Prolific USB-TO-Serial cable drivers

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kfkolb

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I am attempting to run a BCD396XT scanner connected to a new HP TouchSmart 15 laptop computer using Windows 8.1 operating system with a Uniden Prolific USB-to-Serial cable connecting the two and ProScan 7.2 software.

The cable was bought from Uniden with a USB port on one end and the other end is the connector that plugs directly into the port on the BCD396XT and BCD996XT series scanners. This is not a second party USB to 9 pin D type RS 232 connector and then mated with the Uniden 9 pin serial cable,

I keep getting the error message "Driver Problem". Does Windows 8.1 require a special driver for this cable and where do I get it?
 

W7FDX

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I am no computer expert by far but could it be that the drivers are not compatible with Windows 8?
 

cabletech

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For Win 8, you need to go to the prolific web site and down load the new driver.

After loading the driver, plug your cable in and the go to the device manger and see what com port it was assigned.

Set you program to match.

If the device manager does not show the cable and is showing an unknown usb device, click click on it and while to cable is still connected, do a driver up date.

IT WILL find the cable, just takes time.
 

jonwienke

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If the chip is a chinese fake Prolific, the driver will refuse to talk to it. Did you get the cable from Uniden, or from amazon/ebay?
 

lep

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In Post 1, OP says bought from Uniden so the chip should be authentic.
 

Bucko

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It seems I see this problem posted a lot, Win 8 & 8.1 does not play well with drivers. I am using Windows 8.1 along with the USB-1 cable.The old Prolific driver 1.5.0 worked just fine for me, the later versions did not. You need to install the driver from the Device Manager and do it manually, DO NOT let Windows do it for you.
 

lep

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It seems I see this problem posted a lot, Win 8 & 8.1 does not play well with drivers.

Seemingly Win 8 doesn't play well at all, perhaps why MS is already abandoning Win 8 in favor of WIN 10 (as widely reported there will be no Win 9).
 

pdeveau2010

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I have the same issue, so I did what BUCKO suggested and it worked, but I now have a new problem, when ever I remove the usb cable from the computer and plug it back in, windows 8 changes back to the newest serial driver and not the one I installed, so I then have to manually install the old one back again, anyone know how to keep windows from installing a new driver from an old one?
 

Bucko

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After Windows installs the new driver have you tried UN-installing it with the device manager then reboot? I have not had that problem but it maybe worth a try. Deleting the registry string before you reboot may also help. I have used Crap Cleaner to remove such strings, it should be under Application Paths in CC.
 
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