[RTTY] Older DOS programs on XP machines

[Julio VE3FH]

Phil,

You should be able to change the COM number for the adapter, it's under
Device Manager > Ports > [your adapter] > Properties > Port Settings >
Advanced

This way I can run legacy DOS apps that require COM1 or 2 in a laptop
without serial ports. My Belkin adapter comes up as COM8.

73 es HNY,
Julio VE3FH

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Phil Sussman" <psussman at pactor.com>
To: <RTTY at contesting.com>
Sent: Sat, Dec 29, 2007 17:36
Subject: [RTTY] Older DOS programs on XP machines


> Hello,
>
> I had an older DOS machine finally bite the dust and I attempted to
> move my older DOS driven software to a newer XP laptop.
>
> Of course, the newer laptop didn't have a COM port, so I installed
> a USB -> COM adaptor. (from Radio Shack) That works well and
> assigns COM-4 (apparent in the device manager) to the device.
>
> However, the DOS program 'ERRORS' with a "can't find COM port #2".
> At this point I believe there is no real 'DOS' in XP, so my choices are:
>
> 1. Find a "work around to make the COM port work"
>
> 2. Reformat the hard drive and install DOS first with a FAT partition;
then
> XP with an NTFS partition.
>
> 3. Find an older machine with WIN 98 SE or earlier and use that.
>
> 4. Find a new windows program (cheap)
>
> Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks for the bandwidth.
>
> de Phil - N8PS
>