SmartSDR CAT issue

Steve - K4HG

I have a feeling the answer is going to be the one I read so often here about COM port issues, "it's Windows fault", but I don't see any issue like mine so I'll try.

I'm running Windows 7 in Virtual PC. Everything worked great with version 1 of SmartSDR, but since upgrading I have trouble. When installed it created COM4 for CAT, which I've used successfully with N1MM, fldigi, and other programs under version 1. After I upgraded it does not work with any of these. I am able to create another virtual port at COM149 which works with fldigi, but it does not work with N1MM nor with WSPR. I found a post that N1MM only works with COM <= 8, so maybe that is the problem, and maybe all I need is to get 4 working. However in the SmartSDR CAT program, when I try to edit or add a new port the drop down menu I do not have an option to use COM4, and cannot edit the field for the virtual port.

I put it off until I had time to devote to making it work - as a Mac user for over 30 years wrestling with Windows is one of my least favorite things to do. Today I tried everything I could think of including deleting all Flexradio software and reinstalling, deleting com ports, praying in the direction of Redmond, not to mention rebooting a hundred times, but nothing worked.

So does anyone have some insight?

One thing I would like to try is to get a truly clean install. After removing the Flexradio software I still show the Flexradio COM ports in the Windows configuration listing, and when I reinstall it finds the 149 port rather than the COM4 port. Is there something Flexradio installs that is not removed by the uninstaller that keeps restarting these com ports even though the software and the ports have been deleted?  Perhaps a config file somewhere?

Is there some way when adding ports to force it to use a low number? I have no other com ports active, yet the first one it will add is 149.

If this can't be fixed then I really regret paying for the upgrade. I don't need Smartlink, but I bought it anyway because I could't bear the thought of my less than six month old toy not having the latest version, and maybe some future feature will be worth it. I really didn't think I'd lose functionality though.

Steve K4HG

Bill -VA3WTB

One thing when un installing SSDR re boot computer,,go to device manager and make sure there are no devices left over from SSDR,,if there are any remove them, then re install SSDR,,and re boot again.Sometimes things are left behind that makes things not work properly

Robert White

Did you unplug the power and completely shut down the flex? Per the instructions for upgrading to 2.0? This solved a multitude of port related problems for me.

Steve - K4HG

Yes, tried that. Something is left behind, but it comes back every boot: 
- uninstall SmartSDR
- delete COM4, COM 149, etc.
- reboot
- check ports, COM4, 149, etc still there.
- delete COM4, COM 149, etc.
- reboot
- check ports, COM4, 149, etc still there.
- delete COM4, COM 149, etc.
- install SmartSDR 2, CAT program finds and activates 149
- reboot
- check ports, COM4, 149, etc still there.

So obviously there is something that reinstalls those ports on boot.

Steve - K4HG

Yup. Now on this reinstall I did not downgrade the radio and the reupgrade it, perhaps I will try that, along with all the other uninstalling and reinstalling.

Ray - K6LJ

I had issues today try this to get rid of hidden com ports

https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/200883925?mobile_site=true&_ga=2.11497972.13163...

Mark_W3II

Use this tool to remove reserved COM ports http://www.uwe-sieber.de/misc_tools_e.html#arbiter PS. You can also right click on the CAT Remove button to expose the "Reset FlexVSP Ports" action.

Steve - K4HG

Thanks, exactly what I needed. After deleting everything and doing this reset (even though it crashed the CAT program) I was able to recreate the COM4 which worked.

Tim - W4TME

You can't delete FlexVSP com ports using device manager.  You have to use the CAT application