ok, that's good news as you said before 

I'll try tonight again once I'm back home... I was thinking whether the cold temperatures (unheated garage) can affect those electronics ?

no, I am in Canada and even down in the -15's or lower I can still connect. Once you have done it once you will know the sequence and have no further issues

2 hours ago, ricarvar said:

Yes, my cable is a Serial-Cable, then it has an adapter from serial-to-SUB.

 

 

I'm guessing the adapter is your issue. Many of the ones that worked quit working post XP.

do you have a computer with a real serial port?   (The business class Dell laptops have a 'mini-dock' that has a real serial port that seems pretty effective.)

 

I've  had a lot of issues with older software/hardware that is serial and trying to use an adapter (back in my radio tech days). The Dell unit always worked.

if you have XP, make sure you have a driver foe the adapter.

mark

A $5 adapter from Best Buy may be a cheaper and easier fix than trying to find a laptop with a serial port, but as it's just a wire adapter I don't see how they can quit working unless the wires physically break

Hey Guys,

Actually, I tried tonight and found out: (1) my cable is actually not "Serial" but a smaller one (see pic below), I was confused with its name but can't remember how's it called, (2) good news my PC has one of those (female) ports as well, and (3) the problem with the current USB-cable seems to be the PC-Driver for the adapter to USB (according to the device manager in windows).

My Windows is 7 home edition. I downloaded a couple drivers for the USB-adapter from internet with no success (after about 1 hr battle)... so plan B is to get a "male-to-male" adapter for the terminal on the pic below and plug it directly into my PC eliminating the USB adapter. I hope that works...

BTW, I'm in Canada too (Calgary).

It won't, the smaller port is the vga out port which is for video or plugging in an LCD projector

I think I just found a generic USB to serial driver and installed it, I don't know if this is what used but a driver and instructions are at this link....http://www.tri-plc.com/USB-RS232/drivers.htm which I found when looking for a generic Xp driver. It's all about the com port.

 

If you specify a com port number on your computer you must also set the same com port on the software and then plug the USB into the same port each time. When I did this I selected com 5 and it always works as long as I use the same USB port on the laptop. Is I plug into a different USB port it does not work as it is looking for com 5 on a different port

the more I look into this I begin to think that it is really just a windows 7 issue. Do you know anyone with a laptop running XP that you could try? I would be interested to know if it just fired right up on XP

 

Canada280i - you're absolutely right... my PC's port is VGA...  yesterday I tried the three drivers from the website link you sent and it hasn't worked so far... so it may be the OS/Windows 7 (?)

My options at this point seem to be:

a. I'll see if the IT guy at work knows a way around this

b. ... or has a laptop with XP available (doubt it)...or

c. Check whether there is an adapter from serial to HDMI (?)... which the PC also has a port for it...

 

 

Hey ricavar you never really said if you have spark while kicking it over with the plug out and connected while grounded to the engine or frame. If no spark try disconnecting the kill switch at the steering head. Also check the wiring there it can rub through with the turning of the bars. ?

ossabc63 - I did test the spark plug against the frame of the bike and no spark ?... that being said though, I'm not clear about "while grounded to the engine" ???

what I did was I pull the spark-plug from the engine-head, then connected to the plug-cap, then pointed closely to the frame and kick it.... what else or how suppose to get the grounding?

On a software note - last night I tried another "driver" from another website and it didn't work. I already match the ports in both the PC-driver configuration and the software settings... but still get the same error message... I plan to check today with the IT guy...

You need to take the plug out of the head and connect it to the coil wire. The metal or wrench part of the plug has to be touching and grounded to the cylinder head to complete an electrical circuit. Then kick it over with your hand. ?Check the plug gap for spark, may want to try another plug also. 

You cannot use HDMI or anything like that.

  You have to have a WIN7 driver for any USB to serial. I've had issues anyway for a lot of those, even in XP.

If you have access to a Dell Latitide, use one of these. I'm sure it will work.

http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-e-legacy-extender/apd/430-3115/pc-accessories

It has a real serial port and works really well.

 

 OR another HD with XP and a proper drive. Belkin made an adapter that worked well. It requires electronics, you can NOT  just use a wire.  The point about the COM port matching in the hardware and software is very important. Do you know how to set that? 

 

Mark

Edited March 9, 20179 yr by lotus54

Mark, when you say electronics do you mean actual circuitry in the adapter ir do you mean software? I just use a standard USB to serial adapter that cost me a few dollars from Best Buy