Horror Story - Laptop com port again
 

Caution

if you are using a no-com-port laptop, with a USB-to-COM adapter,

DO NOT TRY TO INSTALL Microchip's MPLAB v6.10

The adapted COM port was already working - it no longer functions.

Now I cannot program Stamps.

I'm getting really tired of progress. :rolleyes:

[edit] Some programming is back .... reinstalled the driver for the COM port .... looks like it was clobbered in installing the MPLAB !
Cost me 8 unpleasant hours.

I use a Keyspan mini port replicator that I bought at CompUSA for about $40 (you can get it online, too). I haven't had any problems.

Dude, looks like you need to get a Dell ;)

my built in COM port works just perfectly. hehe

Jeff: yes, I have and use Keyspan products, both the USB PDA adapter (USA-19Q) which is not successful with Stamps, and the USB Serial adapter (USA-19QW), which is. The 19Q seems to have been discontinued in favour of the more expensive 19QW - see the keyspan website. Their Windows driver is confusingly numbered 3.1, but it is for post 3.1 Windows products. The Microchip PICSTART programmer used to work with either, so why did M'chip need to force their driver on me, unless to inflict anguish ? :-)

And, hey there, Dell dude, if I left my reallly nice Compaq for one of yours, I'd still be mired in the same pane-ful, but bundled (by a decision of the US Supreme Court, no less), OS. :-P