Sentinel Won’t Read Scanners

[mfn002]

I just purchased a brand new laptop that uses Windows 10. I downloaded Sentinel and attempted to read one of my 536s. The computer recognized the scanner but the software acted like there was nothing connected. I tried the other 536 I have as well as my SDS100 and got the same result. I even pulled the SD cards and read them directly. Still nothing. All of the scanners worked fine with my old computer, which ran Windows 8. What’s going on here?


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[Seymourmtn]

Aren’t there some drivers that need to be downloaded as well?

 

[chill30240]

I'm using Windows 10 Home edition right now and have never had to load any drivers. I also use Windows 10 Pro at work and same thing there. Must be something else wrong.

 

[ProScan]

Is the scanner in Mass Storage mode? But that doesn't explain the "I even pulled the SD cards and read them directly."

 

[kd2pm]

Make sure you tell Sentinel what com port to use. Its not 100% plug and play

 

[ProScan]

Make sure you tell Sentinel what com port to use. Its not 100% plug and play

Sentinel doesn't use comm. ports.

 

[marksmith]

Windows 10 problems with Sentinel are Windows 10 problems.

You need to install the drivers, but you will find that frequently when you (or windows) install an update, Windows decides on its own to not reset driver to something else and you need to fix it.

Finally gave up and bought a good Windows 7 machine and only use 10 for other stuff. Windows 7 is the better machine when you don't use 100% windows drivers.

Mark
SDS100&200/536/436/WS1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others

 

[BBossman1]

I'm no expert for sure, but go back into the Sentinel program zip file, select the Windows installer package, run it and it should give you the option to "repair" Sentinel... give that a shot. I'm running Windows 10 Home and Sentinel with zero issues...

 

[phask]

What does it Device Manager when you plug it in? If anything.

Does other mass storage devices work, thumb drives, external drives?

 

[kd2pm]

When you plug in the scanner windows 10 should recognize it as well as device manager should see it if the drivers loaded correctly. to Proscans point...its not really a com port but to windows....thats would it would look like. If you dont see it in device manager....thats a clue.

 

[UPMan]

For use with Sentinel, no comm port drivers are required. It operates in mass storage mode and looks like any other external hard drive. When you plug in the scanner and "E" to go to mass storage mode, a new drive letter should show up in Windows Explorer.

 

[Houdini7]

If Windows doesn't see the Drive mounted while the SD card is in the scanner and the Scanner is in Mass Storage mode, then Sentinel will not either.

You need to get the drive to show up in Windows first.

 

[ofd8001]

If your computer has an SD card reader, try removing the SD card from the scanner and inserting it into the computer's card reader. Then start Sentinel and see what happens. If you get Sentinel to see the SD card, I'd suspect a cable or cable connector issue.

 

[mfn002]

If your computer has an SD card reader, try removing the SD card from the scanner and inserting it into the computer's card reader. Then start Sentinel and see what happens. If you get Sentinel to see the SD card, I'd suspect a cable or cable connector issue.

That’s exactly what I did. The computer saw the card and everything and also recognizes the scanner as a mass storage device. I’m not near my computer right now, but I’ll try some of the suggestions tomorrow.


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[ofd8001]

If you are able to get Sentinel to program the SD card in the card reader, just as if it was in the scanner, that says the SD card is in proper condition for use, etc. Being able to program the card is critical.

If the computer sees the scanner (with the SD card in it) as a USB Drive with a letter using Windows Explorer, that says there is a valid connection.

One thing comes to mind why Sentinel doesn't recognize the scanner is being there, which is a critical file on the SD is messed up. So Sentinel isn't seeing a valid scanner somewhere. However, since you can program the SD card in the reader, that eliminates that possibility. Not to nit pick words, but you said the computer saw the card - I couldn't tell what Sentinel saw that way. A big difference.

 

[mfn002]

If you are able to get Sentinel to program the SD card in the card reader, just as if it was in the scanner, that says the SD card is in proper condition for use, etc. Being able to program the card is critical.

If the computer sees the scanner (with the SD card in it) as a USB Drive with a letter using Windows Explorer, that says there is a valid connection.

One thing comes to mind why Sentinel doesn't recognize the scanner is being there, which is a critical file on the SD is messed up. So Sentinel isn't seeing a valid scanner somewhere. However, since you can program the SD card in the reader, that eliminates that possibility. Not to nit pick words, but you said the computer saw the card - I couldn't tell what Sentinel saw that way. A big difference.

Okay. What I meant to say was that the computer recognized (and showed the files on) the SD card, whether it was inserted in the scanner or inserted into the SD card reader. However, Sentinel won’t see that anything’s there. When the dialog box listing what scanners are connected comes up on Sentinel after I hit “Download from Scanner” it shows that no scanners are connected.


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[ProScan]

Here are a few ideals I would try. Post your findings.
1. Using Win File Explorer, Confirm the SD card contains a root folder named "BCDx36HP".
2. Investigate if Windows knows the scanner SD drive type is "Removable"(USB Drive).
3. Go to the "Clear User Data" menu item. If the scanner SD card doesn't show in the list, Click the "Display all drives" checkbox then click the Refresh button. Click the OK button.

 

[dfw1193]

Okay. What I meant to say was that the computer recognized (and showed the files on) the SD card, whether it was inserted in the scanner or inserted into the SD card reader. However, Sentinel won’t see that anything’s there. When the dialog box listing what scanners are connected comes up on Sentinel after I hit “Download from Scanner” it shows that no scanners are connected.


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The sd card MUST not be formatted in ntfs for the scanner to read it.

 

[mfn002]

I just made a VERY STUPID mistake. When I Googled "Uniden Sentinel," I clicked on the first link that came up...which apparently was for the Home Patrol and NOT for the x36HP and SDS100. I didn't realize my mistake until I tried to erase and re-download a new copy. Everything works fine now. Thanks for everybody's help.

 

[Hit_Factor]

Aren’t there some drivers that need to be downloaded as well?

No drivers, it is using simple mass storage device support built into windows.

No com ports either.

73, K8HIT
Icom: IC-7300 IC-PW1 ID-5100A ID-51A Plus 2 IC-R30 Hytera PD782G Uniden SDS100 DVMega SDRplay RSPduo