random connection USB elink

[jodel]

Hi,

i'm a new user of RM. i have many problems about initializing the connection between port Com/USB, with elink. the first connection fails once every four. i have to change physicaly the usb socket on my PC to another on , try again , sometimes reboot my PC,  and sometimes, miracle, it works. Once the connection is established, no other problems.

I m in W10 on ASUS laptop. i don't understand this problem, because i use it also for a 3D printer connected by the same way : Serial port on USB, but whith a FTDI driver . i never had initialization connection problem with my printer. but i have a button on the printer software to start the connection with it. it is easier than when you plug an USB socket to start it.

the driver used by RM to emulate the COm port on anUSB is Microchip technology? perhaps it it is less reliable than FTDI ?

I added also Alternative comms=1 and Check controller=1 in railmaster.ini. no improvement.

I tried to uninstall this driver .i dont know  if it is really deinstalled form my PC because when i reboot it with elink usb cable plugged, the driver LP and COM is immédiately established and the driver is OK, i dont see a new installation of this driver... i have to try again

However, Would anyone have an idea about that to improve this problem ?

I thnik also that hornby has to improve RM software connections for W10 that is in 2017 , the most common software used. 

Thanks for all your replies

jodel

 

[HornbyRailMasterSupport]

Sometimes, Windows does not correctly download and install the USB port driver (the installation is handled by Windows from Microsoft's servers).

 

You should reinstall the Windows USB serial port driver by doing the following:-

 

1. Go into the Windows Device Manager and open the Ports (LPT & com) heading. If the controller is not recognised it may by under a different heading with an error or warning.2. Right click on the entry for the device and choose Uninstall.3. Also check the box to delete the driver (important).4. When the driver is uninstalled unplug the USB lead and wait five seconds.5. Plug the USB lead into a different USB port on your computer, ensuring it is not plugged into a USB hub but directly into the PC.6. Wait for Windows to download and install the driver afresh.  This can take a few minutes and must not be interrupted.7. Set the Bits Per Second to 115200 and note the com port assigned by Windows8. Go into RailMaster and set the com port for your eLink in settings (Also ensure you have actually selected the eLink as your controller)9. Ensure the two lines "Alternative comms=1" and "Check controller=1" are present in your RailMaster.ini file. You can edit this file by going into the Help/About screen in RailMaster and clicking on the cog symbol.

 

If that doesn't do it then you may have either a faulty USB subsystem on your PC or a faulty eLink (or USB lead). You should try a different USB lead and if it still doesn't work try the eLink on any other computer to rule out either a faulty eLink or your original PC. Note that some PCs running Windows 10 are not 100% compatible with the Windows 10 USB driver (nothing to do with RailMaster, but Microsoft Windows).

[Chrissaf]

Jodel,

The "white arrow in blue" button is not a "Reply to this post" button.

.

To reply to a post, use the large empty "Reply" text box at the bottom of the page and click the Green Reply button.

.

I have hidden your two blue button quote replies because you never added any text of your own to them. They just unnecessarily duplicated the long post made by HRMS.

[Augustus Caesar]

@jodel

You may want to have a look at the top two fixed posts in this thread which will add to the information HRMS has already given.

The top post will advise in much more depth about USB sockets and how to utilise them properly with Windows 10 and RailMaster with the eLink. It will explain why you should use the same socket each time you want to use your trains with the eLink etc. Pay particular attention to the Installation pages.

[jodel]

hello,

i have testto day first with desinstalling and reinstalling the drivers. stopping the PC and reboot like describe in your procedure.

no success. the connection is always established once every four....

i installed also the software on an anoher Desktop on W10. it connects every time elink but the driver referene installed on this PC is NOT a microchip driver. it always a Microsoft V10.0.14393.0, evenafter updating RM to 1.56.

i dont imagine that this problem is caused by my ASUS deskto hardware because like i said i have no connection problem with a 3D printer connected on port COM3. with my desktop

Could you advise me to use an other driver for serial port for exmaple...

i am very deapointed by this situation because later i want to install my railway Network in a detached country house..

hoping for a solution.

jodel

 

[Augustus Caesar]

Updating RM to 1.56? Should that be 1.65 and if not you need to update the program to that version and see what happens then.

The ASUS hardware will not be at fault. I use this company all the time when building PC's and servers using their motherboards simply becasue they are amongst the best out there.

Don't pay too much attention to Microchip or Microsoft drivers by name. The former is owned by the latter.

 

If you want to check the driver issue then I suggest you open the RailMaster folder (obviously when RM is installed) and look for the Drivers folder.

In there you will see a file called 'mchpcdc'. Highlight and then right click it. Then click Install from the menu popup. Accept any UAC's. The driver will install without the use of the installer file below it which attempts to install .NET Framework 3.5. Check your program now.

 

Keep in mind some programs DO require the .NET Framework v2.0 and usually the v3.0 setup as well. This can be installed using the Programs and Features > Turn Windows features on or off option. Simply tick the check box on the popup.

 

Take a pop at those and let us know the outcome.

[Mobileadam]

From my own experience a combinations of different configurations in the .ini file often sorts out the connection problem but can introduce some side effects.

I do find it interesting that advice is often given suggesting that their could be a fault with the 'USB subsystem' - is this relating to the actual hardware of our PCs or some software component? I've been told that my machine probably has that problem, as have others over the months. Is there any way we can test other devices or run some sort of diagnostic to confirm or deny this? or is there more specific information regarding this suggestion? Why would all other USB devices work on a the same 'subsystem' but not RM / eLink?

Hmmm...

I'll look up my .ini file settings as I recall them not being normal but the only way I could get RM to connect.

[Augustus Caesar]

I've mentioned this before on here where some motherboards and USB cables are not actually set to a standard build in terms of wiring the pinouts on the motherboards of some manufacturers and where the cables also do not always contain all threads of individual wires inside the cable.

Done for cheepness and nothing else. Hence some, but not that many, of these will suffer connection issues.

It's the same for USB 3 sockets... some are backward compatible and some not... they are ALL supposed to be though.

This is why the new standard is breaking through on some PC's... USB-C.

It is supposed to be future proof and can be fitted to its socket either way round as it is reversible... so it matters not which way you fit it.

 

/media/tinymce_upload/3d34b4b664ae2f4a4645aa54d6e99f34.png

[96RAF]

Fortunately there is a C to A or B end adaptor available.

[jodel]

Hello all,

First of all, thank you for your relevant suggestions.

 to be more precise about my last reply :

1. ok my version of RM is 1.65. 

2. for the 2 drivers of my PC :

• USBSER v10.0.14393.0 ( copyright microsoft)
• /media/tinymce_upload/770673fb2ba273d28e63e6c33ad7327a.png
• MCHPCD :  i think the version  is 5.1.2600.8 . microchip is really the editor of this software.
• /media/tinymce_upload/ae418497d2441b32f1a03376c24d74ac.png
• /media/tinymce_upload/267acd288b2bd70795bad10ed4d3d1a2.png

3. for the driver for the the other PC for alternative test yesterday :

• /media/tinymce_upload/e4cd109ebb414199343f2cc42130baaa.png
• /media/tinymce_upload/52cc2e5585063fb16ef9946d6dc1a294.png

As you can see the number of the driver USBSER is the same for the 2 PC. 

the second one for test, did not need to install MCHPCDC . it is curious !! and it connects elink each time !..i dont understand why it has not been installed...

in fact i have some doubt about the reliability of microchip driver because when i browsed then microchip website and some forums about mchpcdc , i never saw using mchpcdc with W10. i saw  it with W7 or XP.. but i did not find the technical data sheet about this software. however it is important because in my opinion, i think ( may be mistaken...) that mchpcdc is not totally compatible with W10. Generally when you use on W10 a software which is too old ( ie for XP) , you have a compatibility mode to try to solve harsardous behavior of this software on W10.

so it is very frustrating to try to solve an random software issue...

Thanks again for your comments . i try to find quality serial cable and i'll test it.

regards

joel

[Augustus Caesar]

Correct RAF... for backward compatibility of course. Remiss of me to not add that... well spotted. 😳

[96RAF]

Here's one for reference - USB3 to C

/media/tinymce_upload/99df6fcc9a553def098bc1b3de28e3f4.jpg

[96RAF]

Handy information for John (yelrow) pour son laptop avec les fenetres sept.

Rob

[Yelrow]

Bien sure, merci jean

[Fishmanoz]

Reminds me of years ago installing an early Windows in Arabic on an ancient laptop which we configured with a dual boot.  I spoke Windows and my colleague spoke Arabic and between us we managed.  Some of the literal translations of the Arabic Windows were weird though.  Then there was the printer driver that had to work right to left.  And if we were doing it today, some people might wonder what we were up to.

 

Sorry people, back on topic now.

[Augustus Caesar]

@jodel

Forgive me... I stated Microchip was owned by Microsoft and they are a seperate company. Don't know why I put that in there but should have stated that MS use MC drivers for their hardware. Correct, the mchpcdc.inf file is written by MC... if any confusion was caused here it is in that I did not state MS used MC's drivers as I should have instead of typing an erroneous line.

However, you say the Microchip driver I mentioned is NOT compatible with Windows 10, although you say you may be mistaken, and I have to tell you that it is compatible.

My own laptop which is only a couple of years old and is top notch uses this driver with RailMaster and Windows 10 (latest incarnation). The driver version does not really matter too much if one or another that you choose to use works.

When Win10 came out in July 2015 there was a lot of stress on here about the driver issue and it not working on only a few machines. I did a lot of research on that and concluded, after testing lots of versions of different drivers, that the firmware for the eLink needed an update from Hornby. This was proven. The thread will still be available somewhere...

Anyway... let's get away from that lot.

 

Can you give us the make and model of each motherboard on both PC's/laptops?

It may be that the chips on those boards are forcing particular drivers to be used as opposed to others. This is quite common and is overridden by installation, manually, of the required driver.

Let us know...

[96RAF]

I have a USB 'sniffer' app on my train pc and its quite surprising how many times Microchip comes up as the 'owner' of a port or hub.

[jodel]

Hi

Thanks for your replies.

Well i didn't say that mchpcdc is not comptable with W 10 , i said i have some doubt...

 i'll give you tomorrow informaitons about my laptop

I thank you very well.

Jodel

[Augustus Caesar]

@jodel

Your exact words were, and I quote... "however it is important because in my opinion, i think ( may be mistaken...) that mchpcdc is not totally compatible with W10".

I replied with "However, you say the Microchip driver I mentioned is NOT compatible with Windows 10, although you say you may be mistaken"...

I leave that one there but I do hope that my words are not taken out of context. In the short and long term it doesn't really matter.

What matters is that an issue needs resolving and the more ideas or thoughts we put forward the better chance you have of getting a fix.

We look forward to getting your motherboard details of which you say shall be available tomorrow (well, technically today now).

[jodel]

Hello all,

here is my laptop model is ASUS : N751JX.

but i don't know the référence of the mother board .

Thank you for your active collaboration.

jodel

[Augustus Caesar]

Yodel...

Do you have the motherboard specs for the other PC you used to test RM?

Thank you for posting the 1st but to compare I would like to know the second if possible. It will be printed on the board and easily visible if it is a PC rather than laptop.

Awaiting...

[jodel]

hi augustus

I cannot give your tehnical information about the second PC used for the successful test of elink connection because it was also a laptop but an Hitachi ..

actually the only difference i know , between these two laptops is on ASUS PC the USB socket used is USB3. ( i have only USB3 sockets on my ASUS PC). and for Hitachi it was USB2 socket...

 however i will call ASUS Support tomorow to have technical information about the motherboard.

Thanks .

regard.

 

Jodel

[96RAF]

Also be aware that in addition to having USB 3.0 sockets many laptops have sockets that remain powered so you can charge your phone, etc. I found it better to disable this 'always on' function and then the port behaved better with things like external drives and memory sticks and so maybe it could improve controller handling.

[Chrissaf]

Please also note that RM & eLink / Elite seem to have issues using a USB3.0 port. Using a native USB2.0 port seems to give more reliable connections. I appreciate that your ASUS doesn't have a USB2.0 port, but using the ASUS USB3.0 ports may be the cause of your reported issue.

[Augustus Caesar]

Just had my own theories about the differing the sockets placed by RAF and Chris, Yodel.

That's one of the main reasons I asked for the motherboard specs!

If, indeed, the ASUS laptop has no USB 2 ports then you should disable the following:

• Settings > Devices > USB > Notify me if there are issues connecting USB devices > OFF

 

This is quite possibly one of the last resorts as using a hub here is no good at all.

You could use a small USB 3 to USB 2 adaptor and see if that works. The problem with v3 ports is that they are NOT as compatible as the manufacturer will have you believe.

When the boards are made the manufacturer will only know the port soldered to the board is a USB port and that the spec is either v2 or v3. They won't ask how it is wired therefore permanent v3 or backward compatible as it should be. It's a little complex than that in reality but that's the gist of it.

 

Try the above and take note of the two comments above my own as well.