Can't open port COM4

[abenn]

It's a while since I've used my PICAXE Editor 6.0.9.3, and I'm aware I've had a few Windows 10 updates since the last time. Today when I tried to program a new board I got the 'Can't open port COM4' message. When I checked in Windows Device Manager I saw that 'AXE027 PICAXE USB' has a ? against it, and on checking its 'Events' tab I see the last event is 'Device USB\VID_0403&PID_BD90\6&b5d7bd6&0&7 was not migrated due to partial or ambiguous match.' I clicked on the 'Update Drivers' option, searching both my PC and the Internet, but it finds no drivers.

When I first plug my AXE027 cable into my PC I get the little 'ding-dong-ding', but I don't get the wizard for new hardware installation, so I'm unable to follow the usual instructions for installing the drivers. Please advise what steps I need to take.

 

[inglewoodpete]

To update or reassociate the driver for your AXE027, from the Windows Device Manager's "Update Drivers" option, select "Browse my computer for driver software".

For me, on my Windows 10/64 desktop, I select the path C:\Users\Peter\AppData\Local\Programs\Revolution Education\PICAXE Editor\USB Drivers\AXE027. Note that you will need to select the equivalent path for your userID.

 

[Aries]

FWIW, on my Windows 10, the path is C:\Program Files (x86)\Revolution Education\PICAXE Editor6\USB Drivers\AXE027. It's a bit time-consuming, but you could do a search for name:AXE027 with Explorer

 

[abenn]

I already tried the "Update Drivers" option, eventually selecting the whole of my PC rather than a specific path, and it didn't find anything. As it happens, I've just had a Windows 10 update last night and first thing this morning, and it still can't open COM4, even though Windows reported in a little window at the bottom right of the screen that AXE027 is setup and working properly. So I'll have another go at updating drivers.

 

[hippy]

For me, on my Windows 10/64 desktop, I select the path C:\Users\Peter\AppData\Local\Programs\Revolution Education\PICAXE Editor\USB Drivers\AXE027

FWIW, on my Windows 10, the path is C:\Program Files (x86)\Revolution Education\PICAXE Editor6\USB Drivers\AXE027.

Windows these days silently keeps copies of things which are held under Program Files, or links files to appear in two places when they actually exist in only one, so both of these are probably the same.

The rationale is to avoid overwriting the original files under Program Files while allowing users to update what's in Program Files. How things are on a particular PC will depend on how Windows has been configured. A Start Menu 'Search for Files' on "AXE027', 'Revolution Education' or 'PICAXE Editor' should identify where the installation and any copy of that is.

A quicker route is to launch PE6, select the Help/About menu, and there's an 'AXE027 Drivers Folder' link towards the bottom right. Click that and it will open a File Explorer window which should reveal the location of the driver files.

 

[abenn]

Job done!

Thanks everyone for the input. I went through the Device Manager "Update Drivers" routine again just now, specifying the whole of my C drive (same as I did last night before posting, and before the Windows update), and after several minutes it reported that it was successful, with COM3 now being the appropriate port. So back to PE6 and it showed COM3 as being the connection, and worked first time.

So, was there something flaky about the previous Windows 10 version? And, just as a matter of interest, why can it not find drivers on the internet?

 

[hippy]

So, was there something flaky about the previous Windows 10 version?

I doubt it. More likely something in the way you were trying to update drivers.

I wasn't aware you could specify an entire disk drive to search but would advise against that. Point Device Manager at the exact directory and files to be used and you can be sure it will use the correct drivers, not something else.

And, just as a matter of interest, why can it not find drivers on the internet?

Where Device Manager looks to find driver files is far more limited than scanning the entire internet for something which may match.

 

[Flenser]

Hippy,

It could have been a Win10 issue. Do a web search for "Device was not migrated due to partial or ambiguous match" There are many posts from people who have struck usb device problems on Win10 that reported this distinctive error message.

 

[hippy]

I have encountered that "Device was not migrated" issue, though not with an AXE027, and this screenshot seems typical of the type of things people are seeing -

But note that the message order runs from earliest at top to latest at bottom. After "not migrated" one can see that "device installed" follows, so the migration was ultimately completed.

It threw me too when I saw "not migrated" at the top of my list, immediately thought something had failed, but it's more a diagnostic report than a failure. The issue is usually automatically corrected later, but "Failed" at the top is more prominent than "Succeeded" at the bottom, and often not showing in the visible list box when first seen.

I personally think the list is upside down. One wants to primarily know what the current status is, not what it was some time ago.

Of course, not everything succeeds, some devices aren't automatically migrated, don't get fixed, and then stop working, but that should usually be solved by reinstalling working drivers as abenn eventually did.

As I understand it, "not migrated" isn't a bug, nor a failure, nor really an issue of itself, but failing to find device drivers and automatically install and use them after not migrating could be considered to be, though hopefully it's nothing more than an annoyance and inconvenience.

 

[abenn]

Thanks hippy. My 'not migrated ... ' message had the latest date/time when I looked yesterday -- I think my list was showing latest at the top, as you suggest it should, though I can't be 100% sure.

Anyway, around lunch time today Windows 10 had another automatic updating session on my PC (I thought it had finished last night) and, lo and behold, when I tried to download a program just now PM6 reported that it can't open COM5! I went back to device manager and it reported this time that the AXE027 was properly installed, but nevertheless I told it to install the latest drivers from my PC. After searching for a while, it then reported that the latest driver was already installed, and when I went back to PM6 it went straight to COM3 and downloaded my program successfully.

So somehow, on my PC at least, Windows updates seem to be messing up whatever it is that tells PM6 which port to use for the AXE027 cable. None of my other devices seem to be affected by the updates.