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Support Forum » Putty Won't Open Serial Port on Windows 7

April 22, 2012
by jlaskowski
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My Nerdkit is connected via USB to COM2 on my Windows 7 laptop.

I am trying to open Putty on COM2 using: speed=115200, data bits=8, stop bits=1, parity=none, flow control=none. I press the Open button on Putty and it does nothing.

I have no problem running "make" on the USB Nerdkit's initialload project, and the code downloads fine on COM2. I've disconnected and reconnected the Nerdkit's USB cable and still unable to open COM2 with Putty.

April 22, 2012
by Ralphxyz
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How do you know "it does nothing"?

Do you have an active serial data feed for putty to display?

Ralph

April 22, 2012
by jlaskowski
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When I use Putty for ssh, and I click on Open, a windows pops-up with a black background for the shell commands. No window pops up when I click on the Open button. It doesn't respond in any visible way.

April 22, 2012
by jlaskowski
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I mean: no window pops up when I click on the Open button while trying to connect to the COM2 port. I did download Termite 2.9, gave it the same settings, and it works fine. So, I have a solutions, but I'd rather just use Putty since I use it for ssh daily.

April 25, 2012
by hevans
(NerdKits Staff)

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Hi jlaskowski,

Try opening up Putty as an administrator (right click the icon an open as administrator). See if that does the trick for you.

Humberto

April 25, 2012
by jlaskowski
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Thanks, Humberto, but it still won't open COM2, even running as administrator.

July 12, 2012
by raildoc
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When I first used PuTTy, it worked fine. After I (succesfully) reprogrammed a 168, It absolutely will not open again. Yes, I set Serial 115200, one, none, none and used the same Port5 that I used for programming and admin-ID'd myself. I hit OPEN and get the dink-nothing. Whassup!?

July 13, 2012
by Ralphxyz
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used the same Port5

I assume you mean com5?

Can you use the command line (cmd.exe) to program your mcu using com5?

And of course reboot, unplug the USB cable, disable and enable the com port, reboot and reboot again, it is Windose you are using so don't expect to much from it.

Ralph

July 13, 2012
by raildoc
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TNX, Ralph. Good "talking" to you again. Yes, of course, COM5. That and the "one" data bits are the result of some 2-am redeye typos. You're also right about the vagaries of Windows OS's. I've been there since 4-bit Basic and DOS. As such, I've removed and reloaded all the communication-related software and drivers,scrubbed the OS and registers, boot/reboot endlessly, same result. I've programmed and reprogrammed the mcu (pristine tempsensor and Make files) without a hitch, so PC/mcu back-and-forth communication seems OK. Bottom line: it's likely a PC (WindowsXP)problem fighting some incompatability bug with PuTTy. As is common with these things, the most frustrating is that it worked before, so with all I did to bring it back to that virgin "state"-nothing. I've run out of ideas on this one and will try other terminal programs (e.g., python, Realterminal, etc. I don't like my Hyperterminal with its built-in COM3 set-up.) I had a similar problem with connecting a vintage DMM through a Prolific cable. Never did figure that one out, since it always said there was no source, I think it was some baud or protocolor old-age mis-match. I'm now using my new Tektronix DMM with LabView SignalExpress for PC/DMM communication and as a "poor man's" O'scope for rpm data anaysis. This app is similar to that on the tachometer Forum thread you had back-and-forth with huzbum-and also some other PWM-related posts. Any ideas? I'd appreciate your (and anybody's) help. Peter

July 13, 2012
by Ralphxyz
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With the tempsensor project are you getting feedback on the pc?

Ralph

July 13, 2012
by raildoc
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TNX again Ralph. My situation is the same as jlaskowski had at the beginning of this Forum Thread. I can get feedback using HyperTerminal--as well as no problem with 168 programming. I am exactly at the same stage as in jlaskowski's last post, even after Humberto's admin suggestion. Then the string snapped. Although I'm not running 7 but XP, I dropped in to see if anyone had any further ideas on jlaskowski's or my problem. Namely, PuTTy will simply NOT open on my PC. Somewhere in the bowels of my PC, before the USB, something does not let me open PuTTy. I hit PuTTy's OPEN button and get the dreaded dink-dink "it's dead" sound--no action, no window, no error statement, nada. In the meantime, I'm massaging my (tachometer/pwm/pfm) sensor code to format more-readable uart printouts from HyperTerminal--so that I can simply download the data to Excel. Any suggestions there? I've seen related thread postss on RevMoses's pot-controlled pwm/pfm generator and your and huzbum's tachometer posts. Any more progress on those? I know I can get more flexibility with Python, RealTerminal, or other emulators--but my OCD won't let me go from this PuTTy bug. Peter

July 14, 2012
by Ralphxyz
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Try a Bug report to PuTTY.

Also there must be a PuTTY forum where you could ask.

Ralph

July 14, 2012
by raildoc
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Thanks again. Been there (and Google) done that, but nothing yet.

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