and had to download XP USB driver update from manufacturer. Also, in XP device manager, you can reduce the default buffers for the USB device (in properties, after it's plugged in and recognized). The XP buffers are set to Max by default. Reducing them is a suggested fix for connection failures. It slows the data exchange down since the USB device is working at much higher speeds than 115K.

I still get a "core dump" using PsiWin233 Backup but everything else works well. The core dump says the USB driver is at fault. No help from microsoft, laptop manufacturer, Psion or Triplite.

[zszzszss]

I've tried all of the above suggestions, including others from POD, the cable manufacturer. Nothing works. It seems to me that Psion still has work to do on this XP via USB connection. THey sure do need to improve their customer service.
I'm returning the cable.
Thanks for your help,
ZS

[diem]

the only USB-serial adaptor proven to work so far is the one sold by www.clove.co.uk

[ohsix]

I just bought a USB-Serial cable from Clove - works fine. I don't understand why one purchased from POD won't work because the papers that came with the cable from Clove were from POD.

[zszzszss]

I just received with the kind help of Robert from Psion technical support an updated Win XP driver from POD -- everything works fine now, at last! I take back my angry words about Psion support.
zs

[trevorgammage]

Hi,
Having got the Clove device, installed the software and tried to connect my 5mx, I'm still having problems... what am I still doing wrong?

I know that getting Psions to talk to Win XP (or even any Microsoft operating system!) can be troublesome, but I'm either missing something or the instructions on this newsgroup are out-of-date.

Can anybody help?

Trevor

[MikeMcC]

I know that getting Psions to talk to Win XP (or even any Microsoft operating system!) can be troublesome
Not generally with XP - some earlier versions of Windows have had their fair share of problems, but there have been very few reported problems with XP, provided the latest version (2.3.3) of PsiWin has been installed into a clean PC. Clean means either that no previous version of PsiWin has been installed or the Reg Cleaner has been run between installations.
I'm either missing something or the instructions on this newsgroup are out-of-date. Unless you are looking at very old messages, the instructions are not "out-of date" as connecting with PsiWin is an on-going topic of discussion. What does tend to be problematical is using USB to Serial converters with PsiWin.

I would suggest that you see if the Psion and PC are talking via the USB "Serial Port" by running Comms on the Psion and Hyperterminal on the PC. If this isn't working, there is very little chance of PsiWin connecting.

[revoguy]

ive seen reports that maxvalue adapters work with series 5s i havent had any luck using it in vista on my revo BUT using plptools on linux it works perfectly so i think its just psiwin being annoying about everything as usual

[snigfarp]

You may be right. Have you tried connecting to an EPOC32 machine (other than the Revo) by using HyperTerminal at the PC end and Comms at the Psion end?

[revoguy]

guess what psion i have a revo so no comms and im not sure what hyperterminal is and if it comes with vista but i know its just annoying psiwin as i can connect perfectly using linux

[revoguy]

i have a 5MX as well now and i can "talk" perfectly using hyperterminal but no psiwin still i have a pc running xp with a serial port that works with psiwin so i just use that at the moment