COM Port in use

[Jack]

How do you determine what program is currently utilizing
the COM port on a Windows XP platform? Some program has
taken over my COM port and I can't figure out what has it
locked. I tried canning processes one by one until it got
freed up but no luck. I have to re-install my COM port
device driver each time I reboot my PC to gain access to
it. If I don't re-install the driver Hyperterm reports
that the COM port is in use. This is most frustrating.
After I reinstall whatever program or process had it in
use no longer lays claim to it, so Hyperterm can then use
the com port. Please help. Thanks.

[D.Currie]

You're saying that HyperTerminal is saying the com port is in use, so I'm
assuming you're trying to get a modem to work. Is that correct?

Since you're trying to reinstall com port drivers, that must mean it's an
external modem, correct?

Which com port is it plugged in to (1 or 2) and have you checked to make
sure the port is enabled in the bios?

Are using other serial devices? (mouse, palm pilot, etc)?

When you have the modem plugged in and turned on, does the computer
recognize it at all?


"Jack" > wrote in message
...
> How do you determine what program is currently utilizing
> the COM port on a Windows XP platform? Some program has
> taken over my COM port and I can't figure out what has it
> locked. I tried canning processes one by one until it got
> freed up but no luck. I have to re-install my COM port
> device driver each time I reboot my PC to gain access to
> it. If I don't re-install the driver Hyperterm reports
> that the COM port is in use. This is most frustrating.
> After I reinstall whatever program or process had it in
> use no longer lays claim to it, so Hyperterm can then use
> the com port. Please help. Thanks.

[Jack]

Hi,

I'm not trying to use a modem. I need to plug in a serial
device (an eprom programmer). It is on the external COM1
port of my PC and the COM1 port is enabled in the BIOS.
The port works great, but some piece of software has
opened the port and is not releasing it. I am not using
other serial devices (mouse, palm pilot, etc). But, I
must have installed something that is using the serial
port and I don't know what. How can I figure out what
piece of software took control of the COM1 port?

The only way I can release it from this phantom software
is to re-install the driver. Then it becomes available to
Hyperterm as well as my Eprom Programmer. You can easily
simulate my problem by starting up Hyperterm and opening
a connection on COM1. Then try to see if you can figure
out that Hyperterm has the port locked. There must be a
piece of software or system function that will report the
port open by Process ID or Program name. Isn't there?

Help.


>-----Original Message-----
>You're saying that HyperTerminal is saying the com port
is in use, so I'm
>assuming you're trying to get a modem to work. Is that
correct?
>
>Since you're trying to reinstall com port drivers, that
must mean it's an
>external modem, correct?
>
>Which com port is it plugged in to (1 or 2) and have you
checked to make
>sure the port is enabled in the bios?
>
>Are using other serial devices? (mouse, palm pilot, etc)?
>
>When you have the modem plugged in and turned on, does
the computer
>recognize it at all?
>
>
>"Jack" > wrote in message
...
>> How do you determine what program is currently
utilizing
>> the COM port on a Windows XP platform? Some program has
>> taken over my COM port and I can't figure out what has
it
>> locked. I tried canning processes one by one until it
got
>> freed up but no luck. I have to re-install my COM port
>> device driver each time I reboot my PC to gain access
to
>> it. If I don't re-install the driver Hyperterm reports
>> that the COM port is in use. This is most frustrating.
>> After I reinstall whatever program or process had it in
>> use no longer lays claim to it, so Hyperterm can then
use
>> the com port. Please help. Thanks.
>
>
>.
>

[D.Currie]

Just for the fun of it, have you tried it on com2?

"Jack" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
>
> I'm not trying to use a modem. I need to plug in a serial
> device (an eprom programmer). It is on the external COM1
> port of my PC and the COM1 port is enabled in the BIOS.
> The port works great, but some piece of software has
> opened the port and is not releasing it. I am not using
> other serial devices (mouse, palm pilot, etc). But, I
> must have installed something that is using the serial
> port and I don't know what. How can I figure out what
> piece of software took control of the COM1 port?
>
> The only way I can release it from this phantom software
> is to re-install the driver. Then it becomes available to
> Hyperterm as well as my Eprom Programmer. You can easily
> simulate my problem by starting up Hyperterm and opening
> a connection on COM1. Then try to see if you can figure
> out that Hyperterm has the port locked. There must be a
> piece of software or system function that will report the
> port open by Process ID or Program name. Isn't there?
>
> Help.
>
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >You're saying that HyperTerminal is saying the com port
> is in use, so I'm
> >assuming you're trying to get a modem to work. Is that
> correct?
> >
> >Since you're trying to reinstall com port drivers, that
> must mean it's an
> >external modem, correct?
> >
> >Which com port is it plugged in to (1 or 2) and have you
> checked to make
> >sure the port is enabled in the bios?
> >
> >Are using other serial devices? (mouse, palm pilot, etc)?
> >
> >When you have the modem plugged in and turned on, does
> the computer
> >recognize it at all?
> >
> >
> >"Jack" > wrote in message
> ...
> >> How do you determine what program is currently
> utilizing
> >> the COM port on a Windows XP platform? Some program has
> >> taken over my COM port and I can't figure out what has
> it
> >> locked. I tried canning processes one by one until it
> got
> >> freed up but no luck. I have to re-install my COM port
> >> device driver each time I reboot my PC to gain access
> to
> >> it. If I don't re-install the driver Hyperterm reports
> >> that the COM port is in use. This is most frustrating.
> >> After I reinstall whatever program or process had it in
> >> use no longer lays claim to it, so Hyperterm can then
> use
> >> the com port. Please help. Thanks.
> >
> >
> >.
> >