Arduino UNO Vista 64bith driver problem

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IQmatic
 
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Arduino UNO Vista 64bith driver problem

Post by IQmatic »

Hi,
I have a strange driver problem. I am using Windows Vista 64bit.
We have bought an Arduino Experimentation kit with Arduino UNO, I downloaded the software plugged the Arduino board to the USB port, Windows recognized the new hardware, and then I located the driver for the UNO (Arduino UNO.inf in the /drivers folder) and successfully installed it. I remember looking at the ports in the Arduino software and there were two COM ports: 3 and 4, where Arduino was installed on COM4. Everything worked fine until the seventh lesson. During that time something happened (maybe one of the Windows or JAVA updates went through) and the computer stopped recognizing the board. In the Arduino software now there was only one port COM3 marked connected. Obviously, uploading the sketch onto that port didn't work.
This port COM3 actually has an internal modem: HDAUDIO Soft Data Fax Modem with SmartCP.
Looking in the Device manager I could see Arduino in the COM4 port with the yellow exclamation mark, and saying the device is not working properly and cannot load the driver software.
I tried removing the Arduino manually, and connecting again, but now no matter if I use different USB cables, the computer doesn't see Arduino when I connect it. Now I can add Arduino manually and try to update the driver, but it doesn't work.
The USB does provide the power to the board, and in fact Arduino is still running the previous sketch on it.
I also tried attaching the board through the USB cable to a Windows 7 64 bit computer and Windows XP 32 bit computer - in both cases no new hardware wizard.
Interestingly, (on my Vista 64 bit computer, where everything worked before), the Arduino software thinks that this HDAUDIO modem is the Arduino UNO board, because when I assign this modem to the COM6 port, in Arduino software it still shows one port, and that is COM6. If I disable this internal modem, than the serial ports section is grayed out in Arduino software.
I would appreciate help and advice what to do.
Thanks,

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adafruit_support_bill
 
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Re: Arduino UNO Vista 64bith driver problem

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

During that time something happened (maybe one of the Windows or JAVA updates went through) and the computer stopped recognizing the board.
Do you have a restore point so you can return the OS to before the update?
I also tried attaching the board through the USB cable to a Windows 7 64 bit computer and Windows XP 32 bit computer - in both cases no new hardware wizard.
That is sounding more like a cable or hardware problem. If it is hardware, it would most likely be the usb chip because you say the last-loaded sketch appears to be still running.

IQmatic
 
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Re: Arduino UNO Vista 64bith driver problem

Post by IQmatic »

Thanks for your reply. and I just wanted to say thanks for all your work and your tutorials and support.
That's what I thought at first, too. I did get back to the previous restore point, but that didn't help.
I've been struggling with this problem for the last 3 days, and as soon as I posted on these forums, I got lucky and fixed it.
Basically I did only two things: tightened the screws, which attach the Arduino board to the plastic platform with the breadboard and
Pushed the reset button on the board.
After I did that and connected the USB cable the computer immediately recognized the new hardware. Now everything is working.
Thanks again.

IQmatic
 
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Re: Arduino UNO Vista 64bith driver problem

Post by IQmatic »

Actually, this problem has re-appeared again, and now it looks like this is all a bad USB port on the Arduino board. I have to move the USB cable in the port to get it working.
Is this a common problem? Is there any way to replace just this port? also, maybe in the future it makes sense to replace this USB port with micro-USB, for example?

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Re: Arduino UNO Vista 64bith driver problem

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

I have to move the USB cable in the port to get it working.
Not sure I understand that. Do you mean physically move the cable in the socket?

IQmatic
 
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Re: Arduino UNO Vista 64bith driver problem

Post by IQmatic »

After I insert the USB cable into the USB port of Arduino, the board is powered up, but it is inactive (not connected) in the device manager. When it is inserted, the cable is not as tight and moves left to right a little bit. That is the problem. If I tinker with it the computer does recognize it in certain position, but it is unstable, and as soon as I let the cable go, it moves back and the board is disconnected.

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Re: Arduino UNO Vista 64bith driver problem

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

Sounds like the data pins on the USB connector are not making reliable contact. Try another cable?

IQmatic
 
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Re: Arduino UNO Vista 64bith driver problem

Post by IQmatic »

I did try another cable, and it is clearly the pins inside the female type B USB Connector sitting on the Arduino board.

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Re: Arduino UNO Vista 64bith driver problem

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

I've revived bad USB cables by lifting the connector prongs with the tip of an Exacto blade. The interior of the type-B sockets are relatively accessible, you should be able to do the same on those.

IQmatic
 
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Re: Arduino UNO Vista 64bith driver problem

Post by IQmatic »

Yeah, I am trying to do either this or if this doesn't work I will try to replace it with a new one. Although I don't have as much soldering experience, there are only 6 points of contact, hopefully I will manage.

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