B&B Electronics 232PCI2A, 232PCI2B, 232PCI1B, 232PCI1A Appendix D Renaming COM Ports Win 95/98/ME

Appendix D: Renaming COM Ports - Win 95/98/ME

Renaming PCI COM Ports Using the PnP COM Rename Utility

CAUTION: You must be using Windows 95/98 or ME. This utility is not designed for NT or other Windows versions.

This program edits the registry directly, it will only change entries related to B&B PCI or USB Serial Ports. Improper use of this program can cause conflicts with other COM Ports installed on your computer.

Renaming COM ports will only affect software that accesses COM ports through Windows, not software that accesses ports from DOS or at the hardware level.

This program should only be used after all serial ports have been installed.

Windows 95/98 and ME automatically assigns COM port numbers starting at COM5 when the port is not at the standard base addresses for COM1 to COM4.

If your software refuses to access COM ports above COM4, and you have unused COM numbers that you want to be able use with your B&B PCI Serial Card, this utility can be used to rename some or all of the ports to the unused COM numbers.

First, check the ports list shown in the Device Manager, then check any Modem or FAX device to make sure that the port number isn't being used for a FAX/Modem or Network Redirector.

If you have built-in ports you want to disable from the BIOS in order to use your PCI card at that COM number, first remove the port with the Device Manager. Then re-boot to the BIOS, disable the port with hardware settings, Exit with a "Save Settings", then re-start Windows Next, verify the port number is not present. Then use the Rename utility to rename the PCI card ports as needed.

To Remove a Port: Choose Settings, Control Panel, System, Device Manager, then select the port to highlight it. Click Remove below the window. To remove all B&B PCI ports, select the B&B Serial Adapter. This clears registry entries for the card and ports.

Documentation Number 232PCIXX4502 Manual Appendix D D-1

B&B Electronics Mfg Co – 707 Dayton Rd - PO Box 1040 - Ottawa IL 61350 - Ph 815-433-5100 - Fax 815-433-5104 B&B Electronics Ltd – Westlink Comm. Pk. – Oranmore, Galway, Ireland – Ph +353 91-792444 – Fax +353 91-792445