'RM cannot communicate with DCC controller'

[renard80]

RM is still not working after upgrading to Windows 10. I have asked RM support for help and waiting reply.

I hoped matters might improve after downloading v1.62, which I did today via the Forum link.

However, I now get this: After the message saying 'Initialising DCC Controller', I get this message: 'Railmaster cannot communicate with your DCC controller.  Unplug the USB cable from your DCC controller, wait five seconds then plug it in again. When you are ready, press the tick button.'

So I do that, but it just reverts to 'Initialising DCC Controller' and goes through the same process, over and over.

Any thoughts, please?

[WilliamDavid]

Is your contoller the Elink?

Mine, on 1.62, with the Elite , on trying to connect, asked for the power and USB leads to be removed, tick the box, reinsert power lead, wait a bit, plug in USB, wait a bit more, and Voila, all good.

Different from 1.61.

[Sloop]

RM is still not working after upgrading to Windows 10. I have asked RM support for help and waiting reply.

I hoped matters might improve after downloading v1.62, which I did today via the Forum link.

However, I now get this: After the message saying 'Initialising DCC Controller', I get this message: 'Railmaster cannot communicate with your DCC controller.  Unplug the USB cable from your DCC controller, wait five seconds then plug it in again. When you are ready, press the tick button.'

So I do that, but it just reverts to 'Initialising DCC Controller' and goes through the same process, over and over.

Any thoughts, please?

Hi Renard, The best advice I can give is read the install instructions with 1.62. It is frustrating when things don’t work after an update and that leads to forgetting to do something small, so treat it as a fresh installation and check that you have done everything. Failing that RailMaster support normally reply in a day or two.

Sloop.

[RDS]

Hi Renard80

There are pages and pages of answers (and more questions) to problems with Windows 10, under various threads with Windows 10 in the title in this RailMaster section of the forum.

[RB51]

Is your contoller the Elink?

Mine, on 1.62, with the Elite , on trying to connect, asked for the power and USB leads to be removed, tick the box, reinsert power lead, wait a bit, plug in USB, wait a bit more, and Voila, all good.

Different from 1.61.

It seems there are 3 cycles of "unplug - wait 5 seconds" etc. I know because I deliberately left my Elite unplugged as I only wanted to carry out some installation and coding of signals. After the third cycle you get through to the track plan. R-

[Michael_A]

I know I keep saying this, and also get criticised for saying it, but I will continue on this soap box until Hornby does something about it.

 

In 2015 I do not expect a piece of software to be so flaky with regard to a simple USB interface. We have been using printers, scanners, cameras, external drives etc. for decades, in the main with no connectivity issues / drop outs.

 

Yet I cannot get through a single running session of more than a couple of hours without having to close RailMaster, reset my Elite, and reconnect. (and I have a good quality USB cable, no other programmes running, nothing else connected to any other USB port etc etc.)

 

The very fact Hornby have had to describe this process in the software says it all!

[HornbyRailMasterSupport]

"Michael_A":  Have you contacted our support team at all about your Elite connection issue?  Have you read the RailMaster PDF guides that are installed on your Windows desktop?  The answer would appear to be no, considering another posting of yours on this forum in which you are asking whether Hornby should develop a hand-held app.  In fact such as app has been available for nearly two years and is mentioned in the main RailMaster guide, on the Latest News which you are invited to view within RailMaster, in its own PDF guide on your Windows dekstop and in much marketing including the Hornby catalogue.

Clearly, being a model railway control system RailMaster has been built to be reliable, however we cannot check it on every user's computer and so clearly something is not quite correct on your computer if you are having to restart RailMaster during a control session.  If you contact us, preferably using the Help Request system, then perhaps we can help you to resolve the problem on your particular system then you won't need to blame the software for all ills.

 

[Michael_A]

"Michael_A":  Have you contacted our support team at all about your Elite connection issue?  Have you read the RailMaster PDF guides that are installed on your Windows desktop?  The answer would appear to be no, considering another posting of yours on this forum in which you are asking whether Hornby should develop a hand-held app.  In fact such as app has been available for nearly two years and is mentioned in the main RailMaster guide, on the Latest News which you are invited to view within RailMaster, in its own PDF guide on your Windows dekstop and in much marketing including the Hornby catalogue.

Clearly, being a model railway control system RailMaster has been built to be reliable, however we cannot check it on every user's computer and so clearly something is not quite correct on your computer if you are having to restart RailMaster during a control session.  If you contact us, preferably using the Help Request system, then perhaps we can help you to resolve the problem on your particular system then you won't need to blame the software for all ills.

 

I have done everything suggested, including updating the firmware in my Elite (which resulted in crashing it and having to upodate it with an XP machine), am now running on a second laptop, and even invested in a new USB cable as well as a compete uninstall / reinstall. I have tried different USB ports, you name it I have tried it!

 

As it is the point function that stops working first I even bought a new points decoder and tried it with an ESU unit. Starts up, all connects, then with no error message all of a sudden the decoder icon is no longer green and the Elite no longer responds to RailMaster, even though it still opertates perfectly.

 

Hmm, maybe the Elite itself has a fault?

[Johnde]

 Talking of funnies, this morning I was having a small ops session with the Sentinal 0-4-0 ( Barabel) when suddenly it stopped working/wouldn't read CV's etc.

What I found when i started using the desk top short cut it was now trying to run on a Programme Railmaster C:32 and not Programme file C:86, I also noticed that there had been some windows update .  Anybody else had this problem ?

Sorted it in the end removed the desk to shortcut  went to the main Railmaster location and it started all fine. Have since placed a shortcut back on the and all is fine.  Anybody else had the slight hinderence ?

[RB51]

How do you tell what programme file is being used John? R-

[MetmanUK]

 

In 2015 I do not expect a piece of software to be so flaky with regard to a simple USB interface. We have been using printers, scanners, cameras, external drives etc. for decades, in the main with no connectivity issues / drop outs.

 

For what it's worth, I have a weather station connected by USB.  My server is on permanently carrying out operations at least every 30 seconds.  The server connects to the console every 5 minutes 24x7.  However, every so often, quite randomly, it loses the USB connection.  Recovery is by unplugging/replugging the cable or rebooting the server PC (it runs Win XP) - not something that fits in with an automated station.  The console is manufactured by the world leading weather station manufacturer.  They know of the problem but say they can do nothing about it - it's a known USB problem.   Just saying .........

[Nick_]

 If you are running a 32bit version of Windows then all the  RailMaster components including RailMaster.exe and RailMaster.ini will live in c:program filesRailMaster.

If you are running a 64bit version of Windows then all the  RailMaster components including RailMaster.exe and RailMaster.ini will live in c:program files (x86)RailMaster.

If you have a RailMaster shortcut on your desktop then if you right-click on it and select Properties the entry Target in the Shortcut tab will show the path to the program. Switching to the Compatability tab allows you to set the program to 'Run this program run as an administrator'.

[paul_harness]

Same problem in windows 7

[paul_harness]

 I've managed to find the solution; see the railmaster 1.62 thread. It's down to changing either railmaster help settings or the com port baud rate settings or both. Thanks to GWR Greg and Bert85.

[Fishmanoz]

Paul, for you, and others still having problems, the release of Windows 10 with a buggy USB driver has caused a lot of problems. However, you will find lots of info on this in recent threads on this and the DCC forum.  The general concensus now seems to be that all is working.  No one should now need to roll back from Windows 10, from the latest RM version at the link at the top of the RM forum, or from the latest eLink firmware.

 

However, even with all of that, some are still being caught out by some very basic stuff, covered not only in the Manual but also in the 2 locked threads at the top of the RM forum. Simple things like checking com port numbers and baud rates are recent examples.  Then you might also note there are some tweeks to the Railmaster.ini file that have helped some, and that it is now easier to do that from within RM.

 

John (that back to front Worley fellow), has been very insistent that not upgrading until newer things are proven to work is the way to go, and there was much sense in what he was saying.  However, now it does seem to be proven, so upgrade away with everything and enjoy.

[Yelrow]

I would agree that if you wish to use the same laptop for everyday use,  as well as Railmaster, things are about back to normal. If , however, like me, and several others on the forum, you have a designated RM laptop, which is used for little else,, windows 7, XP, vista, etc, run the programme faultlessly,  and you are as well, staying  with  what you know. There is  always a risk associated with new releases, and, if it aint broke, RM, does not need windows 10, to run it, and  it will not improve its performance, and may lead to problems that are avoidable. john