Error COM 8 in use or not exist

[leericmarvin]

Ok folks,  I run the Midnite Update GUI, When I click on the "Update Classic 150V" option ,a CMD opens, turn on the classic 150,  a minute later "error COM 8 in use or not exist" flashes on the screen and the CMD exits. 
This is the same case on two different laptops. One with Win8.1 and other with WXP.
If I check the Device Manager and open up the "USB CDC serial emulation" select "port settings", select "Advanced", "COM port#", I find port#13 assigned. the option to change this port shows  ports 3 thru 12 in use.
Is there some way to change port from 8 to 13 in the setup/install of the
MidNiteSolarUpdate_1933_1-8-2015_v4.62.exe installer or any of the text/bat files it installs?

My Classic 150 current Rev levels are:
Classic Rev: 1341
- Network Rev: 1122

The classic is not communicating to mymidnite.com and I figure firmware update is first step to correcting issue.
I am AT my remote location near Big Lake Alaska,(17 Jan 2015)available to trouble shoot this thru Monday late afternoon (19 Jan), My network consists of a Sierrra 313U hotspot plugged into a pocketport2 modem bridge which connects to a WAN port on a Netgear MR814v2 four port wifi router. I am sending this post via my Win8.1 laptop which wifi's into router, pings Classic 150 OK and can access via localaccesspanel no problems. my carrier is ATT, 1.5GB pay as you go data share plan.


When you create the object at mymidnite, is the 8 character Unit ID with or without space?

OK, enough info, lets get ball rolling here and go from there.

Best regards,  LeEric

[Westbranch]

LeEric, It sound like you area doing this FW update over the Wifi at you location.  Have you tries it as in the instructions http://www.midnitesolar.com/firmware/Firmware_install_Windows7.pdf
by directly connecting to the PC?

Apparently XP is a bit easier to do the FW update than other W.x version of the OS..

ADD: Ooops copied the W7 version, here is W8 version but same issue , plug directly into PC

http://www.midnitesolar.com/firmware/Win8_firmware_update.pdf

[Westbranch]

and here is a current thread on other update problems... http://midniteforum.com/index.php?topic=2269.msg21577;topicseen#new

[leericmarvin]

Thanks, will work both your post..... back in a bit

[leericmarvin]

OK, I have already done all this, but I went back through it anyway, other then removing software and re-installing, and Bootloader was already changed into the USB CDC device earlier, install was the same.  Where the problem is, at step 25 of the document, when I go to change com port for 3 to 8, it's already set to 13 and ports 3 thru 12 are not available for selection, so I can not change it to port 8.

Any ideas?

[Westbranch]

The other thing that comes to mind is that the bootloader did not take so perhaps a delete and re-download...

After that my best guess is that you missed one of the steps, that is what happened to me , W7 though, adn finally it took. 

One thing though is that you have to wait for that tiny little CPU in  the Classic to finish, it isssss ssllllooooowwww


Eric

[boB]

OK, so you are making sure that your Classic is OFF before running the GUI ?  There are times
when you can turn on the Classic and within a second or so, start the laptop to update the
Classic.

You can easily change the comm port if you want to or is something is already using com 8

In the C:/midnitesolar directly, there will be some .bat files that actually do the job of
calling the EXE file that talks to the Classic.  Look at the file name in that black cmd prompt
box and look at the name of the file...  You will see something similar to this....

update_Classic-All Classic_ALL_1555-200V_8-21-2013.ctl -COM8

Just change that -COM8 at the end of the line to whatever COM port you like.

boB

[leericmarvin]

There is a bat file called:  classic150up.bat  which has the following entry:
update_ClassicControl Classic-150-App-Only.ctl -COM8

But there is no file by the name: Classic-150-App-Only.ctl  to call up from the midnitesolar folder.  There is:  Classic_ALL_1849_150V_4-21-2014.ctl  or  Classic_ALL_1923_150V_12-18-2014.ctl

I did a dir > file of the folder and here is what's there:

Volume in drive C is TI10684500B
Volume Serial Number is E0F2-44FC

Directory of C:\MidNiteSolar

01/17/2015  02:57 PM    <DIR>          .
01/17/2015  02:57 PM    <DIR>          ..
01/13/2014  03:51 PM                49 ArmyWind_Update-All.bat
12/15/2010  10:27 PM                28 chg238k.bat
11/14/2007  03:31 AM           204,880 ChgTo38k.exe
01/17/2015  02:48 PM                55 classic150up.bat
12/18/2014  03:53 PM                63 classic150upALL.bat
12/18/2014  03:53 PM                63 classic200upALL.bat
12/18/2014  03:54 PM                65 classic250KSupALL.bat
12/18/2014  03:53 PM                63 classic250upALL.bat
05/26/2011  12:50 PM                62 classicnetup.bat
04/21/2014  12:36 PM           379,152 Classic_ALL_1849_150V_4-21-2014.ctl
04/21/2014  12:38 PM           379,376 Classic_ALL_1849_200V_4-21-2014.ctl
04/21/2014  12:39 PM           379,504 Classic_ALL_1849_250VKS_4-21-2014.ctl
04/21/2014  12:38 PM           379,056 Classic_ALL_1849_250V_4-21-2014.ctl
12/18/2014  03:15 PM           386,720 Classic_ALL_1923_150V_12-18-2014.ctl
12/18/2014  03:17 PM           387,056 Classic_ALL_1923_200V_12-18-2014.ctl
12/18/2014  03:44 PM           387,008 Classic_ALL_1923_250VKS_12-18-2014.ctl
12/18/2014  03:19 PM           386,512 Classic_ALL_1923_250V_12-18-2014.ctl
07/04/2011  03:27 PM             2,213 Classic_USB.inf
01/17/2015  02:57 PM                 0 folderList.txt
01/25/2012  02:31 PM           208,970 GUI.exe
01/31/2011  03:40 PM           204,874 GUI_Older.exe
06/26/2011  10:33 PM           104,156 MDMCPQ.INF
01/04/2009  07:03 PM           962,612 MFC42D.DLL
01/04/2009  07:03 PM           827,445 MFCO42D.DLL
04/04/2014  10:34 AM           318,464 MidNite Solar Update Gui.exe
11/26/2007  02:27 AM            87,622 Midnite.ico
04/11/2014  04:50 PM                72 MNGPappup.bat
02/16/2011  06:10 PM                71 MNGPnetup.bat
01/08/2015  11:54 AM                61 MNGPupdateALL.bat
04/15/2014  02:49 PM           428,704 MNGP_ALL_1821_4-15-2014.rem
01/08/2015  11:53 AM           426,720 MNGP_ALL_1933_1-8-2015.rem
01/04/2009  07:03 PM           434,252 MSVCRTD.DLL
06/26/2011  10:22 PM             2,076 OLDusbser.inf_OLD
08/03/2004  11:08 PM            25,600 OLDusbser.sys_32BIT
06/09/2012  12:09 AM                56 OLD_ MNGPupdateALL.bat
06/19/2012  01:28 PM                64 OLD_classic250KSupALL.bat
01/08/2015  11:56 AM            38,408 Readme-Changes.txt
11/07/2011  02:30 AM             1,379 Readme-First Classic Updating.txt
01/17/2015  12:08 PM             3,608 setup.log
02/16/2011  06:13 PM                43 UL_RemoteBridge19200.bat
10/18/2003  07:58 PM            64,512 uninstall.exe
12/07/2009  10:03 PM           184,397 updateClassENET.exe
02/12/2010  08:09 PM           188,493 updateRemote-ENET.exe
09/19/2012  04:56 PM           188,499 update_Classic-All.exe
02/02/2010  04:02 PM           188,493 update_ClassicControl.exe
12/12/2009  04:52 PM           188,493 update_RemBridge19200.exe
09/19/2012  04:52 PM           188,499 update_Remote-All-Send2x.exe
02/12/2010  10:28 PM           188,493 update_Remote-Enet-Delay-2ndStringSend.exe
03/23/2010  09:20 PM           188,493 update_Remote_uPlDRemfLAsH_snd2X.exe
02/12/2010  09:46 PM           188,493 update_UpLDrMEnEtFL.exe
11/18/2007  01:25 AM           204,880 Upload2Remote.exe
12/08/2009  11:00 PM           184,397 uploadClassic-ENET.exe
11/09/2011  02:41 AM           200,608 USB2RS232.chg
01/21/2011  05:31 PM             1,188 usbser.inf
07/13/2009  06:06 PM            32,768 usbser.sys
09/14/2009  03:24 PM           167,232 USB_Identify_UVCView.x86.exe
              56 File(s)      9,895,120 bytes
               2 Dir(s)  644,948,721,664 bytes free


I have also edited the file classic150up.bat  so that -COM8 was changed to -COM13, but it still erred.


OK, I just ran it again, selecting the Update 150V runs file which opens CMD and shows command:  update_Classic-All Classic_All 1923_150V_12-18-2014.ctl -COM8

Turned on Classic, windows plays sound indicating the USB came online,  then minute later same error.

[ClassicCrazy]

Can't you just go to device manager , plug in the Classic programming cable and see which port it opens, and if it is port 13 just go to the advanced section of that change it to port 8 . Seems like I had to do that for some reason one time but has been okay since then.

Most likely the Classic was the thing that used the port the first time anyway.

Larry

[mike90045]

Can't you just go to device manager , plug in the Classic programming cable and see which port it opens, and if it is port 13 just go to the advanced section of that change it to port 8 . Seems like I had to do that for some reason one time but has been okay since then.
Most likely the Classic was the thing that used the port the first time anyway.
Larry

Unless something else (printer, scanner, camera download cable) is already using Port 8.   Then you bump it to somewhere else, maybe it will be found and work, re-assign Port 8 to itself again, or just fail to work. 

[leericmarvin]

OK, I decide to try this from another direction, and asked myself why so many COM ports were in use, Googled and can up with:  http://theitbros.com/how-to-delete-com-ports-in-use/

I followed their instructions and deleted bunch of COM ports that my Sierra Wireless had created when I was testing it on the laptop.  It's currently plugged into Modem Bridge, so will not effect ports until I connect it direct, no plans for that thou.

I then uninstalled all things Midnitesolar related, including the bootloader's software via the Device Manager. 
I followed:  Win8_firmware_update.pdf  to a "T", including changing PORT3 to 8.

I ran the Updater GUI and still get same error.  I never get to "COM8 Open" message.

Also building on Bob's suggestion of running from CMD, I ran: 
update_classic-all.exe classic_all_1923_150V_12-18-2014.ctl -COM8

And still not work.

Did the previous issue with COM's all taken up break something deeper?

Is there anything on the 150 I should check? 

Perhaps I could try a previous firmware version?

Thanks everyone for suggestion and ideas. 

[leericmarvin]

OK folks, solution to Updating....... was replacing a BAD USB cable!!!!!  Unfreaking believable!
OK, 150 is updated, factory re-set and reprogrammed to my earlier documented settings.
I get back in the morning with mymidnite.com access, if it hasn't happened over night.

[boB]

Yes, I was just going to say to try another USB cable but see that you already tried and had luck
with this.  Excellent !

Not the first time I have seen this problem of course.  I went through a whole box of our USB cables
one evening, looking for a bad one.  I thought I had found a bad one but upon further investigation,
I noticed that it was not plugged all the way into my Laptop.  Never did find a bad cable with
my Laptop.  I expect that some cables just do not like some computers' USB connections.

Congratulations on the good troubleshooting of that problem !

BTW,  classic150upALL.bat    is different from   classic150up.bat  as you also evidently found.
The batch file is kept in there but the old  .ctl file is not there and not used any more.

Sorry you had so much trouble but a good ending.

boB

[ClassicCrazy]

I was pulling my hair out once trying to get some kind of serial data on ham radio stuff once. Checked and resoldered all my DB9 connectors , played with software, etc. Until I finally checked my  $1 hamfest special serial jumper cable with really nice professionally molded on ends and found it only had 3 wires in it and the wrong three wires !

Glad you figured out the problem before you got the hammer out ! 

[leericmarvin]

OK, now on to my next problem, getting the 150 to talk to mymidnite.com

From the localacesspanel...

Classic 150V (rev 4)   
MAC: 60:1D:0F:00:27:F3
Device ID: 6565 D34C
IP: 192.168.0.4:502
Firmware:     
- Classic Rev: 1923
- Network Rev: 1839

From Config/Tech :
IP: 192.168.0.4
SubnetMask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway:  192.168.0.1
DNS1:  192.168.0.1
DNS2: 98.129.247.45
WebAccess: Enabled
Address Type:  DHCP


Router is a NetGear MR814v2 4port wifi, old but low amp draw (suggestions for modern low amp replacement welcome)

Internet Port
MAC Address   00:09:5b:6d:76:89
IP Address   10.23.24.254
DHCP   DHCP Client
IP Subnet Mask   255.255.255.0
Domain Name Server

172.26.38.1
192.168.1.1

LAN Port
MAC Address   00:09:5b:6d:76:88
IP Address   192.168.0.1
DHCP   On
IP Subnet Mask   255.255.255.0



Port Forwarding
   #   Service Name   Start Port   End Port   Server IP Address
   1   HTTP   80   80   192.168.0.4