Railmaster Win 10 v1.72 - connection issue

[Mal_R]

I have successfully registered the railmaster product today but cannot connect elink to the win 10 laptop.  the issue is the baud rate needs to be set to 115XXX on the com port but it is defaulting to 9600.  When changed to the required setting it reverts back to 9600.  I have uninstalled the com port and updated to the latest drivers but still to no avail.  I am also running as an administrator and have navigated through the firewall sucessfully.

Is anyone else having a similar issue and if so have they managed to fix it

[Chrissaf]

....the issue is the baud rate needs to be set to 115200 on the com port but it is defaulting to 9600

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Where are you editing the baud rate value?

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Are you editing it in Windows Device Manager?

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Are you editing it in RailMaster 'System Settings' screen?

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The baud rate value has to match the same in BOTH locations.

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IMPORTANT:

Again, in the RM 'System Settings' screen.

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Have you selected eLink as controller A and not Elite?:

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If you have Elite selected as controller A in this screen, Windows 'Device Manager' will indeed revert correctly to 9600 as that is the baud rate for an Elite. Both the eLink and the Elite use the exact same Windows driver.

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If the controller in the 'System Settings' screen is displayed with a pinky background, then that indicates that there is a communication issue between RM and the controller.

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Work through the points raised above first. If still not fixed then come back and report status in this thread and I might be able to offer supplementary guidance advice.

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Just to be absolutely sure that you are installing the eLink driver correctly, did you follow the methodology described in this thread and the further linked threads posted within it (my posts).

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Installing Windows 10 Drivers for the eLink

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IMPORTANT:

Note that the current latest version of RM is version 1.73 not 1.72

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I suggest you update (manually) RM to the latest version ... see this earlier thread.

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https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/railmaster-version-173-released/?p=1

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Remember to 'right click' the downloaded installer and choose 'Run as administrator'.

 

[Mal_R]

Hi and thanks for your response.  Unfortunately and evening and no success.  I have followed the instructions given but still struggle with the elink connecting.

to cover the basics.  

i have upgraded to 1.73 version from the link provided by yourself.

i have managed to get the Com port 3 baud rate to 115200 and that matches the RM software.

i have tried both with com driver cdc RS232 emlation demo and with the updated usbser.sys driver, the instructions do state to let the pc find the driver from the internet but i get the message the best driver is already installed.

the elink has the solid green light and when the software attempts to connect it does switch off the elink and restart it but it will still not connect and in the settings shows elink with a pink background.

i have read through both links you supplied and followed the instructions to the letter.

I have also checked my pc is running the very latest win 10 release

i hope you can continue to help

much appreciated

malcolm robinson

[Chrissaf]

I have tried both with com driver CD RS232 Emulation Demo and with the updated usbser.sys driver.

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'CDC RS232 Emulation Demo' IS NOT a driver. You need to see 'USB Serial Port (ComX)' listed in Windows 'Device Manager'. Where X is a number, in your case you are indicating the number 3 which is ideal.

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Did you follow ALL my guidance that my posts give with regard the editing of the RailMaster .INI file. I have summarised the relevant bits further below

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The pink background indicates a communication issue.

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Open the 'railmaster.ini' file. The built in editor can be opened by clicking the bluish COG icon found in the bottom left hand corner of the RailMaster 'Help Screen'.

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Look for this line:

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Restart eLink on start=1

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Change it to

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Restart eLink on start=0

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Type it in if it is missing with the =0 value.

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Now look for and delete these two lines:

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Alternative comms=n

Check controller=n

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Where n is a zero or a 1

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If the two lines above are missing, then they shouldn't be, and this will not help your issue.

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Now type the two lines again as below, but this time ensure that they are typed as the very last two lines in the file. It has been proven that RM is more stable if these are the last two lines in the file.

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Alternative comms=1

Check controller=1

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Save your edits and changes and exit and restart RailMaster and test again.

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If it is still not fixed, then you will have to screen capture the following screens and post images of them for me to review:

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1. Windows Device Manager eLink driver entry in the COMMs section of the Device Manager tree.
2. RailMaster 'System Settings' screen showing Controller A eLink settings.
3. The text contents of your 'railmaster.ini' file.

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Images will be held back for Hornby approval and take a few days to appear. See TIP 8 in my TIPs page regarding the supported process for uploading images.

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https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/tips-on-using-the-forum/

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[Mal_R]

Hi Chris

And again thank you for coming back to me, i have an update.  after i posted i was speaking to someone who lives close to me and they have RM from some years ago they got in a majestic set that they no long use.  i asked to borrow the usb cable in case it was that and they brought their whole elink system around to my house (excluding software as they have lost theirs now).  as one of my tests i tried their elink and it worked first time. Connected immediately.  I tried other combinations as below

my elink - their 4 amp power - not worked

their elink - their 4 amp power - worked

their elink - my 1 amp power - worked.

my elink - my 1 amp power - not worked

i restarted my pc and did a bit of surfing on the forum and then went back to try again and the exact same results as above, working fine when using my friends elink but will not connect using mine.  For information it says his elink is version 1.07 but cannot see what mine is as i guess it doesnt show until it connects.

I will look at your suggestions to see if it helps mine but for now i have a working system using their elink with my software and cables.

I will update tomorrow when i have tried your later suggestions but do appreciate your time with this.

best wishes

malcolm

[Chrissaf]

As your friends eLink worked, I would put my previous suggestions temporarily on hold and concentrate on the eLink hardware first. Once you have got a working eLink, the .INI changes I have documented are still worth performing for longer term controller / RailMaster communication stability.

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Based upon your documented tests it really does sound like your eLink is faulty, which is not unknown.

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OK ... regarding your eLink firmware 1.07.

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Now do all this without RailMaster running.

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Connect your eLink so that it is recognised in Windows 'Device Manager'.

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Using Windows File Explorer navigate to and find the following file in the program (x86) RailMaster folder.

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elinkNNN.exe where NNN is probably 107

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If there are (unlikely) more than one file that adopts the above naming convention then choose the one with the highest numerical NNN number. It should not be less than 107

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Then just double click this file to run it. This should force the eLink firmware upgrade process. Or overwrite the firmware if it is already at that revision level. It will also correct any firmware in the eLink that is corrupted.

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Remember, RailMaster must not be running when you perform the described firmware update task.

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As 'belt n braces' it might be prudent to 'right click' the elinkNNN.exe file and choose 'Run as administrator', although this shouldn't strictly be necessary.

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If all indications are that the firmware update process completed OK, then test your eLink again. If you still have communication issues then consider it as being faulty and contact Hornby Customer Services [HCS] to arrange repair and obtain a returns authorisation number [presumably still under Warranty]. See 'Contact Us' link at the very bottom of the page for HCS contact details.

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Of course, if your friend is agreeable then as he is no longer using his eLink, he might consider selling it to you. Note this, the 4 amp PSU is the official Hornby upgrade PSU for the eLink. It is highly advantageous to use the 4 amp PSU over the factory supplied 1 amp PSU. If your friend does sell you his eLink, then try and buy the 4 amp PSU with it too.

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...what mine is as I guess it doesn't show until it connects.

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Once it is recognised in RailMaster and connects without the pink background in 'System Settings'. Then if you 'hover the mouse cursor' over the controller symbol in the very top right hand corner of the main RailMaster screen (the controller symbol should be green and not greyed out) then a 'pop-up' should appear displaying the firmware revision level i.e the 1.07 number.

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[Mal_R]

Hi Chris and once again thank you for taking the time to keep responding.

So over the last two days i have done the following.

checked the ini file and the entries you suggested changing were not there.  So i deleted the ini file and a new one was rebuilt.  I changed the entries as suggested including the "Restart eLink on start=0" being "Reset eLink on start=0".

I also tried to update the firmware but this also failed as the option to choose the com port shows nothing.

My step forward was I noticed when i first connected the elink the com status was good but after a few retries to connect elink the com port does a code 10 error (googling the error this states it is due to overload of the com port) and needs to be deleted and rebuilt.  This happens regularly with the new elink device.

Needless to say the elink does not connect

Meanwhile with the borrowed elink which connects first time every time, i have managed to program all of my trains to a new DCC ID and run them successfully on my layout.  I must admit it is an awesome product when it is working.

I am not sure what to do next with my elink and happy for you to suggest anything further.  I have considered borrowing another laptop and download an evaluation copy of RM and try that way but as yet not managed to get my hands on one.  This would confirm it is not my laptop at fault however i think i have done that by running my friends elink and RM software successfully.

Once again thanks for your help Chris.

All the best

Malcolm

[Chrissaf]

I am not sure what to do next with my eLink and happy for you to suggest something further.

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It seems totally obvious to me that your original eLink is faulty and needs replacing or repairing.

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....after a few retries to connect eLink, the com port gives a code 10 error (Googling the error states it is due to an overload of the Com port)

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This also seems to indicate that there is a hardware fault with your eLink as it is trying to draw excessive current through your USB port.

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Contact Hornby Customer Services to discuss your repair / replacement options. I would mention to them that you borrowed a friends eLink that works perfectly. This should give sufficient proof to them that there is a genuine fault to be addressed with your eLink hardware and that it is not a RailMaster software issue.

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/media/tinymce_upload/38e786c0669d08d920b858c35963e9d0.jpg

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[westernwill]

Malcolm  It's well woth following Chris's advice and getting Hornby to repair or replace it if possible as this will then give you a fully working spare.

 

Hatton's were selling some off very cheaply a year or so ago and i bought an extra one to keep as a spare.

 

When my original one stopped working I had a ready made replacement until Hornby repaired mine.

 

Enjoy using RM, it is quite fun.

[Mal_R]

Thanks Chris and Westernwill for your comments.

I have written an email to Hornby explaining the issues and hopefully they will sort out.  

Chris I do appreciate the time you have given.  Will, it does seem a good idea and hopefully i will end up with my friends eLink has he has no use for it so I will also have a spare assuming i can get a replacement for the one that is faulty.

Again thanks guys

[Chrissaf]

Based upon historical information regarding Customer Services responding to email (long delays). I strongly suggest you make a follow up telephone call if you get no response by mid next week.

[Mal_R]

Hi All

A month has passed since my last post on this issue and i thought it was only fair to give you all an update.  I contacted Hornby customer care who after a week of nothing then sent a very short reply stating i should be speaking with Elink Customer care.  This i did.

The person who took up my case was very pleasant and went through all the steps you would expect, unfortunately this took over two weeks of too-ing and fro-ing to get them to believe it was a problem with the elink,  if not for my friend loaning me is and it working perfectly then i am not sure they would have believed me and i would have been stuck.  The first week was taken up with my connection to the device and then the ini file which seems to need different configs for each type of laptop and OS, however in the end they did believe me.

So i was then told i needed to go back to customer care at Hornby and after a week of no response they did get back and after a few days of email exchange again agreed my elink had to be returned.  

Now the problem, due to the virus they are not accepting returns but i have been given a reference number and once Hornby are accepting returns they will ask me to send it.  

Just wanted to give an update as you guys were very helpful with all your suggestions

thanks again and take care

[RB51]

Well done Mal. Quite a palaver eh? Looks as though your perseverance has paid off though. R-

[Yelrow]

Tis not the same since Mark Lodge moved on. I still find them very good, but mark always rung back, and it was good to have a name.

[Fishmanoz]

Mal, it's always been clear to us that there are differences to the ini file requirements for differing OSs from 7 to 10.  But can you be specific about was was said on different computer brands?