Windows 10 november update 1511 broke DAX...

Richard Saue

I did the Win 10 november update tonight. That broke my CAT ports and DAX drivers. Uninstalled SmartSDR 1.5.1, and made a new install. Now  CAT works, but DAX still broken. Se enclosed error window. 

73 de LB2EG Richard

Chris DL5NAM

Microsoft remove/recall Nov patch KB3097877 (MS15-115)

Joseph Duerbusch

I upgraded yesterday to Windows10 too.  I had the same problem with the DAX and CAT/comports.  I should have followed the instruction post here on removing SmartSDR before doing the install but of course I knew better.  I ended up uninstalling SmartSDR and all the stuff that went with it.  Re-installed and now everything works fine.  I was using Win8.1.
rule of thumb, follow instructions!!

Joe K0BX

Roy Laufer

Well, today's Windows 10 patch bit me on the arse too. I have the exact same DAX Device Error as shown above. I uninstalled Flex VSP, DAX and SmartSDR, I deleted the program's directory and their appdata directory, I even uninstalled today's Windows 10 patch, and rebooted multiple times, but DAX still doesn't want to work!?

Anyone have any other ways to fix this, or should I take a stroll down to http://helpdesk.flexradio.com???

Roy AC2GS

N7BCP

Ditto

KY6LA_Howard

Yet another good reason to avoid W10 until at least Service Pack 1 in 2017 To make you feel better the Nov 11 Windows security update for W7 and W8. Broke lots of applications. MS released a fix on Nov 12

Roy Laufer

Even removing the patch doesn't fix things (the patch also **** up Windows Gadget)!

I removed ghosted audio devices and rebooted - then I got a window that said:
"DAX: An unhandled error has occurred: The root Visual of a VIsualTarget cannot have a parent."

As clear as mud...

I hope FRS has a fix for this - I've tried every permutation I could with Windows - I'm stumped!

Roy Laufer

This is happening with my new Microsoft Surface Book. Similar to Ford's Model T, Microsoft offers any version of Windows that you would like - as long as it's Windows 10.

Bill Roberts

Sorry to hear of others bad luck. My Win 10 updated, fixed a recurring error with HRD and SSDR 1.5.1 r u 's fine.

Reggie-k6xr

No problems with update on Mac computer running win10 in parallels. everything smooth!

Jerry W2TXB

Mine did the same as LB2EG/Richard's, but CAT seems to be OK... just the DAX error pops up. Is there a general fix for this problem?

Randy Diddel

This happened to me.  I overlooked what the dialog box asking me to UNINSTALL the DAX drivers during the uninstall of 1.5.1-in my case leaving them.  I reinstalled (still got the error). I then uninstalled  1.5.1 again and then clicked YES (I want to UNINSTALL the DAX drivers), rebooted then went into Device Manager and made sure DAX was removed (there were still remnants). Rebooted, verified that the only sound devices were system ones and then installed 1.5.1 again. Rebooted and everything was OK. 

N7BCP

Flex Systems, would you explain the root cause for why the upgrades are breaking DAX? Thanks

W7NGA

I installed the new Windows 10 update. I had to change the Windows COM port assignment for Fldigi frequency control ... but no issues. I did not reinstall. Great performance with my new 6500 and I am loving Windows 10 (this, from a Mac user) .. and geez, as hams, we should be able to understand our systems to the point of making requisite changes and understanding the systems we use. If the systems we use evolve .. perhaps so should we. 

Maybe we should bring back the code requirement .. enforce the notion that just a tad more than pressing the PTT switch is required and asked of for the privilege of being a ham.

W7NGA  dan
San Juan Island, Wa.

Roy Laufer

So any Ham that can't fathom the nuances of computer technology and the general strangeness that has always been Windows should have their Amateur Radio License revoked???

That would mean ALOT of license revocations! There are something 2^500 combinations of Windows and all the third party drivers, programs and hardware configurations. I am happy that YOUR configuration caused no problem - here, have a cookie! Unfortunately, other people were not so lucky.

I have more than a little experience with computers and it still took me hours to undo the problems that Microsoft's latest patch introduced. I will not be returning my FCC license, thank you.

Many Hams that I have spoken with, surprisingly, abhor modern technology. Some of them would love a spark gap transmitter if it were legal. Many of us still hold onto vacuum tube rigs for dear life.

We, who are intrigued with SDR's are a bit unusual by our brethren Ham's point of view.

And I'm all right with that.

It's bad enough that the few outsiders that realize that Amateur Radio is still alive and well, generalize that we are all just a bunch of "old white guys", let's not give them cause to narrow that to "cranky old white guys".

For Thor's sake, it's a friggin' hobby. Ya supposed to be enjoying yourself, not judging each other's right to have a license!

73,
Roy AC2GS

W7NGA

So any Ham that can't fathom the nuances of computer technology and the general strangeness that has always been Windows should have their Amateur Radio License revoked???

Of course not .. but perhaps, just perhaps, they should reconsider their choice of using a Software-Defined-Radio if they are not willing or unable to deal with the requisite complexities of the controlling system.

Just saying what I think should be obvious ... peace

W7NGA  dan
San Juan Island, Wa.

NX6D Dave

When upgrading a Windows system, completely uninstall SSDR and the DAX drivers, perform the update, reboot and reinstall FRS software.  Make sure you have a good exported copy of your profiles before you start.

Rebooting Win 8 and 10 systems is not the same as Shutdown and Start.  Windows hibernates the kernel during normal shutdown, when it can, to avoid the time it takes to rebuild it during the following start.  In some start up cases a kernel rebuild may take place regardless, but this is something we can't take chances with.  The function you are looking for is Restart.  It should take noticeably longer to perform a restart than a normal startup.

For confirmation, run the Windows Task Manager, go to the Performance tab, then the CPU tab.  At the bottom of the display you will see the kernel uptime.  After a proper reboot, it will be only a few minutes or less.

Scripts are available that will completely remove the DAX drivers.  There are Knowledge Base articles that describe their use.

Our use of the OS goes deep as we use exotica like pseudo sound devices and virtual com ports.  The process for doing this is pretty well debugged, but progress on this front continues.

Finally, if you are stuck, file a Help Desk ticket and you'll be back on the air quickly.  The details of this technology are much more complex than the interface makes it look.  Sometimes you simply have to have the help of an expert.

Roy Laufer

Well, it sounds like you calmed down on the subject - you were writing about bringing back the code requirement!

We gotta learn to get along together, newbies and old pros. I know old timers that are a veritable fount of knowlege. I know others that are dumber than smooth rocks.

It's what ya know, not how long you've known it (in my humble opinion) that ultimately counts.

"Can't we all just get along"??<HI HI>

Roy AC2GS

Roy Laufer

This whole subject is NOT about upgrading from one version of Windows to another. It is a much more, seeming, innocuous routine MS patch. That shouldn't wreck DAX (either FRS or MS are doing something wrong somewhere).

I am glad that many were unaffected, and others just had to re-install DAX.

I had to uninstall the latest Windows 10 patch after hours of unsuccessful un-installs, reboots, re-installs and removal of orphaned devices, etc.

These things should be easier to deal with...

If cars were this flaky there would be a lot more pedestrians!

"Hey, you kids, get off of my front lawn!" (I'm practicing for when my "cranky" fully sets in...)

Roy AC2GS

rfoust

They aren't called service packs anymore - now they are "threshold updates".  The one that came out yesterday was TH2 (basically a service pack).

Roy Laufer

Then Microsoft should give proper warning - "This will, very likely **** up more things than it will help.

Or as someone said some time ago, about something completely different...

"Nevertheless, I must warn you that in future you should delete the words 'crunchy frog', and replace them with the legend, 'crunchy raw unboned real dead frog' if you want to avoid prosecution."

73,
Roy AC2GS

Jon_KF2E

You could always get a Mac and run DogPark. While my shark computer is still a windows box I use Macs now for everything else. They really don't have all of the issues of Windows and but yet I can run without antivirus software which always seems to muck things up. At some point I'll probably switch completely.

Jon

Rick Hadley - W0FG

I've been fighting this all day.  It appears the main problem is that Windows will no longer properly deal with Virtual Serial Ports created by SmartCAT.  It will allow COM4, so CAT does properly pass frequency data to HDR, but it indicates that COM14, as well as COM5 and COM15 which are used for PTT in MMTTY & DM780 are not ports but "Other Devices" whose status is shown as  "Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information in the registry is incomplete or damaged. (Code 19)".  I've done multiple deletes and reinstalls, reboots of the radio to factory defaults, and everything else I could try to no avail.  I had to move my rotor controller from COM4 to COM20 just to free up COM4, and FlexControl from COM3 to COM30 before even the existing configuration would work.  I'll be gone for a week but will be watching the community with interest to see if someone has come up with a fix.

Roy Laufer

Have you tried switching it off and then switching it back on????

<Just kidding!!!>

Have you tried the little trick posted elsewhere on this forum of deleting "orphaned" devices, in your case comm ports.

That's the crazy part of getting this computer stuff to actually work - sometimes the less obvious things work (but then often they don't).

Good luck!

Roy AC2GS

Tim - W4TME

This is a really a Microsoft question.

Rick Hadley - W0FG

Yep, I've deleted the 'orphaned' and 'invisible' ports multiple times.  When I delete all of them and then restart CAT, it will attempt to create 4 & 14, but only 4 works.  Still no joy on any others.

Roy Laufer

My "final solution" was to roll everything back and remove Microsoft's generous patch/update/whatever their marketing department has christened it this week. Have you tried "time traveling"?

Rick Hadley - W0FG

No, I'm stubborn.  If this is going to be the version of Win10 that, for instance, ships with a brand new computer, it should work.  I'm not on RTTY all that much, so I'm going to wait for the solution.  One other thing I noticed...although DDUTIL & HRD will connect with COM4, as they should as indicaated by CAT,  COM4 is not shown anywhere in the list of ports under Device Manager.  Strange...

Jay Nation

Rick 

When I delete all of them and then restart CAT, it will attempt to create 4 & 14, but only 4 works.
 

If you already understand the following, then I apologize for raising the noise floor in this thread.

Maybe part of the problem is caused by the confusion about what a virtual port is, and what a virtual cable is, and how SmartCAT creates and uses them.

Upon SmartCAT startup, SmartCAT searches for and finds the lowest available COM port, in your example it's Com4. It then creates a virtual cable "Com4-Com14.  Com4 is the port that gets displayed as the port to "Connect 3rd Party Program to port:" Com4 is virtually connected to Com14, SmartSDR itself is always the other end at Com14, and since SmartSDR is using Com14, windows will not let any other application connect to it.

For any pair of ports created by SmartCAT the lower numbered port is available for other applications, and the higher numbered port is always being connected to the Rig/SmartSDR, you can't use the higher numbered side, instead you connect to the lower numbered port of the virtual cable. Com4-Com14, is a virtual cable. not any different than the other cables you create yourself with SmartCAT. SmartCAT just automatically creates the first virtual cable. the port assignments for each end of the virtual cable, are always "#," and "# + 10", ie. Com5-Com15 will be assigned next, when you create your first virtual com port pair.   You can't use Com15 either.

One other point, Com4-Com14 cable is created as a Dedicated Cable, by dedicated it means one side "14" is in use by the radio.

Shared cables have both ends available, neither side gets connected to the radio, Shared cables can be used to connect two 3rd party applications to each other if needed.

The Port Map tab in SmartCAT displays all the virtual cables, the lower half of the pair is always on the left, and the higher half is always on the right.. the dedicated cables in use by the radio will be Connected to CAT. SmartCAT is CAT, SmartCAT itself connects to the radio over ethernet and doesn't use CAT commands. It's translating the CAT commands it receives into FlexAPI commands it then sends to the radio. 

I only wanted to explain why Com14 isn't working for you, while Com4 is.

All of the above is explained much better in the ...
 SmartSDR CAT Software User's Guide


73, Jay - NO5J

Rick Hadley - W0FG

OK, I understand why COM14 isn't available, but that doesn't explain why COM4 still shows as 'failed' even though it works, nor why COM5/15 both show as failed and they don't work....as a matter of fact, DM780 doesn't even see any com ports other than 1,2,and 30 which would be my keyboard, trackball, and FlexControl.  MMTTY will let me specify COM5, but then says it cannot connect.  CAT shows ports 1,2,30 & 40...40 being my ERC Rotator control box as the physical ports, and 5-15 as the available virtual ports.

Jay Nation

Unsigned drivers is my guess, Can you post the exact error message and where/what your seeing it from?

On my machine "Windows 10" in Device Manager, all my Flexradio Virtual ports on the General Tab report "This Device is working properly".

On the Resources Tab they report This device isn't using any resources because it has a problem.

And they all work just fine, like that.

The FabulaTech drivers are not digitally signed, which may not even matter, because they work fine.

Sometimes I suspect there are errors, in the error messages Microsoft
uses. Maybe the correct report was just, This device isn't using any resources".

I kind of figured you knew all that, But some Flexers don't, so I included it anyway, It might help someone with similar problems.

Once or twice, I've had to fix SmartCAT Virtual ports, the last time I sort of winged it and first used SmartCAT and told it to delete all the virtual ports. Then I Restarted "Not Rebooted, I power cycled the power supply, After booting up I went to device manager and unistalled every Com port that was still listed,  Power cycled the PC again, and then uninstalled some more of them again, repeatedly until Device manager stopped showing them. 

I suspect that as long as the software/registry entries haven't been fully removed Windows might be recreating them.

Then I i reenabled the physical COM port the motherboard bios supplies, and proceed on to completly uninstalling All the Flexradio software, once that was done I rebooted made sure it was all gone, folders and all, then double checked Device Manager for Com port and found only Com2 the physical/bios provided port and then reinstalled SmartSDR.

After reinstall wjile keeping an eye on what turned up in Device Manager, I created a few new Virtual cables with SmartCAT. Of course those cables were now using different port numbers, so when i started up DDUtil I had to reassign the RCP ports, even had to reassign some of the other ports still configured in 3rd party apps.

I pretty much just started over, as if I'd just unpacked the radio.

But since then I haven't had much trouble. 

What errors are you seeing?
Maybe screen shot the dialog??
Maybe also screen shot all the tabs in SmartCat too.
  
73, Jay - NO5J