Spectra RSS: Cant open port "COM1"

[alex4659]

Hi all,

I'm trying to open DOS RSS for my spectra hi power and im getting the message: Cant open port COM1 requested by the application... options are to close or ignore. I've tried both!


What am i doing wrong?

I have a serial port on my computers and using operating system XP PRO

I've tried 3 different computers and they are all saying the same thing.

Any help, comment, or suggesions would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,
Alex

[Mfire39]

Are you trying to run the RSS in a dos box in XP?


-Marc

[ai4ui]

What am i doing wrong?

I have a serial port on my computers and using operating system XP PRO

This is your problem. RSS needs control of the com port and XP won't allow it. You have to be running in DOS. There is no DOS in XP. You can do this with Windows 95/98 by restarting the computer in DOS mode, or just get an old computer that runs DOS. If your BIOS will allow it, see if you can boot from a USB thumb drive. I have a Panasonic Toughbook CF-29 that I boot from a thumb drive into DOS 6.22 and it pretty much runs all the old DOS RSS with no issues.

YMMV

[alex4659]

Are you trying to run the RSS in a dos box in XP?


-Marc

I am not using DOS Box... would that fix my problem?

thanks,
Alex

[Jim202]

Are you trying to run the RSS in a dos box in XP?


-Marc

I am not using DOS Box... would that fix my problem?

thanks,
Alex

You need to run the Spectra software in a pure DOS system. In other words, you need to boot the computer directly into DOS and not try running it under a windows controlled window. The second problem you might have is too fast of a computer. The Spectra software was wrote back in the days of 386 and 486 computers. I am not sure just how fast of a clock speed it will work under, but the screamers we have today is not a good choice. I do run the Spectra on a 300 MHz clock speed all the time with no problems.

If you don't have a copy of DOS 6.22 or something in that order, a simple search on the Internet should get you a number of locations where you can download it and create a boot disk. Your next problem might be having a computer that will take a floppy drive. I have created a bootable CD, but again you need to create the CD so it is bootable with the DOS 6.22 or what ever on it.

Jim