ARC780 in Windows 7 using Virtual XP

[sparklehorse]

Has anyone had any luck using ARC780 on 64-bit Windows 7 Pro, using Windows XP Mode under Windows Virtual PC? I know I'm reaching here, but there is an old thread where someone did get this to work. I'm close, but no cigar just yet. ARC780 runs just fine on my Virtual XP, but I can't seem to get it talking to the 780.

I'm using a Radio Shack RS232 cable with this USB adapter:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006LSIOI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I believe that adapter has the FTDI chipset. I know the cable/adapter combo works as I've used it to program the 780 under Windows 7 with ProScan.


I have the 780 set to RMT mode, I've got the radio set to 19200 bps, likewise Com Port 1 is set to 19200. I've set ARC780 to Com 1 and 19200. I just downloaded ARC780 from Butel a couple weeks ago, so I'm sure it's the latest (last) version.

NADA.

I'm thinking it's an adapter driver issue, but I've spent a whole day trying to update the driver with no luck. (It doesn't help that I'm more of a Mac guy than a PC guy.)

Can anyone shed any light on this? I spent $80 already to upgrade to Windows 7 Pro so I could use the Virtual XP, so I'm pretty committed to making this work. I'm not opposed to buying a different adapter if that's what it takes.

I've tried ProScan already and do not like it for what I'm trying to do.

Thanks for the help!

Gordon

 

[ofd8001]

I don't lnow if this is of any help to you. It comes from the Butel site:

"IMPORTANT: support for this product has ended. Software will only run on Windows XP. IMPORTANT: this software is now sold 'as is'. This software will not be updated anymore. Please try the demo BEFORE purchasing a license for this software. ARC780 is written in an older development language and only supports short 8 character filenames! > ARC780 is NOT compatible with Windows Vista/7/8."


I'm not that much of a computer guru, but the 64 bit processor may be an issue.




I know when I went to Windows 8 I could no longer use ARC 780 for programming and ProScan was my only option.

 

[sparklehorse]

I don't lnow if this is of any help to you. It comes from the Butel site:

"IMPORTANT: support for this product has ended. Software will only run on Windows XP. IMPORTANT: this software is now sold 'as is'. This software will not be updated anymore. Please try the demo BEFORE purchasing a license for this software. ARC780 is written in an older development language and only supports short 8 character filenames! > ARC780 is NOT compatible with Windows Vista/7/8."

Yes I'm aware of this, but others have gotten it to work on Windows 7 in spite of the warnings. I think I've taken the right steps - I'm just down to solving the driver issue.

Thanks

 

[ofd8001]

Next thing I'd try if you have the software for your other scanners (ARC XT or ARC 250) is to see if you can achieve a connection between the computer and scanner with the cable and read/program them. That should confirm everything is okay up to the scanner.

Using FreeScan may be another option for your other scanners (x96/796/250) just to see if you can accomplish the communication between scanner and PC.

 

[sparklehorse]

Next thing I'd try if you have the software for your other scanners (ARC XT or ARC 250) is to see if you can achieve a connection between the computer and scanner with the cable and read/program them. That should confirm everything is okay up to the scanner.

Using FreeScan may be another option for your other scanners (x96/796/250) just to see if you can accomplish the communication between scanner and PC.

The cable and adapter work fine under 64-bit Windows 7. I've used them to program the 780 with ProScan with no issues. I think the problem with ARC780 is I need a different adapter driver, one that works with that adapter under Windows XP. I just haven't had any luck yet making that happen. Device Manager under Windows XP shows a different com port driver (a Microsoft driver) vs. Device Manager under Windows 7 which shows an FTDI driver. I think the sort of 'generic Microsoft' driver is the problem, but I'm not a savy PC guy, so it's just a guess.

 

[ofd8001]

This next one is a shot in the dark. Some times I've seen software A "capture" a com port and that com port is no longer seen by software B. Shutting down and powering the computer back up releases the com port.

 

[crayon]

(It doesn't help that I'm more of a Mac guy than a PC guy.)

I personally like the fact that you can drop to a shell on a Mac, but I cannot get past the "walled garden" and the actual physical design of apple products. A 2" mouse cord?! The smallest keyboard they can get away with?! Gimme a break. No thank you.

I spent $80 already to upgrade to Windows 7 Pro so I could use the Virtual XP, so I'm pretty committed to making this work.

Based upon my experience Virtual XP is not a serious virtualization product. It is mostly a way to get $80 bucks outta someone because they have some software that only runs on XP yadda, yadda, yadda.

I would recommend that you check out VMWare Workstation. I think it does a much better job of isolating the guest OS from the host whilst at the same time passing input devices in like USB.

It is free to try and if your curious there is a way to mod the VM BIOS so that it thinks it is OEM.

 

[sparklehorse]

I personally like the fact that you can drop to a shell on a Mac, but I cannot get past the "walled garden" and the actual physical design of apple products. A 2" mouse cord?! The smallest keyboard they can get away with?! Gimme a break. No thank you.

What on earth does this have to do with running ARC780 on a Windows 7 machine?

Based upon my experience Virtual XP is not a serious virtualization product. It is mostly a way to get $80 bucks outta someone because they have some software that only runs on XP yadda, yadda, yadda.

I would recommend that you check out VMWare Workstation. I think it does a much better job of isolating the guest OS from the host whilst at the same time passing input devices in like USB.

It is free to try and if your curious there is a way to mod the VM BIOS so that it thinks it is OEM.

Thanks. I might have tried your suggestion, but I've finally gotten ARC780 to work properly under Windows Virtual XP. Turns out there's a pull down menu at the top of the XP desktop for 'USB'. I just needed to select my adapter from the pull down list and then select 'Attach'. It then shows up under Device Manager as Com Port 3. Set ARC to Com 3 and good to go. Virtual Control works, upload, download, it's all working fine now.

Gordon

 

[crayon]

What on earth does this have to do with running ARC780 on a Windows 7 machine?

You mentioned that you are a Mac guy so I was just chit-chatting with you on the subject.

Since you got it working I would not fool with VMWare Workstation because it would be just another pot to stir.