Two Windows installation and CAT ports

Mike

This may sound like an odd question but I have two SSD in my computer and was setting the second drive up with my various ham programs. Windows is installed on each drive. I was noticing when I did the second installation of SDR that the ports in CAT were not able to set up using the same numbers. On Vol 1 Com 4,5 and 6 are in use but in the second installation 4, 5 and 6 could not be chosen and 7, 8 and 9 were the lowest available. I am sure I am missing something everyone else knows as easy. What might that be?

Erika - KØDD

If you are not using virtual machines, you still have only ONE windows computer. That one computer cannot utilize the same com ports even though it has the software loaded on multiple drives. It tracks it's hardware.

I also very much recommend when setting up com ports on a shared computer start all your virtual ports at 10 and go up from there. This is because your computer will assign lower numbered ports to actual hardware com ports. Also some older ham radio and other control programs for ham or other equipment you might desire to plug in will only allow for coms 1-4 or coms 1-8 I saw this with some recent programming software for a handheld radio that wanted to use a max of com 6 or 8 and at that time I had just allowed the flex to grab whatever ports it desired as I was setting it up. AH-HA I says, I need to start Flex ports at no lower than ten… I have been very pleased in the last 5 years I have had my radios above the single digit port numbers.

So On volume ONE, go 10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17 as needed and on Volume two 20-21-22- etc I also recommend that on using two or more computers in a multi user station keeps things organized.
Erika K0DD

Mike

Thanks……I need to figure out how to get everything back. Can't seem to define a COM4 any longer