Gearslutz.com - View Single Post - Another "Unitor8 + serial RS232 + XP" thread. How do I choose the port?

undertone · 22nd February 2009

OK, it looks like your 530 really doesn't have any built-in com ports. BTW, since I have a "Mark II", I don't think I'll be able to help you beyond the following information. Please read the entire post before trying any of it out.

You may not have installed the right driver for your serial card? "8S" could mean "8-serial ports", and they may make cards with "4" "2" "1" serial port(s)?; "P" could stand for parallel. These are just guesses but you should definitely try to track down the original manufacturer of this card and see which driver you should have installed. They are NOT all created equal. Try making sure you install the correct driver and see if it starts working. Is there really not a single "ReadMe" file on the entire disk?
Are you using the proper power supply? I would double check the voltage output using a VOM to see if it's the right one. I assume the unit's power LED lights up?
Are you using the right cable? This is a tricky issue. Seems to me I used to connect my U8MkII with a standard serial cable (I'm now USB...) and it worked. After reading the other replies in this thread I looked around and found this link which says it's neither a null or a serial, but a special cable. Honestly, I'm not sure about this one. I would try with the cable you have first as I've also read elsewhere that it's NOT a null-cable.
It would be useful to know if the com ports work. One way to test a com port is to use an old serial port mouse and boot your system up with it connected. If all is well with your com port, it should do the "hardware wizard dance", install generic drivers and just work. Another way is to try installing a serial modem. Other than that there is some hardware checking software around that requires you install a special plug to check the continuity and connection of all the wires. Note that com ports are not hot-swap ports: you have to turn off the computer, connect a device to them, power up the device, and then start the computer if you want the OS to see the connected device.

Regarding the driver installation itself, make sure you've installed the correct driver the correct way. Again, it's really temperamental software. You can uninstall it this way:

======================================
Start the computer in safe mode and delete the EMAGIC nodes in the device manager in Multimedia _and_ USB-Devices.

Then delete in the C:\WINDOWS\INF folder EMGIC*.INF, *.BIN and in
C:\WINDOWS\INF\OTHER all Emagic*.INF-files.
======================================

And re-install it following the original instructions to the letter. I suggest you download the drivers from Apple here. The package includes the instructions for XP: follow them to the letter.

There's one more thing: If you install and uninstall many MIDI devices on your computer, you could hit the 10-device limit XP has with regards to how many devices it can keep track of. Uninstalled items don't always get deleted from the list and when 10 items are already enumerated, any new items don't get added to the list and XP just doesn't see them. This happened to me once, and I couldn't understand why my DAW wouldn't see a new MIDI port. More information and a fix from RME on the subject here.

In hope something in the above helps you out. Try to be as rational and methodical in your troubleshooting as you can, and don't skip any steps.

22nd February 2009	#13
undertone Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 649	OK, it looks like your 530 really doesn't have any built-in com ports. BTW, since I have a "Mark II", I don't think I'll be able to help you beyond the following information. Please read the entire post before trying any of it out. You may not have installed the right driver for your serial card? "8S" could mean "8-serial ports", and they may make cards with "4" "2" "1" serial port(s)?; "P" could stand for parallel. These are just guesses but you should definitely try to track down the original manufacturer of this card and see which driver you should have installed. They are NOT all created equal. Try making sure you install the correct driver and see if it starts working. Is there really not a single "ReadMe" file on the entire disk? Are you using the proper power supply? I would double check the voltage output using a VOM to see if it's the right one. I assume the unit's power LED lights up? Are you using the right cable? This is a tricky issue. Seems to me I used to connect my U8MkII with a standard serial cable (I'm now USB...) and it worked. After reading the other replies in this thread I looked around and found this link which says it's neither a null or a serial, but a special cable. Honestly, I'm not sure about this one. I would try with the cable you have first as I've also read elsewhere that it's NOT a null-cable. It would be useful to know if the com ports work. One way to test a com port is to use an old serial port mouse and boot your system up with it connected. If all is well with your com port, it should do the "hardware wizard dance", install generic drivers and just work. Another way is to try installing a serial modem. Other than that there is some hardware checking software around that requires you install a special plug to check the continuity and connection of all the wires. Note that com ports are not hot-swap ports: you have to turn off the computer, connect a device to them, power up the device, and then start the computer if you want the OS to see the connected device. Regarding the driver installation itself, make sure you've installed the correct driver *the correct way. Again, it's really temperamental software. You can uninstall it this way: ====================================== Start the computer in safe mode and delete the EMAGIC nodes in the device manager in Multimedia _and_ USB-Devices. Then delete in the C:\WINDOWS\INF folder EMGIC.INF, .BIN and in C:\WINDOWS\INF\OTHER all Emagic.INF-files. ====================================== And re-install it following the original instructions to the letter. I suggest you download the drivers from Apple here. The package includes the instructions for XP: follow them to the letter. There's one more thing: If you install and uninstall many MIDI devices on your computer, you could hit the 10-device limit XP has with regards to how many devices it can keep track of. Uninstalled items don't always get deleted from the list and when 10 items are already enumerated, any new items don't get added to the list and XP just doesn't see them. This happened to me once, and I couldn't understand why my DAW wouldn't see a new MIDI port. More information and a fix from RME on the subject here. In hope something in the above helps you out. Try to be as rational and methodical in your troubleshooting as you can, and don't skip any steps.