WS1088: FW Update... or... AGGGGGHHH!!!!!

[Forts]

I've been dreading this day since I got my new laptop. Decided to take the plunge and try and update my 1088 to the latest firmware. New work laptop running Win7, EZ-Scan never installed on it before, scanner never plugged into it before. I plugged in the radio and Windows did it's business... recognized the mass storage device, even saw the attached device as a Whistler scanner. Life is good! Installed EZ-Scan from the SD card, launched it and let it download the latest update. It restarted then then put the scanner into FW Update mode (I actually thought to myself at this point... holy crap, that went smooth). And poof, it all went down the drain. I heard the USB disconnect sound, followed by the reconnect sound.. and the dreaded 'USB Device not recognized' message. Now no matter what I do, all I get is USB Unknown Device. I've un-installed/re-installed multiple times. Rebooted multiple times. Scanner on, scanner off. It doesn't matter. At this point I'm ready to hurl the scanner and the laptop against the wall and start drinking. The fact that so many people have issues with this is absolutely insane and instantly makes you want to ditch the radio. I'm not a big fan of the Uniden 436/546 series but at least I could update and program the damn thing!

 

[mikey60]

Locate the device in the device manager, right click and select the Properties option. In the screen that appears, select the Driver tab, and then click the Update Driver button.

Then locate the inf file in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Whistler\WS1080\Drivers (C:\Program Files\Whistler\WS1080\Drivers if you're using 32 bit Windows 7)folder and select that as the driver. If a warning message appears about the driver being unsigned, select the Install Anyway option.

Once the install is complete, you should be able to communicate with the scanner and update the firmware.

Mike

 

[Ubbe]

Each USB port uses its own copy of drivers. Try another port. Whistler has a seperate stand alone update program that they usually email me the link to, but that never happen with the latest update. Try getting Whistler to give you a link to it.

/Ubbe

 

[Forts]

Locate the device in the device manager, right click and select the Properties option. In the screen that appears, select the Driver tab, and then click the Update Driver button.

Then locate the inf file in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Whistler\WS1080\Drivers (C:\Program Files\Whistler\WS1080\Drivers if you're using 32 bit Windows 7)folder and select that as the driver. If a warning message appears about the driver being unsigned, select the Install Anyway option.

Once the install is complete, you should be able to communicate with the scanner and update the firmware.

Mike

Sigh.. if only it were this easy. As soon as the scanner goes into FW Update mode I get the Unknown Device message. When I try to point said device to the Whistler .inf file I get the message "Window has determined that the driver for your device is up to date". Thanks! Good to know my Unknown Device driver is current.

Le sigh....

 

[TAbirdman]

Sigh.. if only it were this easy. As soon as the scanner goes into FW Update mode I get the Unknown Device message. When I try to point said device to the Whistler .inf file I get the message "Window has determined that the driver for your device is up to date". Thanks! Good to know my Unknown Device driver is current.

Le sigh....

After you followed what Mike suggested, did you reboot your PC?

 

[Forts]

Multiple time.

Just came home and tried it on a Win10 laptop... worked first try. Go figure! Dunno what's it's beef is with Windows 7, but it sure doesn't like my setup.

 

[sibbley]

Multiple time.

Just came home and tried it on a Win10 laptop... worked first try. Go figure! Dunno what's it's beef is with Windows 7, but it sure doesn't like my setup.

You're not alone. The Whistlers don't like my windows 7 setup at work either.

 

[RugerSmith]

This is exactly why I'm leaning toward a Uniden product. Just seems to be less hassle.

 

[Ed6698]

What I have found when using Win 7, never connect the scanner to computer at all before installing software. EZScan has to be installed first and updated. If the scanner is connected before EZScan is installed and updated this problem may appear. If scanner is connected before hand, it does not matter how many times EZScan is uninstalled and reinstalled the results will be the same. You are going to have to manually override the Windows driver to do the inf install. Take a look at this thread, it is for Win 10 and 1095, just have to install the inf using unsigned driver method for Win 7 by pressing F8 before Windows boots up to disable the Driver Signature enforcement, afterwards you can enable it. Also to test to see if it worked do the Set Real Time Clock to Computer time, if this works you have successfully completed the task.

http://forums.radioreference.com/whistler-scanners/317662-whistler-scanners-windows-10-a.html

 

[Ed6698]

This is exactly why I'm leaning toward a Uniden product. Just seems to be less hassle.

I have 2 Whistler scanners, no hassles at all here, just a leaning curve.

 

[sibbley]

I should mention, I've had no problems at all using windows 8 or windows 10 and the Whistler scanners.

 

[ratboy]

This is exactly why I'm leaning toward a Uniden product. Just seems to be less hassle.

What seems to be sometimes isn't. Don't say you weren't warned.

Sorry, but IMHO, the X36 scanners are disasters, and the HP1(Don't have any HP2 horror stories..yet)are too.

 

[Wackyracer]

go to device manager and Uninstall the driver, select to delete, then reboot and reinstall the driver. The driver can be downloaded from whistlers website.

 

[Forts]

go to device manager and Uninstall the driver, select to delete, then reboot and reinstall the driver. The driver can be downloaded from whistlers website.

I did this multiple times. The end result was the same.... Unknown Device.

 

[TAbirdman]

Did you try a different usb port or a different cable?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

 

[Wackyracer]

I did this multiple times. The end result was the same.... Unknown Device.

Your probably doing something wrong....try this:



1. Go To Device Manager in Control Panel
2. Select Ports (Com + LPT)
3. You should see .. "USB Serial Device (ComX)" when your Whistler scanner
is connected.

You can now install the USB driver.

4. Right click on the USB Serial Device (ComX) item above and select 'Update
Driver Software'.
5. Select Browse My Computer for Driver Software.

At the bottom, select "Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer"
6. Highlight Whistler WS-1088 Serial Device as applicable.
7. Click Next
8. You MAY see "Windows cannot verify the publisher of this driver software
if so Select "Install this driver software anyways"
10. Click Close

The driver will now be installed as "Whistler WS-1088 Serial Device
(ComX) as applicable"

If this doesn't work and you have already tried a new usb cable. I can help you via remote access using teamviewer. download it here and install as home use https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/windows/

then pm me.

 

[hth999]

This does not work on my Lenovo Win 7

Locate the device in the device manager, right click and select the Properties option. In the screen that appears, select the Driver tab, and then click the Update Driver button.

Then locate the inf file in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Whistler\WS1080\Drivers (C:\Program Files\Whistler\WS1080\Drivers if you're using 32 bit Windows 7)folder and select that as the driver. If a warning message appears about the driver being unsigned, select the Install Anyway option.

Once the install is complete, you should be able to communicate with the scanner and update the firmware.

Mike

Mike, this process you outlined above does not work on my Win 7 Laptop. The problem lies at the very last step. I don't get a warning message, only a message saying " Windows has determined this is the Best driver " message. I have been trying to update my 1080 for over a year. Nothing works. I've tried everything! Originally I had an old Lenovo laptop running XP, worked great. That machine died. Now I have this one and can't update the latest firmware or DSP. I can update my scanlists using an SD card, but that's it. I really love this scanner, but I'll never buy another Whistler product again. Hal

 

[hth999]

Your probably doing something wrong....try this:



1. Go To Device Manager in Control Panel
2. Select Ports (Com + LPT)
3. You should see .. "USB Serial Device (ComX)" when your Whistler scanner
is connected.

You can now install the USB driver.

4. Right click on the USB Serial Device (ComX) item above and select 'Update
Driver Software'.
5. Select Browse My Computer for Driver Software.

At the bottom, select "Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer"
6. Highlight Whistler WS-1088 Serial Device as applicable.
7. Click Next
8. You MAY see "Windows cannot verify the publisher of this driver software
if so Select "Install this driver software anyways"
10. Click Close

The driver will now be installed as "Whistler WS-1088 Serial Device
(ComX) as applicable"

If this doesn't work and you have already tried a new usb cable. I can help you via remote access using teamviewer. download it here and install as home use https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/windows/

then pm me.

This does not work either. I suspect many are having the same problem as me. I connect my Whistler 1080, and get the Unknown device message. I can go into the device manager, but I see nothing that says Ports, or ( Com +LPT ) It's just a dead end. I have loaded many different types of software related or unrelated to radio equipment, all with good sucess. This EZ software and the Driver has baffled me. I have decent computer skills, but not near a Tech person, but this should be easier. I have stopped using my 1095 and 1080. They just collect dust. Using Uniden, at least they work, but don't sound as good. That's life I guess. Hal

 

[Ed6698]

This does not work either. I suspect many are having the same problem as me. I connect my Whistler 1080, and get the Unknown device message. I can go into the device manager, but I see nothing that says Ports, or ( Com +LPT ) It's just a dead end. I have loaded many different types of software related or unrelated to radio equipment, all with good sucess. This EZ software and the Driver has baffled me. I have decent computer skills, but not near a Tech person, but this should be easier. I have stopped using my 1095 and 1080. They just collect dust. Using Uniden, at least they work, but don't sound as good. That's life I guess. Hal

Have you tried this on each USB port? Also the scanner should be off when doing this.

What make and model is your computer?

 

[hth999]

Have you tried this on each USB port? Also the scanner should be off when doing this.

What make and model is your computer?

Yes, I have tried this on all 3 USB ports. Yes, I am aware the scanner needs to be off. My Laptop is a Lenovo L450. It's not a bad laptop, everything I have loaded works except for my 1095 and 1080. I have lots of SDR's and other radio software that work well, never a problem.
You folks tried to help me out many months ago, but I gave up after countless hrs of frustration. My only option is to sell them at this point. I don't know what else to do. I have tried all the suggestions, to no avail. maybe I didn't do the steps correctly, but I am fairly good on figuring things out, except for Whistler.
I had a Lenovo XP laptop running this same software without a problem. But that computer failed on me, so I bought this one about 1 year ago.