I need help determining my troubles in getting my laptop to connect to my PCM.

First off, I bought a PCM cable about 3 months back, and I have used it for logging idle functions, reading the PCM and in general just getting a feel for the PCM and programs. I have verified that the cable is working perfectly, both directly connected to my PC and connected via a 50 foot long patch cord out to my car. (Verified using the ALDL test program from TTS Power systems).

Since then, I've decided logging my car idling in the driveway was neat, but served little real use. So I bought the cheapest functional laptop I could find (knowing I would use it for nothing but the datalogging task 3-4 times).

I've hooked up the laptop and the cable and I get no a "failed test" response from ALDL Test, although the cable unit itself seems to be active, as it has a "power LED" indicator that DOES light up.

So I bought a port replicator -thinking maybe that the latop DB9 serial port was bad. The replicator runs all the ports through a SCSI connection, so it appears as if it is bypassing the laptops onboard DB9 serial port. However, even when docked the system exhibits the same symptoms: The cables' LED lights as if it should work, but it can never connect using the ALDL test program, Datamaster or C.A.T.S Tuner.

I can plug this in to my home PC right after faling on the laptop, and it'll work just fine. I just don't understand how the cables LED light could light up if the laptops serial port was dead.

So, I thought I'd get some opinions on what the trouble might be so I can examine my options. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

Port replicators that have serial connectors don't work very well because of al the functions (mouse, keyboard, LPT, etc) getting piped through one connection and some data may get corrupted in the process of serial to scsi. You may want to try looking in the computer System:Hardwareevice Manager to see what COM your port replicator has assigned for its serial port and what the one built into the computer is using. If there is a conflict or its on a COM port used by something else, that would definately be a problem. If you have a USB port and at least Windows 98SE, you could get a Belkin F5U103 adapter. I have been using it for a while with the TTS software and have had great success. A lot of laptops don't even have serial ports anymore. With the problems associated with serial ports and settings, it is easy to understand why.

 

FWIW, I bought a tested Belkin USB through AKM, and didn't get it to work properly. Tried my old laptop with built in serial, and it works like a charm.

 

I have tried every USB to serial converter known to mankind on my newer Toshiba, not one worked. Bought a PCMCIA serial and it worked perfect.