AXE027 stopped working

[Jack Hale]

My AXE027 download cable seems to have stopped working. Trying to download a program gives error message "Hardware not found on COM4!". I get the same error when connected to several boards with the same PICAXE type (18M2+) installed.
It was working previously with all the same settings.
Running the download cable testing wizzard I get no test message for "test 1 - loopback test", but "test 2 - voltage test" gives the expected 5V.
Any suggestions?

 

[inglewoodpete]

My educated guess is that one of the wires in the 3.5mm plug has broken. If it was my AXE027 lead, I'd try replacing the 3.5mm stereo plug.

 

[Jack Hale]

Thanks for the thought, but it did not work. Maybe the problem is at the USB plug end.
I'll just buy another cable.
Merry Christmas!

 

[PhilHornby]

I get "Hardware not found on COM4!" with monotonous regularity on both my AXE027's these days.

Re-plugging at the PC end fixes it.

(This seems to have started when I reprogrammed them to use the drivers from the FTDIchip site, rather than Rev Eds. But that coincided with getting a new PC - so who knows...)