I am trying to program my M214 with RSS version R08.00.00 (05-May-93)
of RADMBL. I believe it is Pentium compatible.
I am using an Win95 IBM ThinkPad booted up in DOS 6.22 with a DOS
boot disk.
My RIB and cables is hooked to COM2. When I go to do a COM test it
just sits there and says "accessing serial port".
Is the COM port supposed to be set up in any special way?
Am I supposed to disable the "Use FIFO buffers(requires 16550
compatible UART) option?
Am I supposed to change the "Bits per second", "Data
bits", "Parity", "Stop Bits" or "Flow Control" options?
Should I run MOSLOW?
Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Mike
COM Port problems
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COM Port problems Update..
This is really strange because it will work fine when I boot the computer up into Windows 95 and double click on the radmbl.exe file.
When I double click on radmbl.exe it will open the program in a DOS window and when I do a COM test it works fine. So I tried to read the codeplug from the radio and that worked fine also!
I changed the codeplug and updated the frequencies and decided to try to send the updated codeplug to the radio and that worked fine also! I couldn't believe it!
I thought you could only program the Radius M214 in DOS only. Not a DOS window within Window 95.
Why did this work?
Should I still program my radio like this? If I programmed it once this way, is there still a chance I could brick it?
Why won't it work when the computer is booted in pure DOS?
Do I have an RSS version that is made to run in a DOS window? The first screen that comes up says it is Radius Mobile Version R08.00.00 05-May-93
Could someone please shed some light on this for me. I would really hate to brick this radio.
Thanks,
Mike
When I double click on radmbl.exe it will open the program in a DOS window and when I do a COM test it works fine. So I tried to read the codeplug from the radio and that worked fine also!
I changed the codeplug and updated the frequencies and decided to try to send the updated codeplug to the radio and that worked fine also! I couldn't believe it!
I thought you could only program the Radius M214 in DOS only. Not a DOS window within Window 95.
Why did this work?
Should I still program my radio like this? If I programmed it once this way, is there still a chance I could brick it?
Why won't it work when the computer is booted in pure DOS?
Do I have an RSS version that is made to run in a DOS window? The first screen that comes up says it is Radius Mobile Version R08.00.00 05-May-93
Could someone please shed some light on this for me. I would really hate to brick this radio.
Thanks,
Mike
Re: COM Port problems
Did you select Com2 in the RSS setup/pc configuration?
Re: COM Port problems
Yes, COM2 is selected in the RSS pc configuration setup.
Why did it work fine when I booted the computer to Windows 95 and opened up radmbl in a DOS window? And why wont it work when I boot the computer in pure DOS?
Could I brick the radio if I try to program it like that again?
Why did it work fine when I booted the computer to Windows 95 and opened up radmbl in a DOS window? And why wont it work when I boot the computer in pure DOS?
Could I brick the radio if I try to program it like that again?
Re: COM Port problems
The risk with a DOS window is that some other Windows process can disrupt data to the COM port while you are writing to the radio.
You should boot DOS 6.22 then be sure you change to the directory where RADMBL is installed. When you have the prompt for that directory enter "radmbl" to start the program.
If you are not in the proper directory or don't have the DOS paths set up correctly, strange things can happen.
You should boot DOS 6.22 then be sure you change to the directory where RADMBL is installed. When you have the prompt for that directory enter "radmbl" to start the program.
If you are not in the proper directory or don't have the DOS paths set up correctly, strange things can happen.
Re: COM Port problems
I have radmbl installed right on the C: drive. So when I boot in DOS 6.22, I get the A: prompt. At the A: prompt I type in C: and hit enter. Then I get the C: prompt. I then type in radmbl and enter and it starts up just fine. radmbl wouldn't start up of you weren't in the correct directory right?
I am doing exactly what you said, right?
Should I have installed radmbl in its own folder on the C: drive?
I am doing exactly what you said, right?
Should I have installed radmbl in its own folder on the C: drive?
Re: COM Port problems
The default setup is something like c:\mrss\radm100. Are you sure radmbl.exe and all the associated files are on the root directory? It is a very bad practice to install programs directly on the root directory.
One other possibility is that you have a device conflict for COM2 /IRQ3? If there is a modem or trackball assigned in the PC BIOS to COM2 or COM4 you could have a problem. The default IRQ for both COM2 and COM4 is IRQ3. If both COM ports 2 and 4 are used you need to change the IRQ for COM4 to avoid a conflict. Check you BIOS setup for the COM ports to be sure that COM2 is not assigned to some other device and that COM4 does not have an active device with the same IRQ as COM2.
One other possibility is that you have a device conflict for COM2 /IRQ3? If there is a modem or trackball assigned in the PC BIOS to COM2 or COM4 you could have a problem. The default IRQ for both COM2 and COM4 is IRQ3. If both COM ports 2 and 4 are used you need to change the IRQ for COM4 to avoid a conflict. Check you BIOS setup for the COM ports to be sure that COM2 is not assigned to some other device and that COM4 does not have an active device with the same IRQ as COM2.
Re: COM Port problems
Just a guess, but:
A lot of lower priced PCs and laptops that had two COM ports equipped COM1 with a 16550 UART, while COM2 was equipped with a lesser T/R chip. If you try setting the RSS to use COM1, see what happens.
Why does it appear to work when running under a Windows "DOS Window"? Windows takes over many of the functions of the true 16550, and it may be fooling the RSS into thinking that it addressing a true 16550. The problem, as others have noted, is that Windows will not cede control of the serial process, which the RSS insists upon, and when it interrupts a write (as eventually it will do), you risk seriously damaging the attached radio.
A lot of lower priced PCs and laptops that had two COM ports equipped COM1 with a 16550 UART, while COM2 was equipped with a lesser T/R chip. If you try setting the RSS to use COM1, see what happens.
Why does it appear to work when running under a Windows "DOS Window"? Windows takes over many of the functions of the true 16550, and it may be fooling the RSS into thinking that it addressing a true 16550. The problem, as others have noted, is that Windows will not cede control of the serial process, which the RSS insists upon, and when it interrupts a write (as eventually it will do), you risk seriously damaging the attached radio.
Re: COM Port problems
Well I solved it!
Someone told me to check the ThinkPad Features setup. Which is a program in windows called ThinkPad Features. I checked the Serial Port settings in that program and it said my serial port was disabled! And that the serial port was being used by an IR device. So, I enabled the serial port and set it to COM1 and disabled the IR device and then rebooted in DOS with my DOS 6.22 boot disk.
Now everything works fine..
Very strange how it would work when running Windows though.
I am just lucky I didn't brick it...
Thanks for the help eveyone!
Someone told me to check the ThinkPad Features setup. Which is a program in windows called ThinkPad Features. I checked the Serial Port settings in that program and it said my serial port was disabled! And that the serial port was being used by an IR device. So, I enabled the serial port and set it to COM1 and disabled the IR device and then rebooted in DOS with my DOS 6.22 boot disk.
Now everything works fine..
Very strange how it would work when running Windows though.
I am just lucky I didn't brick it...
Thanks for the help eveyone!