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Anyone know how to run DOS RSS in Windows XP using an USB to Serial converter?

Thanks
Dave

calif dave wrote:Anyone know how to run DOS RSS in Windows XP using an USB to Serial converter?

Thanks
Dave

There's the mistake to begin with. As far as I know, you don't.

If it is a DOS RSS, you shouldn't try to run it in XP's "dos"-window. It won't work, because XP doesn't allow any programs to access serial port directly. Another thing is that most RSS software were developed in time when USB was not known as Universal Serial Bus, but as upper side band, one of two ways of single side band modulation.

When dealing with RSS, you should have a real DOS environment, slow computer with real serial port. That usually means separate computer with slow processor (2/3/486) and DOS version 5.0 - 6.22. Those computers do have real serial port as well, where laptops of today do not.

calif dave wrote:Anyone know how to run DOS RSS in Windows XP using an USB to Serial converter?

Thanks
Dave

Talk about a double-whammy!

In two words: You don't. Not if you value the integrity of your radio's codeplug, anyway.

No Windows version beyond 95/98 allows any program to have direct hardware access to the UART driving the serial port. Motorola's DOS-based RSS is designed around having exactly that type of access.

As for the converter: Completely unsupported, even in most Windows-based CPS packages.

If you need to program radios which require DOS-based software, you're going to need to do it with a true MS-DOS 6.22 system that has a real hardware-type serial port. It should not be overly difficult to locate such at a used-computer place or a swap meet.

Keep in mind also that many of Motorola's older packages (HT600, MT1000, Syntor X9000, etc.) will not operate reliably above a certain CPU speed, or with the CPU's cache enabled.

I've found two system types to date that seem to work very well indeed. One is an old Gateway ColorBook, featuring a 486/66 CPU, and the other is an IBM PS/2 Model 95 tower (for the bench).

There have been many threads on the board discussing this. Try some searching.

Happy hunting.