USB Device not recognised.

[Augustus Caesar]

For anyone who has attempted to install Railmaster and e-Link on Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 and struggled here is how I did it. It is simple and straight forward and probably just how Hornby themselves tell us how to do it. However, as there are conflicting ways mentioned on here and elsewhere I have decided to put down step by step instructions so if you fail to get it going then you either have a dodgy unit or something in Windows itself is getting in the way. I even tell you how to set the Windows Firewall during the install so you get it right first time and shouldn’t need to worry afterward.
Here goes…
I installed Railmaster as an admin by right clicking the railmaster.exe file on the CD that came with the e-Link unit. The version of the software I installed was v1.44 which I believe was the earliest version it came with (correct me if I am wrong). So, right click that file and run as an administrator. So far all good and very easy. When installed using your choice of options during this part you are able to go back to that .exe file and you can right click the same file and pin to the program to the taskbar if you wish… I did that as I hate the tiles in Windows 8/8.1 – so boring! I run this version of Windows as I do Windows 7 on my PC coz I really just hate Windows 8… but there you go. You should also right click again and tick the option to run the program as an administrator each time the program is run. Make sure you tick the box for this and NOT just click the run as admin which will only run it once on the next instance you start RM.
My Windows install had little else running on it so it you could say the machine was clean of other stuff getting in the way. It is also 64 bit.
Now, plug the e-Link into the laptop and start RM. When RM is loaded up you SHOULD get the Windows Firewall warning. You ONLY need to allow access to the private part of the network. Domain is for those, like me, who run a server and you should NOT allow access on the public side. On mine I allowed both domain and private as I can run both a domain network and private network on my home setup through a server.
Activate RM once you have either read the latest news they offer you through a popup or clicked to ignore it. Activation can take several seconds… mine took about a minute or so. Once activated close RM and restart the program still with the e-Link connected. No need to restart PC or laptop at all. Now, once started RM should offer up any updates automatically and install them once you accept. RM will close and install updates to program files. If you wish you can check to see if the tick box is still checked for running the program as an administrator. It should be as the new install should not change this.
Open RM and all ports will be scanned for the e-Link connection and if all is well, there shouldn’t be any reason why not at this stage, RM will find the unit and show you have an Internet connection and an active DCC Controller connected. If not then something else is getting the way. It will either be a bad USB connection or a bad unit  The driver will be or should be OK. You don’t need to follow Hornby’s advice and install the Windows driver for a generic USB port as there is nothing wrong with the driver supplied by Hornby. If the driver does not work then you will have a weak USB socket that is not being powered properly by the system and the reasons for this? Bad soldering, bad design or just a bad manufacture of the said socket. USB 3 sockets are backward compatible and should work OK unless the socket is specifically designed for USB 3 only.
Once all was up and running with no hitches so far I proceeded to change the settings within the software so I changed the controller to the e-Link from Elite and the rest are just personal to you and me so feel free to set your own. SAVE the settings before closing the dialogue window. The unit will initialise and should be OK. I then proceeded to setup a loco (Class 31 (R2413B I think it was) weathered). On a test ru all functions worked perfectly and also lighting on the loco. No glitches whatsoever.
On Windows 8 your firewall settings (go to Control Panel then Windows Firewall) can be checked to see if the settings you made earlier during install are still set. On the left hand panel click “Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall”. Scroll down the greyed out list and look for Railmaster. You will see the tick under the private network as you set earlier. The others should be unchecked and no policies set for groups.
If Railmaster does NOT show then you can add the program to the list from here. Click the Change Settings button in this dialogue window and all listings are no longer greyed out. Now click “allow another program”. A dialogue window pops up and you should scroll through looking for Railmaster. It will almost certainly NOT be in the list so browse for the railmaster.exe file and click on that to add it to the list. Once in the list make sure you highlight the file or program name and then click “Add” to add the program to the firewall. Make sure you only have a tick at the left of the program name and also under Private. Click OK to finish and close the Control Panel.
You are now done. That is all you need do to run RM and the e-Link under Windows 8 or 8.1.
If anyone has a question for me from this feel free to ask and I will attempt to help out where I can. If you are running anti virus products like AVG or any other then scan your system fully in case you have anything blocking ports etc. Apart from any free or paid for product you should also use Malwarebytes and Spybot on your systems as they will get rid of stuff NO other AV program will get rid of on their own. Trust me on this one. This is my business and has been for years. Use the free versions of each. I use these and free Avast and nothing else except on my server and have been free from rubbish like that for years. You will be surprised when these pick stuff up and you thought you had a clean system. This will also save a lot of headaches with calls to Hornby support if your system is kept clean and clear of these pesky so and so’s.

[RB51]

Thanks AC - that is one of the most helpful posts on this subject I have seen in a long while. Even I could understand it. R-

[Augustus Caesar]

No problem at all RogerB it was a pleasure to write it up and as long as it helps one person it was worth it. Did it help you out in any way or were you just curious?

If anyone has PC or laptop issues with RM or just the former I am willing to guide as far as possible... just ask. :-)

[gilbo2]

A really helpful and constructive post AC, well done! You have clearly spent a lot of time putting it together, thank you.

My Windows 8.1 system has not installed the Hornby driver, its using the generic Windows version. Reading your post I'm wondering if I would be better with the Hornby driver as that seems to be the one your using?

I use Bitdefender Total Security with Railmaster.exe added as a firewall exception. Is it best to turn off Bitdefender firewall and use Windows instead in your view?

For systems without CD drives is the starting point better to download the latest version of RailMaster from http://www.powerpos.com/rail-master/rm_setup.exe  ? This would also cut out the update step as you start with the latest software and firmware releases?

My only other thought would be to add a line in your instructions about the best way to reset elink should the link not start?

[Augustus Caesar]

No problem dgilbert2... as I say I don't mind doing this because I may need help in the future so it's fair to offer up any I can give now... I have had support in the past from some very good folk on here and like you I appreciate that help.

To comment on each question or query I will tackle them one by one if I may...

You can uninstall the generic driver and use the Hornby one, yes but you may have to uninstall the hardware too from your device manager in order to do that. Sometimes Windows can be quite useless at allowing a simple driver install over another as it will invariably say the best one is installed already. Of course, we know best but Windows is not that intuitive to be honest. It relies heavily on its own management and our inferior knowledge and tries to simplify things too much these days. All this happened after Win XP was superceded with Vista. Anyway, try uninstalling the driver or overwriting it by selecting the file on the disk or your downloaded version from Hornby. I use the Hornby driver as it was specially built for this job. I always try to replace Windows generic drivers as they are basic and usually too weak to perform for the required hardware to work at its maximum ability.

A firewall is a firewall is a firewall and it is down to personal choice which one you use. As I use no paid for AV products at all (I use Avast, Malwarebytes and Spybot - all free) and am very well protected with those (I am careful not to visit ropy sites or download films, music or other infected media... I also never use torrents). However, if I did get a malicious file it is always zapped straight away or, if it is too new, I always go into the Windows registry and delete manually while also checking for rootkits etc... Your router also has a hardware firewall built in and the code for that cannot be rewritten by any virus or whatever so you can leave your own in place. As long as you are aware of how to allow stuff through like Railmaster there should not be a problem. IF, on the other hand, you suspect it is being aggressive and stopping too much, then turn it off and try Windows own instead. If that lets Railmaster through and the other doesn't then use the latter. Do NOT run two software firewalls together though.

I have a 10.1" Acer laptop (the V5 version) and it has no DVD or CD drive. I used a USB DVD rewriter (a basic one is all you need) and it works fine. However, you can download the latest files from Hornby and use those. What that will do is delete the necessity to download that same file during the update process I outline above.

At which point do you mean about restarting the eLink? I guess it could be anywhere where the link to the files may not be brought down from the web? If so I always do a fresh start of the whole install. Regardless of how boring that would be.

This is so I KNOW I have a clean install each time and NO residual rubbish can get in the way if it is left behind after a failed install.

Hope this helps...

[Graskie]

Now translate all that into Latin, AC! Your diligence is to be admired. Great stuff!

[gilbo2]

Thanks again AC, your keyboard will be getting warn out :-) Brilliant stuff though.

In terms of the driver I see you manually installed the Hornby version which explains why mine is on the Windows generic version. I guess that as everything works well on my system I should leave alone though.

In terms of restarting eLink, that was to cover the situation where it fails to initialise on start-up and you need to unplug for 10 seconds. (I have also noticed that if it's seen a short circuit that it will often fail to initialise.)

[Augustus Caesar]

No probs Graskie... just give me a while... a long while probably! I do actually translate some Latin for my Hadrian's Wall site but not a huge amount by any means and certainly not sentences... lol

[Augustus Caesar]

The driver I installed for the eLink was the Hornby one. Everything worked first time. The reason I mention how to delete drivers like the Windows generic one is simply because I do this for a living and is a small part of my IT knowledgebase. I build/repair computers, laptops etc and build networks for business. I also design and build websites. All my own home based business and I am self employed. So drivers present no problems to me regardless of the equipment really.

If everything works then don't fiddle with anything unless you KNOW you can improve performance etc.

One thing I will never do is install the RM software while connections are made to the track or programming track. This eliminates any kind of feedback like a short. If you do have to restart the eLink with a reset just do a clean install from the start as stated and keep everything nice, crisp and clean.

If you mean a reset when everything hass worked fine beforehand then simply unplug as you say. The driver should be unaffected so don't fiddle with anything. It's a bit like a bulb failing in a torch... replace the bulb but leave the batteries alone. If the unit keeps failing to initialise then you have to eliminate things one by one...

Disconnect the track and all accessory decoders. Try again to intialise... if succeeds you have found a connection issue. If not eliminate more step by step until you find the problem.

[Graskie]

Reminds me of the scene in "Life of Brian" where some poor graffiti artist writing something in Latin like "Romans, go home!" is reprimanded by, I believe, John Cleese for not knowing the conjugation of his verbs or declension of his nouns, and gets him to do so and correct his work, just like a Latin teacher.

[Fishmanoz]

He should just be grateful that wasn't seen to be a crucifixion offence Graskie. 

These days I nearly always keep my Latin to QED and clenching to teeth! And I won't be discussing any conjugation I manage to achieve on here. 

[Augustus Caesar]

Aaahhh... The Life of Brian... a film named after oneself and gloriously the best satire film ever made... what a plot and just so hilariously funny... :-) I've must have watched this film about 30 times and still find new stuff in the background all the time. I grew up watching the Pythons as a young lad and found their humour so wonderful... :-)

'Twas "Romans go home" Graskie and Brian had to conjugate his verb to "go" and he had to write it out a hundred times or have his * cut off... "very n_n_nasty"